Andrew Brown The Guardian If the Conservative party’s doing God again, what sort of God is it?
Giles Fraser The Guardian The agony and ecstasy of Saint Theresa, the vicar’s daughter
Loretta Minghella, CEO of Christian Aid gave the Inclusive Church lecture for 2016 at Liverpool Cathedral this week: Does Poverty have a Woman’s Face?. [48 minute video]
Update: the text of the lecture is also available as a PDF download.
Language about or addressed to God should be derived from human experience, not just from men’s experience, argues Prof Adrian Thatcher, a trustee of Modern Church, in a new booklet Gender-Inclusive Language and Worship. The 36-page booklet can be downloaded or purchased in hard copy from the Modern Church website.
11 CommentsUpdated Thursday evening
We reported in March that the George Bell Group had sent a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and also issued a press statement: George Bell’s naming as a paedophile is challenged today by a group of lawyers, academics, politicians and senior Church figures. The challenge was in a report published here as a web page, and also as a PDF file.
Yesterday, the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, Church of England lead bishop on safeguarding, issued this letter to the George Bell Group: Further points on the George Bell case.
Update
Several questions were asked at General Synod on Friday 8 July relating to the George Bell case. The questions and answers are printed in this booklet, but for convenience they are copied below the fold. In addition I have transcribed the supplementary questions and answers from this recording; they are shown indented.
17 CommentsPress release from the Church of England:
Statement following conclusion of Shared Conversations Process
12 July 2016
Over the last 2 days members of General Synod have met in an informal setting in which they have listened and been heard as they have reflected together on scripture and a changing culture in relation to their understanding of human sexuality.
Throughout these conversations, deep convictions have been shared and profound differences better understood. The Shared Conversations over the last two years now come to a conclusion with over 1300 members of the church directly involved. It is our hope that what has been learned through the relationships developed will inform the way the church conducts whatever further formal discussions may be necessary in the future. It is our prayer that the manner in which we express our different views and deep disagreements will bear witness to Jesus who calls us to love as he has loved us.
In comments to members of Synod at the end of the Shared Conversations the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said:
“At the heart of it is to come back to the fact that together we seek to serve the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead and in whom there is never despair, there is never defeat; there is always hope, there is always overcoming; there is always eventual triumph, holiness, goodness and grace.
That is for me what I always come back to when it all seems overwhelming.
Thank you so much for your participation. Let us go in confidence. Confident in the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.”
19 CommentsThe United Reformed Church has this afternoon voted to allow the marriage of same-sex couples in its churches. This press release has been issued:
The United Reformed Church votes to allow the marriage of same-sex couples in its churches
This afternoon, Saturday 9 July 2016, the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church (URC) voted in favour of allowing its local churches to conduct and register marriages for same-sex couples. This means that the URC is now the largest UK denomination to freely permit the celebration and registration of marriages of same-sex couple in its churches.
A two-thirds majority was needed to allow the proposal to be confirmed as the denomination’s final decision – Assembly voted in favour of the resolution by 240 votes to 21 votes. United Reformed churches in England and Wales wishing to register their buildings for the marriage of same-sex couples are now able to start that process immediately. (In Scotland the legal framework is rather different, but the effects of the Church’s decision will be broadly similar.)
The process which culminated in today’s vote has been a lengthy one. The General Assembly has considered the proposal twice before – in 2014, and again in a special, single issue Assembly, which met in June 2015. It has long been clear that the denomination cannot express a single view on the issue of same-sex marriage and, at the 2015 Assembly it was ruled that that the decision on whether an individual United Reformed Church congregation can host marriages of same-sex couples lies wholly with each local church. This is the policy that was confirmed today as the Church’s decision.
Speaking of the process and today’s vote, the Revd John Proctor, General Secretary of the URC said: ‘Today the URC has made an important decision – at which some will rejoice and with which others will be uncomfortable. Those of our churches who now wish to offer full marriage services to same-sex couples are free to do just that – and those churches who do not wish to are not compelled to. All are part of this denomination. This has been a sensitive issue for many in our churches. It has been important to take our time over the decision process, and to listen as carefully as we can to one another along the way.’
