"Sceptic priests could face trial by heresy courts By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent (Filed: 22/12/2003)
The Church of England is preparing to crack down on heresy and sloppy worship among clerics by forcing them to take an unequivocal public oath to uphold Church law.
Under the proposals, new heresy courts, headed by bishops and advised by panels of theologians, would hear cases in which priests were alleged to have erred on doctrine, ritual or ceremonial. Members of the clergy who denied the doctrine of the trinity or the incarnation or who proclaim atheistic beliefs from the pulpit could face charges, as could those who failed to wear appropriate robes during services.
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The proposals reflect concern that the clergy is failing to fulfil the Church's minimum requirements, such as wearing proper vestments in church or holding a certain number of daily services.
Some bishops also want to rid the Church of its reputation for believing "everything and nothing".
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Liberals fear that the plans, which are due to be debated by the General Synod next summer, will lead to witch-hunts. The Sea of Faith group, whose members believe that the Bible is little more than a collection of myths, numbers dozens of Anglican clerics among its sympathisers.
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In medieval times, heresies were rife. What constitutes heresy today is far more contentious. During the row over women priests, for example, the previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, described as heretical the idea that only a male could represent Christ at the altar, a statement that would condemn hundreds of traditionalist clerics.
On the other hand, many conservative Anglicans would have liked the former Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev David Jenkins, to have been disciplined over his public expressions of doubt about the virgin birth and the resurrection.
In 1993, the then Bishop of Chichester sacked a parish priest, the Rev Anthony Freeman, for writing a book denying the existence of God. A recent survey of 2,000 of the Church's 10,000 clerics found that a third doubted or disbelieved in the physical resurrection and that only half were convinced by the truth of the virgin birth.
At the moment, heretics can be dealt with only under the virtually unworkable 1963 disciplinary code, which has effectively prevented any trials from taking place. If the new proposals are approved by the House of Bishops and the Synod, they will create a far more usable system."
-- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/
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