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Vicars are employed by God not the Church, says court in la...
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News > UK > Home News
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A vicar who lost a four-year battle over his right to claim
forunfair dismissal has cleared up one question vicars are
notemployed by the Church, but called by God.
The Rev Mark Sharpe claimed he was forced out of his role in
theChurch of England parish of Teme Valley South, in the Dioceseof
Worcestershire, when locals began a hate campaign againsthim. He
said his dog was poisoned, his car tyres slashed and hismail was
tampered with. Mr Sharpe moved to the area with hiswife and four
children to take up the parish post in 2005, butstepped down four
years later, saying he had developed healthproblems as a result of
harassment.
He took his case for unfair dismissal to court, claiming
thatChurch and the Bishop of Worcester should have warned himabout
the problems the parish was facing, and offered moresupport in the
job. The union Unite backed his case, calling for alandmark legal
decision which would see faith leaders finallyawarded basic
employment rights.
READ MORE: HOMELESS PERSON MAKES TOUCHING DONATION TO CHURCH
STEPHEN FRY RESPONDS TO CHRISTIAN BACKLASH AFTERCONFRONTING GOD
But Court of Appeal judges disagreed. Lady Justice Arden,
LordJustice David and Lord Justice Lewison ruled that, as a man
of
Vicars are employed by God not the Church, sayscourt in landmark
ruling
Rev Mark Sharpe claimed he was forced out of his role after hate
campaign
HELEN CARTER
Thursday 30 April 2015
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the cloth, Mr Sharpe was neither a party to a contract
ofemployment, not a worker and therefore could not claim forunfair
dismissal.
The Rt Rev John Inge, the Bishop of Worcester, said he
wasdelighted with the decision to recognise that faith
leadersserved a divine boss, rather than one of the flesh.
To become employees, clergy would lose the freedoms which areat
the heart of the Churchs ministry and this is not somethingthat
they want to give up, he said. It is regrettable that Unitefails to
understand the context in which parish clergy exercisetheir
ministry whilst the Church seeks to uphold the freedomsenjoyed by
its clergy.
It is not the first time Mr Sharpe has taken legal action
againstemployers. He previously lodged a successful case against
theMinistry of Defence after being exposed to hardcorepornography
while acting as a chaplain to servicemen travellingon warships.
The Navy admitted sexual harassment but denied discriminationon
grounds of religious affiliation.
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