Here at Thinking Anglicans we try to note announcements of the retirements of Church of England bishops and cathedral deans, and the names of their successors. We do not always succeed and I have just discovered that the Bishop of Lynn announced in June that he would be retiring on 25 January 2021.
25 CommentsStephen Parsons Surviving Church Rebuilding Trust after the IICSA Report
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer The Church of England – a safer space for abusers than for the abused
Peter Ormerod The Guardian Think unconscious bias training is a fad? It’s been going for at least 2,000 years
“MPs balking at ‘PC gone mad’ forget that Jesus instructed people to examine their consciences for unacknowledged sin”
Christina Baron ViaMedia.News Living in Love and Faith – Is There Really Hope for Change?
18 CommentsThe Dean of Sheffield, the Very Revd Peter Bradley, has announced his resignation from the role of Dean with effect from 31 December 2020.
9 CommentsJohn Sundara The Living Church A Thicker Constellation of Vocation
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Is the Church of England ready for new moves in Safeguarding?
Meg Munn Chair of the National Safeguarding Panel Time for Review
Rogers Govender ViaMedia.News Walking in Beauty – Contemplation in times of Struggle, Suffering and Exclusion
Paul W Thomas Church Times Deaneries’ moment of truth has at last arrived
“It is time that they replaced parishes as the locus of the Church of England’s mission”
Trevor Thurston-Smith The Pensive Pilgrim Lament, Joy and Hope in a Time of Pandemic
34 CommentsThe timetable for November’s virtual meeting of the Church of England General Synod was published today, and is copied below.
GENERAL SYNOD: November 2020
Timetable for VIRTUAL Meeting
(subject to General Synod (Remote Meetings) (Temporary Standing Orders) Measure receiving Royal Assent)
Monday 23 November
1.00 pm – 7.00 pm
1.00 pm – 1.15 pm Opening worship Introduction and welcomes
1.15 pm – 2.00 pm Ratification of Standing Orders to enable virtual meetings
2.00 pm – 2.05 pm Enactment of Amending Canon No. 40
Enactment of Amending Canon No. 41
2.05 pm – 2.50 pm Business Committee Report
2.50 pm – 3.20 pm screen break
3.20 pm – 4.20 pm Presidential Address (both Archbishops, to include reference to LLF, and opportunity for questions)
4.20 pm – 5.05 pm break out rooms (To enable to Synod engage with points raised in Presidential Address)
5.05 pm – 5.30 pm screen break
*5.30 pm – 7.00 pm Question Time
7.00 pm Close of Business
7.15 pm – 8.15 pm House of Bishops Meeting
Tuesday 24 November
9.15 am – 1.00 pm
9.15 am – 9.30 am Opening worship
9.30 am – 11.30 am Vision and Strategy, to include the opportunity for 30 mins breakout room discussion
11.30 am – 11.50 am screen break
Legislative Business – Special Agenda I
*11.50 am – 1.00 pm Cathedrals Measure – Final Drafting and Final Approval
2.30 pm – 6.30 pm
2.30 pm – 4.30 pm Archbishops’ Council Budget 2021 and Apportionment
4.30 pm – 5.00 pm screen break
Legislative Business – Special Agenda I
5.00 pm – 6.00 pm First Consideration of Measure amending Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016
6.00 pm – 6.30 pm Appointment of the Chair of the Dioceses Commission
6.30 pm Close of Business
Wednesday 25 November
9.15 am – 2.00 pm
9.15 am – 9.30 am Opening worship
9.30 am – 11.30 am Safeguarding (presentation and debate)
11.30 am – 12.00 pm screen break
Legislative Business – Special Agenda I
12.00 pm – 1.00 pm Diocesan Boards of Education Measure – Final Drafting and Final Approval
1.00pm – 2.00 pm Regulations under section 2, Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 20[21] (national ministry register)
2.30 pm – 3.30 pm
2.30 pm – 3.30pm Deemed Business (if required)
*3.30 pm Prorogation
Deemed Business:
Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2020,
Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2020,
Church Commissioners’ Funding Order for the Churches Conservation Trust 2021-24,
Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (CEFPS) Rules Consolidation,
Terms of Service Amendment Regulations on Bereavement Leave,
Diocese of Manchester (Deanery Synods) Scheme 2020,
Regulations under Canon DA 1 (religious communities).
