Anna Norman-Walker ViaMedia.News “Spiritual Abuse” – A Pandora’s Box?
Mary Cole Psephizo Valuing people with Down’s Syndrome: a parent’s response
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Active citizenship in the Church of England
Michael Sadgrove Woolgathering in North East England The Report on Cathedrals: Further Thoughts
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Disentangling Christianity and Patriarchy
Jayne Ozanne ViaMedia.News Neighbours – Can’t We Just “Walk By” Sometimes (please)?
Two opposing views on the same topic in Church Times:
Steven Croft C of E must make first move across the divide
Andrew Davison An intolerable departure from order
Press release from Number 10
Dean of Liverpool nominated: 31 January 2018
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Susan Helen Jones as Dean of Liverpool.
Published 31 January 2018
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Susan Helen Jones, BEd, MPhil, PhD, Residentiary Canon at Derby Cathedral and Director of Mission and Ministry in the Diocese of Derby, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of Christ, Liverpool, on the elevation of the Very Reverend Peter Jonathan Wilcox, MA, DPhil as Bishop of Sheffield on 23 September 2017.
Announcement from Liverpool Cathedral
5 CommentsBosco Peters Liturgy Lex Photographi, Lex Orandi
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of governance, speaking of leadership
Simon Reader Church Times Welcoming, not screening out
The Synod debate on the Down’s test could send a powerful message
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Fr Bill Kirkpatrick RIP
5 CommentsWe noted last week’s release of the draft report by the Church of England’s Cathedrals Working Group here.
General Synod members have been sent a copy of the draft report (GS Misc 1177) today; it includes a covering letter from the chair and vice-chair of the group
Here are some media reports and comment articles that have appeared since the report was released.
media reports
Madeleine Davies Church Times Praise and warnings in cathedrals review
“SERIOUS governance mistakes” have been made at cathedrals, and legislative change is needed to correct “inadequacies” in their regulation, are the conclusions of a review commissioned in the wake of a cash-flow crisis at Peterborough. It also says that many cathedrals are struggling financially…
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian England’s cathedrals face financial crisis as running costs soar
Inquiry criticises management of some Anglican buildings and urges CoE to ask for state funds
Anglican Communion News Service Review proposes law change to improve governance of English Cathedrals
For a list of the report’s principal recommendations read Frank Cranmer Law & Religion UK Governance of Church of England cathedrals: the draft report
comment
Miachael Sadgrove Woolgathering in North East England A New Report on Cathedrals
Stephen Cherry Another Angle How to run a Cathedral
Adrian Newman Church Times How to make cathedrals fitter for the future
If they are to flourish in the long term, they need changes in management and governance
Church Times Letters to the editor from John Searle, Richard Austen-Baker and Richard Lewis {scroll down]
0 CommentsRichard Rohr Center for Action and Contemplation At-One-Ment, Not Atonement
Bosco Peters Liturgy Divorcees & Committed Same-Sex Couples part 1
John Gillibrand Ekklesia Anglicanism – the road ahead of us
James Woodward ViaMedia.News Refining and Owning our Anger…
1 CommentWe noted here more criticism of response to Carlile report, including a letter from seven academic historians criticising the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments in response to the Carlile report. The Archbishop has now released this statement in reply.
Statement from Archbishop of Canterbury following letter from historians regarding the Bishop George Bell case
Monday 22nd January 2018
Archbishop Justin Welby said today:
Following a letter sent to Lambeth Palace and also to the Telegraphnewspaper by a group of academics, I felt it important to send a considered, personal response and this statement reflects the essence of my reply.
“I cannot with integrity rescind my statement made after the publication of Lord Carlile’s review into how the Church handled the Bishop Bell case. I affirmed the extraordinary courage and achievement of Bishop Bell both before the war and during its course, while noting the Church has a duty to take seriously the allegation made against him.
“Our history over the last 70 years has revealed that the Church covered up, ignored or denied the reality of abuse on major occasions. I need only refer to the issues relating to Peter Ball to show an example. As a result, the Church is rightly facing intense and concentrated scrutiny (focussed in part on the Diocese of Chichester) through the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Our first hearing is in March.
“The Diocese of Chichester was given legal advice to make a settlement based on the civil standard of proof, the balance of probability. It was not alleged that Bishop Bell was found to have abused on the criminal standard of proof, beyond reasonable doubt. The two standards should not be confused. It should be remembered that Carol, who brought the allegation, was sent away in 1995, and we have since apologised for this lamentable failure; a failure highlighted by Lord Carlile.
