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Gay bishops ruling makes Church of England's position more coherent This gay bishops ruling makes Church of England's position more coherent
(about 17 hours later)
The announcement that celibate men in civil partnerships are not automatically disqualified as bishops is a tactical retreat in the apparently never-ending trench warfare over sexuality in the Church of England. It will upset the conservatives who really want gay people ashamed and frightened and no doubt it will be condemned by African bishops. But it will also make more coherent the church's official opposition to gay marriage, by strengthening the line that civil partnerships supply all that a reasonable gay person could want.The announcement that celibate men in civil partnerships are not automatically disqualified as bishops is a tactical retreat in the apparently never-ending trench warfare over sexuality in the Church of England. It will upset the conservatives who really want gay people ashamed and frightened and no doubt it will be condemned by African bishops. But it will also make more coherent the church's official opposition to gay marriage, by strengthening the line that civil partnerships supply all that a reasonable gay person could want.
In the medium term it is already clear that opposition to gay marriage is a lost cause for the Church of England. It's not really one that the laity care about: although people used to sneer at the Church of England for being the Tory party at prayer, not even its worst enemies have called it Ukip at prayer, and Ukip is where the Tories who hate gay marriage will end up. Opposition to civil partnerships is simply unthinkable. Instead, the battle has shifted to whether gay clergy are celibate, and even whether the bishop can demand to know what their sleeping arrangements are if they announce they are civilly partnered.In the medium term it is already clear that opposition to gay marriage is a lost cause for the Church of England. It's not really one that the laity care about: although people used to sneer at the Church of England for being the Tory party at prayer, not even its worst enemies have called it Ukip at prayer, and Ukip is where the Tories who hate gay marriage will end up. Opposition to civil partnerships is simply unthinkable. Instead, the battle has shifted to whether gay clergy are celibate, and even whether the bishop can demand to know what their sleeping arrangements are if they announce they are civilly partnered.
The official line remains that clergy of all kinds must be celibate if not married. It seems to me that this line will hold for some time to come. What will most likely happen is further development of the present unofficial policy of "don't ask; don't tell". The best possible outcome would be a renewed interest in the spiritual and emotional qualities of gay relationships, so that bishops ask not whether a couple are having sex but whether they are making love.The official line remains that clergy of all kinds must be celibate if not married. It seems to me that this line will hold for some time to come. What will most likely happen is further development of the present unofficial policy of "don't ask; don't tell". The best possible outcome would be a renewed interest in the spiritual and emotional qualities of gay relationships, so that bishops ask not whether a couple are having sex but whether they are making love.
The Anglican communion has in effect already dissolved over the issue since its constituent churches respond to the very different cultural attitudes of their countries. At about the same time as the English House of Bishops was meeting, the Anglican church in Uganda was consecrating its new archbishop, Stanley Ntagali.The Anglican communion has in effect already dissolved over the issue since its constituent churches respond to the very different cultural attitudes of their countries. At about the same time as the English House of Bishops was meeting, the Anglican church in Uganda was consecrating its new archbishop, Stanley Ntagali.
The Kampala Daily Monitor reported of the ceremony that Ntagli "pledged to work towards reviving believers' commitment to God as a way of helping the country fight the rampant evils such as defilement, homosexuality, child sacrifice and domestic violence".The Kampala Daily Monitor reported of the ceremony that Ntagli "pledged to work towards reviving believers' commitment to God as a way of helping the country fight the rampant evils such as defilement, homosexuality, child sacrifice and domestic violence".
Whether or not Ntagali actually used those words, they are obviously what the paper's readers felt he should have said.Whether or not Ntagali actually used those words, they are obviously what the paper's readers felt he should have said.
There is no possible compromise between contemporary Britain and a culture that regards homosexuality as something as wicked and disgusting as child sacrifice. The Ugandan church has strong links with the conservative wing of the Church of England – the ceremony was attended by the archbishop of York, John Sentamu. But those attitudes are simply unspeakable here.There is no possible compromise between contemporary Britain and a culture that regards homosexuality as something as wicked and disgusting as child sacrifice. The Ugandan church has strong links with the conservative wing of the Church of England – the ceremony was attended by the archbishop of York, John Sentamu. But those attitudes are simply unspeakable here.
What has really changed is not the position of gay clergy: they have been more or less openly present in the church for at least 50 years. It is the emergence of gay laity, or gay family members even of the evangelical laity. Gay people are both too prominent, and too ordinary, in Britain today for their publicly acknowledged orientation to be an automatic disqualification from a bishop's chair.What has really changed is not the position of gay clergy: they have been more or less openly present in the church for at least 50 years. It is the emergence of gay laity, or gay family members even of the evangelical laity. Gay people are both too prominent, and too ordinary, in Britain today for their publicly acknowledged orientation to be an automatic disqualification from a bishop's chair.