Bishop of Church of England declares he is GAY and in a relationship, gets church support after coming out

Nicholas Chamberlain: ‘Sexuality is part of who I am, but it’s my ministry that I want to focus on.’ Photograph: Martin Godwin/for the Guardian

A BISHOP has become the first in the Church of England to announce he is gay and in a same-sex relationship.
The Sun repiorts that Rt Rev Nicholas Chamberlain, 53, the bishop of Grantham, came out last night ahead of a planned Sunday newspaper exposé.
Mr Chamberlain said he was in a long-term celibate relationship with his partner but had not wanted to make a “big thing” about coming out.

He said: “People know I’m gay, but it’s not the first thing I’d say to anyone.
“Sexuality is part of who I am, but it’s my ministry that I want to focus on.”
Mr Chamberlain said he did not want to be known as “the gay bishop”.
But he said his relationship is “faithful” and “loving”.
And he added: “We are like-minded, we enjoy each other’s company and share each other’s life.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says he knows that Bishop Chamberlain is gay and he doesn’t care, saying his “sexuality is completely irrelevant to his office”. Picture: AFP
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says he knows that Bishop Chamberlain is gay and he doesn’t care, saying his “sexuality is completely irrelevant to his office”. 

Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain: “My sexuality is part of who I am, rather than the whole of who I am”

Mr Chamberlain was appointed last year under the guidance of Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.