Monday, August 28, 2006

Bishop banned from pulpit for swearing

David Jenkins, the former Bishop of Durham who survived a storm in the 1980s when he questioned the literal truth of the resurrection, has been banned from preaching in two of his local churches for swearing in the pulpit.

Jenkins, 81, was barred after using the words “bloody” and “damn” in a sermon. The ban came after complaints from members of the congregation.

Jenkins last week admitted using the words in a sermon given just before Easter but said: “The main reason for people not believing in God is the behaviour of people who do believe in God. I am fed up with the disgraceful quarrelling among Anglicans when they should be addressing major world questions.

“I suppose there was a bit of anger and swearing but I get worked up in the pulpit and I get quite lively. Dogmatism is destroying the reasonableness and realism of religion."

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