The man in the tea cloth is at it again - this time in relation to whether or not gay men can be ordained as bishops!Apparently it is OK - but only if they are celibate. Now it's obvious that the Church doesn't really want gays at all, but the problem is the Equality Act means employers cannot discriminate against someone on the grounds of sexual orientation, but provides for a "genuine occupational requirement" to be imposed.
This effectively allows the Church to exclude someone in a sexually active civil partnership, or to impose a requirement relating to sexual orientation to "avoid conflicting with the strongly held religious convictions of a significant number of the religion's followers".
How convenient!
Unfortunately this effectively means that if the person in question conceals his sexuality and just carries on on the quiet, he can be ordained - basically because he is lying. If, on the other hand, he is open and honest and enters into a civil partnership then he is excluded.
And in any case, how exactly is the Church going to establish celibacy. After all, the Catholics take a solemnly binding vow with God and it doesn't stop them!
Seems to me that stable, loving relationships should be encouraged regardless of the sex of the persons concerned. The law has moved on and it seems a shame the Church cannot.
The CoE has clearly lost it's moral compass on this one...
(You can read more about this story in the Express by clicking here)
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