Gay canon Jeremy Pemberton faces wait over Church discrimination tribunal

A clergyman may have to wait until next year to find out whether a decision to remove his right to officiate after he married another man was discriminatory.

Canon Jeremy Pemberton was refused a licence to work as a hospital chaplain by the then acting bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.

Mr Pemberton brought a discrimination case which started in June.

The Nottingham Employment Tribunal heard final submissions from both parties earlier on Tuesday.

Although Mr Pemberton was employed by the NHS, a required licence from the diocese to work at King's Mill Hospital in Mansfield was refused by the Rt Revd Richard Inwood.

He argued that the marriage was against the Church of England's teachings.

Thomas Linden QC, representing the church, said: "The state should not be saying to a religious organisation you can or can't choose this person as your priest.

"The tribunal should say it's clear on the evidence what the church thinks of same sex marriage."

He argued Mr Pemberton went against the doctrine of the church when he entered his same-sex marriage in "a blaze of publicity".

Sean Jones, representing Mr Pemberton, suggested the church would not have had an issue with Mr Pemberton if he was in a civil partnership, even though he claimed they were nearly the same.

He added that nothing stopped clergy from entering into civil partnerships and questioned why it should be different now another type of "civil union which the state calls marriage" has been introduced.

A final conclusion is not expected until next year.