As the Church of England threatens to tear itself apart over the issue of gay priests, the Rev Paul Walker argues that if the church is to be relevant to the 21st century it must cast aside its bigotry.

THE last 200 years ago has seen the most incredible series of liberations. For all its bloodiness, the French Revolution saw the liberation of ordinary working people. The 19th century brought liberation of black slaves. Later a series of legal and social changes brought a growing liberation to women. Into the 20th century these liberations grew ever stronger: the liberation of the blacks in the southern states, the liberation of the majority of South Africans.

But of course each of these liberations came at a cost. There were those who argued that to allow certain freedom to certain people was dangerous, society would be undermined, this would all lead to chaos and anarchy. In the opposition to these freedom movements, there were always those who seemed on hand to provide a moral justification. Many of these people were Christians.

Let us not forget the swathe of Evangelical Christians who vehemently opposed Martin Luther King, the intellectual heirs of those who had opposed the abolition of slavery. Let us not forget the support given to Franco and Mussolini by the Church. Let us not forget the continued opposition to the liberation of women, where at one extreme it is argued that the Bible says a woman must submit to her husband and at the other a woman cannot be a priest.

So it should not surprise us just how much many of these Christians seem to oppose the ordination of gay people. Just as society is beginning to recognise another group who need freedom, Christians seem to show their usual bigotry and nastiness.

At the moment this debate is tearing the Church of England apart. I refuse to stand by and watch an institution I love, which bases its theology on a careful balancing of the Bible, the Church and human reason, be taken over by those who wish it to be a club for fundamentalists. I wish it to be the open and tolerant institution we all grew up to know.

THIS debate matters to us all, whether or not we are regular Church goers. Firstly it matters because many people associate themselves as Church of England and young people will not wish to associate themselves with a bigoted institution. Secondly what comes next: divorcees? Will the Church of England remain an institution open to the entire population? Many people have already come across clergy who illegally refuse to christen their children.

I can already imagine those few church-going Christians (we are few and getting fewer) reading this. Many will agree with what I'm saying, but there will be those who feel it's all about the authority of the Bible. I find this argument almost too ridiculous to contemplate. The disputed texts about homosexuality were allegedly written by a man called Moses. Moses also committed genocide against the people of Midian, killing all but the young girls who were given to the soldiers to abuse (see Numbers 31). I might as well take my morality from Stalin.

In fact, it may surprise you to learn that at no point at all does the Bible condemn child sex abuse!

I'm not speaking against the Bible, it is a book I love. But it is an ancient book written for ancient and alien people, many of its moral codes no longer work. The best illustration I can give of this is a letter which appeared on the Internet. It purports to be written to a "Dr Laura" who is a well known evangelical agony aunt in America:

Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

d)Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obliged to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

When I hear that the Church of England is now contemplating such a nasty attitude towards gay and lesbian people I fear for it. It is argued that African Christians are opposed to homosexuality. Yet the prevalence of Aids in sub-Saharan Africa make it clear that African sexual morality is very different from our own.

As a man proud to be a priest in the Church of England, I write this that those who read it may know that there are many of us who are opposed to this intolerant attitude that is creeping into our Church and we feel that God's love and justice extend to all humanity regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality or disability.

* Paul Walker is Chaplain of St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough.