Under the headline “Church rocked by gay clergy storm”, the Belfast published News Letter, claimed today that “An unresolved battle about gay clergy within the Church of Ireland is threatening to erupt after the News Letter’s revelation that a senior cleric entered a civil partnership.”
The report continues:
The Very Rev Tom Gordon’s same-sex union, which was reported for the first time on Saturday, led to weekend meetings of “genuinely shocked” senior figures from the traditional wing of the church, while gay rights campaigners hailed the move as evidence of the growing acceptance of same-sex couples within the Church of Ireland.
Rev Gordon said that he had received approval from his bishop, the Rt Rev Michael Burrows, prior to entering the partnership in July with his boyfriend of 20 years.
The development has made the Church of Ireland the latest battleground in the Anglican debate about clergy in gay relationships, which threatens schism in the worldwide communion.
At the weekend a church spokesman said that it was a “civil matter” and declined to give the church’s view on the Rev Gordon’s formalised partnership.
But the editor of the influential Church of Ireland Gazette, Canon Ian Ellis, said that the church was appearing muddled to the outside world as it had no position on the issue of clergy in same-sex unions.
And, after Saturday’s report in the News Letter, it is understood that senior figures from the traditional wing of the church — which is largely based in Northern Ireland — met to discuss how they will respond.
One source involved in the discussions said that conservative and evangelical members of the church felt that they had been “catapulted into the same position as the Church of Scotland” where the acceptance of ministers in civil partnerships has threatened a split.
Although the Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian Church, many in the conservative and evangelical wings of the Church of Ireland share the opposition of traditionalists in the Church of Scotland to clergy in gay relationships.
However, a Church of Ireland cleric, Canon Charles Kenny from the group Changing Attitude, which campaigns for churches to accept homosexuality, said that the Rev Gordon’s civil partnership was “evidence of the growing visibility and acceptance of same-sex couples within the Church of Ireland”.
Canon Kenny added: “I know that many people in the Church of Ireland will join me in extending our congratulations to the dean and his civil partner.”
The Rev Ellis told the News Letter: “There is no doubt that same-sex civil partnership is widely regarded as a form of gay marriage. However, the Church of Ireland teaches that marriage is always between a man and a woman.
“Particularly when a cleric enters into a same-sex civil partnership there is thus the potential for the church’s teaching to be blurred in the public perception.
“Some will feel that the dean’s civil partnership is a provocation while others will feel he has taken a positive stand for gay rights in the church.
“Correspondence to the Church of Ireland Gazette over recent years shows deeply divided opinion within the Church of Ireland on the whole issue of same-sex relationships.
“Personally, I recognise that individuals have the right to a civil partnership, but there are difficulties for the church as far as public perception is concerned. That is evidenced in that, at least as yet, there is no set form for the blessing of a same-sex partnership.”
The Rev Chris Hudson, a Unitarian minister who is an outspoken supporter of gay rights, said that he welcomed the Rev Gordon’s civil partnership but added: “I have one regret because I noticed the statement from the Church of Ireland spokesman that this was a civil matter. I think it is really sad that he and his partner weren’t able to have a church blessing. Even though I’m associated with Changing Attitude, I would go one step further than Changing Attitude because they are operating within the confines of the Church of Ireland. I think the time has come for the law to be changed so that those churches who wish to register a civil partnership in their church can do that.”
The Rev Gordon, originally from Portadown, was appointed dean of Leighlin Cathedral in Co Carlow last year.