UPDATED Monday: Bishop of Grantham: reports and responses
The original Guardian report can be seen here: Bishop of Grantham first C of E bishop to declare he is in gay relationship by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian
Responses from biblically orthodox Anglicans:
“[…] in coming out as gay, he is… choosing a new identity that is nothing to do with Christianity or the Gospels or the lived tradition, but is a social and political construct designed to dilute the Judaeo Christian ethics that underlie Christianised culture.” (from Gay in Grantham? The eroticising of the Church of England by AthanasiuscontraHeretikoi
A joint Statement from Gafcon and Gafcon UK includes this:
“We remain opposed to the guidelines for clergy and Bishops, permitting them to be in same sex relationships as long as they publicly declare that the relationship is not sexual. This creates confusion in terms of the church’s teaching on the nature of sex and marriage, and it is not modelling a helpful way to live, given the reality of our humanity, and temptation to sexual sin.” Full statement here.
In an article for the American Anglican Council (ACNA): “What should we expect from our Bishops? , Phil Ashey writes:
“…we must also ask ourselves…how we can protect Bishops from temptations to compromise and spiritual attacks ‘from the other side’. What prayers, structures and support can we put in place so that they will not surrender to ‘groupthink’ and preservation of the institution as an end in itself?”
Report from BBC Radio’s ‘Sunday’ programme. “Is a split now more likely?”, asks presenter Trevor Barnes. Features interview clips with Ian Paul, Gavin Ashenden and Andy Lines. [Report begins at 5.39].
In a longer interview (Conservative Anglican vicar criticises church leaders for appointing gay bishop, BBC World Service), Dr Ashenden says:
“[…] at one level there is no problem…a single, celibate man who lives with his best friend…but in the present cultural context…it becomes problematic when a guardian of the faith appears to have changed sides.”
A longer interview with Andy Lines of Crosslinks and GAFCON UK: Revd Canon Andy Lines: ‘Christian leaders are to be above reproach’, BBC News
A selection of other media responses (newest at the top)
Is celibacy sufficient to qualify for Christian ministry? By John Stephens
The Bishop of Grantham reveals the battle for the Anglican soul by Jack Slater, Varsity.co.uk
How same-sex relationships pose a dilemma for all our churches by Alf McCreary, Belfast Telegraph
Leading conservative Christians welcome ‘gay’ letter to bishops by Ruth Gledhill, Christian Today
Bishops urged to reject ‘orchestrated campaign’ on gay inclusion by Antony Bushfield, Premier
Welby and GAFCON Archbishops Clash over Appointment of Homosexual C of E Bishop by David W Virtue, VOL
I Am a Gay Vicar And the Church of England Is an Embarrassing Mess by Andrew Foreshew-Cain, Europe Newsweek
The tide is turning by Stephen Bates, The Tablet
New poll: zero percent of British public buy partnered clergy celibacy claims, RNS
C of E bishops urged to unequivocally welcome gay Christians by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian
(text of letter and signatories appended here)
Appointing gay bishop won’t alter my beliefs, Belfast Telegraph
LGBTI Mission: Statement about the Bishop of Grantham
Bishop of Grantham: ‘I hope to be a standard-bearer as a gay man’ by Madeleine Davies, Church Times
Gay bishop revelation stirs simmering tensions in Church of England by Austin Ivereigh, Crux
ACC Secretary General clarifies view after gay English bishop “outed”, ACNS
Church of England Condemns Gay Clerics for Outing Priests as Bishops Prep for LGBT Debate by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post
Church of England gay bishop: local Anglicans split over revelation, Belfast News Letter
The first gay bishop is a huge step forward – but it’s not enough by Vicky Beeching, Guardian
The Bishop of Grantham and ‘crossing a line’ by Ian Paul, Psephizo
Sermon: Gay Bishops and Defending the Faith, Canon Gavin Ashenden
UK: Married Gay Clergy Have Written An Open Letter To The Church Demanding Inclusion byPatrick Strudwick on Buzzfeed, courtesy of Virtueonline. The full letter may be read here.
Conservative Anglican vicar criticises church leaders for appointing gay bishop, BBC World Service
COE: The way forward, Anglican Unscripted
Gay clergy urge greater inclusion in Church of England, BBC
Activists claim 11 bishops are gay, The Times (£)
Statement by the Bishop of Lincoln defending Nicholas Chamberlain
Gay bishop: Appointment of Nicholas Chamberlain ‘major error’ says Gafcon, BBC
Conservative Anglicans: appointment of gay bishop a ‘major error’ by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian
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