Reform asks Lambeth to gun for Selby

In a letter to Dr Carey, the Revd Philip Hacking, chairman of Reform, has asked the Archbishop to intervene in a dispute in Worcester diocese, where the district church council (DCC) of St John's, Kidderminster, in the Kidderminster Team Ministry, is threatening to reject the authority of Dr Selby.

The Reform Council is calling on Dr Carey, under canon law, to "supply the defects" in the diocese of Worcester. In October, the DCC of St John's passed a resolution requesting the Team Vicar, the Revd Charles Raven, to accept for next year's confirmation service only a bishop who subscribed to the Lambeth Resolution 1.10 on human sexuality.

The resolution rejects homosexual practice as "incompatible with scripture", and criticises the legitimising or blessing of same-sex unions. Dr Selby has likened the Lambeth Conference debate on human sexuality to a Nuremberg rally, and is a supporter of the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement.

After a Reform Council meeting last Friday, Mr Hacking wrote to Dr Carey urging him to replace Dr Selby with an "orthodox" diocesan bishop, or to provide alternative episcopal oversight.

Mr Hacking said on Tuesday that he believed Dr Selby "should go" but conceded that a form of alternative episcopal oversight was a more likely outcome. The Revd Rod Thomas, spokesman for Reform, said: "The parish has every right to ask the Archbishop for help, and he is duty bound to consider what he can do."

A spokesman for Lambeth Palace said it was not usual to comment on letters received by the Archbishop.

Dr Selby this week issued a statement that said: "I shall not comment until the Archbishop has responded to this letter, if he chooses to do so."

Earlier this month, Dr Selby visited St John's to defend his position. He accused the DCC of being manipulative and uncharitable "intemperate way of proceeding," and said that he was still the Bishop, and had no need "to sign something in order to remain so."

The Reform Council has issued a statement saying that it has agreed "to work in solidarity" with any parish which may need alternative episcopal oversight "because of their bishop's heretical multi-faith or homosexual agendas."