Margaret Davis

The first gay "marriage" to be held in an Anglican church has reignited controversy over homosexual clergy and same sex civil partnerships.

Reverend Peter Cowell and the Rev Dr David Lord exchanged vows at St Bartholomew the Great in the City of London last month.

Church of England guidelines say gay clergy can enter a civil partnership if they provide reassurance that they will abstain from sex. Couples who ask a priest to bless their union must be dealt with "pastorally and sensitively" on an individual basis.

This is the first time a full ceremony has been held for a same sex couple. Reverend Martin Dudley, who led the ceremony, said he disagrees with the official guidance.

He added: "I was asked by a friend and colleague to bless their civil partnership. I said of course I will'.

"Peter is a dear friend and I have gay friends and one respects them for who they are. It seemed perfectly reasonable.

"I certainly didn't do it to defy my bishop or to make a statement, I did it as a matter of pastoral care for someone for whom I have a very high regard."

Mr Dudley said the traditional marriage liturgy was significantly altered for the occasion, which he described as glorious'.

There were around 300 guests, including a number of clergy and Mr Cowell's mother, who read the lesson.

Mr Dudley added: "I know about the bishops' guidelines and I disagree with them. It just seems to me to be utter hypocrisy to deny the fact that there are significant numbers of gay men and women within the church and significant numbers of gay clergy.

"It seems to me that Jesus would have been sitting in the congregation."

He said differing opinions in the church are fine as long as people disagree "in love and understanding".

"You can't allow the cultural and theological prejudices of the Bishop of Uganda, for example, to govern how we are going to go forward in a very diverse community where the law and society accepts homosexual relationships in civil partnerships."

A Sunday newspaper quoted the Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev Henry Orombi, as saying: "The leadership tried to deny that this would happen, but now the truth is out. Our respect for the Church of England will erode unless we see a return to traditional teaching."

Andrea Williams, from Christian Concern for Our Nation, said the Church should not reflect changes in society.

She said: "It's the role of the Church to show that marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. The Church should set the standard that God has given for marriage and not reflect the direction in which society is going."