Williams reinstates ‘rogue cleric’
-06/06/06
An evangelical cleric who was stripped o
Williams reinstates ‘rogue cleric’
-06/06/06
An evangelical cleric who was stripped of his licence by his bishop last year after he carried out ‘rogue ordinations’ was reinstated yesterday by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In what is being seen as a surprise decision by newspapers today, the archbishop upheld an appeal by the Rev Richard Coekin against the Bishop of Southwark, Dr Tom Butler, who banned him from officiating in his diocese after an irregular ordination service.
The dispute blew up after Mr Coekin, the minister of Dundonald church in Wimbledon, south London, arranged for a bishop to be “parachuted in” from South Africa over the head of Bishop Butler to ordain three of his staff as deacons.
The unofficial ordinations were backed by Reform, the evangelical network, whose 600 clergy members are increasingly rejecting the authority of the bishops in protest at their stance on homosexuals.
Mr Coekin and many other evangelicals have declared themselves to be in “impaired communion” with their bishops over guidance on civil partnerships issued by the House of Bishops a year ago.
Since then, one leading bishop has said that anti-gay proponents in the churches need to be “converted” to see that homosexual unions are supported by a faithful, modern reading of the Bible.
Dr William’s decision followed a rare Church court hearing in London last month, presided over by the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, and attended by several QCs.
The Archbishop said yesterday that he backed a report drawn up by Bishop Scott-Joynt in which he found that treatment of Mr Coekin had been “seriously flawed”.
However, Dr Williams also made clear that Mr Coekin must in future conform to the discipline of the Church.
The Archbishop said that relationships in the diocese now needed to be “rebuilt through the processes of prayer, discussion and trust”.
Friends of Mr Coekin insisted last night, however, that he would remain in impaired communion until Bishop Butler distanced himself from the guidance on civil partnerships.
Richard Coekin, who runs Westminster at One which is a Tuesday lunchtime meeting held in Methodist Central Hall Chapel, London. His talks have been broadcast weekly on evangelical radio station Premier Radio.
He has been involved in pastoral ministry for over 20 years after training at conservative theological college Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.
Williams reinstates ‘rogue cleric’
-06/06/06
An evangelical cleric who was stripped of his licence by his bishop last year after he carried out ‘rogue ordinations’ was reinstated yesterday by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In what is being seen as a surprise decision by newspapers today, the archbishop upheld an appeal by the Rev Richard Coekin against the Bishop of Southwark, Dr Tom Butler, who banned him from officiating in his diocese after an irregular ordination service.
The dispute blew up after Mr Coekin, the minister of Dundonald church in Wimbledon, south London, arranged for a bishop to be “parachuted in” from South Africa over the head of Bishop Butler to ordain three of his staff as deacons.
The unofficial ordinations were backed by Reform, the evangelical network, whose 600 clergy members are increasingly rejecting the authority of the bishops in protest at their stance on homosexuals.
Mr Coekin and many other evangelicals have declared themselves to be in “impaired communion” with their bishops over guidance on civil partnerships issued by the House of Bishops a year ago.
Since then, one leading bishop has said that anti-gay proponents in the churches need to be “converted” to see that homosexual unions are supported by a faithful, modern reading of the Bible.
Dr William’s decision followed a rare Church court hearing in London last month, presided over by the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, and attended by several QCs.
The Archbishop said yesterday that he backed a report drawn up by Bishop Scott-Joynt in which he found that treatment of Mr Coekin had been “seriously flawed”.
However, Dr Williams also made clear that Mr Coekin must in future conform to the discipline of the Church.
The Archbishop said that relationships in the diocese now needed to be “rebuilt through the processes of prayer, discussion and trust”.
Friends of Mr Coekin insisted last night, however, that he would remain in impaired communion until Bishop Butler distanced himself from the guidance on civil partnerships.
Richard Coekin, who runs Westminster at One which is a Tuesday lunchtime meeting held in Methodist Central Hall Chapel, London. His talks have been broadcast weekly on evangelical radio station Premier Radio.
He has been involved in pastoral ministry for over 20 years after training at conservative theological college Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.