Bishop of Liverpool to enter into gay debate in high profile speech

Mar 6 2010 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Echo

THE BISHOP of Liverpool will enter into the debate on the Church’s stance on homosexuality.

Bishop James Jones is planning to use one of his most high profile speeches of the year to call for the two sides in the spat to agree to disagree and for Christians to accept “diversity of moral conviction”.

In a row that has threatened to split the Church of England, liberal Anglicans embrace gay bishops and say being gay should not bar you from being Christian.

But traditionalists say sex should only take place between married couples and that homosexuality is banned in the Bible.

Speaking at the Liverpool Diocesan Synod’s March meeting, today, Bishop Jones will call for both sides to accept their differences and worship together.

He will say: “For some in the church homosexuality has become the defining issue of orthodoxy; it has become the benchmark on how you interpret Scripture and apply it authoritatively to the modern world.

“For others in the church, especially but not exclusively for those who are gay, homosexuality and the church’s attitude have become the touchstone of the church’s seriousness in wanting to include in the Kingdom all God’s children.