It is lawful to reject a candidate for a bishopric because of his or her public statements about sexuality, newly published guidance from the Church of England states.<\/p>\n
The document, which dates from March, but has only now been posted on the Church\u2019s website, sets out what a Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) can take into account when considering a candidate for a vacant see. \u201cThe CNC can . . . lawfully take into account the content and manner of any public statements previously made by him or her about the Church\u2019s traditional teaching on same-sex relations,\u201d\u009d the guidance says.<\/p>\n
But it also states that \u201cThe mere fact that a candidate had publicly questioned the Church of England\u2019s teaching on human sexuality . . . would not be sufficient to raise any issue from this point of view: that is something that clergy are free to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn issue could only arise as a result of the way in which that disagreement had been expressed.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n