Dr Martin Dudley
Posted on 06/15/2008 8:58:47 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
A vicar accused of conducting a gay 'wedding' at his historic church is a controversial figure who has previously married his former mistress to another man, it has emerged.
Dr Martin Dudley performed a ceremony for two homosexual priests at the church where he is the rector, St Bartholomew the Great in the heart of the City of London.
Dr Martin Dudley
The 12th century church, which once featured in the romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral, was the setting for a traditional liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer, with confetti and exchange of rings.
But it is not the first time Dr Dudley, 54, a one-time contender for the position of Mayor of London, has performed a controversial ceremony.
Four years ago the vicar, who is married with two children, performed the wedding ceremony at the same church for Penny Cadle, a woman with whom he had an affair when she was still married to her first husband.
The Bishop of London has launched an investigation into the gay 'wedding'.
In a statement, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres said: "Services of public blessings for civil partnerships are not authorised in the Church of England or the Diocese of London.
"I will be asking the Archdeacon of London to investigate what took place at the church of St Bartholomew the Great."
The vows between the Rev Peter Cowell and the Rev Dr David Lord, who met when they were both working at St Bart's hospital nearby, were similar to those of a traditional wedding ceremony.
It is understood that Dr Lord, who works as a hospital doctor, has returned to his home country of New Zealand and that Rev Cowell, the chaplain at Barts, plans to follow him out there.
Dr Lord and Rt Rev David Moxon, the Bishop of Waikato in New Zealand, issued a joint statement saying he had resigned his clergy licence.
But Dr Dudley, who describes himself as "robustly heterosexual," told the Daily Telegraph he was unworried by the investigation: "I am not bothered about the 'rules' because they are only guidelines.
"This was a personal response to someone who is a friend. Peter and I have known each other for many years and given that this was two priests entering into a civil partnership there was a question of what kind of ceremony to hold.
"They wanted to go much further than I wanted but we worked on a text between us that was appropriate and expressed their sense of commitment. This was new territory because no one else has produced a text of this kind but I am quite clear this was not a marriage ceremony."
News of the gay 'wedding' came as almost 300 hardline bishops prepare to meet in the Holy Land this week to discuss the future direction of the Anglican church in a breakaway summit, having decided to boycott the once-a-decade gathering of Anglican leaders because of their divisions over gay clergy.
The news of the first church ceremony for a homosexual couple means they are now more likely than ever to claim the Communion has been irreversibly split. Some traditionalists may even say they must formally sever links with the Archbishop of Canterbury and form a new "orthodox" church.
Canon Chris Sugden, one of the organizers of "Gafcon", said: "The timing is presumably deliberate. The hopes that some have that this movement might be stopped in its tracks as a solution to the crisis will clearly not come about."
The Reverend David Banting, chairman of the group Reform, said: "There are bound to be consequences. It is very difficult to exercise discipline in the Church of England because things have gone such a long way down this sort of track. But yes, I would expect there to be consequences," he said.
Organisers of the Gafcon conference are meeting in Jordan on Tuesday and are due to issue a public statement on their discussions on Friday.
Ah, yes … in the Anglican Church, one can become vicar without knowing the Bible.
This will force people to chose, one way or another, remain Faithful to Christ, or bend a knee to Secularism, the Biblical lesson of “What was meant for harm, God has turned to for good”. (Deut 50.20 DR).
For me, you can see it coming, “yes” the “Anglican Communion” will fall off, but the question then becomes “who left, and where did they go”?
A strange day when a AC Bishop in Rwanda has more moral Authority then the Archbishop of Canterbury...
This book was also used by George Washington as a devotional resource. He was an Anglican Church member as well--- now it sanctions abominations via clergy. Disgusting!
And God gave Moses the 10 Suggestions.
The use of the Book of Common Prayer does not erase George Washington’s Homourable use of the same book tflabo, the Devil himself can quote Scripture after all.
Now when we consider that this apostate action involved three (3) members of the Clergy, that speak far more deeply about the conditions of the UK Anglican Communion.
These “men” should know better.
Oh they know the Bible. They just feel free to ignore it.
