Richard Beck asks us to Let Them Both Grow Together.
Christopher Howse for The Telegraph has been on A journey with Nikolaus Pevsner to the very edge of Englishness to see a 12th-century font and a 1902 church.
Giles Fraser in The Guardian asks Why should spirituality prioritise the needs of the busy?
Also in The Guardian Andrew Brown writes about A vicar’s war against English Heritage Christianity.
Symon Hill of Ekklesia writes about Trusting in what is not real.
3 CommentsThe seventh edition of the Canons of the Church of England was recently published. Paper copies are available for purchase from Church House Publishing and elsewhere, and a Kindle version is available from Amazon.
The Canons are also available to view online. This is new, but it does replace the pdf version which was available for the sixth edition.
3 CommentsOne more member of the Crown Nominations Commission to choose the next Archbishop of Canterbury has been announced by the Anglican Communion News Service.
11 CommentsArchbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan elected to the Crown Nominations Commission
Posted On : May 9, 2012 4:40 PMThe Most Revd Dr Barry Morgan, Primate of The Church in Wales, has been elected to serve on the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury, the body that will nominate the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop Morgan was elected by members of the Standing Committee. They had been asked to nominate one Primate to represent the Anglican Communion on the Commission and their chosen Primates were grouped according to the five regions of the Communion. The Standing Committee then voted by single transferable vote—the method agreed by the Anglican Consultative Council for all its elections—and the name of Abp Morgan emerged.
The vote took place by email and was overseen by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Standing Committee with advice from its legal advisor.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
This is the first time that a Primate of the Anglican Communion has been invited to serve on the Crown Nominations Commission.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Canon Kenneth Kearon is a ex-officio member of the Crown Nominations Commission.
The Standing Committee comprises members elected by the Anglican Consultative Council together with the Primates Standing Committee whose members are themselves elected at the Primates’ Meetings.
The five regions of the Anglican Communion are Africa; Central, North and South Americas & the Caribbean; East Asia & Oceania; Europe; Middle East & West Asia
St Boniface Trust has held a prize essay competition for people to write on the subject of Why I am an Anglican and believe I shall remain so. The winning entry by Natacha-Ingrid Tinteroff is available to download.
Last week I linked to two articles about a new translation of the Bible. Savi Hensman also writes about it for Ekklesia in Approaching the Bible with an open heart.
Adam J Copeland writes for The Huffington Post about Acts 8:26-40: Castrating Our Customs .
Giles Fraser writes for The Guardian Goodbye, St Paul’s. Hello, St Mary’s.
5 CommentsThe Canterbury Vacancy-in-See Committee met yesterday, and as part of their business elected the following six diocesan representatives on the Crown Nominations Commission responsible for the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Reverend Canon Clare Edwards
Mr Raymond Harris
Mr David Kemp
The Reverend Canon Mark Roberts
Mrs Caroline Spencer
The Right Reverend Trevor Willmott
The Church of England centrally and the Diocese of Canterbury have both published these names.
4 CommentsCanterbury Diocese elects six representatives to serve on the Crown Nominations Commission
Archbishopric of Canterbury: Canterbury Diocese elects six representatives to serve on the Crown Nominations Commission
I have written about this earlier here and here.
The Church of England reports on a VAT lobby on alterations held on 23 April.
Also on 23 April Tony Baldry MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner, answered two Written Questions in the House of Commons.
A Treasury minister was asked a question in the House of Lords on 24 April.
Madeleine Davies has reported in the Church Times that Oppose ‘alterations’ levy, Baldry urges.
George Parker writes in the Financial Times that Churches reprieved from new VAT charge (free registration required).
But David Ainsworth writes for Third Sector that Archbishops’ Council says compensation for listed churches won’t cover loss of VAT relief.
Tony Baldry asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question about VAT on improvements to listed buildings and received this written answer on 30 April.
This doesn’t just affect the Church of England. The Baptist Union of Great Britain has published this: VAT and listed buildings.
Aaron Morby writes for Construction Enquirer that Greens, builders and RIBA call to scrap listed building VAT.
The Construction Index has Builders join heritage lobby in calls for listed buildings VAT plan to be axed.
1 CommentUpdated Monday
The next Bishop of Chichester is to be the Rt Revd Martin Warner, Bishop of Whitby. This has been announced by Number 10 this morning.
Diocese of Chichester
Thursday 3 May 2012Queen approves Right Reverend Martin Clive Warner for election as Bishop of Chichester
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Martin Clive Warner, MA, PhD, Suffragan Bishop of Whitby, for election as Bishop of Chichester in succession to the Right Reverend Dr John William Hind, BA, DD, on his resignation on the 30th April 2012.
