The Rt Rev Geoff Pearson, the suffragan Bishop of Lancaster in the diocese of Blackburn, has announced that he will retire later this year: The Anglican Bishop of Lancaster announces his retirement.
20 CommentsReactions to Martyn Percy’s 95 New Theses for the 21st century, which we listed last week
Ryan Cook A Reflection: Martyn Percy’s 95 Theses, Bishops & the Transcendent
Ian Paul Psephizo Can bishops save the Church?
Sam Norton Elizaphanian What’s really wrong with the House of Bishops
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Management, Leadership, success-failure, heresy & idolatry
Jayne Ozanne ViaMedia.News Hopes and Dreams
Nick Young Londonist How London’s Churches Got Their Unusual Names
Anne Jolis The Spectator How the Church of England changed my life: Death, grief and love in a strange city
Miranda France Granta Words and the Word
Nick Tolson Church Times Beware of the siege mentality
19 CommentsMartyn Percy Archbishop Cranmer The Reformation 500 years on: do we need 95 New Theses for the 21st century?
Andrew Lightbown Only Connect! Thoughts on episcopacy and R&R
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Church: Ice Dancing or Musical Statues?
Giles Fraser The Guardian A man recently broke into my church. Good on him, I say
The Archbishop of Canterbury preached this sermon during Evensong at St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday 30th December 2016.
Jonathan Jones The Guardian Crucifixion is horribly violent – we must confront its reality head on
22 CommentsMadeleine Davies Christian Today Women In Leadership: Is 2017 The Year HTB Will Practise What It Preaches?
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Should We Work On Christmas Day? After All, Vicars Have To
David Walker ViaMedia.News Bursting the Bubble
Geoff Bayliss Church Times Speaking more of the language of the people
and in response
Doug Chaplin Liturgy: words for speaking, not for reading
Gary Waddington Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi
Justice, Peace, Joy If necessary, use liturgy
[Note: There was a subbing error in the Church Times article, now corrected online. A heading “Complex words that it could be difficult to avoid using” was originally “Complex words that might be avoided”.]
Updated 28 December
You are not expected to read/view/listen to these at one sitting!
Most Revd Philip Richardson, Co-archbishop, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Most Revd Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne and Primate of the Church of Australia
Most Revd Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
Most Revd John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
Rt Revd James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle
Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford
Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, and Rt Revd Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow
Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester
Rt Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool [subtitled version]
Rt Revd Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
Rt Revd Christine Hardman, Bishop of Newcastle
Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford
Rt Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro
Rt Revd John Inge, Bishop of Worcester
Most Revd Ian Ernest, Primate of the Anglican Province of the Indian Ocean, and Cardinal Maurice E Piat, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Port-Louis
[in French with a link to a computerised translation into English]
Archbishops of Armagh, The Most Revd Richard Clarke & The Most Revd Eamon Martin
Rt Revd John McDowell, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, and Mgr Joseph McGuinness, Diocesan Administrator of Clogher
Rt Revd Ken Good, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe
Patriarchs and Heads of local churches in Jerusalem (including the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Most Revd Suheil Dawani)
Most Revd Samuel Azariah, Primate of the united Church of Pakistan
Most Revd David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt Revd Gregor Duncan, Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway
Most Revd Moon Hing, Primate of South East Asia
Most Revd Stanley Ntagali, Primate of Uganda
Most Revd Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States
Most Revd Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales
Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, Bishop of St Asaph
Rt Revd John Davies, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon
Linda Woodhead Journal of the British Academy The rise of ‘no religion’ in Britain: The emergence of a new cultural majority
[the text of a lecture delivered in January 2016]
Brian Zahnd Missio Alliance My Problem With the Bible
Alex Taylor, Children’s Ministry Trainer for the Diocese of London The worst Christmas song
Andrew Lightbown Mary & Elizabeth: Renewal & Reform
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Christmas highlights pressures on C of E’s stretched rural clergy
Andrew Dunning British Library Medieval manuscripts blog The Medieval Origins of the Christmas Carol
Ian Paul Psephizo Should clergy have Christmas day off?
