The Archbishop of Canterbury gave this lecture in Moscow this week: Christian hope
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law The Crockford Preface 1987: Thirty Years On
Paul Bayes ViaMedia.News Twitter Moments – The General and The Particular
Rachel Mann In Praise of ‘Church’: the Parish as a Place of Glory & Grace
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of despots and of kings
Simon Cook Church Times Like it or not, the digital world is the real world
“People should not seek to escape technology … Instead, they need to be taught to use it wisely”
Jonathan Bartley Church Times What should upset Christians
“There are far more important issues than sausage rolls in cribs”
Andrew Hammond, chaplain of King’s College, Cambridge, is interviewed by Anna Menin for Varsity: King’s Chaplain: ‘It’s the quality of the love that matters, not the gender of the lovers’
22 CommentsRachel Mann Why Transgender Day of Remembrance Matters
Warren Hartley A brave faith The theology and spirituality of Open Table – A person-centred approach
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer Safeguarding: why is the Church of England’s institutional compassion so constipated?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The decadence of the Church of England
18 CommentsSimon Butler ViaMedia.News My Confusion Regarding Claims of Sexual Harassment
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of teaching
Bosco Peters Liturgy Submission on Blessing Same-Sex Couples
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Purity Cults: death by a thousand cuts
Jeremy Morris via Media.News How Do Churches Die?
Ian Paul Psephizo Jesus was not born in a stable (honest!)
Martyn Percy Archbishop Cranmer How Bishop George Bell became a victim of Church of England ‘spin’ and a narrative of ‘decisive leadership’
Rachel Mann Celebrating Rainbow Lives: Can the C of E be more like the NHS?
Madeleine Davies “hears how choirs are drawing children, and their families, into the life of the Church of England” Church Times From the choir stalls to the altar
36 CommentsIt was announced today that Adrian Greenwood will fill the place on the Archbishops’ Council vacated by Lorna Ashworth. The press release is copied below.
Procedures to fill a single casual vacancy that has arisen on the Archbishops’ Council have now been completed. Mr Adrian Greenwood has been duly elected. He joins Canon Mark Russell who continues to serve his term as the other elected lay member of the Archbishops’ Council.
In accordance with the Standing Orders relating to elections by Houses of the General Synod, the election was conducted by recounting the voting papers for the previous election from the House of Laity to the Council, which took place in February 2016. Only candidates in that election who remained qualified for election and consented to serve were eligible for election. Adrian Greenwood joins the Archbishops’ Council with immediate effect.
The full results from February 2016 are here.
5 CommentsJonathan Draper Afterthoughts What is Remembrance For?
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer Church U-turn on sex abuse: from the victim ‘must be believed’ to being ‘taken seriously’
Bosco Peters Liturgy Agreeing on The Holy Spirit
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law The Coronation Oath: Right and Rite
Philip Lockley Church Times Laboratories for disagreeing well
Ordination training offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn the meaning of ‘mutual flourishing’
The Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, has announced that he will retire from 31 August 2018.
5 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Cathedral Statistics 2016 along with a press release, copied below. Statistics for previous years are available here.
Cathedrals attract record numbers at Christmas
09 November 2017
Christmas attendance at services in cathedrals last year reached its highest figure since records began, statistics published today show. A one year rise of 5%, meant that 131,000 people came to cathedrals to worship last Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Increased attendances were also recorded at services in Advent with 635,000 coming to worship during the busy pre-Christmas build-up. Average weekly attendances at services on a Sunday also increased to 18,700.
Meanwhile, over 10 million people visited cathedrals and Westminster Abbey with half donating or paying for entry.
The Rt Revd John Inge, Bishop of Worcester, and lead bishop for cathedrals and church buildings, said: “Behind these figures lie stories of worship, learning, exploring faith and spirituality and encountering God at times of joy and despair.
“Through new forms of worship, bringing people of all faiths and none together, and serving the young and old alike, these amazing places continue to be at the heart of national life.”
Life events including baptisms, memorial services, marriages and blessings of marriage all remained steady in numbers with some, including baptism, seeing modest increases.
Cathedrals continued to be centres of civic life, with 1.2 million people reported at 6,000 civic services and events. In 2016, 295,000 people attended 280 graduation ceremonies.
