Evil Rampant in CofE.

Bernard Randall deserves better from the Church of England he has so faithfully served.

Tim Dieppe  14 August 2024

Bernard Randall(Photo: Christian Legal Centre)

The Church of England is now beyond parody. You could not make it up. If I'd predicted this would happen say five or 10 years ago, you wouldn't have believed me – I'm not sure I would have believed it myself! How can the CofE discriminate against one of its own ordained clergymen for upholding CofE doctrine? Yet this is what has actually happened in the case of Rev Dr Bernard Randall.

Sacked chaplain seeks judicial review into CofE's handling of his case A chaplain who was sacked after telling school pupils that they did not need to agree with LGBT ideology is seek...

Rev Dr Bernard Randall was employed as a chaplain in a school. Four years ago, back in 2020, he preached a sermon advocating tolerance of different views on identity politics. It is worth quoting from the sermon itself which can be read or watched online here:

A school sermon by Bernard Randall: Competing ideologies Rebekah Moffett ‘Competing ideologies’ was the school sermon given by Rev. Bernard Randall to students at Trent College. After g...

"Now when ideologies compete, we should not descend into abuse, we should respect the beliefs of others, even where we disagree. Above all, we need to treat each other with respect, not personal attacks – that's what loving your neighbour as yourself means. By all means discuss, have a reasoned debate about beliefs, but while it's OK to try and persuade each other, no one should be told they must accept an ideology. Love the person, even where you profoundly dislike the ideas. Don't denigrate a person simply for having opinions and beliefs which you don't share."

Unfortunately, the school was so captured by LGBT ideology that it could not tolerate someone suggesting that they should tolerate people with different views! Yes, that's right, preaching tolerance was not tolerated and Dr Randall subsequently lost his job. That is why he is pursuing legal action against the school for unfair dismissal.

"Now when ideologies compete, we should not descend into abuse, we should respect the beliefs of others, even where we disagree. Above all, we need to treat each other with respect, not personal attacks – that's what loving your neighbour as yourself means. By all means discuss, have a reasoned debate about beliefs, but while it's OK to try and persuade each other, no one should be told they must accept an ideology. Love the person, even where you profoundly dislike the ideas. Don't denigrate a person simply for having opinions and beliefs which you don't share."

Unfortunately, the school was so captured by LGBT ideology that it could not tolerate someone suggesting that they should tolerate people with different views! Yes, that's right, preaching tolerance was not tolerated and Dr Randall subsequently lost his job. That is why he is pursuing legal action against the school for unfair dismissal.

Not content with forcing Dr Randall out of his job, the school pursued him further, referring him to Prevent – the government's counter terrorism unit - as well as the Teaching Regulation Agency, the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer), the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), and the local Diocese of Derby as a safeguarding risk. Dr Randall has now been vindicated by all of these organisations, except for one – the CofE.

Dr Randall continues to be branded a safeguarding risk by the CofE, despite being vindicated by Prevent, the TRA, the LADO and the DBS. This has prevented him from engaging in any ministry or preaching in any church in the country. He has been blacklisted by the CofE for four years, at great personal cost and with no apology and no attempt to engage him about the issues.

The local diocese even went so far as to brand its own teaching a safeguarding risk! This beggars belief. It's like a satirical comedy sketch – except it's for real.

Dr Randall after years of being blacklisted by the CofE with no explanation felt he had no other option than to launch a discrimination claim against the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Rev Libby Lane. Just before an unprecedented tribunal hearing was to hear a case against the bishop for alleged discrimination against Dr Randall over his beliefs in CofE doctrines, the hearing was blocked by the President of Tribunals, Dame Sarah Asplin. She declined to provide a full explanation for blocking the hearing, but did say that the way Dr Randall's case was handled was 'highly unsatisfactory' and 'flawed' and that the decision should be reviewed, suggesting people from outside the diocese should review it.

Evidence has now emerged from Dr Randall's claim of discrimination that he was branded a safeguarding risk by the diocese without any reasons being given. Safeguarding policies were clearly not followed. Bishop Lane has been informed that the process and her involvement in it was 'highly unsatisfactory' and 'flawed' and should be reviewed. There is evidence that Dr Randall has been discriminated against by the diocese because of his 'certain theology'. Dr Randall is merely upholding CofE doctrine, so it suggests the diocese is biased against its own doctrine as it believes it to be a safeguarding risk.

The case was referred to the Archbishop of Canterbury who downplayed the issues. A legal officer later told him that he was 'plainly wrong' and had 'misunderstood the scope of his powers' after he said there was no disciplinary case for the Bishop of Derby to answer over the process that led to Dr Randall being blacklisted.

It is now over six months since the decision to block the tribunal hearing. Dr Randall remains blacklisted and has heard nothing further from the diocese. Dr Randall is therefore now applying for a judicial review of the decision to block a tribunal hearing into whether the Bishop of Derby discriminated against him for his orthodox belief in CofE doctrines. This, he feels, is the only option left open to him to try to obtain justice and the freedom to minister again. CT