News stories & announcements

UNITARIANS BELIEVE GAY PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY (July 2003)

Matthew F. Smith, Information Officer for the Unitarian General Assembly, offers the following comments on news of the withdrawal of Canon Jeffrey John from appointment as Bishop of Reading:

'The official pressure placed upon Canon Jeffrey John to withdraw from his appointment as Bishop of Reading will inevitably cause many gay people - the celibate as well as those in committed, faithful relationships – to question whether they can ever find true acceptance within "mainstream" Christianity.

Unitarians, by contrast, have chosen the path of inclusion and our movement has benefitted enormously from the contribution of gay people, participating on a basis of full equality. Our General Assembly took a clear stand back in 1977 that we would not discriminate against gays and lesbians in our ministry. In practice, this increasingly means acceptance of gay and lesbian ministers serving congregations while in open, stable relationships. In all cases, this has proved to be be no barrier to the conduct of an effective and spiritual ministry. The Anglican position of "tolerating" stable same-sex relationships among lay people but rejecting them for clergy cannot hold - particularly when a claim of celibacy, as in Dr John's case, brings no relief from the threats and invective of Biblical literalists. While we still have an Established Church, it is vital for society as a whole that Anglicanism chooses the path of tolerance and Christian love.'

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