“I wrote my response with the support of both Bishop Peter Hancock, the lead bishop for safeguarding, and Bishop Martin Warner, the Bishop of Chichester. We are clear that we accept all but part of one of the recommendations Lord Carlile makes and we are extremely grateful to him for what he has done and the help he has given the Church.
“He indicates that in his judgement, a better way to have handled the allegation would have been for the Church to offer money on condition of confidentiality. We disagree with this suggestion. The confidentiality would have been exposed through the IICSA process, and the first question we would have faced, both about Bishop Bell and more widely, would have been ‘so what else are you concealing?’. The letter from the historiansdoes not take into account any of these realities, nor the past failures of the Church. But we will go on considering how we can make our processes better and more robust, as pointed out by Lord Carlile.
“As in the case of Peter Ball, and others, it is often suggested that what is being alleged could not have been true, because the person writing knew the alleged abuser and is absolutely certain that it was impossible for them to have done what is alleged. As with Peter Ball this sometimes turns out to be untrue, not through their own fault or deceit, but because abuse is often kept very secret. The experience of discovering feet of clay in more than one person I held in profound respect has been personally tragic. But as I said strongly in my original statement, the complaint about Bishop Bell does not diminish the importance of his great achievements and he is one of the great Anglican heroes of the 20th Century.”
9 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Theore0 Can the C of E learn a lesson or two from Tim Farron
Speaking of inclusivity and disagreement
David Walker Via Media.News A Changing View From Across the Pond…
Three related Church Times articles
Why I left church in my teens – A poll of parents has suggested that 14 is the average age when their children stopped going to church. Five people reflect on why they left as teenagers
Becca Dean It’s time to start listening – The insights of the young and frustration that they voice are gifts to be received
Hannah Barr What I wish the Church knew about young people – It’s hard to be a young person. What each needs to be shown is grace
Clifford Longley The Tablet Is it time for the bishops to make a ‘bonfire of their vanities’?
1 CommentUpdated Saturday night
Like the official press release, press reports on the agenda for next month’s meeting of the Church of England General Synod concentrate on one item.
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph Church of England set to lobby Government over rising Down’s Syndrome abortions
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Down’s syndrome test could see condition disappear, C of E warns
Madeleine Davies Church Times C of E report seeks neutral approach to new Down’s test
More heavyweights wanted on the Bishops’ bench
Harry Farley Christian Today CofE to consider call for women pregnant with Down’s syndrome babies to get ‘unbiased’ information
Church of England braced for ‘controversial’ next step in ending 200-year split with Methodists
Cara Bentley Premier Valuing people with Down’s Syndrome on Church of England’s General Synod agenda
Anglican Communion News Service Anglican Communion primates invited to Church of England’s General Synod
Update
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph Church of England braced for ‘controversial’ vote on using Methodist ministers
3 CommentsThe Church of England has issued the press release below about papers for next month’s meeting of General Synod.
See my previous article for my list of papers.
General Synod papers released
19/01/2018
People with Down’s Syndrome should be welcomed, celebrated and treated with dignity and respect, members of the Church of England’s General Synod will hear next month.
A motion affirming the dignity and humanity of people born with Down’s Syndrome is to be discussed by the General Synod at its February sessions in London. It comes as a new form of prenatal screening, Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), is set to be rolled out in the NHS to women deemed to be at ‘high-risk’ of having a child with Down’s syndrome.
The motion welcomes medical advances and calls for the Government and health professionals to ensure that women who have been told that their unborn child has Down’s Syndrome are given comprehensive, unbiased information on the condition.
A background paper, Valuing People with Down’s Syndrome, produced by the Church of England’s Mission and Public Affairs Council is among documents released today.
With the UK throwing away £13bn of food every year food waste is another social issue to be debated by the General Synod.
Other subjects on the agenda include a presentation on safeguarding, the development of new monastic communities, and proposals for bringing the Church of England and the Methodist Church into communion with one another and enabling interchangeability of ministries.
For the first time, the General Synod will welcome a group of representatives from other Anglican Communion provinces.
Archbishop Moon Hing of South East Asia, Archbishop Humphrey of Pakistan, Archbishop Thabo, from South Africa and Archbishop Winston Halapua, Bishop of Polynesia and Primate (Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia) will attend the February sessions.
The General Synod will meet at Church House Westminster from Thursday February 8 to Saturday February 10.
A full set of papers from the first circulation is available on the Church of England website.
5 CommentsUpdate – the second batch of papers has been released today (26 january) and links added below.
The first batch of papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod are now available online. The remaining papers will be issued on 26 January and I will add links when these become available.
