The declaration by the world's Anglican bishops that homosexual practices are incompatible with Scripture has been welcomed in Keighley.

The Rev Douglas Jamieson, vicar of thriving St Mark's Church at Utley, says he is in full agreement with the declaration, made following a vote of 526 to 70 at the Lambeth Conference.

The 70 liberal bishops who voted against were mainly from the United States and wanted the conference to bless same-sex unions and sanction the ordination of practising gays. They claimed the condemnation was evangelistic suicide and would divide the church.

Mr Jamieson says it is sad there is conflict, but glad there has been a clear statement. "I would want to go along with the majority line and take a Biblical viewpoint," he says.

The conference of almost 800 bishops from 160 countries roundly declared homosexual acts to be contrary to Bible teaching and declared that it could not advise the Anglican Communion's 38 provinces to legitimise or bless same-sex unions or the ordination of those involved in same-sex unions.

But it did commit itself to listening to the experience of homosexual people and to assure them that they were loved by God. And it condemned irrational fear of homosexuals.

The conference upheld faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union and declared its belief in chastity for those not called to marriage.

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