Gay bishops urged to ‘come out’ in Church of England

A leading member of the Church of England has called on gay bishops to “come out” as England celebrated its first same-sex weddings in secular venues.

Alan Wilson, bishop of Buckingham, said the time has come for gay bishops to make themselves known. He criticized the church’s stance of not recognizing same-sex marriage as “sheer cruelty” and “morally outrageous,” adding: “Most gay people would be happier out, including bishops.”

Wilson, 59, said he was not into “outing” gay people. “I don’t have a medical file on all my colleagues, but it has been claimed that there are 13 gay bishops in the Church of England,” he said.