The Archbishop of Canterbury says he is powerless to provide blessings for gay marriages because to do so would split the global Anglican Church.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the Most Rev Justin Welby says that the Church had probably caused “great harm” to homosexuals in the past — but there was not always a “huge amount” that could be done now to rectify the situation.

Although indicating that he was sympathetic to calls for the Church to publicly honour gay relationships, the Archbishop says that it is “impossible” for some followers in Africa to support homosexuality. In the interview, the leader of the Anglican Church, which has 77 million followers globally, speaks movingly of the persecution faced by Christians in parts of the world. He indicates that the Church must not take a step that would cut off these groups, most of them in the third world, however much this angers parts of society in Britain.

It’s not just Africans who oppose same-sex marriage, Archbishop. You will find plenty of opponents in the diocese of Canterbury

So once again we have equivocation from the leader of the Anglican church. Welby thus stands in a long tradition of “on the one hand…and on the other…and in a very real sense.” But it is sheer cowardice and dereliction of duty to invoke political expediency to settle a dispute which is about doctrine and morals. The Christian faith teaches that marriage is a sacrament consecrating the faithful relationship between a man and a woman.

It is the Archbishop’s job to uphold that teaching. Why doesn’t he?