Press reports
Mark Woods Christian Today United Reformed Church to allow same-sex marriages
Callum May BBC News United Reformed Church approves gay marriage services
11 CommentsUpdated Sunday
The July 2016 meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England continued today.
The order paper for the morning and afternoon is here Order paper II. Not included is item 10 (Nurturing and Discerning Senior Leaders) that was not taken on Friday because of lack of time but for which time became available at the end of the afternoon.
Order paper for the evening session: Order Paper III
The morning, and part of the afternoon, was devoted to legislation.
One later item in the afternoon was about education, and was followed by this official press release: Bold vision for education launched at General Synod.
Official brief summary of the day’s business: General Synod July 2016 sessions: Saturday
Update
Jonathan Petre Mail on Sunday Green light for vicars in jeans as Synod decides clergy’s robes are surplice to requirements
Stephen Lynas reviews the day’s business: Handbags and gladrags.
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England is bidding to open scores of free schools
John Bingham The Telegraph Church of England plans to open 125 faith schools using Government’s free schools programme in next four years
0 CommentsSimon Oliver writes on Priestly ministry and the Church of England in response to this article by Ian Paul that we linked to here.
Claire Jones looks back at her “year in God’s time”: No longer a nun: the conclusion.
Sam Wells A Future that’s Bigger than the Past: Renewal & Reform in the Church of England [also available a pdf file]
Madeleine Davies writes about Dr Wells’ paper for Church Times: Renewal and Reform is subjected to theological scrutiny.
Edward Wickham The Guardian Girls on song: how the male-dominated English church choir is changing
Archdruid Eileen God Created the Earth
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Difference, Diversity, Deviance and Hierarchy
1 CommentUpdated Saturday morning to add more press reports, and on Sunday
The July 2016 meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England has opened.
There is a live video stream here.
The agenda and other papers are available here.
Order Paper I listing all the day’s business. Synod agreed to vary the order of business after item 6 to that on page 4.
Scroll down for press reports.
As announced last week, the Archbishops have added a motion on the EU Referendum, which will be debated this afternoon. The text of the motion is:
The Archbishop of Canterbury to move:
That this Synod, recognising the result of the recent referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, welcome the Archbishops’ call for all to unite in the common task of building a generous and forward looking country, contributing to human flourishing around the world, and encourage all members of the Church of England to play their part actively in partnership with everyone in Civil Society in pursuit of this task.
One amendement to the motion was carried so that it became:
That this Synod, recognising the result of the recent referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union:
a) welcome the Archbishops’ call for all to unite in the common task of building a generous and forward looking country, contributing to human flourishing around the world, and encourage all members of the Church of England to play their part actively in partnership with everyone in Civil Society in pursuit of this task; and
b) commend the work already carried out by the Church in bringing communities together and recommend that as a minimum every bishop identify a champion in their diocese to assess what more the Church could do and to make recommendations for creating stronger and more constructive links between local communities as a basis for achieving this common task.
in which form it was clearly carried on a show of hands.
There’s an official press release: Synod approves motion to build a ‘generous and forward looking country’ in the aftermath of the EU Referendum, and texts of the speeches by the two archbishops: Canterbury and York.
Questions were taken after dinner. The booklet of questions and answers, issued in advance, is here. The Synod session only dealt with supplementary questions and answers.
Audio recordings of the day’s debates are made available here, and (the questions session) here.
There is a brief official summary of the day’s business: General Synod July 2016 sessions: Friday
Press reports
Madeleine Davies and Hattie Williams and Tim Wyatt Church Times Look forward with generosity, Synod urges a divided nation
Gavin Drake Anglican Communion News Service Christians urged to “build generous forward looking country”
Harry Farley Christian Today General Synod: Church of England opts to ‘recognise’ EU referendum result despite opposition
John Bingham The Telegraph
Church of England vicar says Brexit vote is not just a cry of ‘incoherent rage’
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian ‘Lasses’ jobs’ replacing industry led to Brexit vote, says clergyman
Tom Richmond Yorkshire Post Archbishop of York calls upon post-Brexit Britain to evoke spirit of Nelson Mandela
Sunday update
Stephen Lynas reviews the day’s business: Time is tight.
