Church of England to Approve First Openly Gay Bishop
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Church of England is to give the go-ahead for the appointment of openly homosexual bishops.

The Church will publish legal advice on Monday that says that homosexual clergy in civil partnerships can become bishops - as long as they remain celibate.

The legal guidance makes clear that it would be wrong for a cleric's sexual orientation to be taken into account when considering their suitability as a bishop.

However, the guidance will say that homosexual clergy should be made to clarify that they are not in an active sexual relationship - effectively make a promise that they are and will remain celibate.

It would also mean candidates for a bishopric being questioned over their previous sex life and asked whether they repent having gay sex.

The advice is likely to trigger a new row over the role of homosexual priests in the Church. Conservatives and liberals are bitterly divided over the issue. » | Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Sunday, June 19, 2011

My comment on this appears here. It is not a stand-alone comment. It is a response to someone else's.

Archbishop of Canterbury Accused of Second 'Betrayal' of Gay Cleric
THE TELEGRAPH: The Archbishop of Canterbury has been accused of “betraying” an openly homosexual cleric for the second time over his bid to become a bishop.

Dr Rowan Williams was said by some in the Anglican Communion of abandoning his former liberal credentials by failing to vote for Dr Jeffrey John as the next Bishop of Southwark.

It comes exactly seven years after the Archbishop forced Dr John, an old friend of his, to refuse his appointment as Bishop of Reading following an outcry from conservatives.

Liberals said that by not supporting the current Dean of St Albans at a secret meeting this week, Dr Williams has missed an importance chance to make the Church of England more progressive as well as humiliating his friend again. >>> Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Friday, July 09, 2010

Gay Cleric Blocked from Becoming Church of England Bishop
THE TELEGRAPH: An openly homosexual cleric has been blocked from becoming a Church of England bishop, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

Members of the Crown Nominations Commission, which includes Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, rejected calls for Dr Jeffrey John to be made the next Bishop of Southwark.

The Dean of St Albans, who is in a civil partnership with another priest, was on the shortlist for the post and was considered to be a front-runner for the job.

David Cameron had been made aware of his nomination and is believed to have been supportive of promoting the homosexual cleric.

However, a secret meeting of senior Church figures has decided to overlook Dr John amid fears that his consecration would have provoked a split in the Church.

Conservative Anglican leaders had warned that evangelical parishes would not recognise him as a bishop and instead would seek “alternative episcopal oversight”.

But the snub will infuriate liberal clergy who believed he was the outstanding candidate and that his appointment would signal a move towards greater inclusion for homosexuals in the Church. >>> Jonathan Wynne-Jones and Martin Beckford | Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Related article here

Gay Cleric in Line to Become Bishop in Church of England
THE TELEGRAPH: An openly-homosexual cleric has been nominated to become a senior bishop, in a move that threatens to provoke a damaging split in the Church of England.

A confidential meeting, chaired by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has approved Dr Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, to be on the shortlist to be the next Bishop of Southwark.

He is understood to be the favoured candidate.

Dr John is a hugely divisive figure in the church after he was forced to stand down from becoming the Bishop of Reading in 2003 after it emerged he was in a homosexual, but celibate, relationship.

Promoting him to one of the most senior offices in the Church would trigger a civil war between liberals and conservatives and exacerbate existing divisions within the Anglican Communion. >>> Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, July 03, 2010

Fury as Lesbian Is Chosen by Anglican Church to Be a Bishop
MAIL ONLINE: The worldwide Anglican Church has been plunged into a fresh crisis after a lesbian was chosen as its second gay bishop.

In a move that will dismay the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, Canon Mary Glasspool was elected as an assistant bishop for the diocese of Los Angeles. >>> Jonathan Petre | Sunday, December 06, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: Election of lesbian bishop 'is very serious', says Dr Rowan Williams >>> Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent | Sunday, December 06, 2009

Australia: Church Wars

Gay Bishop to ‘tie the knot’ after 18 year wait

Photo of Gene Robinson courtesy of Google Images

CNN: MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) -- The openly gay Episcopal bishop at the center of the Anglican Church's global battle over homosexuality said Thursday he hopes to enter into a civil union with his partner next year.

But New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson added that he wants to hold separate religious and legal ceremonies to set a precedent for how marriages and civil unions are performed in the United States. Gay bishopplans civil union with partner of 18 years (more>

Mark Alexander