Like a multitude of others, this blog is outraged that a Church of England Canon has had his appointment as an NHS chaplain cancelled because he has recently married his partner and the local bishop has revoked his licence to act as a priest in the NHS.
This is intolerable. Unfortunately the C of E was given an exemption from the Act which made legal same sex marriages. The NHS, however, is not exempt from the law of the land, under which it cannot deny employment to some person because of their sexual orientation or marital status. It is therefore in breach of the law.
This disgraceful episode underscores the mistake of having the Church function under one set of laws and the State operate under another, without a clear statement of principle that State law has primacy which the church cannot overrule. The Church of England must either further rethink its current penchant for putting its own doctrine above the fundamental principles of Christian teaching, or face disestablishment and a requirement to fall into line with the law of the land in all things without exception.
Meanwhile the NHS needs to think again about this cruel insult to a man of the highest integrity and the best intention. People in suffering or grief can gain great comfort from the support of a priest, regardless of the niceties of doctrinal controversy. Not one victim in crisis would care tuppence for the Bishop’s licence anyway.