Gay Anglican priest claims church prejudice growing

 PATSY McGARRY, RELIGIOUS  AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT THE IRISH TIMES MONDAY 18TH FEBRUARY 2008

 Over the past 10 years within the Church of England "what had  become an increasingly open and affirming church, a church where every bishop I served with knew that I was gay, has become polarised, prejudiced, unsafe," a Church of England priest said in Dublin Trinity College chapel yesterday.

    In his sermon 'Holy Irrelevant? The Church and LGBT Affirmation', Rev Colin Coward said that  since 1998 "my church, the Church of England, and my country, Great Britain, have drifted apart. The state has legislated steadily to overturn the discrimination practised against LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgendered] people".

   The director of Changing Attitude, a group working for LGBT affirmation in the Anglican communion, continued that "the church has attempted to move in the opposite direction, securing opt-outs from legislation to enable it to discriminate more effectively against LGBT people than in the past. LGBT people are now less safe in the ministry of the church than they were 20 or 30 years ago, and lay people are denied the opportunity to have relationships blessed in any circumstances."

     Rev Coward said "the Anglican Churches of Britain and Ireland are no longer Isolated provinces, able to think about and respond to the LGBT people in their midst without reference to the worldwide Anglican communion and the storm which erupted following the election and consecration of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003."

    Referring to the continuing controversy within Anglicanism since then, he asked whether to "misrepresent other Christians in the Anglican communion in the way the conservatives are doing is not an evil in itself, bearing false witness against Christian neighbours".

  He continued that "a small number of individuals, primates and priests, have been masterminding a movement which hoped to evict the [US] Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion, secure the resignation of the Archbishop [of Canterbury] Rowan Williams, and transfer the power and leadership of the communion to the Global South leaders."

Riazat Butt  Religious affairs correspondent The Guardian 05/02/2008

One of the country's most senior bishops has argued that the Bible sanctions same-sex relationships, using the bonds between Jesus and John the disciple, and David and Jonathan as examples.

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev James Jones, a conservative evangelical, expressed the views in a book, A Fallible Church, in which he apologised for objecting to the appointment of the gay cleric Dr Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading. He was one of nine bishops to sign a public letter criticising the proposed consecration. 

The bishop also apologised for his conduct and its effect on John, who eventually withdrew his acceptance of the post after bowing to pressure.

Jones said: "I deeply regret this episode in our common life. I still believe it was unwise to try to take us to a place that evidently did not command the broad support of the Church of England but I am sorry for the way I opposed it and I am sorry too for adding to the pain and distress of Dr John and his partner." 

He called for Anglicans to "acknowledge the authoritative biblical examples of love between two people of the same gender most notably in the relationship of Jesus and his beloved [John] and David and Jonathan".  guardian.co.uk/religion ≥

'Honest' US pays the price      

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH in the United States is paying the price for its honesty over gay bishops and same-sex blessings, the Presiding Bishop, Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, told the BBC's PM programme on New Year's Day. Far more blessing services were happening in the  C of E than in the US, she said. The Bishop of New Hampshire, the Rt Revd Gene Robinson, was not alone in being a gay, partnered bishop, she said. "He is alone in being the only gay, partnered bishop who's open about that status." Church Times 4 January 2008

31/08/07: Remarks by the Irish President Mary McAleese at the International Association of Suicide Prevention XXIV Biennial Conference, in Killarney, Co. Kerry.

A less discussed but nonetheless important issue worth raising is the issue of dealing with sexual identity. Although Ireland is making considerable progress in developing a culture of genuine equality, recognition and acceptance of gay men and women, there is still an undercurrent of both bias and hostility which young gay people must find deeply hurtful and inhibiting.

For them, homosexuality is a discovery, not a decision and for many it is a discovery which is made against a backdrop where, within their immediate circle of family and friends as well as the wider society, they have long encountered anti-gay attitudes which will do little to help them deal openly and healthily with their own sexuality.