7 CommentsUpdated to add press reports
Press release from Number 10
Suffragan Bishop of Woolwich: Dr Dorgu
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 20 December 2016The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Prebendary Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu, MBBS. BA, MA, to the Suffragan See of Woolwich.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Prebendary Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu, MBBS. BA, MA, Vicar of St John the Evangelist Upper Holloway, in the Diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Woolwich, in the Diocese of Southwark in succession to the Right Reverend Michael Geoffrey Ipgrave, OBE, MA, on his translation to the See of Lichfield 10 June 2016.
Background
Reverend Prebendary Dr Dorgu is aged 58. He was a GP. He studied at the London Bible College for his BA, and studied for his ordination at Oak Hill Theological College from 1993 to 1995 and also holds an MA in missiology. He was Curate at St Mark’s Tollington in London Diocese from 1995 to 1998, before moving to be Curate at Upper Holloway in the same diocese until 2000. From 2000 to 2012 he was Team Vicar at Upper Holloway before becoming Vicar in 2012 and from 2016 he has been Prebendary at St Paul’s Cathedral.
He is married to Mosun, a doctor. She is a consultant child psychiatrist who works for the NHS and they have 2 grown-up children.
His interests include reading, cycling, travelling, cooking for guests and he is a keen Arsenal FC supporter.
Southwark diocesan website Bishop of Woolwich Appointed
London diocesan website New Bishop of Woolwich announced
Dr Dorgu will be consecrated in Southwark Cathedral on St Patrick’s Day 17 March 2017.
Press reports
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England appoints first black bishop in 20 years
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today First Nigerian Bishop In Church of England Counters Islamist Terror With Message Of Love In Jesus Christ
32 CommentsUpdate 15 January 2017 — A slightly revised timetable has been issued. The table below has been amended; changes are in red.
The outline timetable for the February General Synod of the Church of England has been published today, and is copied below. Further papers will be published on Friday 20 January 2017.
[The published timetable does not explain the asterisks against certain items, but these clearly indicate timed business, eg Questions on the Monday will start not later than 5.30 pm.]
GENERAL SYNOD FEBRUARY 2017 GROUP OF SESSIONS
Timetable
| Monday 13 February | |
| House of Clergy will meet from 1.30 pm – 2.30 pm | |
| 3.00 pm – 7.00 pm | |
| 3.00 pm | Worship |
| 3.15 pm | Introductions and welcomes |
| 3.25 pm | Report by the Business Committee |
| 3.50 pm | Motion on General Synod February 2018 dates |
| 4.00 pm | Motion on General Synod dates 2019-2020 |
| 4.15 pm | Debate on a Motion on the Anniversary of the Reformation |
| 5.00 pm | Presidential Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury |
| *5.30 pm | Questions |
| 7.00 – 7.15 pm | Evening worship |
| Tuesday 14 February | |
| 9.15 am – 1.00 pm | |
| 9.15 am | Holy Communion |
| 10.30 am | Farewell to the First Church Estates Commissioner and Response |
| 10.55 am | Private Members Motion on “Preliminaries to Marriage” |
| Legislative Business | |
| *12.00 pm | Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure – Final Drafting / Final Approval |
| 12.35 pm | Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure – Final Drafting / Final Approval |
| 2.30 pm – 7.00 pm | |
| Legislative Business (ctd…) | |
| 2.30 pm | Legislative Reform Measure – Revision Stage |
| 4.00 pm | Statute Law (Repeals) Measure – Revision and Final Drafting / Final Approval |
| 4.30 pm | Pensions (Pre-consolidation) Measure – Revision and Final Drafting / Final Approval |
| 4.55 pm | Phase II Simplification Measure – First Consideration |
| 5.55 pm | Draft Amending Canon No.38 – First Consideration |
| 6.25 pm | Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Amendment Regulations 2017 |
| 7.00 – 7.15 pm | Evening worship |
| Wednesday 15 February | |
| 9.15 am – 12.30 pm | |
| 9.15 am | Worship |
| 9.30 am | Motion from the Bishop of Leicester for a proposal for a Petition to Her Majesty in Council for the creation of a suffragan see for the Diocese of Leicester |