* not later than
Please note that all timings are indicative unless marked with an asterisk
Deadline for receipt of questions: 1200 hrs Wednesday 11 November 2020
Ian Paul Psephizo How do we proclaim good news during the pandemic?
Savitri Hensman ViaMedia.News Justice, Bias, Love and Loyalty in the Church of England
Ellie Singer Earth & Altar From Analog Neighborhood To Digital Community
4 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
House of Bishops Meeting – 29 September 2020
29/09/2020
A meeting of the House of Bishops took place today Tuesday 29 September 2020 via Zoom.
The focus of the meeting was a reflective practice consideration of the Church’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic to date, lessons learnt over the recent months and priorities for the future. The House agreed that its priorities for the future will include working closely with the local civic authorities to deal appropriately with the next phase of the pandemic across the regions.
The House also received updates from the various works streams operating under the auspices of the Emerging Church Groups. An overview by the Chair of the Co-ordinating Group, the Bishop of Manchester was followed by brief reports from the Chair of the Recovery Group, the Vision and Strategy Group, the Governance Group and the Transforming Effectiveness Group.
The House was then updated by the Director of Safeguarding on a range of safeguarding matters.
The House welcomed last week’s announcement by the Archbishops regarding the proposed interim pilot support scheme for survivors which will offer immediate support for those who have come forward. A permanent survivor redress scheme will be established with the final sum involved, to ensure full funding of the redress scheme, not yet finalised.
The House expressed support for the Archbishops’ Council’s statement last week giving a commitment to pursue the principle of independent safeguarding and agreed with the Council’s recognition of the need for greater independence and transparency of safeguarding.
In its reflective practice session in the second half of the meeting, the House reflected on the Church’s response to Covid-19 and the lessons learnt since the pandemic began. As well as underlining the importance of worship in church buildings for the health and soul of the nation, the House reviewed how the Church could go on learning from the many positive developments of recent months, such as the growth of online worshipping communities, the huge success of Church’s digital engagement and the Church’s enhanced outreach via digital media to younger people and BAME communities. The reflection began with an introduction by the Archbishop of Canterbury, followed by plenary discussion introduced by the Bishop of London. The refection concluded with a discussion and feedback led by the Archbishop of York.
14 CommentsGiles Fraser UnHerd Why Covid can’t cancel Christmas
“There is much to be gained by the knocking out of all the cheap commercial cheer”
Peter Leonard ViaMedia.News What Schitt’s Creek Can Teach the Church of England
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Keeping Everyone Happy at Church
Edward Dowler All Things Lawful And Honest Singing a new song
“Edward Dowler considers the Psalms, Augustine and anthropology, and calls for the safe restoration of congregational singing to our worshiping life.”
Updated Friday, Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday (1 October)
The meeting of General Synod took place today as planned and completed all stages of the General Synod (Remote Meetings) (Temporary Standing Orders) Measure. At the end of the meeting the Measure was given final approval, with 14 bishops, 42 clergy and 45 clergy voting in favour. There were no votes against and just two abstentions (both in the House of Laity). There is a press release here.
The meeting started with a joint presidential address by the two archbishops. There is an official press release summarising the address here, and the full text of the Archbishop of York’s contribution is here.
Friday Update
Andrew Nunn reports on the meeting: All done and dusted.
The Church Times has these two reports.
‘Love can jump two metres’: Archbishops upbeat despite pandemic trials
Synod clears path to a November meeting online
Saturday Update
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of synod
Stephen Lynas bathwellschap (They long to be) Close to you
Wednesday Update
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s contribution to the presidential address is now online.
Thursday 1 October Update
The Business Done and the Electronic Voting Result – Item 502 are now available.