15 CommentsUpdated
Comment and news looking ahead to this weekend’s meeting of the Church of England General Synod
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law The Burden of Legislative Reform
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK General Synod: Burial of suicides, vesture
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Battle looms in Church of England over ‘blessings’ for gay marriage
John Bingham The Telegraph Church of England bans mankinis in the pulpit
Updates
Harry Farley Christian Today Shared Conversations: Can the Church of England prevent a split over gay marriage?
David Walker ViaMedia.News Bishop’s Packing Essentials for General Synod
Harry Farley Christian Today Apart from a big fight over homosexuality, what else is happening at General Synod?
Archbishop Cranmer Synod ‘No Confidence’ motion looms in secret trial of Bishop George Bell (RIP)
Stephen Lynas The weekend starts here
13 CommentsArchdeacon Archdruid Eileen Church-Seeking: Some Advice
Andy Walton Christian Today Time for a revolution: Why women should be leading at least half our big churches
10 CommentsThe central members of the Crown Nominations Commission have prepared this report on their work: GS Misc 1147. Amongst the topics covered are
One thing that is not mentioned in the report is the use of substitutes when central members are unable to attend, and the effect this has on the work of the CNC. A question was asked about this in November 2014 (reproduced below the fold) and the answer revealed that substitutes are quite common. What it does not say is that several substitutes can be used for a particular vacancy. For instance it appears from Annex A to the question that at the CNC for St Edmundsbury and Ipswich in 2014 there were substitutes for four of the six central members. It is also common for one of the archbishops to send a substitute, as did the Archbishop of York in this case.
1 CommentThe Church of England issued this press release this afternoon.
Addition to General Synod agenda
30 June 2016Following the result of the EU Referendum on 23 June, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have exercised their powers under the General Synod’s Standing Orders to make some time available at its brief Group of Sessions in July for a debate on a motion endorsing the Archbishops’ recent call for all to unite in the common task of building a generous and forward looking country, contributing to human flourishing around the world.
The debate will take place on the afternoon of Friday 8 July.
The wording of the motion will be made available to Synod members early next week.
The current Synod programme for Friday afternoon can be seen here. The Archbishops’ statement, referred to in the press release, is here.
5 CommentsIn 2013 the House of Bishops decided to give eight senior women clergy elected regionally (“regional representatives) the right to attend their meetings. The intention at the time was that this arrangement would last until there were six female members of the House.
The House of Bishops has now decided “to give six female Suffragan Bishops rights of attendance at the House, in addition to the female members of the House, replacing the arrangements for the Regional Representatives.” These new arrangements will come into effect from 1st December 2016. [See paragraph 14 of GS Misc 1144.]
The membership of the House of Bishops is
At present there are two female diocesans (Gloucester and Newcastle), and one of the elected suffragans (Stockport) is a woman. There are a further seven female suffragans.
2 CommentsUpdated to add press reports
The Church of England has today announced an independent review into the handling of the George Bell case, as this press release explains.
Independent review into handling of George Bell case
28 June 2016An independent review of the processes used in the George Bell case has been announced today in accordance with the House of Bishops guidance on all complex cases.
The House of Bishops practice guidance states that once all matters relating to any serious safeguarding situation have been completed, the Core Group should meet again to review the process and to consider what lessons can be learned for the handling of future serious safeguarding situations. A review has always been carried out in any case involving allegations against a bishop.
The review will be commissioned by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team, on the recommendation of the Bishop of Chichester, to see what lessons can be learnt from how the case was handled. The case involves the settlement in 2015 of a legal civil claim regarding sexual abuse against George Bell, who was Bishop of Chichester from 1929-1958.
The Church has always recognised Bishop Bell’s principled stand in the Second World War and his contribution to peace but it also has a duty to listen to survivors. The diocese of Chichester continues to be in touch and offer support to the survivor known as Carol, who brought the allegations in this case.
The review will 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 expert independent reports and archival and other investigations, which were used to inform the decision to settle the case. The settlement was based on the balance of probabilities as criminal proceedings cannot be brought in a case where the alleged perpetrator is dead.
Details of the review including Terms of Reference and name of the independent reviewer will be announced at a later date.
