"Unfortunately, the church's 'quota' system for allocating curates, coupled with its present financial constraints, means that growing churches will always be held back by those who are more concerned with central allocation of posts than with the needs of growing churches.

Ministers like Richard, who are keen to see the gospel spread, will always find such constraints deeply frustrating, especially when their parishes are willing to fund any additional posts. The situation is exacerbated when parishes find themselves in impaired communion with their bishops on doctrinal grounds.

"This whole business has been an exercise in frustration. It is now clear that revocation of a clergyman's licence cannot be regarded as a proportionate penalty in a case such as Richard's.

If the church is to avoid these difficulties arising, an urgent review must be undertaken of the ways in which the present system of funding, training and then allocating assistant clergy posts could be freed up. We must move to a system that is much more driven by parishes and where funding is made the responsibility of individuals and parishes, rather than dioceses."

Background Notes for Editors Richard Coekin has made it clear that he will not be commenting or giving any interviews in order to respect the Archbishop's wishes that the parties involved search for reconciliation. This press release contains the views only of Reform officers.

Reform is an evangelical network in the Church of England, which seeks to promote the gospel of Christ by reforming the church; it believes this will involve a new recognition of the authority of the Word of God. Reform issued a statement of support for Richard Coekin last October when a Bishop from the Church of England in South Africa ordained three staff working in the London Co-mission initiative.

Reform has approximately 1700 individual members, of whom roughly a third are clergy.

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