Bishop of Oxford instructs lawyers to censor Archbishop Cranmer – Archbishop Cranmer

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev’d Steven Croft, has instructed lawyers to demand that a post on this site be taken down. Never in its 16-year history has the Archbishop Cranmer blog received such a censorious order. That it should come from lawyers acting on behalf of the Bishop of Oxford is disappointing, to say the least: ‘Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?‘ (1Cor 6:1).

They write:

 

 

 

 

I am a solicitor representing the Bishop of Oxford.

I refer to your blog post entitled Bishop of Oxford “colluded with the forces of darkness”, and is himself a safeguarding risk published by you at https://archbishopcranmer.com/bishop-of-oxford-colluded-forces-of-darkness-safeguarding-risk/

•   There are no outstanding ‘unresolved safeguarding cases’ relating to Bishop Steven Croft, and to suggest that any such cases remain open or to infer that he has been guilty of any misconduct is deliberately misleading and defamatory.

•   The suggestion that the Bishop of Oxford has colluded with ‘the forces of darkness’ is wholly inappropriate and is damaging to the Bishop given his calling and office. The Bishop has simply responded to safeguarding allegations about Dr Percy made by third parties, as he was required to do under the Church of England’s safeguarding policies.

•   Dr Percy was never barred by the Bishop (or the Church) from attending the Cathedral. Dr Percy himself agreed as a part of his settlement agreement with Christ Church that he would not enter the Cathedral. The Bishop was not a party to that agreement, which was between Dr Percy and Christ Church.

•   You are the ‘publisher’ of the blog, and must take responsibility for all of the comments added to it. In failing to moderate these properly, you leave yourself open to legal action for defamation.

There is no objection to fair comment on the history of this difficult and sad matter, as long as the comment is honest and accurate. However it is clear that many of your contributors are merely engaging in idle and ill-informed speculation which is unhelpful and misleading.

You will please take down from your blog post today the misleading and defamatory references to Bishop Croft.

Yours etc

XXXXXXX
For and on behalf of Birketts LLP | birketts.co.uk

 

The solicitor’s name has been removed in order that he doesn’t become a target of any unpleasantness. If you comment in the thread below, please do not say anything which may be considered inaccurate, misleading, or defamatory (or, indeed, idle and ill-informed speculation).

It is curious that the Bishop of Oxford …….

Source: https://archbishopcranmer.com/bishop-of-oxford-instructs-lawyers-to-censor-archbishop-cranmer/