Anglican priest who called a trans archdeacon a 'bloke' should not face punishment, tribunal rules

 

An Anglican priest who called a transgender archdeacon a “bloke” should not face punishment, a disciplinary tribunal has ruled. 

 

Clergymen Brett Murphy made the comment when discussing the appointment of Rachel Mann as the archdeacon of Bolton and Salford on YouTube last year. He said the Church of England's first trans woman archdeacon was “in fact, biologically, a bloke, who identifies and lives as a woman,” and also labelled her as a “fella,” The Times reported.

During the video, Mr Murphy also questioned whether Ms Mann was being positioned to become a bishop, saying: “What you are seeing here is someone who is a radical rainbow activist being put in a position of high authority in a diocese.”

 

Rachel Mann

 

He subsequently left the church after it announced plans to introduce same-sex blessings to places of worship, but still faced a hearing after a complaint was made against him under official clergy discipline measures.

 

The complaint was rejected at the first hearing by the Bishop of Loughborough, the Right Rev Saju Muthulay, but it was re-opened after a review was requested by the original complainant.