Appointing gay people to positions in the Church of Ireland would be in conflict with the church's practice, Archbishop Robin Eames has said.
In his presidential address to the Armagh diocesan synod yesterday, the Church of Ireland Primate also spoke against supporting same-sex marriages, reminding his listeners that the Church of Ireland saw the marriage of women to men as the norm.
In his address, Dr Eames said that "the ordination of anyone to the diaconate, priesthood or episcopate in the Church of Ireland known to be engaged in an active homosexual relationship would be in conflict with the mind and accepted practice of this Church."
He added that the communique of Anglican Primates, following their recent meeting in London, had said that "recent events in the United States and Canada do not represent the mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole."
Dr Eames was referring to the election of a gay man as Bishop of New Hampshire in the US and the official blessing of same-sex relationships in the Canadian diocese of New Westminster.
He continued, from the communique, "Holy Scripture is the centre of our Christian pilgrimage and understanding. Difference of interpretation of scripture must never permit any erosion of the centrality of the word of God to his Church. Holy Matrimony involving a man and a woman blessed by God is the norm recognised, proclaimed and supported by the Church."
And though "the love of God reaches out to humanity with its message of forgiveness, reconciliation and renewal and the Gospel imperative is to show compassion and to seek understanding," this did "not mean that the Church should decline to set standards and adhere to its own teaching as it understands the will of God. Central to that must be the loving prompting of God."
He said the Archbishop of Canterbury would soon announce an international commission to seek ways of guiding the Anglican Communion on the issue of gay clergy.
"Unless we find an agreed way of dealing with difference our mission as a world Communion or international community will suffer. May God guide all members of this family in these days," he said.
Speaking of the forthcoming Assembly elections in the North, he said that personally he welcomed "this opportunity for people who do not occupy the 'centre stage' to express their political preferences. Whatever follows an election will be influenced by the opinions expressed at the ballot box."