Archbishop backs ‘rogue’ clergyman
By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent of The Times
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has rebuked one of his senior bishops for his “seriously flawed” actions in revoking the licence of a conservative evangelical clergyman.
Dr Williams has given his backing to a report that recommends the Rev Richard Coekin be given his licence back.
The Bishop of Southwark, the Right Rev Tom Butler, revoked Mr Coekin’s licence last November after the Wimbledon minister invited a bishop from a church in South Africa to ordain three curates.
Bishop Scott-Joynt says in his report that the summary revocation of Mr Coekin’s licence was “inappropriate” and was a “disproportionate outcome in the circumstances of the case.”
The ordinations were in part a protest against Bishop Butler’s support for a statement by the Church’s bishops on the new Civil Partnership law. Clergy have been told by bishops that they cannot inquire into the nature of relationships of gay couples who register their partnerships.
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