THE Bishop of Blackburn has apologised for causing confusion by issuing two contradictory statements on Church of England plans to bless transgender people.

As chairman of the House of Bishops Delegation Committee, the Rt Reverend Julian Henderson last month backed new guidance saying Anglican priests could conduct a form of re-baptism service for parishioners who changed gender.

This month as president of the Church of England Evangelical Council, he said the guidance was ‘highly divisive and theologically and pastorally questionable’ and needed changing.

Now the Bishop has apologised for his contradictory comments and said he will avoid signing statements where he has personal doubts.

The December guidance from the delegation committee said people who changed gender should be able to reaffirm the baptismal vows using their new names and genders.

In the public statement approving the new guidance the Bishop said: “We are absolutely clear that everyone is made in the image of God and that all should find a welcome in their parish church.

“This new guidance provides an opportunity, rooted in scripture, to enable trans people who have ‘come to Christ as the way, the truth and the life’, to mark their transition in the presence of their church family which is the body of Christ. We commend it for wider use.”

But the Bishop then signed up to the Church of England Evangelical Council’s response to the guidance, which said: “This innovative use is both highly divisive and theologically and pastorally questionable.

“We therefore seek and hope for reassuring clarifications and, where necessary, modifications.”

The Bishop said yesterday: “I continue to be sorry for the confusion that my different roles and statements have created.

"In retrospect I should not have put my name to a public statement about something I had personal reservations. I remain chair of the delegation committee but will be more careful in future.

“The guidance needs clarification as to whether the blessing of someone in their new gender is an official service, with which I would have a problem, or whether it is not a service which I am comfortable with.”

The Rev Kevin Logan, former vicar of Christchurch, Accrington, said: “This is a very complex area and I sympathise with the Bishop.

“There are genuine transgender issues which need dealing with sensitively and with love but I am not in favour of the fashionable concept of gender fluidity.”