The first openly gay Archbishop of Wales says her appointment has caused some people to depart the Church in Wales.
Speaking to BBC Wales, Archbishop Cherry Vann, who’s in a same-sex civil partnership, said their departure was something she took “very seriously”.
“There are still patches far and wide where people proceed to struggle with women in leadership and I actually have to respect that,” she said.
“The Church in Wales is working hard to welcome LGBT+ people, but in addition I respect that there are people within the Church in Wales who find that actually difficult.
“Some, sadly, have felt the necessity to depart and I take that very seriously.”
Archbishop Vann also became the primary openly gay Archbishop within the UK and worldwide Anglican Communion when she succeeded Andrew John in the summertime.
Her appointed prompted outcry from traditionalist Anglicans all over the world, with the Gafcon movement saying that her appointment “shatters” the Anglican Communion and was “one other painful nail within the coffin of Anglican orthodoxy”.
Gafcon chairman, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, said on the time that it stood able to be “a secure refuge for the faithful within the Church in Wales who in good conscience must now leave”.
“We must confront serious error that compromises God’s glorious and authoritative word on human sexuality,” he said,
“We must speak up and take a stand.
“As we met to reform and renew the Anglican Communion in 2008, Gafcon delivered the Jerusalem Statement which outlined the true heart of Anglican orthodoxy.
“We took a stand in regards to the truth of God’s word, and we proceed to face in fellowship with nearly all of the world’s Anglicans who grieve this rejection of God’s voice.
“We must stand again against the relentless pressure of Anglican revisionists who blatantly impose their immorality upon Christ’s precious church.
“And we stand with our Anglican brothers and sisters in Wales who’re dismayed and disheartened by this act of apostasy.”
Vann, who can also be Bishop of Monmouth, told BBC Wales that the majority people were supportive of her election but some were “quite hostile”.
She said that she didn’t wish to “shut down” or silence individuals who disagreed along with her appointment, even when their attitudes were “very hurtful”.
“It’s hard to listen to among the things that folks say, but I believe it is vital that there may be the space for them to say that,” she said.
“I don’t desire people to feel shut down or silenced simply because I hold a distinct view.”
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