Martyn Percy

Ripon College Cuddesdon developed significantly from 2004, during Percy's tenure as principal: it incorporated the Oxford Ministry Course (OMC) in 2006, and the West of England Ministerial Training Course (WEMTC) in 2011,[9] making it the largest provider of Anglican ordination training in the UK. The college became internationally more active during Percy's period as principal: it works closely with the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and continues to have links with Anglican colleges in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. During Percy's time at Cuddesdon, the college moved from a distinctively liberal catholic ethos and progressively to the broader centre ground of Anglicanism, welcoming ordinands from across the ecclesial spectrum, thereby reclaiming the "non-party" ethos that Bishop Samuel Wilberforce had founded the college with in 1854.

During Percy's tenure, the multi-award-winning Bishop Edward King Chapel (which was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2013) and a new education centre (Harriet Monsell House) were built.[10][11][12] The college also became the first to incorporate a community of Anglican religious sisters, and to work alongside staff and students offering support in prayer and spirituality, whilst continuing to develop their own ministries of spiritual direction.

Percy speaking at Christ Church in 2016

It was announced on 7 May 2014 that Percy would become the 45th Dean of Christ Church in Oxford.[13] He was the first dean to be democratically elected by the governing body, and was instituted to the deanery on 4 October 2014.[14] Christ Church is the only academic institution in the world which is also a cathedral – being the seat of the Bishop of Oxford. In common with other cathedral deans, Percy, as Dean of Christ Church, is the senior priest of the Diocese of Oxford.

Percy is also the patron of St Francis' Children's Society (an Adoption and Fostering Agency with a Roman Catholic foundation), a governor of Christ Church Cathedral School, Westminster School and St Edward's School, Oxford, a trustee of the Grubb Institute, Gladstone's Library (Harwarden) and the Li Tim-Oi Foundation.

In November 2018, Percy was suspended from office, following a formal complaint which had been made against him, and an independently-chaired internal tribunal was established. These reports also claimed that Percy was the victim of a "bullying campaign" by university dons who opposed his reformist agenda.[15] In response to press reports, the Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, stated his concern at the allegations of bullying and that he had been monitoring the situation closely.[16][17]

Supporters of the dean have criticised Christ Church's complaints process, as no investigation or disciplinary hearing was necessary prior to his suspension from office. Angela Tilby, a canon emeritus of Christ Church, wrote in the Church Times that Percy faced hostility for desiring to make the institution "more inclusive, more open to the outside world, and, perhaps, more aware of its wealth and vested interests".[18] Paul Bayes (Bishop of Liverpool) and Alan Wilson (Bishop of Buckingham) have also conveyed public messages of support.[17]

In January 2019, the censor theologiae (acting chairman of governing body of Christ Church) sent a letter to college alumni, revealing that Percy's suspension was triggered by a pay dispute.[19] This was the first official statement regarding the nature of the tribunal.

On 21 August 2019, the cathedral chapter and the college's governing body announced that the tribunal had concluded that the charges brought against Percy were all dismissed. However, the tribunal made one minor finding that there had been a single unintentional breach of his fiduciary duty.[20] The outcome of the investigation was welcomed by the Bishop of Oxford. The process was presided over by Andrew Smith, a High Court judge, and is estimated to have cost the college at least £500,000.[21] The College's legal fees are not known. [22] The governing body has not read the whole text of the judgement provided by Sir Andrew. [23]

Over the course of the nine-month investigation and to date, supporters of Percy have raised over £100,000 to cover the cost of legal fees.[24]

On 4 March 2020 the College announced that the Dean was to be investigated by the Church of England's National Safeguarding Team (NST) over alleged failures to report safeguarding cases in 2017.[25] A subsequent investigation by the NST over the course of six months cleared the Dean of any wrongdoing and on 8 September the Bishop of Huddersfield, Jonathan Gibbs, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop said: “An independent investigation into allegations that the Dean, Martyn Percy, failed to fulfil his safeguarding responsibilities has concluded the Dean acted entirely appropriately in each case. The National Safeguarding Team, NST, followed the House of Bishops guidance when the four separate allegations were referred earlier in the year relating to the Dean, a senior office holder. At no point was there any allegation or evidence that the Dean presented a direct risk to any child or vulnerable adult”. [26]

On 17 November, it was announced that Percy had voluntarily withdrawn from his duties as Christ Church dean after a new complaint was made.[27] He has not resigned from the post, but "stepped back from his duties in the College and Cathedral".[28]

Percy has spoken and written about the threat of schism in the Anglican Communion, arguing that churches should embrace the diversity of belief that exists, rather than allowing such divisions to result in separation.[41] In anticipation of the October 2003 Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting, which took place in the wake of the ordination of Gene Robinson as Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, the Communion's first openly gay bishop, he wrote of the need for a "slight loosening of the ties", to avoid a divorce. Illustrating this, he described Anglicanism as an "archipelago – a connection of provincial islands that shares doctrinal, liturgical and cultural aspects", as opposed to being "one vast, catholic continent."[42] He made similar remarks following Jeffrey John's withdrawal as Bishop of Reading, in July 2003, suggesting that the debate on gay rights should instead be shifted towards reflecting on the "more central gospel themes."[43]

