The Church of England, in response to a motion presented by a member of its clergy, has reaffirmed its support for biblical sexual morality. The action was taken last fall by the denomination’s general synod.
Charismatic priest Tony Higton asked the synod to affirm that sexual intercourse belongs “between a man and woman who are married to each other”; to declare that “fornication, adultery, and homosexual acts are sinful in all circumstances”; and to call on Christian leaders to be exemplary “in all spheres of morality, including sexual morality, as a condition of being appointed to or remaining in office.” In addition, his motion called for church discipline of clergy who do not meet high standards of morality.
“My main aim was to encourage the church to come down off the fence and to reaffirm biblical morality,” Higton said. His motion was adopted only after the synod approved an amendment presented by Bishop Michael Baughen of Chester.
The Baughen amendment softened the language of Higton’s original motion, and deleted the requirement for church discipline. It affirmed that “sexual intercourse is an act of total commitment which belongs properly within a permanent married relationship”; and that fornication, adultery, and homosexual acts “fall short of this ideal.” Baughen described the synod approval of the statement as “an overwhelming affirmation to the upholding of biblical and traditional standards of morality in the whole church and especially in Christian leaders.”
The motion sparked a flurry of opposition. Malcolm Johnson, a Church of England priest associated with the Gay Christian Movement, said he opposed the measure because it “proscribes homosexual behavior as less than ideal. To me, it [homosexual behavior] isn’t less than ideal, it’s just different.” Johnson said the church’s new statement will make it impossible for gay Anglican clergy to acknowledge their homosexuality publicly.
The Gay Christian Movement, an organization that includes both heterosexuals and homosexuals, has said up to 25 percent of the Church of England’s priests are homosexuals. Neither Johnson nor Higton knew of evidence supporting this statistic, but Higton said, “Ten percent, as a guesstimate, is not unrealistic.”
By Gail Bennett, in the United Kingdom.
