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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Harriet Sherwood

Church of England votes to bring back ‘defrocking’ as punishment for clergy

Members of the General Synod attending a choral eucharist at York Minster on Sunday.
Members of the General Synod attending a choral eucharist at York Minster on Sunday. Photograph: York Minster Official

Clergy who are guilty of serious misconduct may be stripped of their holy orders after the Church of England’s ruling body voted to reinstate “defrocking”.

All priests, from newly ordained curates to the archbishop of Canterbury, could be defrocked under new disciplinary measures backed by the General Synod, which is meeting in York.

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