Dean says he merely refused to honor the invitation given to Melvin Tinker by the Derby Christian Union

I am aware of online comments this morning claiming that Derby Cathedral has banned the Revd. Melvin Tinker from speaking at the Derby University Christian Union Carol Service.

The Dean invites all guest preachers for services to be held at the Cathedral. This remains the Dean’s responsibility even when the service is organised jointly with another organisation. Planning a service with an outside organisation always entails some back and forth including about whom the Dean might invite to preach. It is entirely wrong to claim that anyone has been ‘banned’ simply because the Dean has not chosen to invite them on this occasion.

I am delighted that the Revd. Neil Barber, the vicar of St. Giles Normanton, who is a well regarded preacher in the Conservative Evangelical tradition, has accepted my invitation to preach at this occasion.