Archbishop of Canterbury pulls out of Cambridge college job over gay cleric row

RSS Feed

Archbishop of Canterbury pulls out of Cambridge college job over gay cleric row

April 22nd, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

By
Jonathan Petre

PUBLISHED:

19:54 EST, 21 April 2012

|

UPDATED:

19:54 EST, 21 April 2012

The Archbishop of Canterbury pulled out of the race for a top job at a Cambridge college because of a row over a senior gay cleric.

Rowan Williams announced last month he was stepping down as Archbishop and would become the Master of Magdalene College.

However, The Mail on Sunday has learned that he had originally been in the running to head rival Emmanuel College.

Dr Jeffrey John at St Albans Abbey

Scandal: Rowan Williams (left) has abandoned plans to take over at Magdalene College over the Church’s clash with Dr Jeffrey John (right)

But he withdrew after this newspaper revealed that Dr Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, was threatening to sue Church leaders after being blocked from becoming a bishop.

Dr Williams was so anxious to avoid dragging Emmanuel into what could become an embarrassing public battle that he took his name off the shortlist for the mastership.

Insiders say he feared the dispute could prove divisive within the liberal-leaning college, a number of whose members sympathise with Dr John.

Friends of Dr John blame Dr Williams for preventing his promotion because of his homosexuality.

In 2003, Dr Williams forced Dr John to step down as Bishop of Reading after it became known he was in a gay, though celibate, relationship.

Emmanuel is home to the liberal theologian Don Cupitt, and its chaplain, the Rev Jeremy Caddick, has blessed gay ‘marriages’ in defiance of Church policy. One insider said: ‘The atmosphere here is decidedly liberal. Many of us would share Jeffrey John’s point of view.’

Magdalene is regarded as a more traditional college.

Lambeth Palace refused to comment last night.