But Dr Dudley, who describes himself as "robustly heterosexual," told the Daily Telegraph he was unworried by the investigation: "I am not bothered about the 'rules' because they are only guidelines.
Anglican ping FYI
Ping.
“..News of the gay ‘wedding’ came as almost 300 hardline bishops prepare to meet in the Holy Land this week to discuss the future direction of the Anglican church in a breakaway summit, having decided to boycott the once-a-decade gathering of Anglican leaders because of their divisions over gay clergy...”
“Hardline” meaning Faithful to the Trinity, they will split away, the Anglican Communion will dwindle and become enfeebled.
As it said in Isaiah..”I have seperated 5,000 out for myself” my only real concern is the 300 will allow themselves to be mollified with words from the RT Reverend “Whomever”.
This “gay weddding” is shocking and appalling. It goes against the bedrock principles of the Anglican Church. Of course, if he had only waited two or three years, there would be no problem.
No need to beat around the bush. Much has been written about these heathens. They are not Christians at all. With them, there is no eternal life. They are culture destroying athiest perverts.
yitbos
“No need to beat around the bush. Much has been written about these heathens. They are not Christians at all. With them, there is no eternal life. They are culture destroying athiest perverts.”
I disagree, this isn’t a “Culture” issue at all, it boils down to who is willing to make a commitment to the Trinity, and who is not in the Anglican Church, the Faithful from the UnFaithful.
They might sit in the offices and receive the stipends, actual Christian Anglicans will simply disregard that and forge ahead.
No matter what Williams has to say on the matter.
That is neccessary, and proper, and the Duty of every Christian to decide.
Since the failure of the Communist Revolution to be successful worldwide, Marxists have agreed that capitalism is ingrained in the human spirit. A primary goal in the success of Communism is to defeat the capitalist culture perpetuated only because men have faith in God. This defeat can only be accomplished by changing capitalist culture. Religion, the believe is the pillar of that culture.
They will stoop to any conniving to further their goals, including penetrating the Church. It is nothing to them to claim faith while destruction is their motive.
Do not fall for their deception. The current battle is worthy of the Templars.
Hillery Clinton, a poseur, "We will just have to change human nature."
yitbos
All that plan will do is anger serious Christians into leaving the Church of England, not based on Cultural Issues but based on committment the Trinity.
The Communists infiltrated the Catholic Church in the 60’s, it didn’t accomplish very much BruinB.
The UK has been down the road to Atheism for quite sometime, even the magnificent Intellectualism of CS Lewis could not stem that tide.
Even the most retiring of Anglicans will face that choice, Christ or the World, what will happen is though Church numbers will dwindle in the UK, the faithful who are left will become much more effective, the Gospel is that convincing but not as long as it is ignored and relegated to what Lewis called “The difference between an idea that has fallen out of fashion, and one that has been discarded as unworkable..”
We “know” the Gospel cannot be discarded with safety, it’s Eternal Truth remains, that means that it is merely unfasionable...
OK
"You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world. The love of the Father cannot be in any man who loves the world, because nothing the world has to offer -- the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions -- could ever come from the Father but only from the world; and the world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains forever." (1 Jn.2:15-17).
"It is not those who say to me 'Lord, Lord', who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven." (Mt.7:21).
"For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God." (Lk.16:15).
"Remember the maxim: 'Keep to what is written." (1 Cor.4:6).
Absolutely.
"I know quite well that when I have gone, fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. So be on your guard..." (Acts 20:29-30).
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness...For this, as stubble is prey for the flames and as straw vanishes in the fire, so their root will rot, their blossom be carried off like dust, for rejecting the Law of God Almighty, and despising the word of the Holy One of Israel." (Is.5:20-24).
Salvation is from Jesus, alone. It does not come from any other source. It does not come from any minister, prophet or church. That is why Paul said: "Remember the maxim: 'Keep to what is written." Or in other words, "stick to the red letters" .
""There is a way that some think right, but it leads in the end to death." (Prov.16:25).
"The priests teach whatever they please and my people love it! But when the end comes, then what will you do?" (Jer.5:31).
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