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| Call for gay dean Jeffrey John to be made a bishop in Wales | Call for gay dean Jeffrey John to be made a bishop in Wales |
| (7 days later) | |
| Calls have been made for the cleric whose sexuality sparked a schism that has divided the Church of England for almost a decade to become a bishop. | Calls have been made for the cleric whose sexuality sparked a schism that has divided the Church of England for almost a decade to become a bishop. |
| The Rev Martin Reynolds said his friend Dr Jeffrey John, the dean of St Albans, had been a scapegoat in the row over homosexuality and that he should be made a bishop in Wales. Reynolds's demands follow the Church of England's decision to drop its opposition to gay clergy becoming bishops, as long as they promise to be celibate. | The Rev Martin Reynolds said his friend Dr Jeffrey John, the dean of St Albans, had been a scapegoat in the row over homosexuality and that he should be made a bishop in Wales. Reynolds's demands follow the Church of England's decision to drop its opposition to gay clergy becoming bishops, as long as they promise to be celibate. |
| The issue has split the church since 2003, when John – who has been in a civil partnership since 2006, but is understood to lead a celibate life – was forced to withdraw as bishop of Reading under fierce pressure from church conservatives. It has also been claimed that the Welsh-born 59-year-old was blocked from being appointed as bishop of Southwark in 2010. | The issue has split the church since 2003, when John – who has been in a civil partnership since 2006, but is understood to lead a celibate life – was forced to withdraw as bishop of Reading under fierce pressure from church conservatives. It has also been claimed that the Welsh-born 59-year-old was blocked from being appointed as bishop of Southwark in 2010. |
| On Saturday Reynolds, an Anglican priest in Newport, said it would be appropriate if John, the most senior openly gay Church of England cleric, became a Welsh bishop. Reynolds told BBC Radio Wales: "The reason this moratorium was introduced was because Jeffrey was just about to become the bishop of Southwark. | On Saturday Reynolds, an Anglican priest in Newport, said it would be appropriate if John, the most senior openly gay Church of England cleric, became a Welsh bishop. Reynolds told BBC Radio Wales: "The reason this moratorium was introduced was because Jeffrey was just about to become the bishop of Southwark. |
| "And because Jeffrey was about to become the bishop of Southwark and Rowan [Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury] didn't want another furore ... they shafted Jeffrey yet again and introduced this rule that you couldn't be in a civil partnership, which of course Jeffrey is." | "And because Jeffrey was about to become the bishop of Southwark and Rowan [Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury] didn't want another furore ... they shafted Jeffrey yet again and introduced this rule that you couldn't be in a civil partnership, which of course Jeffrey is." |
| The fallout from Friday's confirmation that the church's house of bishops will allow clergy in civil partnerships to be appointed as bishops continued throughout Saturday, with both sides seemingly dissatisfied. | The fallout from Friday's confirmation that the church's house of bishops will allow clergy in civil partnerships to be appointed as bishops continued throughout Saturday, with both sides seemingly dissatisfied. |
| The reverend Norman Russell, archdeacon of Berkshire, admitted misgivings endured over same-sex partnerships and not celibacy or homosexuality. He told the BBC's Today programme: "There's certainly no problem with people being celibate gay men, the issue is the nature of civil partnerships."Critics have described the move as a crude trade-off between undermining church teaching about homosexuality in the hope of gaining public approval. Others claim the move risks further compromising the church's credibility, coming weeks after its governing body voted against female bishops. | The reverend Norman Russell, archdeacon of Berkshire, admitted misgivings endured over same-sex partnerships and not celibacy or homosexuality. He told the BBC's Today programme: "There's certainly no problem with people being celibate gay men, the issue is the nature of civil partnerships."Critics have described the move as a crude trade-off between undermining church teaching about homosexuality in the hope of gaining public approval. Others claim the move risks further compromising the church's credibility, coming weeks after its governing body voted against female bishops. |
| Rev Ian Stubbs, who has campaigned on behalf of gay rights within the church, said the decision might appear odd to many. He admitted finding it "strange" that an agreement had decided that "people can be in a partnership but not express their loving relationship sexually". | Rev Ian Stubbs, who has campaigned on behalf of gay rights within the church, said the decision might appear odd to many. He admitted finding it "strange" that an agreement had decided that "people can be in a partnership but not express their loving relationship sexually". |
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