Percy has been critical of Justin Welby's leadership as Archbishop of Canterbury, in particular his "managerial" style.[44] Percy described Welby's plans to send senior clergy on leadership courses, contained in the 2014 report of the Lord Green Steering Group,[45] as showing a poor judgment of the church's priorities and lacking in theological understanding.[46] He went on to say that Welby's targets for efficiency and growth were not reflective of the Christian mission, given that Jesus "didn't spend a lot of time going on about success."[47]

In August 2016, Percy renewed his criticism of Welby, describing the direction he was leading the Church of England as being "driven by mission-minded middle managers" that alienated congregations and the wider British public. He also raised further concerns about plans to divert funding away from traditional rural parishes and towards evangelical inner-city churches, warning that "it will take more to save the Church of England than a blend of the latest management theory."[48] Percy has also commented on an emerging theological anaemia among bishops in the Church of England, and highlighted the weaknesses and risks this poses for Anglican polity.[49]

Percy preaching at the George Fox Evangelical Seminary in 2013

In an essay published in December 2015, Percy outlined his views on homosexuality, questioning the teaching that it is sinful and unnatural. Regarding the controversy surrounding the issue in the worldwide Anglican Communion, he noted that the church's position has alienated an increasingly progressive country, particularly the younger generation of Christians in Britain;[44] he also called on Justin Welby to formally apologise for the church's role in introducing homophobic teachings to cultures across the British Empire, during the 19th century:[50]

In 41 of the 53 countries within the British Commonwealth, homosexual conduct is still regarded as a serious crime. This categorisation and legal stigmatisation of homosexuality was largely 'made in England' in the nineteenth century, and imposed on cultures and emerging countries and that had not been, hitherto, homophobic. This is one of England's less wholesome exports. The Archbishop of Canterbury could begin the Primates' meeting by accepting responsibility for the part the Church of England has played in perpetrating this discrimination and the subsequent injustices – and publicly repenting of them.[51]

Just days before the commencement of the January 2016 Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting, Percy joined with over 100 other senior Anglicans, including Alan Wilson (Bishop of Buckingham) and David Ison (Dean of St Paul's),[52] in calling on archbishops Welby and Sentamu to acknowledge the failings of the Anglican Communion in its treatment of LGBTQ people.[53] Following the decision of the primates to penalise the US Episcopal Church, for voting to redefine marriage at its 2015 General Convention, Percy expressed his disappointment. He went on to say that the meeting's statement regarding this action, "had nothing to say about LGBT Christians, and that's a lost opportunity."[54]

In the wake of the United Kingdom EU membership referendum in June 2016, Percy has argued that a national "failure of liberal values" was made evident by the result.[55] He has also suggested the need for a more "broad church" approach to British party politics, potentially in the form of a new centre-left party that is "authentically rooted in modern, progressive socialism, and equally true to modern, progressive, democratic liberal values."[56]

Since 2015, Percy has been actively involved in the campaign to restore the reputation of Bishop George Bell, following the Church of England's decision to compensate a woman who claimed to have been sexually abused by Bell. He is a member of the George Bell Group and has published a number of key articles questioning the competence of those who have presumed Bell to be a perpetrator of abuse.[57] A subsequent independent report by Lord Carlile of Berriew found that there was no basis in law for presuming that the allegations made against Bell could have been sustained.[58][59]

In March 2018, Percy called for the church to develop an independent self-regulating authority to handle safeguarding issues, arguing that the churches can only be ultimately trusted as public bodies if they voluntarily relinquish some control over their own policies and practices.[60]

Percy’s work on behalf of victims of sexual abuse in the church has continued alongside IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse) reports focussing on the Church of England.[61] This has included calling for better training and regulation in the churches, and greater fairness, justice and remedy for both the victims of abuse and those who may be falsely accused. [62][63]

Following the General Synod's narrow rejection of a motion to legalise the ordination of women as bishops in November 2012, Percy wrote in The Daily Telegraph, criticising church leaders for failing to create sufficient consensus about the issue. He described the view of opponents to the motion as maintaining a "conceit of modern times" by their fundamentalist rejection of diversity. He also voiced the need for the church to be "transformed by the renewal of our minds" in its approach to the inclusion of women in the Anglican Communion, by moving towards a "new future".[64]

In February 2017, he suggested that Bishop Philip North either decline his nomination as Bishop of Sheffield or renounce the views of The Society, a conservative body which does not recognise or receive the ministry of ordained women, or men ordained by women bishops.[65] North later withdrew his acceptance of the nomination, citing "personal attacks".[66] In a radio discussion of North's decision, Percy refuted the accusation that his position demonstrated a form of "liberal intolerance". He reasoned that resistance to discrimination is not equivalent to intolerance.[67]