So next time we shake our heads in both horror and despair when we hear of another suicide story, it is worth remembering that the answers do not lie exclusively with health care professionals or politicians. There are things we need to do and to be vigilant about as a community that cares about its citizens and especially its vulnerable young. Among the things we could do as individuals, as families and as community that would impact significantly on our suicide statistics and indeed our overall mental health are - we could and should as a matter of urgency decommission our culture of binge drinking, of tolerance of alcohol abuse and of drug abuse and we could and should decommission attitudes that encourage bullying of all sorts and in particular attitudes that are deeply hurtful to those who are homosexual.

Church of Ireland General Synod Church in Society Committee - Report 2008   page 250

                                                                             APPENDIX C                       

RESPONSE TO THE HIGH RATE OF SUICIDE AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE DIOCESE OF ARMAGH

We want our young people to realise that no matter what they may be feeling, no matter what they have or haven't done, no matter what the situation, there are people who do care about them and will help them find a way through. There are many agencies, many help lines and many individuals all willing to help. Clergy of all denominations often make themselves available 24 hours a day for people to contact in emergencies, on a confidential basis. We, as clergy, are not there to condemn thoughts or actions. We want to make ourselves available for people to consult, to talk through issues and to guide and direct, whether those issues are family issues, social issues, relationship issues, sexual issues, financial issues, or schooVuniversity issues. We are available and willing to help. There is always another direction to take, but sometimes people need help in finding that direction - so please, please seek help.                                           

This year alone too many families have been affected by suicide and, as well as having a devastating impact on those families, it also affects their friends and the communities in which they live. As responsible members of the community we must encourage all  people, especially our young people, to talk about their problems with whoever they feel comfortable speaking to, and to seek help when they so desperately need it.        

                        
30^th August 2007 One couple who have obtained Civil Partnership said…. 

I think of just how fortunate we had been, not only in having your guidance, but also in having a willing and truly Christian priest to assist in our most meaningful service of blessing. Perhaps in participating at our ceremony Rev. X had taken an even bigger step in challenging the Church of Ireland in the area of full acceptance of homosexuals into their congregations. James and I continue to regularly attend services at our local Parish. The Rector still finds it a bit difficult to accept us for who we are. But the rest of our friends there couldn't care less - we're just those nice to know guys, James and John.

It's time the diocese debated the subject. I am always tempted at Synod to bring the matter up - wouldn't that cause a stir. But it might not, you never know. Things have changed for us so quickly in the recent past that it wouldn't surprise me if real changes will take place soon. And, having been in social services for so long; I just know what wonderful parents we could be to those who desperately need fostered and adopted. I  often wish I was 20 years younger and we could foster and adopt ourselves.  I hope progress will be made quickly - for I know it will be made.

 John and James

Issues to be addressed

In 2004, one former vestry member told his Rector that he was gay. The rector told the churchwardens they were not to ask him to read the lessons in church. The churchwardens ignored the Rector’s instruction. In 2007 when the same Rector asked for volunteers to visit housebound parishioners, the gay person put his name on the list. The Rector later advised him that his offer would not be taken up, because he was gay and living with a civil partner.  This raises the issues of suitability and acceptability which need to be addressed so that we know exactly what tasks gay members of local congregations (or those in civil partnership) are permitted - or not permitted - to carry out within the Church of Ireland.

Benefits of the Peace Process

The peace process and access to the funding which has come with it has been very useful for the LGBT community. It has facilitated a range of activities, increased visibility in wider society, helped to initiate dialogue with other groups, and enabled wider issues to be addressed. One disadvantage  has been the increased number of homophobic attacks in some places. Given that loyalists and republicans are no longer fighting each other, LGBT individuals, as a vulnerable minority, are easy targets.

Recognition of gay relationships by the state in Northern Ireland through the introduction of Civil Partnership and Equality Legislation, despite the opposition of the churches and some local politicians, has afforded LGBT persons the protection of the law in vital areas. We welcome the positive contributions to the debate made by the late David Ervine MLA and Lady Sylvia Hermon MP.