Church of England drops gay bishop ban - Polidicks

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20914799[/url] [quote=BBC News][B]The Church of England has dropped its prohibition on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops.[/B] The announcement, from the Church's House of Bishops, would allow gay clergy to become bishops if they promise to be celibate. Conservative evangelical Anglicans say they will fight the move in the Church's ruling general synod. The issue has split the church since 2003 amid a row over gay cleric Jeffrey John becoming Bishop of Reading. Mr John, now Dean of St Albans, was forced to step down from the role after protests from traditionalists. He was also a candidate for Bishop of Southwark in 2010 but was rejected. Evidence emerged that this was because of his sexual orientation. Evangelicals have warned they would be willing to bring in bishops from overseas to avoid serving under a gay bishop. The Church has already agreed to allow people in civil partnerships to become clergy, provided they promised they would remain celibate, and repent for active homosexuality in the past. In July last year, the House of Bishops said it would review this decision, made in 2005, to decide whether it could also relate to bishops. [url=http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/12/house-of-bishops-summary-of-decisions-published.aspx]In the list of decisions at its latest meeting in December[/url], it has now confirmed that those conditions could now extend to bishops. BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said given the tension surrounding the issue of sexuality, the Church's decision to allow men in civil partnerships to become bishops represented a major concession and one with considerable symbolic significance.[/quote]

excellent. our secret agents are doing well.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/fyxQN.png[/img]

somebody needs to figure out what makes england such a perfect country, then spread it to the rest of the planet. seriously, why the hell is england always so far ahead of everyone else?

Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.

[QUOTE=Bruhmis;39093359]somebody needs to figure out what makes england such a perfect country, then spread it to the rest of the planet. seriously, why the hell is england always so far ahead of everyone else?[/QUOTE] I bet you don't live here, that's just not a british attitude

[QUOTE=Forumaster;39093408]Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.[/QUOTE] No, it's not.

The church has realised that unless they start moving towards more modern ideals they'll be nothing in about 40 years time. Religion is really not a big thing anymore over here especially not in young people,.

[QUOTE=Forumaster;39093408]Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.[/QUOTE] yeah being progressive is so backward

why is it whenever I think of 'gay bishop' I always imagine a highly muscular gay man wearing only a priest's collar and a cross themed g-string? and why do I have a boner?

[QUOTE=Bruhmis;39093359]somebody needs to figure out what makes england such a perfect country, then spread it to the rest of the planet. seriously, why the hell is england always so far ahead of everyone else?[/QUOTE] You're right, the UK's so great you don't even need to work here. You just wander up to the dole office and money magically appears in your account.

[QUOTE=Forumaster;39093408]Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.[/QUOTE] It's assbackwards in a religious context. Of course if we listened to religion we'd be peasants in mudbrick huts fucking goats and dying of cholera.

[QUOTE=Forumaster;39093408]Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.[/QUOTE] [url=http://www.churchofengland.org/our-views/marriage,-family-and-sexuality-issues/human-sexuality/homosexuality.aspx]C of E's position on homosexuality[/url] [quote=Church of England]sexual intercourse is an act of total commitment which belongs properly within a permanent married relationship ... homosexual genital acts fall short of this ideal, and are to be met by a call to repentance and the exercise of compassion; [Homosexuality cannot be endorsed as] a parallel and alternative form of human sexuality as complete within the terms of the created order as the heterosexual ... Heterosexuality and homosexuality are not equally congruous with the observed order of creation or with the insights of revelation as the Church engages with these in the light of her pastoral ministry [However] the conscientious decision of those who enter into such relationships must be respected, and the Church must 'not reject those who sincerely believe it is God's call to them'.[/quote] Notably they specifically say 'fornication and adultery are sins' but then in the next paragraph they only say 'homosexual genital acts fall short of this ideal' They are very much against gay marriage though

[QUOTE=Generic.Monk;39093444]yeah being progressive is so backward[/QUOTE] It's being assbackward when it's [I]against their own rules.[/I] Personally I'm all for less bigotry.

[QUOTE=Forumaster;39093408]Isn't homosexuality considered a sin? So they're actually letting people who, by their own definition, will be condemned to Hell serve as clergy? So fucking assbackwards.[/QUOTE] The Bible is very vague about what is and is not a a sin and homosexuality is a purely modern concept, before the 20th century no one identified as either gay or straight; such concepts only existed to describe acts and not people. The Church of England and the Catholic Church are both in agreement on this point, other churches have their own views,and that is that having homosexual desire is not itself sinful but acting upon it is, so as long as the priest is a celibate it falls in line with their views. The bible's view on this is open to interpretation taken mainly form Leviticus but Leviticus also bans consuming alcohol in a holy place so clearly what the actual bible says is basically irrelevant to modern theological discourse.