| 10.00 am | Appointment to the Archbishops’ Council |
| 10.15 am | Diocesan Synod Motion on “Fixed Odds Betting Terminals” |
| (Legislative Business ctd…) | |
| 11.30 am | The Church of England Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2017 |
| *12.00 pm | Introduction to the work of the Bishops’ Reflection Group on Sexuality |
| 2.00 – 4.30 pm | |
| 2.00 – 4.30 pm | Group work |
| 5.30 pm – 7.00 pm | |
| 5.30 pm | Take Note Debate on a Report from the House of Bishops |
| 7.00 – 7.15 pm | Evening worship |
| Thursday 16 February | |
| 9.15 am – 1.00 pm | |
| 9.15 am | Worship |
| 9.30 am | Farewell to the Bishop of London |
| 9.45 am | Speech by The Most Revd Dr Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon – Secretary General of the Anglican Communion |
| 10.15 am | “Setting God’s People Free”: Debate on a Motion from the Archbishops’ Council |
| Legislative Business (ctd…) | |
| 12.15 pm | The Safeguarding (Clergy Risk Assessment) Regulations 2016 |
| 2.30 pm – 5.00 pm | |
| Legislative Business (ctd…) | |
| 2.30 pm | Amending Canon No. 36 – Canons B 8 – Revision Stage |
| 3.20 pm | Amending Canon No. 37 – Canon B 38 – Revision Stage |
| *5.00 pm | Prorogation |
Deemed Business
Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2016
Contingency Business
Private Members’ Motion on “Mission and Administration”
Simon Jenkins Reform Magazine Jumble sales of the apocalypse
Paul Bayes ViaMedia.News Couldn’t We Just “Dissolve the People”??
Richard Peers Snoring, belching and farting: the stuff of koinonia – Retreat 2016: Glenstal Abbey
Rachel Pugh The Guardian Meet the vicar who’s swapping the sacristy for the surgery
Andrew Brown Church Times The Corbynista path to irrelevance
Jeremy Worthen Church Times The theology behind Renewal and Reform
Kenwyn Pierce Renewal and Reform Peer review – why bother?
Gary Waddington The Busy Priest Estates, the Poor and Culture War Stereotypes
David Goodhew The Living Church Is Anglicanism Growing or Dying? Statistics, the C of E, and the Anglican Communion
Andrew Goddard Church of England Newspaper Why 2017 will be a crunch year for the Church of England
26 CommentsUpdated Saturday evening and Sunday evening
We reported in October that York Minster’s team of bell-ringers had been disbanded.
The last few days have seen reports that the Minster has been having difficulties recruiting temporary bell-ringers to ring over Christmas, eg The Guardian and The Telegraph.
The Minster has today issued a statement giving more details of their decision to disband the bell-ringers, as reported here by Minster FM: Minster claims there’s been “intimidation” over Bellringer row.
York Minster says bellringers who’ve offered to step in to help the cathedral have suffered intimidation on social media and in the local media.
In a statement from The Chapter of York they also claim at least one member has been threatened with legal action.
They say despite this, they’re still exploring options for the ringing at Christmas and hope those wanting to volunteer will be able to approach them without the fear of intimidation.
The Minster statement in full also goes over the details of why this situation happened which were reported in the media back in September [sic] …
The article goes on to quote the Minster statement in full.
John Bingham also reports on this story for The Telegraph: York Minster bell-ringers sacked over stance on ‘ongoing’ abuse risk to children.
York Minster’s team of bell-ringers were disbanded because they refused to accept that a leading member of their group had been assessed as presenting an “ongoing risk” of child abuse, the minster’s governing body has said…
In what amounts to the most detailed explanation of the saga to date, they made clear that the apparently sudden decision to disband the 30-strong ringing team in October was just the “culmination” of weeks of discussion about the issue…
Updates (Saturday evening)
The York ringers have issued a statement in response to that of the Dean and Chapter, denying any suggestion of intimidation. They continue to put their side of the story and again ask the Dean and Chapter to discuss the matter with them so that it can be resolved. Their statement can be read here.
