Church of England failing gay Christian couples, says bishop

Bishop of Salisbury's remarks are further evidence of divisions in the church hierarchy as General Synod opens in London

guardian.co.uk, Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent,  Sunday 5 February 2012

The divisive issue of same sex relationships is likely to be eclipsed at the
General Synod, where legislation on women bishops is due to be finalised.
Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

The Church of England is failing gay Christian couples and must rethink the traditional, biblical portrayal of homosexuality as "idolatrous, promiscuous and exploitative", according to one bishop.

In remarks that reveal deep divisions in the church hierarchy, the Right Rev Nicholas Holtam said there were gay couples who were living faithfully and lovingly for life and that the quality and nature of their relationships meant it was appropriate to use the language of marriage.

Holtam, who as bishop of Salisbury is the most senior cleric to have spoken favourably about gay relationships, told the BBC: "Marriage is between a man and a woman. What has happened now is that we have begun to see in a way, which is not there in the Bible, that there are people in same sex relationships who are living faithfully and lovingly for life."

He added: "I don't think there is much there [in the Bible] which addresses the issue of faithful, same sex relationships. We have had the experience of civil partnerships for six years now and we need to review where we are."

The Church of England has blocked the registration of civil partnerships in its buildings unless its parliament, the General Synod, agrees to it. It tolerates clergy who are in civil relationships, but expects them to be celibate.

The archbishop of York last month criticised the government for opening a consultation on the legalisation of gay marriage, saying David Cameron would be acting "like a dictator" if he allowed the change to happen.

His remarks, in addition to angering equality campaigners, also spurred on more than 120 London-based clergy to say they wanted civil partnerships to be registered in their buildings, a call swiftly rebuffed by the bishop of London,Richard Chartres.

But dominant and emotive the issue of homosexuality has been in recent weeks, it is unlikely to feature heavily at the synod, which starts on Monday, where hundreds of Church of England members will thrash out the small print on the legislation permitting women to be ordained as bishops.

The four-day meeting could defy the image of the Church of England as the "Tory party at prayer" as traditionalists and liberals square up to each other once more over the historic development.

Anglo-Catholics and conservative evangelicals seek an amendment that will give them the legal right to ignore the authority of a female bishop and choose to be led by a male one instead.

It could be their last chance to introduce such a change, with the final version of the legislation presented to the synod at its July summit in York.

They face formidable resistance from supporters of women clergy who have successfully voted down similar proposals on several occasions, embarrassing and frustrating the archbishops of Canterbury and York, who want concessions for those opposed to female leadership to avoid a split or further defections to Catholicism by disaffected Anglican clergy and parishioners.

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"Perceptions of God" – June 6, 2010 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Quantum Teaching, The Fear of God, Near-death Experience, God Becomes Mythology, Worship, Mastery, Intelligent Design, Benevolent Creator,Global Unity.... etc.) (Text version)

“.. For centuries you haven't been able to think past that box of what God must be like. So you create a Human-like God with wars in heaven, angel strife, things that would explain the devil, fallen angels, pearly gates, lists of dos and don'ts, and many rules still based on cultures that are centuries old. You create golden streets and even sexual pleasures as rewards for men (of course) - all Human perspective, pasted upon God. I want to tell you that it's a lot different than that. I want to remind you that there are those who have seen it! Why don't you ask somebody who has had what you would call a near-death experience? …. “

About the Challenges of Being a Gay Man – Oct 23, 2010 (Saint Germain channelled by Alexandra Mahlimay and Dan Bennack) - “ ... You see, your Soul and Creator are not concerned with any perspective you have that contradicts the reality of your Divinity – whether this be your gender, your sexual preference, your nationality – or your race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or anything else.The only identity that has any fundamental or lasting relevance to your Soul is your Divinity. Any other way you may label or identify yourself is transitory. It changes from one incarnation to the next. ..."

"The Akashic System" – Jul 17, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Religion, God, Benevolent Design, DNA, Akashic Circle, (Old) Souls, Gaia, Indigenous People, Talents, Reincarnation, Genders, Gender Switches, In “between” Gender Change, Gender Confusion, Shift of Human Consciousness, Global Unity,..... etc.)