Dr. Welby said in Westminster that he backed initiatives to embrace the LGBT+ community, but in a speech in Ghana, he gave a quite different account of what transpired.

In a speech to Anglican leaders on Sunday in Accra, Ghana, the Archbishop made the assertion, only days after the Church of England approved a number of reforms on LGBT+ issues that fall short of endorsing same-sex marriage.

Dr. Welby had previously informed the group that while he supported initiatives to welcome the LGBT+ community, he would not personally perform same-sex blessings due to his commitments to the global Anglican Communion, which is governed by African churches that are vehemently opposed to LGBT+ rights.

Dr. Welby stated in Ghana that “Remember, in the Church of England, Archbishops do not chair the General Synod and do not organise its business and debates,” despite the fact that the report calling for softer regulations on LGBT+ issues and the authorization of blessings was produced by bishops and welcomed in Westminster by Dr. Welby.

According to Dr. Welby, the UK is currently experiencing a “post-Christianity” period. 

He continued, “We are in a radically different culture in the monetarily wealthy globe than 30 years ago.

According to Anglican hardliners in Ghana, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby stated that he felt “threatened” by MPs during discussions on the Church’s position on same-sex marriage.

He stated “In the last few weeks, as part of our discussions about sexuality and the rules around sexuality in the Church of England, I talked of our interdependence with all Christians, not just Anglicans, particularly those in the Global South with other faith majorities.

“As a result, I was summoned twice to Parliament and threatened with parliamentary action to force same-sex marriage on us, called in England equal marriage. When I speak of the impact that actions by the Church of England will have on those abroad in the Anglican Communion, those concerns are dismissed by many in the General Synod.”