Thinking Anglicans brings together multiple reports that a group of clergy in the Diocese of London have signed a letter calling for the Church of England to reverse its ban on civil partnership ceremonies being held in churches.
Text of letter to The Times:
We, the undersigned, believe that on the issue of holding civil partnership ceremonies in Church of England churches incumbents / priests in charge should be accorded the same rights as they enjoy at present in the matter of officiating at the marriage of divorced couples in church. Namely, that this should be a matter for the individual conscience of the incumbent / priest in charge.
We would respectfully request that our views in this regard are fully represented in Synod.
A number of articles on the response:
BBC: “Church of England clergy challenge civil partnership stance”
It is the first sign of significant resistance within the Church to its refusal to permit civil partnership ceremonies in Anglican churches.
AFP: “Church of England clergy rebel on gay ceremonies”
The Times said the letter illustrated the growing anger running through mainstream Anglicanism on the issue and the scale of the protest would likely be mirrored in many of the church’s 44 dioceses, creating tension between ordinary priests and the church leadership.
And Mail Online: “Nearly 100 clergy revolt over Church ban on ‘gay weddings’”
Among the letter’s signatories are Giles Fraser, the former canon chancellor of St Paul’s who resigned over the Occupy London anti-capitalist protest, as well as more mainstream clerics such as the Reverend Gillean Craig, who is the vicar of St Mary Abbots in Kensington, the church attended by David Cameron and Education Secretary Michael Gove.