Papers in numerical order with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration are listed below the fold.
Synod meets from Thursday 8 to Saturday 10 February 2018.
Press release from the Church of England
The draft report referred to below is available for download here.
New ideas to secure England’s cathedrals for the future
17/01/2018
England’s historic cathedrals are one of the real success stories of the Church in the 21st Century, but should make changes to secure them for the future, a report published today finds.
The paper from the Church of England’s Cathedrals Working Group sets out new ideas on how cathedrals could be governed and funded.
The proposals, emerging from seven months of meetings and discussions, aim to recognise and enhance the vital role that cathedrals play while building a robust framework for the future.
A consultation on the recommendations opens today, seeking views from interested groups.
They range from recommendations on how the structure of Chapter – a cathedral’s traditional governing body – could be reformed to new financial auditing processes.
The Working Group was set up by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York after a small number of cathedrals highlighted challenges in governance and management.
The working group consulted with people from all parts of the cathedral sector and elsewhere, including charities and wider civil society, to develop the proposals.
At the heart of the recommendations is the retention of Chapter as the governing body of a cathedral, but with a clearer emphasis on its governance role. There would be a separate management function provided by a Senior Executive Team who will oversee day- to-day cathedral operations.
The report also makes proposals on key areas of leadership, financial control, safeguarding, oversight of building projects and stresses the urgency of opening a dialogue with Government about state funding for cathedrals.
Adrian Newman, Bishop of Stepney and Chair of the Cathedrals Working Group, said: “Cathedrals buck the trends of numerical decline, exert a growing influence in civil society, and demonstrate an effective way of engaging with contemporary culture.
“They are inspirational in their impact on our national life and on the lives of millions of worshippers and visitors each year.
“We hope that the recommendations in our report will encourage a much closer collaboration between cathedral and diocese, dean and bishop and point towards good practice in a cathedral’s wider relationships with the diocese and the national church. The mutuality of these relationships is vital.
“In proposing changes to governance structures and aspects of cathedral operations, we do not wish to inhibit the entrepreneurial flair that has characterised so much that is good about the world of cathedrals nor impose unnecessary red tape.
“However, we are committed to ensure that cathedrals do not get into situations which prevent them from thriving in their role as pioneers in mission and ministry.
“England’s cathedrals are an immense gift to Church and nation, and we hope that our report can help to form a better understanding of how this gift can be nurtured and protected, celebrated and safeguarded long in to the future.”
Adrian Dorber, chair of the Association of English Cathedrals, and Dean of Lichfield, said: “Cathedrals are the nation’s treasures – from protecting invaluable heritage such as Magna Carta and ancient shrines to supporting social enterprises helping the homeless and the vulnerable and offering inspirational daily worship to lift the spirits and providing a place for the nation to come to be healed at times of mourning or national crisis.
“Surely no-one would argue with a fresh look at the way we are run and financed, so we are excited about where this report may take us and look forward to the responses the consultation may bring and the final report.
“Our cathedrals have been here for hundreds of years, vibrant seats of mission, of learning, of heritage and of love, let’s ensure they are here for hundreds more.”
Notes for editors:
Jeremy Morris ViaMedia.News A Theology of Reception that Pays Attention to People…
Ali Campbell Church Times Home is where the faith is; so focus on the family
The reason why there are so few young people in the pews is clear — but is the Church listening?
David Voas Church Times A lost generation
Many congregations have fewer than five under-16s. The Church has failed to retain the children and grandchildren of its members, says
The Diocese of Salisbury has announced that the Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury, the Rt Revd Dr Edward Condry, will be retiring at the end of April.
10 CommentsRichard Peers Quodcumque God made it grow: panickers, deniers and the future of the Church
James Alexander Cameron Stained Glass Attitudes Bad art in cathedrals
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Official: Steve Chalke is the Anti-Christ!
Archdruid Eileen Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley The Bible is a Library
Julianne Simpson John Rylands Library Special Collections Blog What price would you pay?
Ian Paul Psephizo How much are clergy worth?
Jeremy Pemberton OneBodyOneFaith Why we are in business, and why we need you
5 CommentsFrom this week’s Church Times
Margaret Barker explores the legends and traditions of the Magi: Unpacking the gifts to the Christ-child
In a society that now functions around the clock, John Cheek looks at churches that are open to people ‘out of hours’: 24-hour parish people
The Corporation’s renewed commitment to religion is welcome — but we will keep asking hard questions, says Jan McFarlane: The BBC has listened; now for action
Charles Clapham pneuma Murder at the Vicarage
David Goodhew The Living Church A theology for Anglican church growth
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Talking of mission: something old, something new.
