GAY CLERIC INSTALLED AT ST. ALBANS

BBC News

July 2, 2004

The openly gay canon who felt compelled to withdraw his candidature as Bishop of Reading is to be installed as Dean of St Albans on Friday. Dr Jeffrey John has been approved by the Queen for the job - one of the most senior roles in the Church of England.

He was persuaded to stand down from the Reading candidature after protests from conservative evangelicals in July 2003.

Conservative Anglicans have also criticised the appointment of Dr John, who says he is celibate, as dean.

But Martin Reynolds, of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, urged parishioners to give him a chance.

Caring Pastor

Mr Reynolds told BBC News that Dr John has a "fantastic, pastoral heart" and said he was "horrified" by objections to the appointment. "To the people of St Alban's I say you've got a fantastic parish priest, a fantastic dean - give him a chance," he said.

And the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, also welcomed Dr John's appointment.

In April, when the appointment was announced, the bishop said: "Jeffrey John has a well deserved reputation for being a good, caring pastor. He is an intelligent, courageous priest who will follow a long line of superb Deans of St Albans and will bring to the Abbey a wide range of gifts. He is a man of prayer, a preacher and teacher of real authority and grace."

Objections

But conservative Anglicans have objected to his appointment. In June, St Peter and St Paul's Church in Cranfield withheld funds from the diocese in protest.

And in April evangelical commentator David Virtue described it as an "outrageous appointment." Mr Virtue, who runs the website Virtuosity, added: "It is a backdoor attempt to make homosexuality mainstream in the Church of England."

Dr John was previously Canon Chancellor and Bishop's Adviser for Ministry in the Diocese of Southwark since 1997. He now becomes Rector of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Albans as well as dean.

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