After a seven-year legal battle, the Rev. Bernard Randall, an ordained Church of England minister who served as a chaplain at Trent College in Derbyshire, England, has reached a confidential settlement with his former employer following his firing and blacklisting over a sermon on LGBTQ issues. The dispute began in 2018 when Randall raised concerns regarding the school’s partnership with Educate and Celebrate, an organization that aimed to embed queer theory into school culture. The following year, prompted by student inquiries regarding why they were required to accept LGBTQ ideology at a Christian school, Randall delivered a chapel address emphasizing freedom of belief, conscience, and traditional Christian views on marriage alongside mutual respect.
In response to the address, Trent College administrators suspended Randall, investigated him for gross misconduct, and reported him to local law enforcement as well as the government’s counterterrorism program, Prevent, which ultimately cleared him of posing any threat. Additionally, the Diocese of Derby blacklisted him as a safeguarding risk, and the school eventually terminated his employment after failed appeals and pandemic-related furlough conditions. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Randall challenged his dismissal, leading the Employment Appeal Tribunal to set aside a previous ruling, order a full retrial, and award £20,000 in costs before the confidential settlement was reached.
Following an independent Church of England review by the Diocese of London that cleared him of all safeguarding allegations and found no evidence of harm, Randall expressed relief while mourning the seven lost years away from ministry and criticizing the church’s handling of orthodox doctrine. He also voiced broader anxieties regarding the erosion of free speech in the United Kingdom, noting appreciation for international attention from American figures such as Vice President JD Vance and the U.S. State Department. Although an independent review has rendered him eligible to return to public ministry upon completing safeguarding training, Randall is currently awaiting permission to officiate from the Bishop of Derby, Libby Lane, while the Diocese of Derby maintains that it has provided him with resources and information regarding current vacancies.
