Representatives from the Renew steering committee supported the account of John Parker at a meeting on 12 June 2019 regarding his resignation as vicar and school governor (en July). The representatives were part of a meeting of around 30 local clergy at which the Bishop of Chelmsford used language of leaving, and were present at a meeting in which communion was broken.
Bishop Stephen Cottrell disputed Parker’s account in a letter circulated to the clergy by the Bishop’s office in the Diocese of Chelmsford. A statement on GAFCON and the Church Society websites noted the Bishop had ‘carefully worded’ the letter to give the ‘impression that the Bishop had never suggested that Parker should leave the church’ due to his beliefs.
One meeting took place in September 2017 where clergy were told by Bishop Stephen Cottrell that if they disagreed with the approach the Diocese was taking on matters of human sexuality, they should follow their consciences and leave.
Cottrell had spoken about God ‘doing a new thing’ as he justified his view on same-sex relationships, citing Acts 15. Cottrell said that if Parker felt same-sex marriage was a salvation issue and that he was not prepared to pursue good disagreement, then Parker could leave. In September 2018, at a meting where another local vicar Kieran Bush, and Mark Burkill (then chair of the Church Society) were present, Parker broke communion with Cottrell and ensured clear understanding of the reasons why both at the meeting and subsequently by letter.
Over the previous ten years, Cottrell and Parker had spoken on these issues on a number of occasions, both individually and as part of wider groups. Transgender issues specifically had not been discussed except by letter, but broader issues under the LGBTQI umbrella had been. The careful wording of Cottrell’s letter comes from his separating of this specific transgender issue which was going on in the local school from the wider conversations which had been had.
Archdeacon Robin King had been aware of the transgender issue in the local school and of Parker’s concerns. King’s role is to be part of the Diocese senior leadership team communicating with Cottrell regarding parish issues such as these. So although not met with in person, Cottrell is most likely to have been aware of the issues of conscience Parker was facing.
Parker is now pursuing a 2-year part-time Masters course and waiting on the Lord for the next steps.
