In a thoughtful piece on the ECHR Sexual Orientation Blogspot Paul Johnson, of the University of York, asks Do Church of England ‘gay bishops’ have a human right not to be ‘outed’? In response to the House of Bishops’ Pastoral Guidance on Same-Sex Marriage issued in February 2014, which states that the bishops are unwilling to ordain anyone in a same-sex marriage and that existing clergy should not enter into a same-sex marriage, Peter Tatchell has tweeted that he is “considering outing gay C of E bishops who discipline gay clergy who marry”.  Johnson concentrates on Tatchell’s assertion that

“… people have a right to privacy so long as they are not using their own power and authority to harm other people and when other people are being caused harm and suffering we have a duty to try and stop it”

– and he wonders how Tatchell’s interpretation of the “right to privacy” would stand up in front of the ECtHR. Continue reading →