Charles, an Episcopal bishop, married Felipe Sanchez Paris before several hundred people at St. Gregory's of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco over the weekend. The bishop says he was guided by his belief that all human beings are called upon to live as fully as they can.

That same precept guided him in 1993 when, at age 67, he announced he was gay.

To the embarrassment of the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, a leading protester is Philip Lovegrove, the chairman of the diocesan board of finance and an honorary canon.

It is understood that he and another honorary canon, the Rev Nicholas
Bell, the vicar of St Mary's church in Luton, are considering their
positions at the cathedral.

In his first lengthy sermon since the furore broke over his appointment as suffragan Bishop of Reading last year, Canon John said that evangelicals who cited Scripture to oppose homosexuality were similar to those who used the Bible to justify slavery.

“The ability of the Church to ignore the deeper implications of its own scriptures is horribly plain throughout history,” he wrote in a sermon note published on the Inclusive Church Network website.

We are deeply grieved over the state of Anglicanism in North America. It is being torn apart through actions that we thoroughly oppose. We repudiate the decision of the 2003 General Convention's consent to, and the subsequent consecration of, a non-celibate homosexual to be a bishop of the church. We reject the acceptance and promotion of same-sex blessings as part of the common life of our church.