Church encourages transgender worshippers to become vicars

TRANSGENDER people are being encouraged to become Church of England vicars as bishops launch a diversity drive.

Bishops in the diocese of Lichfield have issued new guidance to parishioners and clergy reminding them that LGBT people “can be called to roles of leadership and service in the local church”. The guidance, titled “welcoming and honouring LGBT+ people”, warns that the Church’s reputation as being unwelcoming towards gay and transgender people is stopping young people attending.

“We very much hope that they, like everyone else, feel encouraged to serve on Parochial Church Councils, or as churchwardens and worship leaders, for instance, and are supported in exploring vocations to licensed lay and ordained ministries,” the guidance says.

“Nobody should be told that their sexual or gender identity in itself makes them an unsuitable candidate for leadership in the Church.”

The group, led by diocesan bishop the Rt Rev Dr Michael Ipgrave, also warns against “intrusive questioning about someone’s sexual practices or desires, or their experience of gender”, saying it is “almost always inappropriate”. Last year the Church’s General Synod voted to call on the Government to ban so-called “conversion therapy”, which is aimed at helping gay people to change their sexuality.

The new guidance warns clergy that they may not “tell or insinuate to people that sexual orientation or gender identity will be changed by faith or that homosexuality or gender difference is a sign of immaturity or a lack of faith”.

Progressive groups in the Church welcomed the move. OneBodyOne Faith, which promotes inclusion, said the guidance was “encouraging”.

Canon Peter Leonard, the organisation’s chairman of trustees, said: “It’s my hope that the work being undertaken by Lichfield diocese, and this clear statement, will send a very strong signal to LGBT+ people that they’re welcomed and valued on equal terms with our brothers and sisters.”

Priests and bishops in the Church of England are banned from same-sex marriages but they are allowed to enter civil partnerships. They are allowed in a same-sex relationship on the understanding that they will remain celibate.

Several gay priests have left the church to get married, while one, Jeremy Pemberton, lost a discrimination case after he was prevented from taking up a post as a hospital chaplain having married his male partner.

‘Nobody should be told their sexual or gender identity makes them unsuitable for leadership in the Church’