Bernard was dismissed from his role as school chaplain and reported to the government’s terrorist watchdog, Prevent, for a sermon he gave at the school on ‘identity politics’.
What’s at stake?
- Sacking a Christian minister for preaching official church teaching undermines the validity of biblical doctrine. This is essentially the church calling church teaching a ‘safeguarding risk’ and punishing Christians who adhere to it.
- By promoting extreme LGBT indoctrination in a CofE school, the Church is devaluing marriage, silencing student’s religious opposition and condemning God’s design for men and women.
Support Bernard
Bernard is receiving help from the Christian Legal Centre to take his case forwards.
We provide this support completely free of charge to Bernard and others like him.
Make a donation today to help this work continue.
Sign the petition to give Bernard his life back.
Timeline:
2018:
- June: Trent College invites Educate & Celebrate to provide staff training. Elly Barnes encourages staff, including chaplain Rev. Dr Bernard Randall, to chant “smash heteronormativity”. In line with his role as chaplain, Bernard raises concerns about the accuracy and appropriateness of this teaching, given the school’s ethos.
2019:
- January: The school adopts the LGBT curriculum across all years, excluding Bernard from involvement despite the concerns he had raised.
- June: Responding to a question submitted by a pupil, Bernard gives his sermon, Competing ideologies, in chapel, saying that people shouldn’t be compelled to believe in ideology and referencing Church teaching on marriage. He emphasises the need to love your neighbour no matter what they believe.
- Summer: The school suspends Bernard, reporting him to Prevent and other agencies. A safeguarding referral leads to him being blacklisted for ministry by Libby Lane, the bishop of his Church of England diocese. The diocese claims that Bernard’s Biblical view of marriage, that aligns with Church of England doctrine, is a ‘risk factor’.
- August: Bernard receives a letter stating that the Head Master has concluded that Bernard’s actions had amounted to gross misconduct and he would be dismissed. Bernard appeals and the sacking is overturned. He receives a final warning instead and is allowed to return to work, subject to stringent management instructions.
2020:
- January: Bernard commences proceedings against Trent College for discrimination.
- November-December: Following Covid lockdowns and being placed on furlough, the school says that it wants to make the chaplaincy a 0.2 full time equivalent post – an offer Bernard could not accept. Bernard is made redundant.
2021:
- April: Bernard amends his claim to include unfair dismissal and victimisation Bernard launches legal action against Trent College, with an Employment Tribunal hearing scheduled for June 2021.
- July: In his ongoing Church of England safeguarding case, Bernard is told he has to undergo an independent safeguarding assessment by a psychologist who specialises in assessing sex-offenders. Bernard declines this assessment as the proposed terms of reference amounted to a tacit admission of wrongdoing.
2022:
- July: Bernard brings a complaint of misconduct against Bishop Libby Lane under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. The complaint includes his own safeguarding complaint, alleging her conduct was abusive.
- September: The Employment Tribunal panel, including Judge Victoria Butler and Mr Jed Purkis, hears Bernard’s case.
- December: Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, refuses permission for a formal investigation and dismisses Bernard’s complaint against Bishop Libby Lane. He also fails to refer the case to the National Safeguarding Team.
2023:
- February: The Employment Tribunal upholds Bernard’s dismissal. Bernard says that he will appeal the ruling.
- June: Gregory Jones KC criticises Welby’s decision to dismiss Bernard’s complaint against Libby Lane, saying the Archbishop was ‘clearly wrong’. 9 of the 13 allegations made by Bernard are sent back to Libby Lane for a formal response.
- July: Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, again determines no further action to be taken against Libby Lane.
- November: Bernard’s complaint is finally passed to the Designated Officer for investigation.
2024:
- January: Dr Randall is cleared by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), as well as previously having been cleared by Prevent and the Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA). Educate and Celebrate closes down following concerns about its patrons. These patrons include comedian Jordan Gray who exposed himself on live TV and Stephen Ireland who has since been jailed for multiple sex offences including the rape of a 12-year-old boy.
- February: Dame Sarah Asplin, President of Tribunals, decides Bishop Libby Lane had no case to answer, saying the fault in Bernard’s case lay with other Church officers. However, no disciplinary action was taken against anyone else after this decision. Dame Sarah suggests the process be started again from the beginning using correct procedure.
- February: Bernard’s Employment Appeal Tribunal hearing is postponed waiting for the result of Kristie Higgs’ case.
- March: Judge Victoria Butler and Mr Jed Purkis, who had been on Bernard’s Employment Tribunal panel, preside over the case of ‘Hannah’. The whole panel is forced to recuse itself for ‘apparent bias’ after Mr Purkis’ overtly anti-Christian tweets are discovered.
2025:
- 12 February: Kristie Higgs wins her landmark free speech case at the Court of Appeal, providing strong precedent to support Bernard’s case.
- 4 March: Bernard’s appeal hearing begins on 13 grounds, including: Allegations of bias by the original tribunal panel; Improper consideration of the theological nature of his sermon; Inaccurate application of human rights and freedom of religion and speech protections; Mishandling of procedural fairness and evidence; Failure to consider the implications of safeguarding blacklisting and the Prevent referral; Neglect of the fact that his sermon reflected Church of England doctrine.
- 5 March: Judge Tayler rules original tribunal “unsafe” due to anti-Christian bias, orders retrial, and awards costs.
Videos and media coverage
- Read or watch the sermon Dr Randall gave
- ‘I would be breaking the law if I went up to the pulpit and started speaking about God’s love.’
- ‘There are serious problems with accountability in the Church hierarchy’ | GB News
- ‘Your moral, spiritual support is beyond value. I’m not going to give up until we see justice done’
- ‘I was dismissed for doing my job as a school chaplain of a Christian school’| Talk Radio
- Mail on Sunday: School chaplain the Church of England is trying to cancel again… six years after he said pupils needn’t accept LGBT ideology
Commentary
- Bernard Randall deserves better from the Church of England he has so faithfully served
- “When will bishops be held to account?” – Bernard Randall
- “I gave a sermon on LGBT issues. Now I’m stuck in a time loop of legal battles” – Bernard Randall
- “I was fired for my sermon on LGBT issues. But I will not apologise for speaking the truth” – Bernard Randall
- Church reveals ‘insanity’ by declaring itself a risk factor
Legal Documents
Support Bernard
Bernard is receiving help from the Christian Legal Centre to take his case forwards.
We provide this support completely free of charge to Bernard and others like him.
Make a donation today to help this work continue.