School chaplain told kids as young as 11 that they don’t have to accept ‘LGBT stuff’
Rev Bernard Randall delivered his sermon to children as young as 11. (YouTube/Christian Concern)
A school chaplain told children as young as 11 that they don’t have to accept “LGBT stuff”.
Reverend Bernard Randall delivered his message on LGBTQ+ acceptance to children at Trent College in Long Eaton, Derbyshire.
He was later made redundant and is now seeking compensation for unfair dismissal.
At an employment tribunal in Nottingham, Randall said he found a programme designed to improve LGBTQ+ inclusivity at the school “highly troubling”, BBC News reports.
The programme had Marxist and revolutionary leanings, the former school chaplain argued, adding that it was incompatible with Christian values.
It was an encounter with a sixth-form pupil that inspired Randall to write his own sermon on LGBTQ+ acceptance, which he titled “Competing Ideologies”.
The tribunal heard that the student asked him: “Sir, how come we are told we have to accept all this LGBT stuff in a Christian school?”
That question formed part of the sermon Randall delivered to students, in which he said: “You do not have to accept the ideas of LGBT activists”.
Randall told the tribunal he hadn’t expected complaints about his sermon, although he accepted it might “ruffle a few feathers”.
Dr Bernard Randall had outlined the church’s view of marriage as being between a man and woman. (Christian Concern/YouTube)
Representing Trent College, Paul Wilson asked Randall if he was being intentionally provocative with his sermon. He also asked whether he was undermining the school’s LGBTQ+ inclusion programme.
Randall replied: “The school has no place telling pupils they have to accept an ideology – I would say that even applies to Christianity”.
He added: “I don’t think it ever occurred to me that anyone would think that was offensive.”
Randall said he and other staff had concerns about the content of the programme, explaining that some teachers “objected on religious grounds”.
Rev Bernard Randall is suing for hurt feelings and loss of earnings
Randall told The Telegraph on 4 September that he was sacked in August 2019 after he told students that marriage was between a man and a woman.
He is claiming £120,000 in damages at the employment tribunal for hurt feelings and loss of earnings.
Randall is also asking that he be reinstated to his post, he told The Telegraph.
“If it wasn’t so serious it would be funny that the church is being alleged to have discriminated against one of its officers on the basis that the officer holds its teachings,” he said.
“It shouldn’t be possible but here it is and that’s why it’s for the long-term good of the Church to deal with these things.”
In a statement, the diocese of Derby said: “Mr Randall has never been an employee of the diocese and the licence he held was as a result of his employment by Trent College.
“The Bishop of Derby is saddened that Mr Randall is bringing these grievances and has tried to ensure pastoral care for him.
“Given that he has started legal processes against the Diocese and the Bishop of Derby, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Andrea Williams, co-founder of Christian Concern and chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, told The Telegraph: “The Church of England’s wholesale misuse of safeguarding to suggest that Bernard is a risk to children is one of the most distasteful and objectionable elements of this extraordinary case.”
The tribunal continues.
PinkNews has contacted Christian Concern for comment.