3 CommentsSuffragan Bishop of Stafford: 10 September 2020
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Venerable Matthew John Parker to the Suffragan See of Stafford.Published 24 September 2020
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing StreetThe Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Matthew John Parker BA MA, Archdeacon of Stoke-upon-Trent in the diocese of Lichfield to the Suffragan See of Stafford, in the diocese of Lichfield, in succession to the Right Reverend Geoffrey Peter Annas who retired last year.
Matthew was educated at the University of Manchester and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at St Mary the Virgin, Twickenham in the diocese of London and was ordained Priest in 1989.
In 1991, Matthew was appointed Curate of St George, Stockport and Chaplain of Stockport Grammar School in the diocese of Chester. In 1993, Matthew moved to St Mark’s Edgeley as Priest-in-Charge and in 1994 became Team Vicar in the Stockport South West Team Ministry.
In 2000, Matthew was appointed Team Rector of Leek and Meerbrook Team Ministry in the diocese of Lichfield and in 2007 was additionally appointed Rural Dean of Leek. In 2013, Matthew took up his current role as Archdeacon of Stoke-upon-Trent in the diocese of Lichfield.
There are more details on the Lichfield diocesan website.
4 CommentsThe papers for tomorrow’s meeting of General Synod are here; they now include
NP1 Motions and Amendments
OP1 Order Paper 1 for Special Session
which have been added since my previous post.
According to the order paper a presidential address has been added to the agenda.
The Church of England issued the following press release today.
Special session of General Synod to go ahead amid new Covid-19 measures
23/09/2020
A special session of the Church of England General Synod, needed to pass urgent legislation enabling Synod to continue to operate amid the challenges of the pandemic, will go ahead in London on Thursday. (more…)
0 CommentsDavid Ison ViaMedia.News One for All and All for One?
Barry Orford All Things Lawful And Honest Holy Useful
“Barry Orford replies to an earlier article … by Angela Tilby. He shares many of her concerns about theological formation.”
Thomas Plant All Things Lawful And Honest Deschooling Theology
“In a further contribution to debate on the future of theological formation, Tom Plant argues for the maximum possible decentralisation of ministerial education.”
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The Anger that Challenges Injustice
3 CommentsJon Price Earth & Altar The issues are worth working through: Starting ministry during a pandemic
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law In Defence of the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003: Measure and Management
Rosie Harper ViaMedia.News Secrecy and an Unaccountable Church of England
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Reflections on the Dynamics of Control among Evangelical Anglicans
Micah Lazarus Earth & Altar The Fountain Of Life: Reclaiming Church And Tradition For Queer Flourishing
31 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Vision and Strategy Group: Tuesday 15th September
17/09/2020
A consultation hosted by the Archbishop of York took place online from 14 to 16 September and was attended by over 150 delegates.
The consultation — dubbed ‘Living Vision, Walking Strategy’ — was part of the ongoing work on the Church of England’s Vision & Strategy led by the Archbishop of York and expected to conclude in early 2021. The consultation was an opportunity for all the bishops and diocesan secretaries to work together on the Church of England’s mission, vision and priorities for the next 10 years.
The consultation opened with sessions on where the Church is presently and what we are learning from this experience. On Tuesday the consultation considered the particular challenges facing the Church both internally and externally and what the vision for the Church over the next ten years might be. The final day covered potential practicalities of committing to the work needed to put the strategy and vision into action at a national, diocesan and local level.
9 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
House of Bishops Meeting – 17th September 2020
17/09/2020
A meeting of the House of Bishops took place today Wednesday 17 September 2020 via Zoom.
At the second meeting of the House this autumn, the focus of the meeting was on strategic planning and the on-going work of the Emerging Church groups.
Earlier this week, 130 of the Church’s Bishops and most senior leaders in the regions met in a zoom forum entitled “Not the College” which was chaired by both Archbishops. The forum considered how the Church of England can boost its mission and outreach to all communities in this country.
Reporting back to the House in his capacity as Chair of the Church’s Vision and Strategy Group which sponsored the meeting, the Archbishop of York spoke of the Church’s addressing the spiritual need of a society which is going through an economic and health crisis. In particular Archbishop Stephen focused on the themes of inclusion and broadening the Church’s engagement with younger and more diverse groups.
