Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and leaders of protestant churches in England and Scotland have condemned the criminalization of homosexuality, stating that “homosexuals should be welcomed by their churches.
Archbishop Justin Welby and Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, accompanied the Pope to South Sudan, where they jointly pleaded for peace in the war-torn country.
The Pope told reporters that such laws were a sin and an injustice.
He went on to say that persons who are homosexuals are God’s children.
During a news conference with media on board, the papal plane as it flew from Juba to Rome, Archbishop Welby and Dr Greenshields applauded the Pope’s statements.
“I entirely agree with every word he said there,” Archbishop Welby said, stressing that the Anglican church had its own internal disputes about gay rights.
The Church of England said last month that it will not allow same-sex couples to marry in its churches.
Dr Greenshields expressed his support by citing the Bible, saying: “There is nowhere in the four Gospels that I see anything other than Jesus expressing love to whoever he meets, and as Christians that is the only expression that we can give to any human being in any circumstance.”
During the press conference, Pope Francis reiterated the Catholic Church’s position that same-sex sacramental marriage is not permitted.
However, he said he supported so-called civil union legislation and highlighted that laws outlawing homosexuality were “a problem that cannot be ignored”.
He claimed that 50 countries criminalize LGBT persons “in one way or another,” with roughly ten having death penalty laws.
According to ILGA World, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association, 66 UN member states currently criminalize consensual same-sex relationships.
“This is not right. Persons with homosexual tendencies are children of God,” said the Pope.
“God loves them. God accompanies them… condemning a person like this is a sin.”