Clergy resign over gay ban

-16/9/03

Two Church of England clergymen have resigned from senior diocesan posts in protest against a decision by Manche

Clergy resign over gay ban

-16/9/03

Two Church of England clergymen have resigned from senior diocesan posts in protest against a decision by Manchester Cathedral to cancel a service for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement reports The Times.

The Rev Derek Palmer, chaplain to Salford University, and the Rev Peter Clark, Rector of St Lukeís in Longsight, will continue their pastoral duties but have stepped down as the area deans of Salford and Ardwick respectively.

The service, which had taken more than five months to plan, was due to be held at the end of October as part of an annual conference of the movement.

The cathedral decided to stop the service out of concern for ìsensitivities and timing in relation to the current debates in the Church of England and the Anglican Communionî, a spokesman said at the time.

But Mr Clark said that the decision to cancel was ìutterly crassî and accused the cathedral of ìdereliction of our call to hospitalityî.

Mr Palmer said the cathedralís decision did not represent the diocese as a whole.

Two senior members of the cathedralís choir have also resigned.

A spokesman for Manchester diocese said: ìWe are sorry that two dedicated and highly regarded area deans have resigned because of their deeply held personal views. We are pleased they will continue with their pastoral duties in Salford and Longsight.î

Clergy resign over gay ban

-16/9/03

Two Church of England clergymen have resigned from senior diocesan posts in protest against a decision by Manchester Cathedral to cancel a service for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement reports The Times.

The Rev Derek Palmer, chaplain to Salford University, and the Rev Peter Clark, Rector of St Lukeís in Longsight, will continue their pastoral duties but have stepped down as the area deans of Salford and Ardwick respectively.

The service, which had taken more than five months to plan, was due to be held at the end of October as part of an annual conference of the movement.

The cathedral decided to stop the service out of concern for ìsensitivities and timing in relation to the current debates in the Church of England and the Anglican Communionî, a spokesman said at the time.

But Mr Clark said that the decision to cancel was ìutterly crassî and accused the cathedral of ìdereliction of our call to hospitalityî.

Mr Palmer said the cathedralís decision did not represent the diocese as a whole.

Two senior members of the cathedralís choir have also resigned.

A spokesman for Manchester diocese said: ìWe are sorry that two dedicated and highly regarded area deans have resigned because of their deeply held personal views. We are pleased they will continue with their pastoral duties in Salford and Longsight.î