We last reported on the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney in October 2024 here and here. There have been more developments reported this week.
Francis Martin Church Times Concerns about Bishop Anne Dyer disciplinary case continue
Rachel Huston Premier Scottish Episcopal Church under fire for reinstating suspended bishop
Marc Horne The Times Anglican church leader urged to resign as bullying scandal drags on
[behind a paywall]
Andrew Goddard Psephizo Canterbury tales: what happens next?
Neil Patterson and Helen King Together for the Church of England Together write to the House of Bishops
“concerns about those excluded from the discernment process and ordination training due to their marital status”
Marcus Walker The Critic Anglican churchgoers need the Real Thing
“The Church of England is falling behind because we’re serving such thin gruel”
Michael Hampson ViaMedia.News We used to Have Liturgy: Now we Have Bureaucracy
46 CommentsEarlier this month we noted the reports on the visitation of Bangor Cathedral.
A supplementary statement was added to the original Church in Wales press release on Tuesday of this week (13 May); this is copied below the fold. Following the release of the statement these news reports have appeared.
Also of relevance are these reports from last week.
The outline of business for the July 2025 meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod was issued today. It is copied below the fold. (more…)
22 CommentsMartine Oborne Women and the Church A clarification on WATCH’s position regarding the Five Guiding Principles
Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News We Don’t Need More Theology: This is the Time for Action
39 CommentsThe Church of England has today announced the membership of the Canterbury CNC, apart from the three representatives from the diocese whose names are not yet available for the reasons given in my previous article. The text of the press release is copied below.
Membership of Canterbury CNC announced
13/05/2025
The Canterbury CNC is made up of a diverse group of members, including representatives from the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, and members appointed by the Crown.
The Central Members and Anglican Communion representatives of the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) have been announced.
The Crown Nominations Commission for the Archbishop of Canterbury is larger than that for other diocesan bishops, with 17 voting members in a wider Commission made up of 20 members.
In 2022, General Synod approved changes to the CNC’s Standing Orders that increased the number of representatives from the Anglican Communion from one to five for the CNC of the See of Canterbury. They are nominated by the Anglican Communion, one from each of the five regions and include primates, clergy and lay people.
Voting members
Non-voting members
Following a public consultation that saw thousands of people share their views on the qualities needed in the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the Commission will convene for its first meeting later this month, followed by at least two further meetings – one in July and another in September. Through these, the Commission will agree the ‘Role Profile’ and ‘Person Specification’ for the next Archbishop of Canterbury, discern the longlist, shortlist and interview candidates.
Under the Standing Orders of the General Synod, a nomination cannot be made to The Crown unless it has received the support of at least two-thirds of the total number of the voting members of the Commission in a secret ballot.
The Chair of the Canterbury CNC, Lord (Jonathan) Evans said: “Helping to choose the next Archbishop of Canterbury is both a great responsibility and a privilege. The Crown Nominations Commission understands the weight of this important decision and we pray for God’s hand on the process.
“I thank those who have taken part in the public consultation across the country and the Anglican Communion, helping us to establish the gifts, skills and qualities required in the next Archbishop. Do please keep the CNC process in your prayers as we seek to discern who God is calling to this important ministry.”
61 CommentsThe Diocese of Canterbury has issued a statement, copied below, to say that the election of its 2022-2024 Vacancy in See Committee is to be re-run; details are in the statement. This committee is the one involved in the selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury; in particular it elects three of its members to sit on the Crown Nominations Commission. The statement was issued quietly on 7 May and has only just come to my attention.
Regular readers will recall the criticisms of the procedures in Canterbury made by Andrew Goddard here and here.
Vacancy in See Committee
A Vacancy in See Committee is required to be in existence at all times in every Diocese. The task of the Committee, should the need arise, is to assist in the procedure of appointing a new Archbishop of Canterbury or Bishop of Dover. The Committee only meets when there is a vacancy in the See. The Committee advises the Crown Nominations Commission of the General Synod on the needs of the Diocese.
The Vacancy in See Committee will elect up to three members, of which at least two will be Laity, to serve on the Crown Nominations Commission which holds responsibility for selecting the Archbishop and six members, of which at least three must be Laity, when selecting the Bishop of Dover.
Who is on the Committee?
Ex-officio members are the Archbishop (if appropriate)the Bishop of Dover (if appropriate), the Provincial Episcopal Visitors, two Archdeacons, the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, General Synod Representatives, the Diocesan Synod Lay Chair and the Diocesan Synod Clergy Chair.
In addition to the Ex-officio members the Committee is made up of 18 elected positions, 6 clergy and 12 laity. There is equal representation from each Archdeaconry in so far as this is possible.
Elections to the Vacancy in See Committee 2022-2024
The elected members of the Committee for the 2022-2024 triennium are the elected members responsible for the selection of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, because Justin Welby announced his decision to resign as Archbishop in 2024. Following legal advice and a formal direction from the Archbishop of York, a new election was held in early 2025 to ensure the 2022-2024 VISC had elected representatives drawn from a wider pool than just our diocesan synod members.
However, it became clear Rule 75 of the Church Representation Rules was not correctly applied to the election. This Rule requires that if the number of candidates of a particular category is less than or equal to the minimum number required by that category, then those candidates should be declared automatically elected and their names should not be included on the voting paper.
The Canterbury Archbishop’s Council sought a direction from the Archbishop of York requiring fresh elections to be held, which the diocese has been advised was signed on 7 May.
The previous list of nominations will stand for the re run election and new nominations will not be sought.
This page will be updated with decisions and dates as they are known.
4 CommentsAndrew Watson, the Bishop of Guildford, has published this paper: Living in Love and Faith: Discerning the Mind of the Church.
