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(London) A leading member of the Anglican Church
has exchanged vows with his longtime partner with his bishop and the dean of his
cathedral in attendance - a move likely to further infuriate conservatives in
the worldwide church.
Canon Jeremy
Davies, the Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral, entered into a civil
partnership with opera singer Simon McEnery, his partner of 18 years.
The civil ceremony was held at an English country
manor and performed by a civil servant, but the presence of Salisbury's
Bishop, the Rt Rev David Stancliffe, and Dean, the Very Rev June Osborne
at the reception is seen as giving approval of the union.
Bishop Stancliffe and Dean Osborne were among 120
guests, mainly friends and family.
A spokesperson for the diocese defended the
presence of the two.
"This was a civil partnership ceremony and
there was no religious involvement," he said. "It followed exactly the legal requirements and the
guidelines of the Church of England."
Last July the House of
Bishops for the Church of England said that gay clerics could have civil
unions provided they had the permission of their bishops, did not have a
church blessing, and did not equate the union with marriage.
Davies and McEnery issued a statement through the diocese saying that
they look forward to the legal security the union would
give them, and were "proud" to be among the first same-sex couples to
enter into a civil partnership.
The partnerships began last
month in the UK. They give same-sex couples an opportunity to register their
relationships and receive most of the same benefits accorded married couples
including pension, immigration, and property rights.
But, for conservatives in the Anglican faith they
have become a rallying cry. The issue of gays in the church has been
simmering since the Episcopal Church in the United States approved the
ordination of Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay
bishop in the worldwide church.
This week about 800 conservative Anglicans are
expected at a Birmingham, Alabama, including African and Asian archbishops who
have warned of a possible schism if the U.S. Episcopal Church does not renounce
its approval of gay bishops and blessing of same-sex unions. (story)
©365Gay.com 2006
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