The Church of England is? in the news again for the wrong reasons. One of its Vicars, The Rev. Andrew Cain, has decided to defy the Church’s? lukewarm position that? allows clergymen to be gay as far as they remain celebate. This Vicar has no room for half-hearted measures. He intends to marry his partner very soon.
Rev Cain, who has been Vicar of St Mary’s with All Souls since 1998, describes himself as “Hen keeper, gardener & gym attender. Engaged to Stephen” on his twitter bio.? Stephen, the partner, is an atheist. What wonderful help meet he will make for Father Cain in the service of God!
According to Charisma News,
Last month the House of Bishops announced that gay C of E clergy would not be allowed to enter same-sex marriages.
The Rev. Andrew Cain said, however, he would not be ?frightened? into canceling his wedding to his partner of 14 years.
Clergy would need to ?model the Church?s teaching in their lives,? and marrying someone of the same sex would be at ?variance? with this, the House of Bishops said in a statement.
Rebelling against the Church?s rules may result in defrocking, but Rev. Cain says the disciplinary procedure is ?complex.?
He says, ?They can?t frighten me. The legal procedures for defrocking somebody are extraordinarily complex and expensive and very public.?
He adds that ?to try to defrock someone simply for exercising their rights as a United Kingdom citizen would be extraordinarily bad publicity.?
Cain and his partner are hoping to get married this summer, after same-sex laws come into effect on March 29.
?It has frightened the clergy, and some of them have said they are not going to get married,” Cain says. “I know that a number of people have left the Church, but I also know that a number of us are going to go ahead and deal with the consequences.??
Under Church of England rules, those in a civil partnership can become priests and bishops if they remain celibate.
The Lord knew what he was saying when he admonished the Laodecian Church: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot”. The Church of England will have to heed this admonition sooner or later – or continue to be torn apart by the diverse interests it accommodates under its roof.
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