Notes for Editors
The Right Reverend Martin Warner (aged 53) trained for the ordained ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. He served his first title at St Peter’s, Exeter from 1984 to 1988. From 1988 to 1993 he was Team Vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection, Leicester. The Right Reverend Martin Warner was the Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham from 1993 to 2002, and also Priest in Charge of Hempton with Pudding Norton from 1998 to 2000. He was an Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral from 2000 to 2002. From 2003 to 2010 he was Canon Residentiary of St Paul’s Cathedral. Since 2010 he has been Suffragan Bishop of Whitby.
The Right Reverend Martin Warner has wide ranging interests in the arts, including opera, theatre and medieval and contemporary art. He enjoys writing and has been widely involved in the area of theological and spiritual exploration. Preaching engagements have taken him round the world, and he has led pilgrimages in Europe and the Holy Land. For relaxation he enjoys travel by bike.
The Diocese of Chichester has a longer announcement on its website and there is also this video.
Updates
The Rector of Chichester Diocese Society of Catholic Priests Chapter and the Convenor of Affirming Catholicism in Chichester Diocese have written to their members following the announcement of Bishop Martin Warner’s appointment as their new Bishop. You can read their letter as a PDF here.
WATCH has issued a press release which is copied below the fold, as it has not appeared on any other website yet.
96 CommentsUpdated with final diocesan synod vote (Newcastle)
This Saturday the final two English diocesan synods voted on the Anglican Covenant motion: Newcastle and York.
Newcastle: covenant rejected
Bishops: 2 for / 0 against
Clergy: 8 for / 18 against
Laity: 14 for / 15 against
York: covenant accepted
Bishops: 4 for / 0 against
Clergy: 26 for / 5 against
Laity: 38 for / 5 against / 1 abstention
The final tally of Church of England votes is that 26 diocesan synods voted against the covenant and 18 in favour.
12 CommentsHuffington Post has two articles about a new translation of the Bible: ‘The Voice’: New Bible Translation Focuses On Dialogue by Bob Smietana and Taking ‘Jesus Christ’ Out of the Bible by Christian Piatt.
Theo Hobson writes in The Guardian Can liberal Christians please stop banging on about gayness?
Also in The Guardian Andrew Brown writes about The persistence of superstition in an irreligious Britain.
5 CommentsNo 10 Downing Street has announced that Lord Luce is to be the chair of the Crown Nominations Commission for its selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Thursday 26 April 2012
Rt Hon the Lord Luce to become Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for its selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed the Most Reverend and Rt Hon Rowan Williams
The Prime Minister has appointed the Rt Hon the Lord Luce KG, GCVO to be Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for its selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed the Most Reverend and Rt Hon Rowan Williams. Dr Williams has announced that he will stand down on 31 December 2012.
Commenting on his appointment, Lord Luce said:
“It is a great privilege to have been invited by the Prime Minister to chair the Crown Nominations Commission for the selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury. I approach the task with humility and a strong sense of the responsibility that I and my colleagues on the Commission share.”
“I am very conscious of the significance of the Archbishop’s role both nationally and across the world. It is, of course, of great importance both to the Church of England and to the wider community in our country, given the Church’s contribution to our society at all levels. The Archbishop is also the head of world-wide Anglican Communion. And the appointment of an Archbishop of Canterbury also means a great deal for other Christian denominations and for other faiths.”
“Archbishop Rowan has made an outstanding contribution in all of these spheres. Finding a worthy successor will not be an easy task for the Commission.”
“The responsibility of chairing the Commission is, of course, a heavy one. But I am fortified by the knowledge that I will be supported and advised by the other members of the Commission who have a wide range of talents and experience.”
The announcement also includes some notes that are copied below the fold.
18 CommentsNick Holtam, the Bishop of Salisbury, spoke in support of equal marriage at yesterday’s Cutting Edge Consortium conference. CEC have published the text of the bishop’s talk as a Google document, and we have made it available as a more convenient webpage.
14 CommentsTruro Anglican Church, Fairfax and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia announced a settlement of their property dispute on 17 April and issued this joint statement.
Joint Statement from Truro Anglican Church, Fairfax and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
4/17/2012
Truro Anglican Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia announced today a settlement that concludes five years of litigation that arose after Truro Anglican and other parishes left the Episcopal Church in 2006 to become part of what is now the Anglican Church in North America.
The settlement follows a January ruling in which the Circuit Court of Fairfax County held that all real and personal property held by the parishes at the time they left the denomination belongs to the Diocese.