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally in her capacity as Chair of the Recovery Group then updated the House on the recent ‘rule of six’ announcement by the government and how the announcement will affect church services and church related activities. These will continue to take place while building on the digital engagement and outreach which have been markers of the Church’s activities during the crisis.
The Chair of the Governance Review Group then gave an update on the various models of Church governance structures which are being considered by the group.
This was followed by a report from the Chair of the Transforming Effectiveness Group which is looking at what activities sit best at a local level and which are best resourced nationally. The House welcomed this initiative and agreed to feed in ideas and inputs to assist with structured conversations at diocesan and national levels about how all levels of Church activities are best supported.
The House then received an update on the financial position of dioceses and parish share, with the House supporting specific conversations and engagement with those dioceses facing financial strain.
This was followed by an update regarding ongoing plans for the 2022 Lambeth Conference. Although the Conference was unable to take place in 2020, supportive and productive dialogues are continuing between the Archbishop of Canterbury and his counterparts in all parts of the global Anglican Communion who are each facing the crisis in different ways.
The current position of the Church of England with respect to the distribution of Holy Communion and the use of the Common Cup during Covid was discussed with further theological reflection, discussion and work on this matter planned.
12 CommentsDifferent views on individual communion cups:
Peter Anthony All Things Lawful And Honest A Shot of Salvation
“Peter Anthony reveals the murky racist past that lies behind the invention of individual communion cups in Nineteenth Century America and argues against their introduction in the Church of England for a number of theological and practical reasons.”
Steven Holmes Shored Fragments On the use of individual communion cups
Hilary Bogert-Winkler Montreal Diocesan Theological College Individual Communion Cups, Community, and Covid-19
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Richard Coekin and Jonathan Fletcher’s circle
Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News Solidarity, Oppression and the Church of England
Gilo Surviving Church Thoughts on the Elliott Review ‘translation’ by Archbishops Council
17 CommentsUpdate: The Telegraph article is now available on the Archbishop’s website.
The Telegraph has published an article by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London today.
The Government must decentralise to survive Covid
Getting through the winter will only be sustainable if we resource, train and empower local parishesWhen the covid pandemic began and lockdown took force across the country – shuttering shops and pubs, closing schools and barring places of worship – much of what we saw, heard and experienced was dictated and driven by “the centre”. Ministers and officials commanded our attention and determined the daily details of our lives. Few of us have experienced the sheer power of government like that in our lifetimes.
It makes sense to look instinctively for central direction in such an acute crisis, and we’re indebted to the roles many played in doing so, especially those who organised the NHS to cope with the increased demand. Within the Church there are lessons to be learnt about the role and importance of central guidance and its crucial interplay with government rules that exist for the benefit of all…
So here’s our challenge for the next phase of this complex, painful and hugely challenging time: let’s place our trust in the local, and make sure it is resourced, trained, informed and empowered. Some places will get things wrong – but that is true of central leadership too…
The Telegraph also has this news item: Exclusive: ‘Rule of six’ is damaging, Justin Welby tells Boris Johnson
Unfortunately these articles are behind a paywall, but there are freely available reports elsewhere.
9 CommentsGiles Goddard ViaMedia.News Sexuality & Christianity – Does One Size Fit All?
Church Times A case of reverse contagion?
Sheila Bridge reflects on the unexpected power of one of the lesser sacraments
The Dean of Hereford, the Very Revd Michael Tavinor, has announced that he will retire on 28 February 2021.
Hereford Cathedral press release
Statement from the Bishop of Hereford
Today’s Church Times has two safeguarding stories.
Oxford admits failings in spiritual-abuse case
“THE Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, has apologised for “shortcomings” identified by an independent review of his diocese’s handling of a case of spiritual abuse. These failings “contributed to the distress of the survivors”, he said…”
You can read the full report and information about how the diocese is responding here.
Elliott condemns PR response to his safeguarding review
32 Comments“THE author of a strongly critical safeguarding review of the Church of England has condemned the revelation that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) responded to his recommendations by initiating closer ties between insurers, communications officers, and legal staff…”