THE Revd Teresa Davies, a former Team Vicar in the Daventry Team MinÂistry, in the diocese of PeterÂborough, was this week prohibited from ordained ministry for 12 years by a tribunal under the Clergy Discipline Measure.
The tribunal upheld complaints that Mrs Davies and her husband had an open sexual relationship, and that she had taken services while under the influence of alcohol. Mrs Davies was found to have acted in a manner unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in holy orders.
The tribunal, which met in September in London, heard that Mrs Davies had told clergy colleagues at a Christmas lunch in December 2006 that she and her husband Mick took holidays in an area in the south of France noted for the casual exchange of sexual partners.
Was the discipline meted out fair? No, she should have been defrocked. What made them think she would be “rehabilitated” in 12 years?
Maybe they used the stats on the Bishop of Utah as a base line…
THis is surely unjust. James Pike was made Bishop of California under similar circumstances.
Peter Ould [url=http://www.peter-ould.net/2008/11/13/a-landmark-ruling/ ]has an interesting take on this[/url]:
[blockquote] Interesting. Was the guilty action the scandal or the actual activity of having sex outside of the marriage relationship? I think one must come to the conclusion that the crime was not the scandal and rumour, but the actual act that led to the scandal…So, a question. Would another clergyman, brought up before a tribunal on the grounds of his manner of life being that of one involved in any sexual relationship outside of marriage, be equally barred from ministry based on this ruling above as precedent?
Can you see where I’m going with this?[/blockquote]
I pointed out previously that if the revisionists had any integrity, they would have pushed for an extension of Christian marriage to homosexuals then pushed for “married” homosexual clergy.
I’m shocked should she not be a cndidate for bishop.
The article has a poll:
Do you think the 12 year punishment was justified?
only two responses possible: Yes or no.
Yes was leading mightily when I checked it.