The Church of England: Tiffs, Bishs and anti-gay discrimination spats in the rectory?

[Astral Peaks]

The Church of England is getting it's ecllesiastical knickers in a knot over a potential law case that may be taken by Jeffrey John, alleging discrimination because of his sexual orientation.

So who is Jeffrey John and why is he considering this course of action, a course that seems very likely to fail?

Dean of St Albans, he was the first openly gay priest to be proposed for elevation to a Bishopric in the C o E. However, he was forced to step back over controversy about his long term relationship with another priest, despite his assertion that the relationship was celibate. Many may recall that many overseas C of E communions threatened to withdraw from the Church in protest over his elevation and in 2003, his long time friend, Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury, caved in and put pressure on him and he withdrew.

Jeffrey John - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now, for reasons best known to himself, he is threatening to take to the Church to court, notwithstanding that in 2011, the C of E published a legal opinion that says it is okay to discriminate against John, not because he is gay, but because he isn't upset about it!!!

As Andrew Brown puts it in his Guardian blog, " That is what sticks in the craw of the conservative evangelicals who oppose him. They have moved on from supposing that it is absolutely wrong to be gay. They now believe that it is OK to be gay providing that you are very unhappy about it."

Williams hasn't covered himself in glory on this one, backing his former friend right up to the crux and then caving in, not once, but twice, when in the summer last year he had another opportunity to elevate John and again backed him until opposition was voiced in Southwark and he retreated again.

All very interesting you may say, but what the hell has this got to do with us in Ireland?

Well, it raises interesting questions:

1. Have organised religions really come to terms with gay clergy, given that everyone knows that the C of E has gay clergy aplenty, even bishops but all very closeted.

2. Can Rome learn from the mistakes that Williams has made here and develop a meaningful policy on gay clergy?

3. Is the increased attention on issues such as this in a new, more open society, detracting from the central messages of Churches and contributing to a loss of adherents?

Some further links, for your reading pleasure:

Jeffrey John 'likely to lose' sexuality lawsuit against Church of England | World news | The Guardian

Jeffrey John to Sue the Church? | An Exercise in the Fundamentals of Orthodoxy

[Gurdiev]

The Anglican church has many party loving gay vicars. I think poor Rowan Williams tries very hard to do the right thing and then lies awake worrying whether his flock can deport themselves in a seemly fashion when drink has been taken.
The stress of it may be contributing to his decision to retire early.




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...45873/Anglican -rector-banned-priesthood-propositioning-gay-servicemen

[Roll_On]

surely the Church of England, as a religion, is exempt from equality legislation when it comes to the churches internal affairs, no?

Obviously if he says he's celibate, they'd have to just take his word for it like every other priest. The Catholic Church has plenty of gay priests but they just don't talk about it, the CoE has the opportunity to create a much more open and honest Church.

[Roll_On]

Homosexuality is rampant in the CofE. It's already caused deep damage. Thank God for the Ordinariate - an escape valve for sound-minded clergy.

what damage has homosexuality done to the CoE???

[GrainneDee]

Homosexuality is rampant in the CofE. It's already caused deep damage. Thank God for the Ordinariate - an escape valve for sound-minded clergy.

What damage?

[Toman13]

surely the Church of England, as a religion, is exempt from equality legislation when it comes to the churches internal affairs, no?

Obviously if he says he's celibate, they'd have to just take his word for it like every other priest. The Catholic Church has plenty of gay priests but they just don't talk about it, the CoE has the opportunity to create a much more open and honest Church.

O.K, seriously, why is there this hang up about the RCC?

[Astral Peaks]

O.K, seriously, why is there this hang up about the RCC?

Did you read his post and the OP?

[pippakin]

Its not really about homosexuality though is it? Isn't it really about the clash between those trendy clergy and brethren who believe the church, any church is not much more than a collection of social workers on a day trip and those who have a more traditional view.

The more traditional believers tend to come from far flung places who it must be said are also the only growing part of most Christian religions. It seems to be fear of the risk of schism with these sections of the church that halts Rowan Williams and others. It could be argued that the likes of Johns are not, however ambitious they may be, working in the best interests of the whole church when they place their ambition and their opinion ahead of the majority, because I think it is a majority of actual church goers who are against moves for more modernisation and against traditionalism.

[Roll_On]

I wonder why a statement of fact about the RCC=a hang up?

[harshreality]

They should encourage vicars to be gay! That way cash strapped parishoners wont be asked for donations to support children of clergy!