Bishop Withdraws Support From Controversial Book

A bishop who had written a commendation for a controversial book, has withdrawn his approval amid a growing storm of criticism.

The Rt Rev Wallace Benn, Suffragan Bishop of Lewes, and a prominent evangelical, had given his support to a book by Stephen Green of the ultra-conservative ‘Christian Voice’.

‘Britain In Sin’ which argues for a return to Biblically based law, and criticises various aspects of contemporary society, had been given an endorsement by Bishop Benn, who wrote: “This makes interesting and disturbing reading. We desperately need to understand as a nation, that our creator knows what is best for us, and to return to His way as the best way to live.”

But now, after attracting attention from fellow clergy, Bishop Benn is reported to have withdrawn his backing for the book.

Former Canon Chancellor of St Pauls Cathedral Giles Fraser tweeted: “Bishop Wallace Benn withdraws endorsement of book justifying rape within marriage. So did he endorse book without reading it?”

And then added: “What Bishop Benn cannot have missed about that nasty Stephen Green book is its attack upon the Queen. What about his oath of allegiance?”

The endorsement had already attracted the attention of influential blogger Bishop Alan Wilson who asked: “Bp Wallace Benn endorses book proposing legalisation of marital rape... If silent are we complicit?”

Stephen Green is a well known writer and speaker, whose organisation ‘The Christian Voice’ has claimed various campaigning triumphs.

One of the most recent claims from Christian Voice was that Tesco’s profits had dropped because of a campaign of prayer against them, after they had given financial support to a Gay Pride event.

Green is particularly well known for his opposition to homosexuality.

Last year the Daily Mail published an interview with his ex-wife, who claimed that he had subjected her and her children to horrific beatings, and expected her to have sex with him on demand as part of her marital ‘duties’.

In ‘Britain In Sin’ Green accuses the Queen of breaking her Coronation Oath by signing into law 57 pieces of ‘unrighteous legislation.’

These include the Criminal Justice Act 1994, about which Green says:

“It also introduced an offence of "marital rape," drafted by the Law Commission, unknown in the Law of God, and in conflict with the marriage service of the Book of Common Prayer, where the promises given by a man and woman to each other establish a binding consent to sexual intercourse.”