Church of England votes to bring back ‘defrocking’ as punishment for clergy

Priests or deacons guilty of serious misconduct may be stripped of holy orders, in measure abolished 20 years ago

Clergy who are guilty of serious misconduct may be stripped of their holy orders after the Church of England’s ruling body voted to reinstate “defrocking”.

All priests, from newly ordained curates to the archbishop of Canterbury, could be defrocked under new disciplinary measures backed by the General Synod, which is meeting in York.