Gay clergy allowed to 'marry,' but no sex
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-30 08:43

Homosexual priests in the Church of England will be allowed to "marry" their boyfriends under a proposal drawn up by senior bishops, led by Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The decision ensures that gay and lesbian clergy who wish to register relationships under the new "civil partnerships" law — giving them many of the tax and inheritance advantages of married couples — will not lose their licenses to be priests.

They will, however, have to give an assurance to their diocesan bishop that they will abstain from sex.

The bishops are trying to uphold the church doctrine of forbidding clergy from sex except in a full marriage.

They accept, however, that the new law leaves them little choice but to accept the right of gay clergy to have civil partners.

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement estimates that within five years 1,500 homosexual Anglican clergy will have registered under the new law.

It is expected that a breach of the rules may lead to disciplinary action or the possible suspension of clergy.

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