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Church of England bishops plan to turn a blind eye to the sex lives of gay clergy
Clergy are asked if they will be celibate when ordained under current system
New proposals not to ask about their private lives are now being considered
Bishops will discuss tomorrow and the Synod will vote on the move February
But gay MP Ben Bradshaw says new system simply 'encourages dishonesty'
By JAMES DUNN FOR MAILONLINE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/
January 22, 2017
The Church of England is considering plans to turn a blind eye to the sex lives of gay clergy in bid to avert a growing rift over its treatment of homosexuality.
Under the current system, gay members of the clergy are asked to be celibate, change jobs or seek a promotion to become a bishop when they are ordained.
The House of Bishops will tomorrow discuss proposals to overhaul the system so homosexuals will not be asked about their private lives when they join the church.
But Ben Bradshaw, a Labour MP who is in a civil partnership, criticised the policy for shrouding homosexuality in secrecy as clergy would still be expected to be celibate.
He told the Sunday Times: 'It is progress for them to stop asking the celibacy question but it still leaves the Church of England policy based essentially on dishonesty and encouraging its clergy to lie.'
The move follows three years of debate on homosexuality within the church, since same-sex marriage became legal and the first ceremony in March 2014.
The church, led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, still refuses to perform gay marriages, leading to growing rifts within the church.
The new proposal comes just a few months after the church alleged that gay clerics had sparked a 'witch hunt' by alleging that 11 bishops were gay in September.
It seemed to be a move from gay clerics to put pressure on more than 100 bishops who met secretly later that month to discuss attitudes to homosexuality.
Also in September, the suffragan -- or junior -- Bishop of Grantham revealed he was gay and in a celibate same-sex relationship in a newspaper interview.
It is proposed that gay clergy will not be asked about their sex life, unlike the current system, and the recommendations will be put before the Synod in February
A group of 14 married gay and lesbian clergy from pressure group Changing Attitudes also called for a relaxation of CofE rules on gay relationships.
The Synod, the church's parliament of lay members, had also discussed the issue in July and debate continues to rage on within the church.
The recommendations put forward by the bishops when they meet tomorrow will then be considered by the Synod in February.
Mr Bradshaw suggested that if the church does not usher in equality then the Government should intervene as it did in 2012 when the Synod refused to allow women to become bishops.
Some members of the clergy have also hinted at a campaign of civil disobedience if the church does not move forward.
One example could be carrying out celebrations for marriages performed elsewhere if they are not allowed to marry same-sex couples themselves.
END
