Reaction to Coekin’s reinstatement

Evangelicals in the Church of England are split in their response to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to reinstate the Rev Richard Coekin.

Mr Coekin’s licence had been revoked after he organised the ordination of three of his staff without his bishop’s permission, claiming they were ‘out of communion‘ over the issue of same-sex unions.

Reform Chairman David Banting said the case revealed deep frustrations both over the position being taken by some bishops on the Civil Partnership Act and over the present centralised system of clergy appointments for those parts of the church which are growing. Mr Banting said ‘we should be celebrating the way God is using’ Mr Coekin, rather than ‘putting obstacles in his path’.

However, 30 evangelicals from Mr Coekin‘s own diocese expressed their support for their Bishop, Tom Butler, despite the official report finding Bishop Butler’s action to be both ‘disproportionate’ and ‘seriously flawed’. 

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