The marriage of two gay priests in the UK last month is not actually the first of its kind, according to a Wellington pastor who says he married his male lover in a London Anglican church over twenty years ago.
Rev. Graham Brandreth Wills, a Pastor at Wellington's Church of The Advent, also suspects many similar ceremonies have taken place in secret over the years.
World-wide news reports claimed that when The Rev Peter Cowell and Hamilton-born Rev Dr David Lord's exchanged vows at St Bartholomew the Great in the City of London last month, it was the "first-ever" same-sex wedding within the Anglician church.
"I would like to set the record straight… this much publicised event is most certainly not the first of its kind," says Wills. "Over twenty years ago, the Revd Robin Green and I were married in St Mary The Boltons church South Kensington, London.
At that time, Green was parish priest of St Mary's. The presiding priest was a local hospital chaplain. "I am very sure too that there have been many secret weddings presided over by clergy of all denominations - I myself have conducted two such 'private' ceremonies."
Rev. Wills is, however, "delighted" that the news of the Anglican couple's nuptials have made international headlines, believing that there is now an opportunity for clergy across New Zealand and the world to come together and speak with one voice on the issue of gay unions within the Church.
"It will at last bring about serious debate, so long overdue," he says. "I so sincerely hope the Church of England and the wider church will run with this and debate the issues with love and care, rather than the usual negative reactions or worse, bury their collective heads in a sandpit.
"My thoughts and prayers are with these two men and their officiate priest for being brave and taking this very courageous step. I am however a tad disappointed one has felt the need to resign his licence and only hope that his bishop returns it too him with love and support he deserves. God bless them both and all who love and support them."
