Church suspends rules against marijuana investment

The Church of England announced this week that they will repeal their own self-imposed rules against investment in medicinal marijuana. The investment arm of the church, known as the Church Commissioners for England, manages a $10.4 billion portfolio which the church describes as a «diversified portfolio spread across a broad range of asset classes, consistent with our ethical guidelines.»

The mission of the Church Commissioners states that the investments contribute «approximately 15% of the Church’s annual running costs.»

The announcement that marijuana, which the United Kingdom legalized for recreational use in November, could become a source of funding for the church drew heavy criticism from conservative Anglicans. Independent Anglican priest Jules Gomes said in a statement to the Daily Caller, «The Church of England is in a quagmire of its own making. It has lashed itself to the mast of cultural Marxism. Hence, it is content to go along with any fashionable ideology that pops up. Why does the church have to invest in something that it knows little about? Has there been robust research carried out? In what way does investing in medical marijuana further the mission of preaching the gospel and making disciples?»

The Church of England takes the position that medicinal marijuana should be considered as any other therapeutic medication. «There has been no change to our overall position on medicines,» a spokesman of the Church told the Christian British magazine Premier.«We will hold medicinal cannabis to the same standards as we hold other pharmaceuticals, and invest only if properly licensed and regulated for medicinal use.»

Read the original article Washington Examiner