Archbishop of Wales pleads for tolerance in Easter message

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, has made a plea in his Easter message for discrimination in the Church against women and gays to end:

"For Jesus there were no prior conditions for being accepted by God whatever your sex, status or position. "But we still live in a church where it is not possible for women to be bishops. "And in a church, too, where most worshippers are women but all the major committees and councils of most dioceses and province are run by men and in a communion where gay people feel increasingly isolated and marginalised and even persecuted."

I have, since my teenage years (when I began to realise I was 'different', even though it took me a number of years to accept that I am gay), had little or no involvement with any church - the last religious service I attended, other than christenings, marriages or funerals, was when I was about 16 years old when I was so appalled by the content of a sermon that I asked (and obtained) my parents' agreement that I never had to go again if I didn't wish to; my father had been present at the same service, so he knew what had so upset me.

I am happy to record that what Dr Morgan seems to be asking for is a return to the basics of what Christinity is supposed to be about - love, tolerance and respect for one's fellow human beings, whoever and whatever they are. Somehow this simple message has been lost over the years since Jesus Christ died, according to believers, 'for our sins'. It is particularly appropriate, on this day of all days, to have people such as Dr Morgan re-affirm the basis of his faith; I only wish more within the hierarchy and laity of all church denominations would re-examine their own faiths.

The Church in Wales is an independent member of the Anglican communion.