Monday, 23 August 2010

Saturday 21 August, The Sun

Gay vicar weds Nigerian toyboy

By JOHN COLES
A GAY vicar aged 65 has stunned his flock - by announcing his "marriage" to a Nigerian toyboy.
Read the original article.
It was published by The Sun, which adheres to the PCC Code


AND YOU DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION...........xxxxxbm
Subject: Preaches God's Word? Oh yeh?

A GAY vicar aged 65 has stunned his flock - by announcing his "marriage" to a


Nigerian toyboy.

Bearded Colin Coward met 25-year-old model Bobby Egbele at a Christian conference in Africa.

Now the pair are planning a civil partnership ceremony in Devizes, Wilts, where Rev Coward presides over St John the Baptist Church.


Service ... pair will have 'blessing'

SWNS

The marriage has caused a stir because the ceremony will be followed by a blessing-type service inside the church.

Mr Coward has also refused to confirm he will stay celibate following the union - which is a Church of England requirement of gay clergy.


Age gap ... couple are forty years apart

SWNS

The vicar, who lives with Bobby in Marston, near Devizes, said he hoped to set a "visible example" to other gays within the church.

He said: "My goal is for everyone to feel comfortable with the situation because at the moment the majority of gay Christians marry secretly.

"It is a taboo subject but the church is now under huge pressure to change. Clearly the blessing is going to be a sensitive issue. I know many people will view it with horror."

Mr Coward, a former architect, came out openly as a gay vicar in 1991. He later set up the gay and lesbian campaign group Changing Attitudes.

He and Bobby, a fashion designer and model who runs an online clothing shop, fell in love after meeting in Togo three years ago.

The vicar's boss, Bishop of Ramsbury the Right Rev Stephen Conway, is expected to ask him to remain celibate - and he plans to refuse.

Mr Coward said: "It is a very intrusive question. It's a ridiculous situation."

A spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury described the blessing service - known as a Communion Eucharist - as "separate" from the civil ceremony.

But last night critics attacked the idea as "an abomination before God".

Stephen Green, of lobbying group Christian Voice, said: "Mr Coward is an emotionally disturbed man trying to inflict his predilections on the rest of the church. I fail to recognise him as a Christian."


A GAY vicar aged 65 has stunned his flock - by announcing his "marriage" to a Nigerian toyboy.

Bearded Colin Coward met 25-year-old model Bobby Egbele at a Christian conference in Africa.

Now the pair are planning a civil partnership ceremony in Devizes, Wilts, where Rev Coward presides over St John the Baptist Church.

Service ... pair will have 'blessing'
Service ... pair will have 'blessing'
SWNS

The marriage has caused a stir because the ceremony will be followed by a blessing-type service inside the church.

Mr Coward has also refused to confirm he will stay celibate following the union - which is a Church of England requirement of gay clergy.

Age gap ... couple are forty years apart
Age gap ... couple are forty years apart
SWNS

The vicar, who lives with Bobby in Marston, near Devizes, said he hoped to set a "visible example" to other gays within the church.

He said: "My goal is for everyone to feel comfortable with the situation because at the moment the majority of gay Christians marry secretly.

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"It is a taboo subject but the church is now under huge pressure to change. Clearly the blessing is going to be a sensitive issue. I know many people will view it with horror."

Mr Coward, a former architect, came out openly as a gay vicar in 1991. He later set up the gay and lesbian campaign group Changing Attitudes.

He and Bobby, a fashion designer and model who runs an online clothing shop, fell in love after meeting in Togo three years ago.

The vicar's boss, Bishop of Ramsbury the Right Rev Stephen Conway, is expected to ask him to remain celibate - and he plans to refuse.

Mr Coward said: "It is a very intrusive question. It's a ridiculous situation."

A spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury described the blessing service - known as a Communion Eucharist - as "separate" from the civil ceremony.

But last night critics attacked the idea as "an abomination before God".

Stephen Green, of lobbying group Christian Voice, said: "Mr Coward is an emotionally disturbed man trying to inflict his predilections on the rest of the church. I fail to recognise him as a



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3105383/Gay-vicar-weds-Nigerian-toyboy.html#ixzz0xQlt2Wa8