Under terms of the settlement, the Diocese has given Truro Anglican a rent-free lease of the church buildings at 10520 Main Street in Fairfax, as well as two rectories, until June 30, 2013. Truro Anglican will deed the properties to the Diocese by April 30, 2012, and will pay the operating costs of the properties during the term of the lease. In addition, the Diocese has the option to use a small portion of the church building during the lease, as determined between the Rev. Tory Baucum, rector of Truro Anglican, and the Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, bishop of the Diocese of Virginia.
Additionally, Truro Anglican has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve diocesan claims for liquid assets due under the court’s order. The parties had already agreed on division of the tangible personal property held by Truro Anglican.
In several previous settlements, Anglican parishes that leased Episcopal property agreed to sever ties with all Anglican bodies during the term of the lease. Under today’s settlement, however, the parties have agreed that Truro Anglican will maintain its affiliation with the Anglican Church of North America and its Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Because the Diocese and Truro Anglican are part of different ecclesiastical bodies who share the Anglican tradition, they have agreed to follow a process during the term of the lease by which bishops may visit Truro Anglican with the permission of Bishop Johnston.
An important feature of this settlement is that both sides have agreed to enter into a covenant of mutual charity and respect. This document will frame the way the Diocese and Truro Anglican will deal with one another and speak of one another. The covenant is being drafted by the Rev. Baucum and Bishop Johnston.
“This is an important step for the Diocese of Virginia and Truro Anglican,” said Bishop Johnston. “What the Diocese has sought since the court’s ruling has been a ‘witness’ and not merely an ‘outcome.’ The parties have carried on a public dispute for five years and it is important that we publicly begin to make peace.”
Bishop Johnston and the Rev. Baucum have been meeting together for prayer and conversation for over a year. “Bishop Johnston and I have become friends,” said the Rev. Baucum. “In spite of our significant theological differences, we care for and are committed to each other as brothers in Christ.”
“We are grateful for the Diocese’s generosity in allowing us to continue to use the property for another 15 months at no cost,” said the Rev. Baucum. “This allows us time to make a good transition to interim facilities and then to our new church home.”
“Tory and I believe that this is an opening for a transformative witness to many across the worldwide Anglican Communion,” added Bishop Johnston.
A settlement in another property dispute also involving the diocese of Virginia was announced the previous day: Diocese Settles with St. Paul’s Church, Anglican, Haymarket.
7 CommentsI wrote earlier about the cap on tax relief on charitable giving included in the Budget.
Madeleine Davies writes about this in the Church Times: One-size tax-relief cap won’t fit all, warns C of E adviser. This article copies a letter to the Telegraph which can be more easily read here: Proposed cap to charity tax relief will damage philanthropy.
Robert Watts writes in today’s Telegraph that George Osborne calls for talks on charity row.
0 CommentsThis Saturday two more diocesan synods voted on the Anglican Covenant motion: Chichester, and Southwell & Nottingham.
Chichester: covenant accepted
Bishops: 2 for / 0 against / 0 abstentions
Clergy: 29 for / 9 against / 1 abstention
Laity: 39 for / 25 against / 1 abstention
Southwell & Nottingham: covenant accepted
Bishops: 2 for / 0 against / 0 abstentions
Clergy 15 for / 5 against / 0 abstentions
Laity: 31 for / 6 against / 1 abstention
25 diocesan synods have now voted against the covenant, and 17 in favour. The remaining two dioceses, Newcastle and York, will vote next Saturday (28 April).
22 CommentsI wrote earlier about the changes made in the Budget to VAT on alterations to listed buildings.
Madeleine Davies writes about this in the Church Times: VAT change throws spanner into works at listed churches. The Church Times has also published an editorial: Another raid on church finances.
Other press reports during the last week include these.
Philip Johnston in the Telegraph George Osborne puts the fabric of Britain at risk with the ‘heritage tax’
Nicholas Cecil and Joe Murphy in the London Evening Standard Bishops revolt over Osborne’s VAT on church improvements
Richard Waite in The Architects’ Journal Angry Bishops battle government over VAT on listed buildings
James Chapman in This is Money Ministers to make U-turn on churches compensation and VAT on caravans amid turmoil over Osborne’s Budget
0 CommentsAndrew Brown asks in The Guardian Are evangelical Christians on another planet?
Daniel Schultz writes in the Revealer So Long, Rowan Williams.
Diana Butler Bass writes for USA Today about When spirituality and religion collide.
Paul Oestreicher asks in The Guardian Was Jesus gay? Probably.
Giles Fraser starts his new series Loose canon in the Guardian with On a new demand-free service.
Mark Vernon writes in The Tablet Why religion is good for you.
