The Bishop of Liverpool has been asked to step aside because his position is “currently untenable” after allegations of sexual assault and harassment were made against him.
The senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool have written to the Archbishop of York, calling for the Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath to go.
It comes after one woman accused the bishop of kissing her without consent and groping her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News.
Bishop Perumbalath said he has “consistently denied” the allegations and complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
A statement, signed by six members of the senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool, says: “Having listened to clergy, congregations and staff at the diocesan offices and the cathedral, it is with deep regret that the senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool feel that the position of the Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath is currently untenable.
“We believe that the allegations made by the female bishop need to be fully and properly investigated.
“We also believe that while these proper investigations are conducted, the Bishop of Liverpool will need to step aside from all ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool.”
The letter is signed by Debra Walker, the chair of the House of Laity; the chair of the House of Clergy Peter Dawkin; and Sue Jones – who is the Dean of Liverpool.
Pete Spiers, who is the Archdeacon of Knowsley & Sefton; Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, who is the Archdeacon of Liverpool; and the Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington Simon Fisher also signed the letter.
Bishop Perumbalath had previously said: “The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present.
“I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team.
“The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further action.
“Whilst I don’t believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learned through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others.
“I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area.”
In response to the Channel 4 programme, a Church of England spokesman said that in 2023 a complaint of alleged misconduct against Bishop Perumbalath was brought to the NST and concluded there was not sufficient evidence to bring a safeguarding-related complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) itself but offered the woman support if she wished to do so.
They also said the complaint was investigated by police which resulted in no further action.
A further disclosure was made by another woman, and the information was “explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct”, the spokesman said.
The second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline.
She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York supported, but this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals, they added.
It comes after the Archbishop of Canterbury quit after pressure following a review which found Christian camp leader and prolific serial abuser John Smyth might have been brought to justice had Justin Welby formally reported him to police five years before the barrister’s death.
Calls have also been made in recent months for Mr Welby’s temporary stand-in, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, to step down after revelations emerged that a priest at the centre of a sexual abuse case was twice reappointed under him while he was serving as Bishop of Chelmsford.
On Wednesday Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley, who has previously said she feels it is “impossible” for Mr Cottrell to remain Archbishop of York or for him to lead the Church of England, described herself as “shocked and appalled” at the allegations against Bishop Perumbalath.
She said “failures at the heart of the institution of the Church of England” are undermining “credibility and confidence in the church”.
Bishop Hartley added: “It also saps the morale of local mission and ministry: in parishes, chaplaincies and schools, our cathedral, and other contexts, and leaves the people and clergy of the church rightly angered and deeply concerned.
“I am with you all in solidarity, dismay and concern at this time.
“I have already spoken out in the strongest of terms about safeguarding failures and do so again. My views have not changed including those regarding the position of the Archbishop of York.”
