Dean of St Albans says Church's gay stance is 'sad'

The Church of England's opposition to gay marriage lacks integrity and should be ignored, the Dean of St Albans said yesterday.

Dr Jeffrey John, who is gay and in a civil partnership, welcomed the Government's plans to legalise same-sex civil marriage but said he is "sad because the Church that I love and serve is opposing it."

In a video for the Out4Marriage campaign, he said the Church of England "doesn't speak with integrity on this issue and so, frankly, doesn't deserve to be listened to". He added: "It's true that a gay couple can't have children together, but then again neither can a heterosexual couple if they are infertile or past the age of childbearing. The Church has never refused to marry a heterosexual couple that can't have children, so why refuse gay couples?"