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The Rev Steve Chalke says Christians need to find ways to support those in or seeking faithful same-sex partnerships
An influential evangelical minister has declared his support for monogamous and loving same-sex relationships, and called on the church to stop treating gay people as pariahs.
The Rev Steve Chalke, a Baptist minister who founded the Christian charity Oasis, says the time has come for the church to demonstrate its compassion and commitment to inclusivity.
His intervention comes amid the Church of England's continuing struggles with the highly divisive issues of celibacy for gay bishops and the introduction of female bishops.
In a long and passionately articulated
piece for Christianity magazine, Chalke writes: "I believe that when we treat homosexual people as pariahs and push them outside our communities and churches; when we blame them for what they are; when we deny them our blessing on their commitment to lifelong, faithful relationships, we make them doubt whether they are children of God, made in his image."