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| Church of England drops gay bishop opposition | Church of England drops gay bishop opposition |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Church of England has dropped its prohibition on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops. | |
| The announcement, from the Church's House of Bishops, would allow gay clergy to become bishops if they promise to be celibate. | |
| Conservative evangelical Anglicans say they will fiercely resist the development in the synod. | Conservative evangelical Anglicans say they will fiercely resist the development in the synod. |
| The issue has split the church since 2003 amid a row over gay cleric Jeffrey John becoming Bishop of Reading. | The issue has split the church since 2003 amid a row over gay cleric Jeffrey John becoming Bishop of Reading. |
| Mr John, now Dean of St Albans, was forced to step down from the role after protests from traditionalists. | Mr John, now Dean of St Albans, was forced to step down from the role after protests from traditionalists. |
| He was also a candidate for Bishop of Southwark in 2010 but was rejected. Evidence emerged that this was because of his sexual orientation. | He was also a candidate for Bishop of Southwark in 2010 but was rejected. Evidence emerged that this was because of his sexual orientation. |
| Evangelicals have warned they would be willing to bring in bishops from overseas to avoid serving under a gay bishop. | Evangelicals have warned they would be willing to bring in bishops from overseas to avoid serving under a gay bishop. |
| The Church has already agreed to allow people in civil partnerships to become clergy, provided they promised they would remain celibate, and repent for active homosexuality in the past. | The Church has already agreed to allow people in civil partnerships to become clergy, provided they promised they would remain celibate, and repent for active homosexuality in the past. |
| Those conditions are now to be extended to clergy becoming bishops. | Those conditions are now to be extended to clergy becoming bishops. |
| BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said given the tension surrounding the issue of sexuality, the Church's decision to allow men in civil partnerships to become bishops represented a major concession and one with considerable symbolic significance. | BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said given the tension surrounding the issue of sexuality, the Church's decision to allow men in civil partnerships to become bishops represented a major concession and one with considerable symbolic significance. |