Senior gay cleric Jeffrey John shortlisted to be bishop

A senior gay cleric in the Church of England is shortlisted to be a bishop of Brechin in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Another gay cleric is also listed as a candidate to be bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane.

Christianity Today reports,

Jeffrey John, dean of St Albans Cathedral, has been shortlisted as one of four possible candidates to be bishop of Brechin, in the Scottish Anglican church. Dr John has been passed over after having been shortlisted seven times over his career, with allegations that homophobia was behind some of the rejections.

The Scottish Episcopal Church changed its laws on marriage last year to allow same-sex couples to marry in church and allow gay priests to get married as well.

In a sign of its shift in stance since then, as well as John another gay cleric, Chris Newlands, vicar at Lancaster Priory, is also listed as a candidate to be bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane.

The candidates for both dioceses will go before an electoral body made up of local clergy and churchgoers on May 26, before a decision is made on June 2.

For the full slates see Thinking Anglicans. See also the comments there.

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