Oh no! I knew about his marriage to Richard Coles but I hadn't heard he'd passed away. How very sad.
If it's any comfort, I was raised CofE and went to a CofE school, and the clergy were always pushing boundaries and arguing against unfair rules - our chaplain was later the first ordained woman priest in the state, and she was open about living with her (male) partner without getting married, right back in the 80s. They never did marry, and she was a priest in the UK later. There are a few very conservative dioceses but they're a loud minority, so it would be surprising to me if they didn't privately break that rule.
no subject
If it's any comfort, I was raised CofE and went to a CofE school, and the clergy were always pushing boundaries and arguing against unfair rules - our chaplain was later the first ordained woman priest in the state, and she was open about living with her (male) partner without getting married, right back in the 80s. They never did marry, and she was a priest in the UK later. There are a few very conservative dioceses but they're a loud minority, so it would be surprising to me if they didn't privately break that rule.