News agencies in the UK reported over the weekend that the Bishops of the Church of England may be ready to stop asking gay clergy if they will commit to celibacy as part of their path to ordination, leading to an official “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
The House of Bishops will consider on Monday whether gay clergy should still be expected to remain celibate but should no longer be quizzed about their personal lives.
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, who belongs to parliament’s ecclesiastical committee and is in a civil partnership, was quoted by The Times as saying such a move would be “progress”.
He said: “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.
“There is a growing sense that if the Church can’t sort this out for themselves, then parliament may have to do it for them.”
…The Church of England told the newspaper: “The House of Bishops meets tomorrow and until [then] any claims as to decisions are pure speculation.”
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