According to a recent report in The Daily Telegraph, "New governmental proposals could require clergy to bless homosexual 'weddings' or face prosecution, the Church of England said yesterday" (June 10). These new Department of Trade and Industry proposals (labeled Sexual Orientation Regulations or SOR) are apparently designed to protect homosexual men and women from discrimination with regard to goods, services and facilities on the basis of their sexual orientation.

It is understood that religious schools "could be required to teach that homosexuality was of equal value to heterosexual marriage and if ministers of religion were not properly protected they could be open to legal action" (ibid.).

To give the Anglican Church its due, on the whole its leaders have responded to these new governmental proposals with diplomacy, courage and conviction.

For instance, the church's information pack states: "Christians of course earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of homosexuals. However, the Bible is clear that the only right sexual relationship for which we were created, is a relationship between a man and a woman in the context of a legitimate marriage. Consequently, there are times when Christians need to be free to discriminate against homosexuality in order to be constant and clear . . . in teaching that the Bible says homosexual practice is sinful" (Anglican Web site, emphasis added).

The British government wants these new regulations to become the law in England and Wales by October. However, it has formally asked if there should be any exceptions to protect religious groups.

According to the Anglican information pack, "The regulations have been described by some leading Christian figures from across denominational lines as representing an even greater threat to Christian liberty than had been posed by the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill."

Christians should pray fervently that the final outcome of the proposed legislation will make provision for ministers and others to obey God's laws without suffering legal penalties. (Sources: The Daily Telegraph [London], the Anglican Church Web site.)