24 CommentsJames Alexander Cameron Stained Glass Attitudes How to defuse the parish church crisis
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Letting go into . . .
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer How has the Church of England failed to grasp the core finding of the Carlile Report, that a superficially ‘truthful’ complainant might be an unreliable historian of fact?
16 CommentsThe latest Mystery Worshipper report from Ship of Fools: The Nativity, Bethlehem
Giles Fraser The Guardian What do an Etonian, a Trumpite and a Corbyn fan have in common? My church
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of hope
Approaching a landmark in his ministry, Mark Oakley remembers that in the beginning was the Word Church Times So great a cloud of witnesses
3 CommentsPaul Bayes God With Us
The Anglican Communion News Service has compiled a list of Christmas messages from Anglican Primates.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Ecumenical Christmas Letter 2017
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Praise Be!
Giles Goddard ViaMedia.News 2018 – A Year for Vigorous & Positive Action…
Sam Wells Evening Standard Be more material this Christmas; your spiritual side can wait
Eve Poole Church Times Saintly St Francis versus secular St Nicholas?
“Christmas offers a chance to reclaim the theology of desire which has been captured by consumerism”
Giles Fraser The Guardian Tidings of comfort and joy can’t take the pain out of life
“When my son can’t sleep and I offer reassurance I am reminded that, as a priest, that’s my job”
[Photo of the crib referenced in Giles’s column]
Catherine Fox Church Times Eternity wrapped in a span
“Catherine Fox finds it a struggle to grasp the magnitude of what happened in the Bethlehem stable”
Kelvin Holdsworth Advent and How Religion Works
Josiah Idowu-Fearon Anglican Communion News Service The ties that bind our Anglican Communion family
Phil Ashey American Anglican Who decides membership in the Anglican Communion? Not the Secretary General of the ACC!
Alan Bartlett The Telegraph As a vicar, I know better than anyone why so many clergy are close to the edge
Nancy Rockwell Patheos No More Lying About Mary
Linda Ryan Episcopal Café The Quiet Man
Revd Drayton Parslow The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Only Purely Biblical Carols
David Baker Christian Today Why it’s time to put ‘We Three Kings’ (and some other carols) in the bin
Nick Cohen The Guardian In losing religion we lose touch with each other
Stephen Cherry The New Bishop of London – and the merits of being ordained later in life
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The new Bishop of London – some Concerns
45 CommentsUpdated Tuesday morning, Friday morning, Saturday morning
The new bishop writes on her blog: I will be a servant.
Let me start with an admission: I am delighted but, yes, slightly terrified to be the next Bishop of London.
I have spent 32 years of my life in London so, for me, this will be returning home.
London is a world-facing city – multi-cultural and multi-faith.
It is a city of energy and diversity. London is open to all.
But it is also a city of inequality and deprivation. A typical woman in Tower Hamlets in east London will live 30 years in poor health, compared to only 12 for a man in Enfield further north.
It is a city where the number of people living alone will rise by over 50% in the next 25 years.
And it is a city where people feel ignored, marginalised and angry…
Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop’s statement on the new Bishop of London
Archbishop Justin Welby has welcomed the news that Bishop Sarah Mullally will be the new Bishop of London.
The Archbishop said:
“Bishop Sarah brings to this remarkable ministry in this great city an extraordinary experience and profound gifts which are guided by her faith in Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of all that she is…
The London diocesan website has Next Bishop of London announced
Church of England press release
Hattie Williams and Tim Wyatt Church Times Sarah Mullally to be the next Bishop of London
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Sarah Mullally appointed bishop of London
BBC News First female Bishop of London appointed
Mark Woods Christian Today Who is Sarah Mullally, the new Bishop of London?
Tola Mbakwe Premier New Bishop of London announced
Updates
Luke Miller (Archdeacon of London) London Welcomes a New Bishop
WATCH Press release at the announcement of the 133rd Bishop of London
BBC News Former nurse appointed as Bishop of London
Forward in Faith Nomination of the next Bishop of London
Melanie McDonagh The Spectator The new Bishop of London is a far cry from her predecessor
Melanie McDonagh and Ross Lydall Evening Standard Former nurse Sarah Mullally appointed first ever female Bishop of London
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph New bishop of London could pave the way for female archbishop, say campaigners
James Macintyre Christian Today New Bishop of London Sarah Mullally reaches out to conservatives over sexuality and gender
Ian Paul Psephizo ‘Is the new Bishop of London any good?’
Hattie Williams Church Times Have confidence in your new Bishop, London traditionalists are urged
19 Comments