A gay clergyman has been banned from taking services after marrying his partner of 28 years in a case highlighting the Church of England’s convolutions over homosexuality.

Jeremy Davies has been refused “permission to officiate” by the bishop of Winchester even though the neighbouring diocese of Salisbury allowed him to continue taking services following his marriage to opera singer Simon McEnery.



The case has echoes of that of Jeremy Pemberton, who lost his claim of discrimination at an employment tribunal last month. Pemberton was also refused permission to officiate by one diocese while being allowed to continue to work by another.



Winchester Cathedral where Jeremy Davies has been refused ‘permission to officiate’ services. Photograph: imagebroke/Rex Shutterstock

Davies retired in 2011 after serving as canon precentor at Salisbury cathedral for 26 years. He and McEnery entered into a civil partnership – which is permitted for clergy – 10 years ago, but last year decided to get married. Clergy members are banned from entering into same-sex marriage.



Following his retirement, Davies continued to take occasional services in the dioceses of Winchester and Salisbury. After his marriage, he was reprimanded as a formality by the bishop of Salisbury. He also wrote to Tim Dakin, the bishop of Winchester, in June seeking permission to officiate, but received a letter two days ago saying his application had been refused.

A spokesperson for the diocese of Winchester said: “Canon Jeremy Davies made an application earlier this year for permission to officiate (PTO) in the diocese of Winchester. Due to the Church of England’s position on same sex marriage, as set out in the House of Bishops’ Pastoral Guidance, canon Jeremy Davies has been informed that his application has been unsuccessful.”



Davies, who has been a priest for 42 years, said his initial reaction was one of “resignation and a sense that this was not entirely unexpected”. He said the church needed to develop a “coherent theological position on human relationships and sexuality”. “It is moving, but it is taking some time,” he added.

McEnery, who has performed with the English National Opera and Welsh National Opera as well as teaching and composing, said the decision was “insulting and offensive, and doesn’t make the church look good. I dislike the idea of the church being allowed to discriminate against gay people when it is increasingly outlawed in civil life.”



The church, he added, “ought to be at the forefront of creative thinking but often seems to be on the back foot and chasing its own tail. The C of E is the established church, a sort of state organisation, but it has legitimate institutional homophobia at its heart.”



The couple received many messages of support and offers of help launch a legal challenge against the decision, but decided against legal action.



A London vicar, Andrew Foreshew-Cain, was also reprimanded after he married his long-term partner last year but has continued to officiate at St Mary with All Souls, Kilburn and St James, West Hampstead. In October, he was elected to the C of E synod.



The issue of gay marriage has caused deep divisions within the church, with opponents quoting scriptures to support their argument that marriage can only be between a man and a woman in the eyes of God, and those in favour arguing that the church needs to support loving, committed relationships, reflect changing social values and be non-discriminatory.

The worldwide Anglican communion has also been riven by the issue. The archbishop of Canterbury has summoned the 38 leaders of national churches to a meeting in the UK next month to try to find a way to move beyond the damaging feud.

