(London) Conservative Anglicans around the world still reeling after last year's appointment of a gay bishop in the United States went into shock Saturday with the news that another openly gay cleric was being appointed to one of the most prestigious positions in the Church in England.
Dr Jeffrey John is being named Dean of St. Albans and traditionalists say the appointment will be the straw that broke the camel's back and lead to a breakup of the faith.
Dr John was the target of an international attack last year when the Archbishop of Canterbury attempted to elevate him to a bishop. Led by conservatives in Britain and in Africa opponents of gay reforms in the Church launched an attack that included threats of breaking away and hate mail directed at both John and Archbishop Rowan Williams.
Dr John eventually withdrew his name as bishop assumptive of Reading (story) saying he wanted to preserve church unity. In the United States, the American wing of the Anglican Church elected Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, an action that continues to have repercussions throughout the worldwide Church. (story)
This time, the appointment of Dr John, not only has the support of people in St Albans and the spiritual leader of the faith, but also the government. The announcement of his elevation will be made by the Prime Minister's office. The Anglican Church is the state religion and senior appointments are made by the government in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Queen.
Liberals in the St Albans diocese are said to have lobbied for months for Dr John to be given the post. John is in a celibate relationship with his long-term partner, another Anglican priest.
That the appointment should come now, however, has surprised both traditionalists and liberals within the Church.
Provinces throughout the Anglican Church had been asked to refrain from controversial actions until a commission, set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury to resolve the crisis of gays in the Church, reports at the end of the year.
Conservatives vowed Saturday to fight the appointment "tooth and nail".
David Virtue, an evangelical Anglican commentator who runs the influential website Virtuosity, said: "This is an outrageous appointment. It is a backdoor attempt to make homosexuality mainstream in the Church of England."
Dr John, 53, is an Oxford-trained theologian and currently is canon of Southwark Cathedral. He is considered by many to be one of the leading scholars in the faith.
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