Becky Clark, Director of Churches and Cathedrals, said: “These statistics show the enduring appeal of cathedrals as places of worship, pilgrimage, and tourism.
“This is testament to the hard work clergy, staff and volunteers put into making them welcoming and inspiring places.
“The last few years have been particularly busy, with substantial building and repair programmes at many cathedrals, ensuring these beautiful, complex historic buildings can continue to be at the heart of their communities.”
Cathedrals are holding increasingly diverse services to reach out to people.
In 2016 there were 16,500 Fresh Expression services, a 12% increase since 2013.
Over half a million people came to regular services conducted at least once a month, half of which were school services.
Some 310,000 young people also attended cathedrals through special educational visits, a rise of 10% since 2006.
Cathedral clergy and staff across the country participated in 350 formal inter-faith forums and events.
Notes to Editors
The Cathedral Statistics 2016 report can be found here.
Fresh Expressions are new church communities and congregations that practice church in new ways to reach new people.
13 CommentsLizzie Lowrie Saltwater and Honey A Letter to the Churches
Tim Crane The Times Literary Supplement Join the club – what religion is and isn’t.
Richard Mammana Mockingbird Praying Twice
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love By what authority?
5 CommentsKelvin Holdsworth The Episcopal Way of Death
Mark Clavier Covenant ‘Time makes ancient truths uncouth’
“Reflections of a Former Theological Educator”
Lois Lee Church Times Take the beliefs of the non-religious seriously
16 CommentsPress release from Number 10
Dean of Peterborough: Christopher Charles Dalliston
From:Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published:1 November 2017
The Very Reverend Christopher Charles Dalliston has been appointed as Dean of Peterborough.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend Christopher Charles Dalliston, MA, Dean of Newcastle in the Diocese of Newcastle, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, Peterborough, on the resignation of the Very Reverend Charles William Taylor, MA, on 6 October 2016.
Further information
The Very Reverend Christopher Dalliston, (aged 61) studied modern History at Peterhouse Cambridge and Theology at Oxford where he trained for the ministry at St Stephen’s House.
He served his title at Halstead in Chelmsford Diocese from 1984 to 1987, before becoming the Bishop of Chelmsford’s Domestic Chaplain from 1987 to 1991. From 1991 to 1995 he was Vicar of St Edmund Forest Gate in Chelmsford Diocese.
From 1995 to 1997 he moved to be Priest-in-Charge of Boston in Lincoln Diocese and then Vicar from 1997 to 2003 and was also Rural Dean of Holland East during that time. Since 2003 he has been Dean of Newcastle.
Christopher is married to Michelle who is also ordained. He has four adult children: Alex, Tom, Georgie and Bella. His interests include poetry, music and all things Italian. He is a life-long supporter of Norwich City Football Club.
17 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Theore0 ‘What is the shape of the community of women and men that you long for?’
Jonathan Clatworthy Château Clâteau Hereford, conservative Christians and the abolition of history
Sam Hailes Premier Christianity How evangelicals took over the Church of England
Archdruid Eileen has this alternative take on the Church of England’s three major groups; The Church of England’s Tribes Redefined
David Walker ViaMedia.News Painting by Numbers…
Robert McCrum has been writing weekly for The Observer about his selection of The 100 best nonfiction books, “key texts in English that have shaped our literary culture and made us who we are”. This week he reaches No 91 – The Book of Common Prayer (1662). For those concerned that McCrum might think that there are 90 better books, the list is in chronological order.
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley 95 Theses for the Church Today
7 CommentsThe Cumberland & Westmorland Herald reports today that the Bishop of Penrith, the Right Revd Robert Freeman, is to retire next Easter. Penrith is a suffragan see in the diocese of Carlisle. As yet, there is nothing about this on the diocesan website.
4 CommentsBosco Peters Liturgy Sex Obsessed
Ian Paul Psephizo What did large churches ever do for us?
Tony Clavier The Living Church Protestant or Catholic?
ViaMedia.News It Can Happen to Guys Too!
39 CommentsThere is to be an election to fill two casual vacancies in the Universities and Theological Education Institutions Electoral Area of the Church of England General Synod. Full details are in this paper.
