A Church of England priest who appeared drunk at three church services and told fellow clergy at a Christmas party that she and her husband were “swingers” has been banned for scandalous behavior. The Rev. Teresa Davies, formerly a team vicar serving St. Martin Church, Welton, Northamptonshire, was found guilty by a church tribunal and may not serve in any clergy role for at least 12 years. She officially resigned in August. “Throughout this process we have offered Teresa Davies appropriate pastoral support,” the Diocese of Peterborough said in a press statement. “We hope that she and her family will be able to move on in their lives.”
I don't think I've heard of such a morally reprobate person serving in the ministry in the UK before. I could imagine this in the USA (in TEC they would probably make her a bishop!), but this is the kind of devious lechery that one would think was confined to pre-Reformation England! Whatever happened to the good ol' pious liberals who, though liberal theologically, were at least pious in their prayer, Bible reading, and pursuit of holiness? Undoubtedly this is an extreme and isolated case, but gosh, you have to wonder what kind of ministerial selection board lets these people through? Read more at The Daily Mail (with pictures!).
5 comments:
Not quite what I expected an English vicar to look like.
Well, I guess provided the selection boards don't get it wrong in more than 1 in 12 cases, they'll still have a better record than Jesus.
Incidentally, Mike, I too thank God that you are not like this publican.
Doug, give me a break, you're trying to twist my words into a pile of self-righteous hypocrisy (shouldn't you have quoted something about throwing stones as well). Now I may not come from that circle of social anglicanism that regards anyone with a moral thermometer as a pratt or a pharisee, but still, you cannot help be outraged by the sheer decadence of this pastoral misconduct: drunk at evensong on three ocassions, wife swapping in France, and then lying about it. On the one hand, "tell it not in Gath", but on other other hand, one of the marks of the church is holiness and that is something we should cherish and earnestly maintain. Is being appaulled and disturbed by such gross pastoral misconduct hypocritical? I'm no puritantical moralizing dweeb, but I know from experience (my parents of all people!) that such things have dire consequences for the individual, their families, and here for the witness of the church. I'm not applying for a sainthood, but let's call it for what it was: wicked. And, by the grace of God, may the bride of Christ be chaste and pure on her wedding day!
This is exactly the kind of behaviour that would make me consider going to church.
Got to say the opening line from the Mail is pretty below the belt:
"The ‘swinging vicar’ forced out of her parish after admitting going on wife swapping holidays now teaches maths to children as young as 11."
Why add 'as young as 11'?
got to wonder what motivated you to publicise this further? And where is your concern for a woman who obviously has issues with both alchohol and sex? If your concern is for the reputation of the church posting that isn't going to help is it?
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