(Sunday evening)
Archbishop Cranmer Peace on earth and good will to all men – except the sacked bell-ringers of York Minster
Because of the nature of this story we ask all commenters to be especially careful in what they write. Comments containing ad hominem remarks will not be published.
4 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Statement from the College & House of Bishops
13 December 2016
The College of Bishops of the Church of England met at Lambeth Palace on Monday 12th December.
The meeting began with a service of Holy Communion and reflections from the Archbishop of York. Discussions on issues of sexuality took place as part of a process of episcopal discernment which began in September and continued at the meeting of the House of Bishops in November.
The college discussed the reflections of the House from their November meeting and also received an update from the Chair of the Bishops Reflection Group on Sexuality.
As with the meeting of the College of Bishops in September and the meeting of the House of Bishops in November the discussions took place in private and participants have agreed not to comment on the contents of the meetings beyond their own views.
The Bishops agreed to consult the General Synod in February as well as updating Synod as to where their discussions had reached. More information will be available when those consultative materials have been prepared in January 2017.
The meeting closed with evening prayer and reflections from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The House of Bishops met at Lambeth Palace on Tuesday 13th December. A full and diverse agenda included substantial discussions on safeguarding, discussions on Renewal and Reform activity – including lay discipleship, simplification legislation and resourcing – and ecumenical issues as well as considerations of work with student groups.
8 CommentsUpdated 13 Dec 2016
A new edition of the Church Representation Rules of the Church of England has been published: Church Representation Rules 2017. The previous edition was dated 2011.
The rules are available online, but it should be noted that the changes made in July 2014 are not yet included there. These changes are contained in The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2014 (SI 2014 No. 2113). So far as I am aware these are the only changes since 2011. See second comment below for other changes.
Nearly all the changes made in 2014 related to elections to General Synod. There were also some amendments to the forms in Appendix I to make it explicit in each case that only lay persons are entitled to be entered on the church electoral roll.
28 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Renewal, Reform and the ‘resource church’
Sarah Schofield What matters most is how I read my own parish
Richard Peers Advent 2 Sermon: Renewal & Reform, Philip North and Beechgrove
Philip North Church Times Heeding the voices of the popular revolution
The Guardian view on Christianity in Britain: neither here nor there
4 CommentsMartyn Percy Understanding the Ministry of the Church Today: a lecture in honour of the late Rev’d Canon Dr Ian Tomlinson
Diana Butler Bass Washington Post Forget red and green: Make it a blue holiday instead
Justin Welby New Statesman Travelling to Pakistan, fighting face-blindness and getting cross with myself
The Archbishop of Canterbury writes The Diary.
Kelvin Holdsworth Ten Key Skills for Priestly Ministry
Colin Blakely talks to Philip Baldwin — Church of England Newspaper The campaigner who can’t stop talking about his faith
Jody Stowell ViaMedia.News A Political Advent…
Church Times Leader comment Mammon’s victims
24 CommentsJonathan Robinson ξἐνος Measuring Success or Faithfulness
Bishop James Jones delivered the The Tenth Anniversary Ebor Lecture on 23 November: A Journey around Justice.
[also available in alternative formatting here]
David Ison ViaMedia.News “Absolute is NOT fabulous!”
St Chrysostom’s Church, Manchester Bishops’ choices of funeral hymns
Nick Bundock Church Times Grief, self-criticism, and a new immanence
16 CommentsUpdated Wednesday morning to add press reports
Church of England press release
Lord Carlile named as independent reviewer in George Bell case
22 November 2016
Lord Carlile of Berriew has been named as the independent reviewer of the processes used in the Bishop George Bell case. The lessons learnt review, commissioned by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team, in accordance with the House of Bishops’ guidance on all complex cases, is expected to be completed by the end of the summer.
In 2015 the Bishop of Chichester issued a formal apology following the settlement of a legal civil claim regarding allegations of sexual abuse by Bishop Bell, who was Bishop of Chichester from 1929 until shortly before his death in 1958.
