The Reverend Richard Coles is possibly the best-known and probably the best-liked cleric in the Church of England these days, more celebrated than any bishop and maybe even more admired than the Archbishop of Canterbury himself as a result of his broadcasting activities. At the start of every weekend he chirrups up on Radio 4’s Saturday Live, always introduced by his title – he has no reticence about it – his voice warm and mellow, instantly friendly, empathetic and wryly, self-deprecatingly witty, as any good vicar should be.

There are probably few listeners who do not know that Coles was once a highly successful member of the 1980s band the Communards, or that he is gay, since he hardly makes a secret of it. Only the most disapproving of conservative evangelicals – or maybe authoritarian Catholics – could