Church opposes court judgment
The Anglican Church of India has taken a critical stand on the
recent Delhi High Court judgment that decriminalised Article 377,
allowing consensual sex between persons of same gender above 18 years
of age.
In a statement issued here, Archbishop Stephen Vattappara said the
council of the archdiocese held on Saturday adopted a resolution
appealing to the civil courts to uphold moral values.
According to Archbishop Vattappara, mutual consent for an immoral act does not justify the same.
“It is rather a conspiracy for committing a crime and should be
viewed as such,” he said. There are certain human values and morals
which are fundamental in nature, he said.
“When there is a conflict between fundamental morals and fundamental rights the courts should uphold morals,” he added.
The archbishop pointed out that Indian courts were formed on the
lines of British courts, which originated from the church courts of
Church of England.
Archbishop Vattappara said that his church had condemned the
decision of the Episcopal Church of United States when it decided to
consecrate homosexuals as bishops.
The archbishop hoped that the apex court will stand for fundamental morals instead of fundamental rights. |
