God backs gay marriage, the Dean of St Albans has claimed in a campaign video released ahead of a Downing Street party for gay leaders.
Dr Jeffrey John – who is in a civil partnership – is due to attend a reception for gay community leaders hosted by the Prime Minister at Number 10 today.
Speaking in a video released by Out4Marriage activists, the dean says he is personally in favour of gay marriage, adding “I’m sure God is too”.
Opposed
He claims that the Church of England has lost “integrity” over the issue.
The Church is officially opposed to Government plans to redefine marriage because it would “change the nature of marriage for everyone”.
In its response to the Government’s consultation, the Church said the plans “will be divisive and deliver no obvious legal gains given the rights already conferred by civil partnerships.
Unwise
“We also believe that imposing for essentially ideological reasons a new meaning on a term as familiar and fundamental as marriage would be deeply unwise.”
The Government’s consultation is reported to have attracted over 100,000 responses.
Unpopular
The Government says it is committed to redefining marriage by 2015, but the plans have been deeply unpopular with the public and backbench Tory MPs.
A petition against the plans, organised by the Coalition for Marriage, has been signed by almost 600,000 people.