Canon Jeremy Pemberton is claiming the Church was wrong to strip him of his licence to officiate in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham after he ‘married’ Lawrence Cunnington in a civil ceremony last year. He called the Church’s position on same-sex ‘marriage’ “completely inconsistent” at an employment tribunal this week.
Last year, the Rt Rev. Richard Inwood, who was the acting Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, revoked Canon Pemberton’s licence. The NHS then withdrew its offer of a chaplaincy. Canon Pemberton has now brought an action for alleged discrimination under the Equality Act at Nottingham Employment Tribunal.
Speaking at the tribunal, Canon Pemberton insisted: “No one has the right to tell you who you can or can't marry”. He claimed his ‘marriage’ was not in conflict with the Church’s teachings, as it was a civil, rather than religious, ‘marriage’.
Canon Pemberton states that he was “embarrassed and humiliated”, and points to the case last year of Andrew Cain where a parish priest was not stripped of his ministry after ‘marrying’ his same-sex partner. Canon Pemberton also claimed: “I can marry at my discretion and make my own judgment about my way of serving God.”
The tribunal heard from the Rt Rev. Richard Inwood, who said he was uncertain whether to call the canon’s ‘marriage’ sinful.
He stated: “The word sinful is such a difficult one to deal with really. Part of me wants to say yes [it was sinful], because it’s against church doctrine on marriage, and part of me wants to say no because I believe Canon Pemberton and his partner entered into it with a view to it being a wholesome thing.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, notes: “Here we have a situation where the former acting Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham has done the right thing; he has exhibited courage in disciplining Jeremy Pemberton.
“What we witnessed at the tribunal, was the public and institutional pressure he has come under; we see this in Richard Inwood’s ambiguous response regarding whether same-sex ‘marriage’ is sinful. It is. All sexual expression outside of marriage between one man and one woman is sinful.
“We should have seen the Archbishop of Canterbury and all the bishops of the Church of England rallying in support of Richard Inwood.
“Instead we have seen the usual fudging and evasion of the issue. It is tragic.”
The hearing finished this week but judgment is not expected until a later date.
Related News:
Second vicar defies prohibition on same-sex 'marriages' for clergy
Related Coverage:
Church can't judge my same-sex wedding, says priest in landmark case (Telegraph)
Archbishop of Canterbury 'passed the buck over gay priest's wedding' (Guardian)