12 CommentsToday’s Times carries a letter from a group of Church of England bishops, senior clergy and lay members of the General Synod. It argues for “a recognition of God’s grace at work in same-sex partnerships” and “that the Church of England has nothing to fear from the introduction of civil marriage for same-sex couples”.
The letter is behind the Times paywall, but we have been given permission to republish it here.
To: The Editor
The TimesSir,
A number of recent statements by church leaders past and present may have given the mistaken impression that the Church is universally opposed to the extension of civil marriage to same-sex couples. We believe that does not adequately reflect the range of opinion which exists within the Church of England.
Marriage is a robust institution which has adapted much over the centuries. It has moved beyond the polygamy of the Old Testament and preoccupation with social status and property in pre-Enlightenment times.
While the Prayer Book states that marriage was ordained first for ‘the procreation of children’ the modern marriage service begins by emphasising the quality of relationship between marriage partners ‘that they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind.’
The Church calls marriage holy or sacramental because the covenant relationship of committed, faithful love between the couple reflects the covenanted love and commitment between God and his Church. Growing in this kind of love means we are growing in the image of God. So the fact that there are same-sex couples who want to embrace marriage should be a cause for rejoicing in the Christian Church.
We welcome current moves by the House of Bishops to consider again its view of civil partnerships and human sexuality. We hope this will lead to a recognition of God’s grace at work in same-sex partnerships and call on the Church to engage in theological discussion and prayerful reflection on the nature of marriage.
We also welcome recent reported statements by the Bishop of Salisbury and the new Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral calling on the Church to affirm same-sex couples who want to take on the commitment of marriage.
It is our belief that the Church of England has nothing to fear from the introduction of civil marriage for same-sex couples. It will be for the churches to then decide how they should respond pastorally to such a change in the law.
Sincerely
Canon Giles Goddard, General Synod, Southwark
The Very Rev Jeffrey John, Dean of St AlbansThe Rt Rev Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham
The Rt Rev Michael Doe
The Rt Rev John Gladwin
The Rt Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth
The Rt Rev Peter Selby
The Rt Rev David StancliffeThe Very Rev David Brindley, Dean of Portsmouth
The Very Rev Graham Smith, Dean of Norwich
The Very Rev Victor Stock, Dean of GuildfordMrs April Alexander, General Synod, Southwark
The Rev Stephen Coles, General Synod, London
The Rev Clair Herbert, General Synod, London
Mr John Ward LLB, General Synod, London
Ruth Gledhill has an article on the front page of The Times. This too is behind the paywall, but SkyNews has published a photograph.
The letter has already been reported elsewhere in the press.
Andrew Hough in The Telegraph Church of England should ‘rejoice’ over gay marriage, Bishops say
Press Association Clergy group backs gay marriage
28 CommentsThe Governing Body of the Church in Wales debated the Anglican Communion Covenant this morning and has now issued this Press Release.
Church gives “amber light” to Anglican Covenant
April 18 2012A plan to protect the unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion was given an amber light, rather than a green light, by the Church in Wales today (April 18).
Members of its Governing Body voted to affirm their commitment to the Communion and the Covenant process, but asked questions of the Anglican Consultative Council which meets in October. They feared the recent rejection of the Covenant by the Church of England jeopardised its future and clarifications about that were now needed before a decision could be made.
The Bishop of St Asaph, Dr Gregory Cameron, who proposed a motion which was amended in the light of the Church of England decision, said, “We have given the Covenant an amber light rather than a green light but in doing so we are being honest about where the Church is today. However, I think we need to reaffirm our strong commitment to each other through the saving power of Christ revealed in the Gospels. That is what I believe the Covenant ultimately calls us to do and I hope one day the Church in Wales will be able to vote for it.”
The amended motion, which was carried overwhelmingly, was that the GB:
i) affirm the commitment of the Church in Wales to the life of the Anglican Communion;
ii) Affirm its readiness to engage with any ongoing process of consideration of the Anglican Communion Covenant;
iii) Request clarification from the 15th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council as to the status and direction of the Covenant process in the light of the position of the Church of England;
iv) Urge upon the Instruments of Communion a course of action which continues to see reconciliation and the preservation of the Communion as a family of interdependent but autonomous Churches.
The published agenda gave this text for the original unamended motion:
18 CommentsThat the Governing Body:
i) affirm the commitment of the Church in Wales to the life of the Anglican Communion, and subscribe to the Anglican Communion Covenant;
ii) invite the Standing Committee to monitor the Church in Wales’s participation in the Covenant on an annual basis.
Updated Monday afternoon
In addition to the extension of to VAT to alterations to listed buildings in the budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also put a limit on the tax relief that higher-rate tax payers can claim on donations to charities.
