Vicar who suggested Israel was behind 9/11 barred from ministry for 12 years
A Church of England vicar who suggested Israel was behind 9/11 has been barred from ministry for 12 years after engaging in "anti-Semitic activity".
Rev Dr Stephen Sizer was said to have “undermined Christian-Jewish relations” after he made an "unauthorised visit" to meet a senior commander of the military wing of Hezbollah in 2006.
A disciplinary hearing heard how the 69-year-old retired vicar shared a "virulently antisemitic" article on Facebook suggesting Israel was involved in destroying the Twin Towers.
In January 2015 Dr Sizer posted a link to the article with the comment: “Is this antisemitic? If so, no doubt I’ll be asked to remove it. It raises so many questions."
Out of 11 allegations brought by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, a church tribunal found that four amounted to behaviour that “was unbecoming to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Order" as he "provoked and offended the Jewish community”.
The other seven allegations were found to be not proved.
After an initial ruling in December Dr Sizer said: “I accept those conclusions and the criticisms of my conduct and apologise unreservedly for the hurt and offence caused.” He said he was “particularly sorry” for sharing the article about 9/11 and said he would make no further comment “as I pray and reflect further”.
The tribunal met again this week to announce its penalty under the clergy discipline measure.
Penalties can range from a rebuke to a life ban from ministry.
A spokesman for the tribunal said: “The penalty imposed today is that the Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer is prohibited from exercising any of the functions of his Holy Orders until December 13, 2030.
"This constitutes a ban of eight years on top of the four he has already served since his suspension. “The tribunal considered that a period of 12 years’ prohibition was appropriate for the misconduct findings.”
Following Dr Sizer, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: "It is clear that the behaviour of Stephen Sizer has undermined Christian-Jewish relations, giving encouragement to conspiracy theories and tropes that have no place in public Christian ministry and the church.
"I renew my call for the highest possible standards among ordained ministers of the Church of England in combating antisemitism of all kinds."
