Emma Dilemma: Bashing Bishop Flees Fellows

Archbishop Rowan Williams turned down the opportunity to become Emma Master earlier this year amid fears that his history on gay bishops could be divisive in the college.

The Archbishop decided to withdraw his name from the Emma shortlist after it emerged that several influential college members were disagreed with Williams’ treatment of gay cleric, Dr Jeffrey John in 2003. Williams is instead due to take the reins at ‘more traditional’ Magdalene in January.

Students seem to think this was a reasonable descision. Rivkah Brow, an Emmanuel second year, told The Tab: “It’s quite convenient he didn’t become master, he would have attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Emma’s a bit too liberal for him.” Emmanuel College had no comment.

The beardy Archbishop had blocked Dr. John’s appointment as the Bishop of Reading after news broke that the rev had been in a long-term, though celibate, homosexual relationship. The high-profile gay cleric has now been in a civil partnership with another reverend since 2006.

And in January, Dr. John decided to take legal action after he was turned down for another Bishop’s role, this time in Southwark. The aggrieved minister intends to sue under the Equalities Act of 2010 which bans discrimination on grounds of sexuality.

New Magdalene man Williams is alleged to have had a say in the sinking of this Bishopship too.

Oh mate, I’ve had such a massive mare with my application

This is second time that gay-bashing Archbishops have hit the Cambridge headlines in recent months. In February, Selwyn’s JCR slammed their old boy John Sentamu after he criticised the idea of gay marriage.

In an open letter, the college declared the Archbishop of York’s views as “overly simplistic” and “completely unfounded”.