Most importantly a new register of those entitled to vote and stand for election in the constituency is being compiled. Those who were on the 2015 register will not have their names carried forward and if still eligible they will have to apply now for inclusion on the new register.
Time is short as applications to join the register must be received at Church House Westminster no later than Wednesday 8 November 2017. There is an application form here.
6 CommentsMartin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer “I need a friendly bishop,” said the child abuse survivor, as the prelate passed by on the other side
Josh Parry Liverpool Echo Why I won’t be donating a Christmas charity shoebox this year – and you shouldn’t either
ViaMedia.News A Zero Tolerance Approach to the Weinsteins in the Church?
Adrian Alker PCN Britain She’s a woman – get over it!
Mark Harris Preludium AAC, ACNA and GAFCON, wandering astray in the fields of the Lord
Michael Sadgrove Woolgathering in North East England Crumbling Cathedrals?
Mike Higton kaì euthùs Making our minds up
16 CommentsChurch of England press release
Director of Communications appointed
23 October 2017
The Church of England is pleased to announce the appointment of Tashi Lassalle as Director of Communications.
Bringing extensive experience of leading communications and marketing teams in the financial and professional services sectors, both in the UK and overseas, Tashi will oversee the work of the Church of England’s communications department, working across traditional media, digital platforms and publishing.
Based at Church House, Westminster, the department serves the Archbishops’ Council, the Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board as well as working closely with Lambeth and Bishopthorpe Palaces, bishops’ offices, dioceses and cathedrals.
Tashi, 39, has held a series of senior posts in the brand and marketing fields, most recently as Head of Communications and Marketing for Lloyd’s of London and previously as Head of Communications at Actis, the private equity firm. She has lived and worked in the US and Denmark as well as London.
She came to faith as a student at Cambridge. She worships at St Mary’s, Long Ditton in Surrey.
She said: “The Church of England makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, cultural and social fabric of this country.
“It has a bright and vibrant future.
“It’s a great privilege to take up this position.
“I look forward to serving and enabling the life changing vocation of the Church’s diverse ministry and mission.”
William Nye, Secretary General to the General Synod, said: “We are very glad to welcome Tashi Lassalle to the post of Communications Director for the Church of England’s national institutions.
“She combines a personal commitment to the mission of the Church with wide professional experience in a range of sectors.
“She will help us build on the existing strengths of our communications effort across multiple channels, recently recognised in awards for our digital evangelism campaigns.”
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Tashi to her new appointment.
“Her experience and imagination will be a huge asset to the Church of England in its task of proclaiming the gospel in an age of social media.
“She knows the scale of the challenge and I wish her well in all that lies ahead.”
Notes to Editors
Tashi will take up the post in early November 2017.
A photograph is available here.
Ian Paul Psephizo The shame of Britain’s prison system
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Obsessed about sex?
David Keen Opinionated Vicar Church of England Attendance Change by Diocese, 2011-16
43 CommentsThe Church of England released its Statistics for Mission 2016 and this report on its digital reach this week. There is also a press release which is copied below the fold.
Also released this week is Finance Statistics 2015.
Church Times reporters write about these reports:
Madeleine Davies Too few children in too many pews, latest C of E mission statistics warn
Tim Wyatt Church of England reaching more people online than ever before
Tim Wyatt Good news and bad news on parish finances, statistics show
Olivia Rudgard writes for The Telegraph: Church of England reaches more on social media than in services.
Links to statistics for earlier years can be found here.
32 CommentsSir Mark Hedley Ecclesiastical Law Society Practical Aspects of the Clergy Discipline Measure
Sir Mark is Deputy Chair and Deputy President of Tribunals.
The Babylon Bee The Bee Explains: Main Differences Between Popular Bible Translations
6 CommentsThe Prime Minister announced the names of five new crossbench life peers on Thursday. The list inlcuded The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres, KCVO, DD – lately Bishop of London (1995 to 2017).
London diocesan website: Peerage for Bishop Richard announced
Archbishop of Canterbury: Archbishop welcomes crossbench peerage for Bishop Richard Chartres
English diocesan bishops, other than archbishops, are not normally created peers on retirement. Two who were are David Sheppard of Liverpool and Richard Harries of Oxford.
17 Comments