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.
The power to defrock clergy was abolished more than 20 years ago. At present, the harshest punishment available to church authorities is to impose a lifetime ban on a priest being able to officiate. But their status as a priest is retained and they are entitled to use the title of Reverend.
The C of E is to re-introduce the “power for a bishop to depose a priest or deacon from holy orders following a finding of misconduct that does not involve a question of doctrine, ritual or ceremony”.
The effect of deposition from holy orders is that “the person must thereafter live their life as a layperson”, a background paper said.
A separate clause in the measure makes “equivalent provision for deposition from holy orders in respect of a bishop or archbishop”.
In 2020, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse recommended that the C of E reintroduce defrocking, saying it would have symbolic importance, particularly for survivors of abuse.
The word defrocking refers to the ritual removal of vestments worn by priests, bishops, nuns, monks and others in religious vocations.
Defrocking is the ultimate sanction of the Roman Catholic church. Theodore McCarrick, a former archbishop and cardinal, became one of the most senior figures to be defrocked in modern times when he was removed from the priesthood in 2019 after the Vatican found him guilty of sexual abuse.
The new C of E clergy conduct measure will replace the existing clergy discipline measure (CDM) that was introduced in 2003. The CDM has been criticised by complainants and the subjects of complaints for delays and lack of transparency.
The new measure specifies three levels of complaint. Grievances will be dealt with at a local level; allegations of behaviour amounting to “misconduct” will be investigated by regional assessors; and claims of “serious misconduct” would be referred to an investigations and tribunal team.
People bringing vexatious or malicious complaints could be subjected to restraining orders. A rule requiring complaints of serious misconduct to be brought within one year will be abolished.
The new measure also requires clergy to disclose to their superiors when they divorce or judicially separate from their spouses.
Final approval of the new measure is expected next year.
