Sir, – There are two issues – the governance of a structured organisation, and the interpretation of the Bible.
The position of the Anglican Communion, including the Church of England, as decided by a very large majority (526 – 70) at the last Lambeth Conference is that it "cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same-sex unions, nor the ordination of those involved in such unions." On any reasonable reading this must also be construed to mean that a man in such a union who has somehow been ordained should not be promoted to a position of more exalted leadership and teaching, particularly when has has made it clear that he does not agree with existing policy anyway. His depth of spirituality, learning, etc are irrelevant if he has disqualified himself by not meeting other fundamental criteria.
We already have an Archbishop of Canterbury, and soon may have a Bishop of Reading, who says that personally he does not agree with the Church's teaching, but will nevertheless uphold it in public. How will leaders be respected as men of integrity if they teach one thing and do, or agree with, the opposite? When they teach it will be necessary to ask them: "Is this something you believe, or are you just saying it without conviction?"
Fortunately for us God's word is not limited to the four gospels, or it would be a very strange world if everything were permitted that was not expressly forbidden in those few pages! In practice the Bible is read as a whole as, in the words of one of our own local bishops, "a progressive revelation". One of the 39 Articles (still part of the Church of England "rule book") lays down that "it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of scripture that it be repugnant to another." The Old and New Testaments form one revelation of God and his intentions.
From beginning to end the Bible indicates that God's intention for the most intimate human relationship is to be marriage between a man and a woman. There is no indication that an intimate same-sex union is also on the menu. The Rector has helpfully drawn attention to the references to homosexuality in Genesis ("this wicked thing") and Leviticus ("detestable"), but did not have space to mention Romans ("indecent acts") and I Corinthians ("offenders").
However when a man is being chosen for a leadership position it might be more constructive to look at the qualities for "overseers" listed in I Timothy, which include being "the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable... He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?).... Deacons, likewise are to be men worthy of respect, keeping hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.... Their wives are to be worthy of respect, trustworthy in everything.... A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well." We get a pretty clear picture of the type of "household" required of a Christian leader.
Angus Cleaver, Hazell Road, Farnham