Evangelical leaders face CofE discipline

Prominent evangelical church leaders are among those facing disciplinary action after the Makin Review, the Church of England says.

Makin's report looked into abuse carried out by late QC John Smyth, and examined questions of who knew about it at different times, and what action they did or did not take.

Now Tim Hastie-Smith, Andrew Cornes and Roger Combes are some of those who will undergo a Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) - a legal process involving an investigation into potential misconduct.

However, Hugh Palmer, a former Rector of All Souls Langham Place, London, who was also on the board of Evangelicals Now in the past, Paul Perkin, formerly of St Mark's Battersea Rise, and former archbishop George Carey will not face proceedings.

The statement from the Church of England, issued on Thursday 5th June, says: "Following the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin review, it was announced in February that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) would seek to bring disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) against 10 clergy including two bishops.

"In all cases, the complaint was ‘out of time’ and so the permission of the President of the Tribunals needed to be sought to initiate proceedings. The President has now considered the applications and granted permission in seven of the 10 cases. This is an independent judicial process, and the National Safeguarding Team entirely respect the decisions.

"The NST will now initiate proceedings under the CDM against the following individuals:

• Bishop Paul Butler
• Revd Roger Combes
• Revd Sue Colman
• Revd Andrew Cornes
• Revd Tim Hastie-Smith
• Revd Nick Stott
• Revd John Woolmer

"No further action under the CDM will be taken against the following individuals:

• Bishop George Carey
• Revd Paul Perkin
• Revd Hugh Palmer

"The decision to bring CDMs was undertaken in line with the process announced in December and concluded in February with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.

"Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered. The National Safeguarding Team will make no further comment on these cases whilst the CDM proceedings are under way."

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