Thinking Anglicans

Opinion – 23 July 2025

Helen King ViaMedia.News Jagged Edges: Where Safeguarding Overlaps with the Trust Deficit

Martin Gorick The Observer By reforming its position on sexuality of clergy, Church of England welcomes everyone

Richard Scorer Surviving Church The Matt Drapper Settlement. Damages awarded to plaintiff in ‘exorcism’ case.

Helen King ViaMedia.News July 2025 General Synod: money talks

0 Comments

Election of the Archbishop of Wales

The Church in Wales has announced the timetable for the election of its next Archbishop. The press release is copied below.

Election of the Archbishop of Wales
Provincial news Posted: 22 July 2025

The Electoral College will meet at St Pierre Church and Hotel in Chepstow on the 29th of July to choose the 15th Archbishop of Wales. The College can take up to three days to elect an Archbishop.

This election follows the retirement of the Bishop of Bangor, Andrew John, who held the office of Archbishop of Wales for three and a half years. His successor will be chosen from among the serving Welsh diocesan bishops – the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, the Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas, the Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard, and the Bishop of St Davids, Dorrien Davies.

Those making the decision represent churches across Wales. Each of the six dioceses elects three clerics and three lay people onto the College and the bishops are also members. The College President is the Senior Bishop, Bishop Gregory Cameron.

The meeting will begin with Holy Communion at St Peter’s Church, which is on the St Pierre estate. Following that, college members will meet for confidential discussions.

After a discussion on the needs of the Province and a period of prayer and reflection, the President will call for nominations. The bishops nominated then withdraw from the discussion, only returning to vote. A nominee must achieve two-thirds of the votes of the college in order to be elected Archbishop. If after a vote is taken no candidate receives the necessary votes, the process begins again with fresh nominations, which may or may not include those who had been nominated in the previous round.

Once the Archbishop is elected, an announcement is made. The normal practice is for the bishop to confirm his or her election immediately. The new Archbishop will be enthroned in his or her home cathedral at a later date.

If The College fails to elect an Archbishop within three days, the decision passes to the Bench of Bishops.

1 Comment

Opinion – 19 July 2025

Martin Sewell and Linda Billenness Surviving Church Synod ignores Audit Warnings

Martine Oborne Women and the Church The Church of England’s fifty-year journey from open sexism to concealed sexism

63 Comments

Opinion – 16 July 2025

Ben Gibson Surviving Church Institutional Failure and the Case of the Leicester Stalker: An Open Letter to General Synod

Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head “Issues” is no more

12 Comments

Dean of Bangor

A new dean has been appointed to Bangor Cathedral, with Canon Dr Manon Ceridwen James taking up the role from September. Details are in the diocesan press release.

4 Comments

General Synod – 11-15 July 2025

This post will be updated as the meeting proceeds.

The Church of England’s General Synod is meeting this weekend. The timetable is here, the agenda is here and the papers are here.

Live video etc

All sessions are streamed live on YouTube and remain available to view afterwards. Links have been provided in advance.

There is an official X/Twitter account.

Chairs of debates

Order papers

Notice papers

Questions Notice Papers

Business Done

Official press releases

Press reports and comment etc

The Guardian

Independent

Church Times

Civil Society

Third Sector

Anglican Communion News Service

35 Comments

General Synod Questions – July 2025

The Questions (and answers) for this weekend’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod were issued today. They can be found online here:

Questions will be taken on Friday evening (11 July).

27 Comments

Opinion – 9 July 2025

‘Graham’ Surviving Church Justin Welby, the Truth and Forgiveness
The Unanswered Questions. Attachment/Addendum to Graham’s Article

Giles Fraser UnHerd Anglicanism’s poisoned chalice Decent candidates run a mile

93 Comments

Opinion – 5 July 2025

Ian Gomersall A Retired Rector’s Reflections A curious event at an ordination

Nick Spencer, George Lapshynov and Hannah Rich Theos Should Chris Coghlan be denied the Eucharist?

In this week’s issue of The Critical Friend Tim Wyatt writes about the resignation/retirement of the Archbishop of Wales in The rot goes deep, and about The Leicester Stalker. For those who have not been following the Leicester case, the BBC investigation is here, and subsequent statements from the Diocese of Leicester are here. House of Survivors have also issued a statement.

Alexandra Zhirnova reads the Nicene Creed in Old English; the Church of England has a press release.

147 Comments

Dean of Carlisle

The Dean of Carlisle, the Very Revd Jonathan Brewster, has announced that he is to step down from his role.

5 Comments

Opinion – 2 July 2025

Sally Hope ViaMedia.News There’s Another Church Abuse Crisis That’s in Every Congregation, and Very Much Closer to Home

Pat Ashworth Church Times Retired clergy ‘keeping the show on the road’

24 Comments

Statement from the Representative Body of the Church in Wales on Bangor Cathedral

The Representative Body of the Church in Wales issued a statement on Bangor Cathedral, and other related matters within the Church, yesterday. It is copied below.

These are these two press reports.

Statement from the Representative Body of the Church in Wales on Bangor Cathedral

Posted: 1 July 2025

The Representative Body of the Church in Wales met on Tuesday June 24 to consider, among other matters, the situation at Bangor Cathedral.

A brief public statement was issued later that day:

“The Representative Body of the Church in Wales met today to consider matters relating to Bangor Cathedral. After extensive and detailed discussions, the meeting has been adjourned, and a statement will be issued in due course.”

That full statement is now being issued, comprising the full text of the motion approved by the Representative Body. (more…)

7 Comments