A former wrestler has swapped combat for priesthood, as he was ordained by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Rev Steven Horne, 43, was one of a cohort of new priests and deacons ordained by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Devon in June.
Previously a police officer, Horne took a PhD in Theology, before joining South East Professional Wrestling Club.
In 2016, he began competitive wrestling, and became a referee in the martial art.
He told BBC Kent: “I’ve always had a strong relationship with God, ever since I was a young child.”
In 2022, he felt a “green light” call to ministry: “I had heard that particular call very distinctly… on 30 December 2022 and the next day I popped an email off and the process for discernment started two months later.”
Dr Horne said the struggle of wrestling aligns with faith: “Life can be difficult and sometimes unpredictable, but I rest comfortably knowing that although life is full of slams and suplexes, God has oversight of it all and knows what the end will be.”
