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From The Times
July 25, 2005

Gay clergy can 'marry' but no sex

By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent
THE Church of England will today give its blessing to gay clergy who want to enter into civil partnerships.

But the Church is refusing to accord civil partnerships the status of marital relationships and gay clergy will be told that they must remain chaste.

The “sexless marriage” code for gays, to be published today, has been prepared by a working group headed by the Bishop of Norwich, the Right Reverend Graham James.

The established Church’s complex manoeuvrings are the result of having to remain on the right side of the law while abiding by Church doctrine.

The worldwide Anglican Communion is deeply divided over the issue of gay clergy and has been brought to the brink of schism over the election of its first openly gay bishop, the Right Rev Gene Robinson, in New Hampshire in the US.

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The first civil partnership is expected to be registered in Brighton on December 21, involving a lesbian independent church minister, the Rev Debbie Gaston, and Elaine Cook.

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