Bishop’s version in doubt

en staff  |  UK & Ireland
Date posted:  1 Aug 2019
Share Add       
Bishop’s version in doubt

Bishop of Chelmsford | photo: CC3.0

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.

Share
< Previous article| UK & Ireland| Next article >
Read more articles by en staff >>
People
Evangelical leader responds to Kemi Badenoch comments

Evangelical leader responds to Kemi Badenoch comments

John Stevens, the National Director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, has been among those responding to Tory leader …

People
Entertainer boss hands business to workers

Entertainer boss hands business to workers

The Christian entrepreneur Gary Grant, who established The Entertainer toy shop chain, has been widely praised for deciding to hand …

New here?

Register and get three free articles each month!

Register

Give a subscription

Our monthly newspaper is the perfect gift for those who love to think deeply

Give here