UK: Anglican Church clears the way for gay bishops

By Thomas Costello
June 20, 2011

The Anglican Church is to set approve controversial guidelines allowing openly homosexual clergy to become bishops. Guidance that will be carried before the Church's General Synod in July will set out proposals for the Anglican Church to fall in line with European and UK equality acts. The paper entitled ''Choosing Bishops - The Equality Act 2010'' will provide legal guidelines for those members of the clergy looking for promotion within the Anglican Church must not be discriminated against because of their sexuality.

"A person's sexual orientation is in itself irrelevant to their suitability for episcopal office or indeed ordained ministry, given the clergy member has been celibate during priesthood, the document will outline.

However, there is a fear among campaigners that the document does not go far enough and these measures will in fact serve to do nothing for the promotions of any openly homosexual clergyman attempting to climb the ladder of the Anglican Church. The document itself is not in support of openly gay bishops and has a number of grey areas. For example, the document sets out ways in which the Anglican Church will be able to oppose any homosexual promotion.

The Anglican Church will have the right to turn down an applicant if they feel it will cause deep-rooted conflict within a community. As one of the most controversial topics Anglican Church leaders have had to grasp with for decades, the likelihood of there being no get out clause seems minimal. the rest

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