Bishop Bans Gay Vicars (Press, 2 January 1988)
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Summary: Bishop Bans Gay Vicars (Press, 2 January 1988)
The Right Rev. David Young, Bishop of Ripon, has declared a ban on active homosexuals from serving in the pulpits of his Yorkshire diocese. This decision comes despite a recent resolution by the General Synod, which opted against recommending similar measures. In his January newsletter, Bishop Young stated that individuals known to be engaged in homosexual practices will not be sponsored for ordination or ordained within the diocese. Furthermore, those already ordained will not be offered ministry positions in Ripon, and any gay clergy currently serving in the diocese will face disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Bishop. Bishop Young differentiated between clergymen and deaconesses who are openly practising homosexuality and those who aspire to such practices but choose to remain celibate. This move follows a resolution made by the General Synod in November 1987, which sought to avoid targeting homosexuals for condemnation and rejected a motion that called for moral exemplary behaviour among Christian leaders, including in matters of sexual morality, as a precondition for office. The controversy surrounding this decision has been exacerbated by criticism aimed at Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, who has been accused of being indecisive on issues relating to clergy homosexuality and the ordination of women. These tensions reached a tragic peak when an anonymous article published in the Anglican journal "Crockfords" attacked the Archbishop. The article, later identified as written by Oxford theologian Dr Gareth Bennett, sparked significant media speculation. Just a week following the publication, Dr Bennett committed suicide. In response to Bishop Young's stance, the Rev. Richard Kirker, secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, expressed strong disapproval, calling the Bishop's attitude "deplorable." This unfolding situation highlights a growing division within the Anglican Church over issues of homosexuality, as various factions within the church grapple with traditional beliefs and the evolving societal attitudes towards sexual orientation.
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