The Church of England has welcomed its first gay bishop.
A British bishop of the mother-church of the worldwide Anglican faith, announced that he is homosexual in an interview published Saturday.
The bishop of Grantham, central England, Nicholas Chamberlain, disclosed to the UK Guardian newspaper that he was in a long-term relationship with his undisclosed male partner.
“It was not my decision to make a big thing about coming out,” he said, adding that he adhered to church guidelines which stipulated that gay clergy must be celibate.
“People know I’m gay, but it’s not the first thing I’d say to anyone. Sexuality is part of who I am, but it’s my ministry that I want to focus on.”
He said the church knew he was gay when he became a bishop last year.
“I was myself. Those making the appointment knew about my sexual identity”, he said.
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