Church of England Considers Turning Blind Eye to Gay Clergy

The Church of England is coming under scrutiny for considering a system that would allow clergy members to practice homosexuality while they serve in the church.

Currently, gay members of the clergy who have been ordained are asked to be celibate, change jobs or seek a promotion to become a bishop, The Daily Mail reports.

However, the House of Bishops will discuss proposals Tuesday to see if they can avoid asking clergy members about their private lives and sexual orientation. 

The church's parliament of lay members, also known as the Synod, had discussed the issue of homosexuality in July, and growing rifts within the church have forced them to re-evaluate their policy toward clergy members. 

The Synod could vote on the new proposal as soon as February. 

Ben Bradshaw, a member of Britain's parliment, has criticized the church for working to keep homosexuality within the clergy a secret. 

"'It is progress for them to stop asking the celibacy question but it still leaves the Church of England policy based essentially on dishonesty and encouraging its clergy to lie," the Labour MP said. 

Since same-sex marriage became legal, the Church of England has been embroiled in this debate but they still refuse to perform gay marriages.