Justin Welby ‘affirms validity’ of 1998 gay sex is sin declaration

Archbishop indicates he will not seek to punish churches that allow same-sex marriage in balancing act

• Anglican church still tying itself in knots over same-sex marriage

Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the global Anglican church, has sought to mollify conservative bishops around the world by affirming the validity" of a 1998 declaration that gay sex is a sin.

He told more than 650 bishops attending the once-a-decade Lambeth conference that, for a large majority" of conservative Anglicans, questioning biblical teaching was unthinkable".