James Kirkup and Tim Ross reported in The Telegraph this weekend that George Osborne’s charity tax plan is unfair, says Church of England. This article quotes remarks from “the chief finance officer of the Church [Commissioners]” which were made as a comment to an article by Tania Mason for Civil Society Media: Osborne provides evidence of aggressive tax avoidance to justify tax relief cap.
The weekend papers have published a number of other articles about this limit.
The Guardian
Dalya Alberge and Daniel Boffey Nick Clegg to go on charm offensive amid fury over charity tax cap
Press Association Charity tax relief cap: Tory treasurer adds voice to criticism
Marina McIntyre Charity tax relief plans attacked by philanthropists
Patrick Wintour and Hélène Mulholland Ministers look at measures to protect charities from tax changes
The Telegraph
Roya Nikkhah, Julie Henry and Robert Watts Charity tax relief cap under fire as philanthropists warn of funding crisis
Patrick Hennessy, Robert Watts and Roya Nikkhah Ministers sound retreat in charity tax row
Charity tax row: Government will ‘find solution’, says William Hague
Mail Online
Rob Cooper Tory treasurer turns on George Osborne in revolt over plans to cut tax relief on charitable donations
Explanatory note: In the UK those who pay income tax can gift-aid their donations to charity, and the charity can claim back the income tax that has been paid at the standard rate (which is 20%). So for every 80p of donation, the charity can claim 20p (ie 25% of the donation) from the taxman. For those who pay income tax at a higher rate, the charity can still claim 25% of the donation, and the taxpayer can claim the difference between this and the actual tax paid. It is this last amount the budget will cap.
Update
There is an e-petition to HM Government opposing the Chancellor’s proposal.
Patrick Wintour reports in The Guardian that Charity tax plans to be reviewed.
Updated Tuesday morning
The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his budget on 21 March that value added tax (VAT) (at the standard rate of 20%) will be extended to alterations to listed buildings. This will particularly affect the Church of England, which issued this press release.
Statement on Budget 2012: VAT to be charged at 20 percent on alterations to listed churches
Unexpectedly the Chancellor announced in the Budget that approved alterations to listed buildings – which, unlike repairs and maintenance are currently zero-rated – will be charged at the standard rate of 20 percent. This will cost Church of England congregations up to £20 million per annum on works to its 12,500 listed church buildings, assuming of course parishes and cathedrals can now afford to go ahead and undertake the works required.
This is a real blow to communities who are seeking to maintain and develop their churches (including improved lavatory, kitchen, disability and energy saving facilities) to enable churches to be more widely used by the community. The 20 percent VAT charge will also negatively impact bell hanging and organ building, both traditional craft industries, where some schemes currently enjoy zero rating.
The day after the Budget the Bishop of London and Second Church Estates Commissioner wrote to the Chancellor asking him to keep alterations to listed churches zero-rated.
The accompanying Treasury Document also stated that the Government was ‘extending’ the scope of the Grant Scheme administered by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to include alterations. It did not; however specify any increase in funding of the scheme. Without a cash increase to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which is already inadequate to cover all repair claims, the current scheme will simply be divided into even smaller amounts among a larger group of claimants. So, far from being additional help for churches, the effect of the extension will be to reduce the proportion of the VAT costs refunded for repairs and maintenance…
Subsequently there have been these two further CofE press releases.
Sign the e-petition to bring back zero rate VAT on alterations to listed churches
Going for a song: CofE YouTube recording calls on Government to bring back zero rate VAT on alterations to listed buildings
There was not a lot of press reaction to this initially, but recently the media have been taking more interest in this tax change.
Mark Hughes in The Telegraph Budget 2012: VAT increase on listed buildings will ‘discourage improvements’
Niki May Young for Civil Society Media Church of England faces £20m annual tax bill following Budget
Madeleine Davies in the Church Times Outcry as Church faces £20-million extra VAT bill
Niki May Young for Civil Society Media Church petition against VAT on alterations surpasses 10,000 signatures
The Telegraph Labour urges rethink on VAT for work on listed churches
Daily Mail Cameron faces revolt from his local church pulpit over £20m Budget tax raid
Jason Beattie in The Mirror Tories face the wrath of God after slapping VAT on church alterations
Luke Heighton in The Sun Fury at Tory ‘stealth tax’ on churches
Chris Mason for the BBC VAT rise ‘could jeopardise Church renovation projects’ and Fears VAT ‘may halt church repairs’
ITV News VAT changes for listed buildings
Update
From the Church in Wales Archbishop petitions against “heritage tax”
6 Comments