Dr Jeffrey John The nomination of an openly gay man to be a Bishop in the Church of England has revived fears of an international split between pro- and anti-gay elements of the church. Dr Jeffrey John has been shortlisted to become Bishop of Southwark by a panel which includes the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 2003 John was forced to stand down as Bishop of Reading after he was outed for living in a long-standing gay relationship. The Southwark nomination now goes to British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is understood to be supportive of such an appointment, and the Queen has the final say. Unsurprisingly, the Queen, who is the head of the Church of England, is understood to be deeply concerned by any possible split.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 5th July 2010 - 7:36pm