Gay clergyman defies Church of England ban, marries partner under new laws
The Church of England faces a 'crisis' as it comes huge pressure to discipline the clergyman for breaking the rules and as other clergy members may follow suit
Canon Jeremy Pemberton, 58, a hospital chaplain, has become the first Church of England clergyman to enter into a same-sex marriage under Britain’s new marriages laws when he married his long-term partner Laurence Cunnington, 51, on Saturday.
Local media reports say the move is expected to plunge the Church into a fresh crisis as it is in direct defiance of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The Church is also strongly opposed Britain’s newly-introduced same-sex marriage laws.
Permberton, who is a divorced father of five, now faces faces disciplinary action from the Church and could be expelled from his work as a priest as the House of Bishops has explicitly barred clergy from entering such unions.
Gay clergy can already enter into civil partnerships if they promise to remain celibate, but these are primarily legal arrangements while marriages include public vows.
The Telegraph reported that an acrimonious row broke out within the Church earlier this year after the House of Bishops decided to ban gay clergy from marrying when same-sex marriage became legal last month. Any clergy member defying the ban could face lengthy disciplinary measures.
Clergy are also barred from conducting or blessing same-sex unions in church.
The Daily Mail reports that the House of Bishops will now come under huge pressure to crack down on Canon Pemberton, especially as there are other clergy members considering entering into same-sex marriages.
One senior traditionalist cleric in the Church’s General Synod was quoted as saying: 'This will become a crisis if no action is taken.'
Oakham vicar Reverand Lee Francis Dehqani has criticised the Church of England's objections to gay marriage
The Oakham vicar has criticised the Church of England's objections to gay marriage
Reverand Lee Francis Dehqani of Oakham has publicly criticised the Church of England's objection to gay marriage.
It's as the House of Bishops decided to ban clergy from marrying when same sex marriage becomes legal later this month.
But the vicar, who has a gay brother, says the Church needs to keep up with changes in
