LONDON: Bishop banned from pulpit for swearing

Christopher Morgan
The Sunday Times
August 27, 2006

DAVID JENKINS, the former Bishop of Durham who survived a storm in the 1980s when he questioned the literal truth of the resurrection, has been banned from preaching in two of his local churches for swearing in the pulpit.

Jenkins, 81, was barred after using the words "bloody" and "damn" in a sermon. The ban came after complaints from members of the congregation.

Despite his retirement as a frontline bishop Jenkins has retained his reputation for fiery sermons. But he concedes that, during an address in the parish of Romaldkirk and Laithkirk in Co Durham, he became carried away when railing against splits in the Anglican communion over homosexual priests.

Jenkins last week admitted using the words in a sermon given just before Easter but said: "The main reason for people not believing in God is the behaviour of people who do believe in God. I am fed up with the disgraceful quarrelling among Anglicans when they should be addressing major world questions.

"I suppose there was a bit of anger and swearing but I get worked up in the pulpit and I get quite lively. Dogmatism is destroying the reasonableness and realism of religion."

Peter Midwood, the rector of the parish, said he had felt forced to act after receiving complaints. He barred Jenkins, now the assistant bishop of Ripon and Leeds, from preaching in the three churches in the parish.

Jenkins was later given a partial reprieve after parishioners wrote to John Packer, Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, calling for him to be reinstated. He is now allowed to preach at Cotherstone, one of the churches.

"David is a passionate person and used passionate language," said Midwood. "It's easy to upset people by using immoderate language in church. It wasn't a deep theological thing."

One worshipper in his parish, who declined to be named, said: "This has been a sad, mishandled episode. We are horrified at what has happened. David is our inspiration. He is a most wonderful man and I prefer to hear from a man of God how we should be living."

Jenkins has a long record of controversy. In 1984 he questioned whether the resurrection of Christ should be seen as literally true, saying it was more than "a conjuring trick with bones".

His views offended traditionalists so much that some even blamed him for the York Minster fire in 1984, which was ignited by a bolt of lightning. Despite the row Jenkins held onto his position until 1994, when he retired.

He drew the wrath of Margaret Thatcher's government by championing the cause of the miners during their year-long strike and criticised the leadership of the coal industry.

Jenkins has long been a strong supporter of civil partnerships and last year became one of the first clergymen to bless such a union between two men, one of whom was a vicar.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2330368,00.html

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