An argument has erupted among clergy members in the Church of England, after a priest wrote on Facebook that Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, was a “wanker” for continually opposing the Government’s attempts to legalise equal marriage.

Reverend Marcus Ranshaw, who supports equal marriage, wrote the message last night on Facebook, in response to Monday’s debate in the House of Lords, when the Archbishop said that many faith groups, including the Church of England were “hesitant” about the bill, and that the bill would mean that marriage is “abolished, redefined and recreated”.

On Tuesday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and other bishops in the House of Lords voted in favour of Lord Dear’s failed ‘fatal’ amendment, that could have killed the progress of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill into law.



Reverend Ramshaw said: “What really upsets me is nasty people such as Justin Welby robbing me of my faith in the church, he does not speak in my name and i think he is a wanker, but im not going to stop being a christian or a priest.”

Image: Facebook

Reverend Arun Arora, the Director of Communications for the Church, swiftly responded, saying: “Calling another Christian a wanker doesn’t work for me as a priestly response,” continuing: “I think any right-minded person would find a priest calling his archbishop an onanist to be utterly outrageous.”