Tim Wyatt comments on the paper in his weekly newsletter: B2 or not B2, that is the question.
Sam Wells and Lucy Winkett Church Times Separate structures put the Church of England in danger
“To support same-sex relationships or women’s leadership is not to depart from orthodoxy”
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the Carlisle diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Carlisle: 9 May 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Robert Saner-Haigh, for election as Bishop of Carlisle
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 9 May 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Robert Saner-Haigh, Suffragan Bishop of Penrith in the Diocese of Carlisle, for election as Bishop of Carlisle, in succession to The Right Reverend James William Scobie Newcome, following his retirement.
Background
Rob was educated at Birmingham University and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St. Lawrence, Appleby in the Diocese of Carlisle, and was ordained Priest in 2006. He was appointed Diocesan Initial Ministerial Education Officer in 2007 and Diocesan Director of Ordinands in 2008. Alongside both of these roles he served as Bishop’s Chaplain and Assistant Priest at St. Michael’s, Dalston, with Cumdivock, Raughton Head and Wreay. In 2010, he was appointed Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity Kendal and, from 2020, served as Director of Mission and Ministry for the Diocese of Newcastle and Residentiary Canon of Newcastle Cathedral.
In 2022, Rob took up his current role as Suffragan Bishop of Penrith, in the Diocese of Carlisle and, since 2023, he has served as Acting Bishop of Carlisle.
40 CommentsWe reported in March that the Archbishop of Wales had ordered a visitation of Bangor Cathedral. This has now been completed and reports issued. There is a press release from the Church in Wales, which is copied below, with links to the reports at the end. There is also this news item by Madeleine Davies in the Church Times: Visitation identifies ‘weak financial controls’ and ‘inappropriate behaviours’ at Bangor Cathedral.
Bangor Cathedral Visitation Report
Provincial news Posted: 3 May 2025
In October 2024, in response to concerns which had been brought to his attention, the Archbishop of Wales, The Most Revd Andrew John, commissioned a visitation of Bangor Cathedral and a review by Thirtyone:eight, an external body that specialises in safeguarding advice in church settings.
The reporting process is now complete and the following summary reports have now been released publicly, and can be accessed below.
We are grateful to all who contributed to this careful and prayerful process. The reports give details of the next steps which will now be taken.
65 CommentsSusannah Clark ViaMedia.News
Lizzie Taylor Women and the Church When will Bishops let ordinary churchgoers have a say about equality for women in the Church?
140 CommentsAndrew Goddard Psephizo How not to run an election: Canterbury Diocese Vacancy-in-See Elections
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Radically inclusive groups and networks in the Church of England pursuing Mutual Responsibility and Interdependence
83 CommentsMark Clavier Well-Tempered Giving Reform Its Proper Language
A follow-up to ‘Beyond the Scaffolding’
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Faculty for the Creation of a Storage Room for all the Things we Can’t Face Raising Faculties For the Removal Of
Jeremy Morris Ad fontes Encountering Pope Francis
26 CommentsA report by the Independent Reviewer, Canon Maggie Swinson, on the process leading to the nomination of the Bishop of Blackburn, Philip North, was published twelve months ago; we linked to it here. The House of Bishops has today issued a formal response to this report and it is copied below the fold.
54 CommentsGiles Fraser UnHerd Happy Easter, losers
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Church of England campaign group attitudes to trans, intersex and non-binary people
Ian Gomersall A Retired Rector’s Reflections Putting Chrism at the centre
Mark Clavier Well-Tempered Beyond the Scaffolding
“What the Church in Wales’s Harries Report Missed and Why It Still Matters”
Ian Gomersall A Retired Rector’s Reflections What do you do with your palm cross?
Martine Oborne Women and the Church Making the pain of our exclusion present
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love What kind of God do we believe in – Supernatural or Metaphysical?
152 CommentsThe Bishop of Brixworth, the Right Reverend John Holbrook, has announced that he will retire on 30 September 2025. Details are on the Peterborough diocesan website.
50 CommentsMichael Hampson ViaMedia.News Common Worship and our Gender-neutral God
Martyn Percy Surviving Church The Church of England in Secular Cycles: A Case of Corporate Long-Covid?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Rumours of angels and reports of abuse
Andrew Brown The slow deep hover Here Eye goes again
Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News Consensus, Compassion, Truth, and Grace
166 CommentsAs readers probably already know Justin Welby was interviewed by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on 30 March. You can listen to the interview here, and watch it here. There has been much reporting and comment on the interview; some is below.
Laura Kuenssberg BBC Justin Welby: I failed to act on abuse scandal as scale was ‘overwhelming’
Laura Kuenssberg and Sean Seddon BBC Welby: I forgive serial abuser John Smyth
Laura Kuenssberg BBC After Justin Welby’s failures, obscurity is perhaps not his to choose
Madeleine Davies Church Times Welby looks back at his Smyth decisions and resignation in BBC interview
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Justin Welby was too ‘overwhelmed’ by scale of abuse in C of E to take action
Ben Quinn and Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Justin Welby says he forgives serial abuser John Smyth
Tim Wyatt The New Statesman The confessions of Justin Welby
Angela Tilby Church Times BBC interview shows tragedy of Welby
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Welby and Kuenssberg
Rebecca Chapman The Spectator What was the point of Justin Welby’s reconciliation interview?
Tim Wyatt The Critical Friend The scandal of grace
Andrew Brown The slow deep hover Here we go again
Douglas LeBlanc The Living Church Welby’s Interview Prompts New Backlash
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Trusting our epiphany experiences
Abigail King Church Times Growing up in a vicarage stays with you
Bosco Peters Liturgy Passion, Palms, Passover, and other Problems
0 Comments