The aim of the review will be to look at the processes surrounding the allegations which were first brought in 1995 to the diocese of Chichester, with the same allegations brought again, this time to Lambeth Palace, in 2013. It will also consider the processes, including the commissioning of independent expert reports and archival and other investigations, which were used to inform the decision to settle the case, in order to learn lessons which can applied to the handling of similar safeguarding cases in future. The full Terms of Reference are set out below.
Lord Carlile CBE QC is a Member of the House of Lords, having served as a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament from 1983-1997. He was the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation between 2001 and 2011. He has a strong interest in cyber-related issues especially regarding National Security. (see full biography below). An executive summary of the review will be published once Lord Carlile has completed his work.
The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Hancock, the Church of England’s lead bishop on safeguarding, said: “I am grateful to Lord Carlile for agreeing to undertake the review, which will take a detailed look into how the Church handled the George Bell case; as with all serious cases there are always lessons to be learnt. The Church of England takes all safeguarding issues very seriously and we will continue to listen to everyone affected in this case while we await the findings of the review. The diocese of Chichester continues to be in touch and offer support to the survivor known as Carol, who brought the allegations.”
[continued below the fold]
Press reports
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England appoints Lord Carlile to review George Bell claim
John Bingham The Telegraph Ex-terror reviewer Lord Carlile to re-examine Bishop Bell sex abuse decision
BBC News Bishop George Bell case: Lord Carlile to lead review
Chichester Observer Top QC will review the Bishop George Bell case
30 CommentsLucy Sixsmith On learning from Nineveh
David Emmott Hard or soft?
Simon Butler ViaMedia.News Time to Cultivate Your Garden?
The atheist Derren Brown’s stage show draws heavily on religious influences. He talks to Madeleine Davies for Church Times: An illusion of miracles.
Stephen Bullivant Catholic Herald The real Blessed Lucy of Narnia was even more amazing than CS Lewis’s imagination
3 CommentsUpdated Tuesday to add the last two Percy/Hilton letters
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Talking Jesus and the natural grammar of evangelism
Linda Woodhead ABC Religion and Ethics How the Church of England Lost the English People
David Walker ViaMedia.News “Monks & Nuns of the Marrying Kind…”
Martyn Percy and Adrian Hilton have been exchanging letters, and Hilton is publishing them on his Archbishop Cranmer blog. Here are the first four; there are two more to come all six.
Martyn Percy on Justin Welby: “there is a marked absence of salient and resonant ‘God-talk’, or any persuasive public theology”
Adrian Hilton on Justin Welby: “he is challenging the ‘principalities and powers’ of institutional existence”
Adrian Hilton: “Is Justin Welby not showing the world Jesus?”
Martyn Percy: the Church of England is being “reformed by bankers.. theology is ruthlessly excluded.. populism and narcissism are in the ascendancy”
Adrian Hilton: Would the appointment of Bishop Martyn Percy offer remedy against Justin Welby’s asserted theological ignorance?
Martyn Percy: Justin Welby “is preparing the ground for a complete volte-face on human sexuality”
The Church of England has published this open letter from William Nye to Martyn Percy in response to fourth of these letters.
46 CommentsMike Eastwood Renewal and Reform Neglecting the gifts
Martin Thomas The Spectator Vicar, will you clean my drains? — The things people ask for at an urban rectory
Andrew Lightbown R&R: it really is in the numbers!
Madeleine Davies asked five churchgoers who had not been brought up as Christians for their experiences and their advice. Church Times Faith from a standing start
Mark Hart If only the Church of England didn’t believe in genocide
Hayley Matthews Viamedia.News The Making of Beautiful Women
9 CommentsRichard Moy Tearing down the Barriers of Corporation Sole
John Wraw, Bishop of Bradwell, Is our vicar-shaped mould too middle class?
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Infant Baptism: An Anglican Model for Same Sex Blessings?
Andrew Lightbown Getting the leverage into R&R
Madeleine Davies Church Times Making evangelism the main thing, not an optional extra
Jayne Ozanne ViaMedia.News More Tea, Vicar?
9 Comments