ARCHBISHOP’S ‘PASS’ WAS SOLD BACK IN 1991

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s now infamous Mastermind response to a question about gay bishops one day being allowed to have partners simply reflects the culture of the institution Dr Williams leads.

Damian Thompson draws an unfavourable comparison with Roman Catholic clarity on the issue:

Yes, he really did say that (‘pass’ to the question from Times interviewer Ginny Dougary ‘does the Archbishop hope that one day gay bishops can have partners?’). Now, you may regard Roman Catholic teaching on homosexuality as wrong, amounting to a declaration that it’s OK to be left-handed but not to write with your left hand, but it is at least clear. It’s inconceivable that Benedict XVI would produce the game-show reply “Pass” to a question about sexual morality.

But the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church did not produce a document back in 1991 called Issues in Human Sexuality.

This House of Bishops document argued that it is acceptable for the laity to form faithful and stable same-sex relationships but not for the clergy. This reasoning was of course thoroughly unbiblical. Pastors are meant to set an example that is to be followed by all of us who profess Christian faith. The Apostle Paul urged Timothy, whom he had put in pastoral charge of the church in the sex-crazed city of Ephesus, to

set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4v12 – RSV).

The practical fact is that an ecclesiastical institution that makes such an unbiblical distinction between clergy and laity in personal morality will reap what it has sown. Clergy are taken from the ranks of the laity, and bishops from the ranks of the clergy. An institution that has legitimised same-sex relationships for people before they get ordained and consecrated is surely going to find it near impossible to enforce a different standard at a later stage.

Christ was grossly dishonoured by Issues and that’s why “pass” is the word 20 years later.