Gay vicar receives hate letters calling him “slave of Satan”

A gay vicar has been receiving letters filled with homophobic rantings.

Chris Newlands, a Church of England vicar at Lancaster Priory, was sent the hate-mail earlier this month and has now contacted the police.

The letter, which he posted on Facebook, reads: “To the slave of Satan Chris Newlands, you’re an antichrist, Newlands, a hireling of hell, a corrupter of souls, and a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“You’re a scripture twister, homo’s mister, a posing, poncing, mincing trickster. You’re an apostle of hell, Newlands, an infernal pest, as are the whole swarm of Anglican Sodom.”

Newlands added that the letters also insulted members of his family but didn’t want to repeat what was said.

The crazy, almost-illiterate rant, which is signed simply Jonah, continues: “I could think of worthier targets for serial killers than the poor old prostitutes. How about Anglican clerics?

“Not that I’m advocating such, but it would do society a service to be rid of all you enemies of the cross, you crowd of deceivers, who are the repository of impiety, blasphemy, hypocrisy, and lies; in a word, Satan and his Antichrist.”

Police are treating the incident as a suspected hate crime.

Speaking to the Lancaster Guardian, Newlands said: “People need to know that this kind of hate mail is unacceptable.

“It’s very hard to get into the mindset of someone who writes that sort of vitriolic abuse which is designed to offend and cause damage. I’m quite secure with who I am, and in what I’m trying to do, which is to achieve equality for all people, and peace and love.

“People who spout hatred and use this kind of language are sadly becoming more common.”

Backing Rev Newlands, the bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, said the Church of England has “a policy of zero-tolerance [towards] homophobic behaviour.”