Anglican Preacher Pulled From Pulpit After Advocating Traditional Marriage

An Anglican lay minister has been temporarily banned from preaching at a church in the U.K. after a service in which he advocated for the traditional definition of marriage upset some of those in attendance.

Peter Gowlland, a retired science teacher, apparently encouraged worshippers to sign a petition against the government's plan to introduce same-sex weddings. The preacher asked of church-goers to be "bold like the apostles" in their vote in support of the traditional definition of marriage.

The Telegraph reported that what followed was a "brief and polite" disagreement with two other lay readers in front of the congregation and a retired bishop. Church of England readers are lay licensed ministers with theological training who preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work. Read more