Faith
Chaplain’s Ordeal Reveals Cost Of Speaking Truth
Faith Facts
- Rev Dr Bernard Randall was removed from his chaplaincy for expressing orthodox Christian beliefs in a school sermon.
- The Church of England maintains a ban on Dr Randall, despite his teachings aligning with biblical doctrine.
- Dr Randall courageously endures personal despair rather than forsake his faith and convictions.
Rev Dr Bernard Randall’s experience serves as a powerful testimony to the spiritual trials Christians can face when standing firm for biblical truth. Once a respected Anglican chaplain at Trent College, Dr Randall found himself at the center of controversy after delivering a sermon encouraging students to think critically about ideologies, including those surrounding LGBT issues. He reminded them, “you should no more be told you have to accept LGBT ideology than you should be told you must be in favour of Brexit, or must be Muslim.”
This commitment to Christian principles cost Dr Randall dearly. School leaders dismissed him and, shockingly, secretly reported him to a government anti-extremism body. Even though authorities found “nothing objectionable” in his comments, Dr Randall was never restored.
Compounding this injustice, the Church of England supported the school’s actions and continues to blacklist him from preaching, treating him as a “safeguarding risk”. This is despite his remarks being in line with the Church’s own teachings.
Opening up to the media, Dr Randall reflected on the “devastating” impact the last six years of exclusion and ostracism have had on his well-being and family. He admitted enduring “long periods of despair and hopelessness,” sharing how the pain led him to consider drastic actions at the Church’s highest gatherings.
He spoke from the heart: “Because of the way the Church has treated me, we can’t move on. Once, I started thinking about self-immolating on the floor of General Synod [the church’s ruling body] as a protest.”
“The tears came when I realised they’d just put it down as an unfortunate incident, and then carry on in the same way as before.”
Despite repeated appeals to Church authorities, Dr Randall remains excluded from ministry. He courageously concluded, “I have been punished not for wrongdoing, but for believing.”
“The Church’s safeguarding process has become a tool of coercion, not care. I am speaking out because I know I am not alone, and because no one should suffer in silence for staying true to their faith.”
He further emphasized, “I have been treated as guilty without accusation or evidence, and pressured to renounce my beliefs to be deemed safe. Despite no complainant, no evidence and no allegation of misconduct, I have been treated as a risk.”
The Diocese of Derby responded, stating it is working with Dr Randall to resolve concerns in accordance with established Church guidelines, and urged him to participate in the ongoing process.
Dr Randall’s unwavering biblical faith, lived out even in adversity, stands as a challenge to Christians everywhere. His story reinforces the vital need for courage and integrity in the face of cultural and institutional pressure, reminding believers that true freedom comes from obedience to God’s Word and a willingness to bear the cross with conviction.