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093463]You're right, the UK's so great you don't even need to work here. You just wander up to the dole office and money magically appears in your account.[/QUOTE] you don't understand how much of a privilege it is to live in a country where 40% of the population DON'T think there's people in the sky talking to them. if I put you in a room with one person from my country your brain would melt in a matter of minutes. [editline]4th January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Generic.Monk;39093423]I bet you don't live here, that's just not a british attitude[/QUOTE] sounds pretty inaccurate. doesn't england have just as many patriots as the U.S does?

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093463]You're right, the UK's so great you don't even need to work here. You just wander up to the dole office and money magically appears in your account.[/QUOTE] You clearly have never had to claim benefits, nor known anyone who has. [editline]4th January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Bruhmis;39093644]doesn't england have just as many patriots as the U.S does?[/QUOTE] thankfully no.

[QUOTE=Bruhmis;39093644] sounds pretty inaccurate. doesn't england have just as many patriots as the U.S does?[/QUOTE] Slagging off our country is a national pasttime in the UK.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;39093669]You clearly have never had to claim benefits, nor known anyone who has.[/QUOTE] No it's true, David Cameron personally comes round my house with a few £50 notes every Friday

[QUOTE=Generic.Monk;39093423]I bet you don't live here, that's just not a british attitude[/QUOTE] Everyone loves Britain but the British... I don't really understand how much love the UK gets at times. Sure it's alright, but Scandinavian countries seem to have things figured out a bit better and the UK as an entity has done some pretty shitty things, but I have Swedish friends that practically wank over how amazing Britain supposedly is. I don't get it!

[QUOTE=NoDachi;39093669]You clearly have never had to claim benefits, nor known anyone who has. [/QUOTE] I get EMA.

[QUOTE=Stopper;39093440]No, it's not.[/QUOTE] Erm yes it is but it depends where you go.

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093731]I get EMA.[/QUOTE] I didn't know they still had EMA outside England I learned something today

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093731]I get EMA.[/QUOTE] EMA isn't benefits. Its an educational carrot for school kids.

[QUOTE=smurfy;39093747]I didn't know they still had EMA outside England I learned something today[/QUOTE] They've ended it now in Scotland, it's only given to some people who started before the cut-off date.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;39093755]EMA isn't benefits. Its an educational carrot for school kids.[/QUOTE] Please know that I am aware that claiming benefits is not easy. I have known people that have had to claim them due to unemployment, and know about the hoops that they've had to jump through and the bureaucratic nonsense of the whole process. I was making a satirical comment on the welfare society.

[QUOTE=Terminutter;39093693]Slagging off our country is a national pasttime in the UK.[/QUOTE] makes england seem even better in my eyes. where I live, if you don't think this is the absolute best country on the planet, then you get accused of being a secret american (this actually happens to me on a monthly basis).

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093795]Please know that I am aware that claiming benefits is not easy. I have known people that have had to claim them due to unemployment, and know about the hoops that they've had to jump through and the bureaucratic nonsense of the whole process. I was making a satirical comment on the welfare society.[/QUOTE] I know I know, I'm just one of those people since uni, who have to jump though so many hoops weekly just to get not enough money to live on and it irks be when people bemoan the 'undeserving poor'.

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093731]I get EMA.[/QUOTE] Bravo, so your household makes less than £20,817 - £30,810 per annum meaning you're allowed to get £10 - £30 to [B]help with costs to do with college equipment and transport[/B]. EMA isn't a form of benefits it's an education allowance which the only factor to grant you it is what your household makes. Benefits is a whole different playing field and I can say right now, you're a massive fucking bigot if you think that you can walk into an office and go "gib monie pls" then they go "lolk" and money magically poofs into your account. The amount of bullshit I have to put through just to claim jobseekers allowance is nothing like you've said, I've got to keep rigorously searching for work, provide proof of searches which at times is more than just writing down in a search diary, I've been on 5 different work related courses and currently I'm now forced into a 2 year work program [B]just to keep claiming while looking for work[/B]. All this is also going on with day to day life and paying rent to my parents. Get off your high sodding horse. [QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;39093795]Please know that I am aware that claiming benefits is not easy. I have known people that have had to claim them due to unemployment, and know about the hoops that they've had to jump through and the bureaucratic nonsense of the whole process. I was making a satirical comment on the welfare society.[/QUOTE] Was a shit and poorly timed comment.

[QUOTE=Bruhmis;39093815]makes england seem even better in my eyes. where I live, if you don't think this is the absolute best country on the planet, then you get accused of being a secret american (this actually happens to me on a monthly basis).[/QUOTE] It sometimes gets on my tits how keen British people are to call the country shit, but actually I guess I prefer that to patriotism It got interesting last year because the Olympics made it remarkably hard for people to argue that this country is shit. We pulled it off though