An emotional sermon by The Very Reverend Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark Cathedral in London, has gone viral and moved countless viewers to tears—both in the pews and online.
In a deeply personal 15-minute message, Oakley responded to recent news that the House of Bishops of the Church of England would be halting plans to allow dedicated blessings for same-sex couples, while extending a ban on priests entering same-sex marriages.
“The first bit of news was that the House of Bishops has decided to put through the proposal that stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples should go through a process that won’t agree to it,” Oakley said, his voice shaking with emotion.
“Clergy will continue to be barred from entering a civil marriage with a same-sex partner… Nor will those who are gay and married be accepted for ordination training.”
“The Church Is Still Homophobic”
Oakley, who is openly gay, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the institutional stance.
“It is hard not to conclude that the Church of England is still homophobic and does not believe in the equality of love.”
He quoted Dean of Canterbury David Monteith, another openly gay church leader, who said the new proposals only served to “multiply the shame that LGBTQ people can be made to feel” and further their “invisibility” within the church.
A Personal Reflection on Faith and Love
Oakley reflected on his own journey, referencing the oft-quoted letter from St Paul to the Romans, which is frequently cited as condemning homosexuality.
“But this isn’t me. It wasn’t like that at all. I didn’t choose anything. I discovered who I was, and it wasn’t easy… I don’t recognise my heart there, my need to be loved, and to love.”
He recalled the moment he came out to his grandmother at age 18:
“I’ve only been worried about one thing, Mark,” she told him.
“I’ve just worried you would never feel able to tell me.”
That moment, Oakley said, taught him what God’s love truly looks like.
“My grandmother’s response was the response of love—and therefore it is also the response of God… God wants us to share with him who we really are.”
He affirmed Southwark Cathedral’s commitment to inclusion:
“We look forward to the day when we can offer [same-sex couples] equality with everyone else.”
A Vision of Equality, Rooted in Love
Oakley offered a vision of modern LGBTQ+ relationships that St Paul could never have imagined:
“He would never meet men or women who set home up together… being there for better or worse, and feeling painful absence when death separated them.”
“I like to imagine he would today see love between LGBTQ+ people equally and as miraculously as heterosexual love—because where love is, God is too.”
In closing, Oakley preached a message of hope:
“No matter what can be said or done to control or stop it… love wins.
Thank you God, for all the love they bring into this world. That I will always recognise, and so please God, will Southwark Cathedral.”
An Outpouring of Support
Oakley’s sermon earned a standing ovation from the congregation and has been widely praised online for its raw honesty and grace.
“I wept and wept as I watched this,” one viewer wrote.
“Dean Oakley, you have preached the Gospel of Our Lord more eloquently than I have ever heard.”
“Thank you for persevering and staying with us despite the heartache and pain,” another added.
“You’ve filled me with hope that, with outspoken leaders like you and David Monteith, one day all will be well.”