The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner said; “As in any serious safeguarding situation it is always important to learn lessons from the process and this review will ensure this is done.
“I have, however, made it absolutely clear that the survivor in the case be reassured that we will do everything we can to continue to support her as we have done throughout this process. Like her, we recognise gravity of this matter, given its impact on the national and international reputation of Bishop George Bell.
“I hope that the review will provide a constructive way forward for all concerned.
Along with my colleagues in the wider Church, I am committed to ensuring that the past is handled with honesty.”
Notes
House of Bishop’s guidance: Responding to Serious Safeguarding Situations
Original statement on George Bell
Points on a complex case; blog by Gabrielle Higgins, Chichester Diocesan Secretary
The George Bell Group recently published this Compendium of Selected Sources covering the period 22 October 2015 – 21 June 2016.
Update
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England orders review into handling of George Bell sex abuse case
BBC News Bishop George Bell: Review to look at ‘abuse’ case
4 CommentsAndrew Brown The Guardian Church of England aims to agree to disagree over homosexuality
Two of this year’s ordinands reflect on their vocations.
Lucy Savage ‘I remember having an overwhelming feeling that this was going to be me one day’
Chris Sayburn ‘Through it all, I know the call that God has placed upon my life’
Ian Paul asks Are clergy and laity fundamentally different?
5 CommentsSuffragan Bishop of Bolton: Mark David Ashcroft
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 22 June 2016The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Mark David Ashcroft as Suffragan See of Bolton in the Diocese of Manchester.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Mark David Ashcroft, MA, Archdeacon of Manchester, in the Diocese of Manchester, to the Suffragan See of Bolton, in the Diocese of Manchester in succession to the Right Reverend Christopher Paul Edmondson, MA, on his resignation on the 30 June 2016.
Notes for editors
The Venerable Mark Ashcroft (aged 61), studied at Worcester College, Oxford for his MA, and at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge where he was awarded his BA. He trained for the ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served as curate at Burnage in Manchester diocese from 1982 to 1985 before moving to be a tutor at St Paul’s School of Divinity Kapsabet in Kenya from 1986 to 1990, and then Principal from 1990 to 1995. He returned to Manchester in 1996 to be Rector of Christ Church, Harpurhey till 2009. He was Area Dean of North Manchester from 2000 to 2006. He was also Honorary Canon at Manchester Cathedral from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009 he has been Archdeacon of Manchester and Residentiary Canon of Manchester Cathedral.
Mark Ashcroft is married to Sally and they have 3 children. His interests include gardening, bird watching and walking the dog. He is a supporter of England teams, whatever the sport.
From the Manchester diocesan website: The new Bishop of Bolton
17 CommentsDavid Ison ViaMedia ‘Do You See This Woman?’
Kelvin Holdsworth Scottish Episcopalians Do It Together
Beth Routledge Into The Light Of Morning
Mike Eastwood, Director of Renewal and Reform at the Church of England A hopeful future
Simon Watkinson The Guardian It’s not every young person’s dream, but I plan to be a vicar
48 CommentsHarry Farley Christian Today Church of England split over gay marriage may be unavoidable, admits Welby’s chief of staff
Madeleine Davies and Hattie Williams Church Times Talk nicely or else, Synod members are counselled ahead of sex talks
[The Timetable for the Shared Conversations and the Grace and Dialogue Booklet are available online.]
Update
John Bingham The Telegraph The ‘sincere’ schism: Church of England’s etiquette guide for gay marriage rows
8 CommentsThe Church of England’s usual pre-synod press release has been issued today, and is copied below.
I have listed the online papers here.
Agenda published for the July 2016 General Synod York meeting
17 June 2016
The Agenda for the July meeting of the General Synod is published today. Members will gather in York on Friday 8 July until Saturday 9 July. A key focus during these two days will be how the Church’s vision for a growing, confident and hopeful church can be put into action through the Renewal and Reform Programme.
The Church’s governing body will discuss the vision and narrative for Renewal and Reform and key changes to legislation to make innovation and change easier for those engaged with church life at all levels. The Legislative Reform Measure will make it possible to amend or repeal some Church legislation by means of Orders approved by the Synod. Several other proposed pieces of new legislation will consolidate existing provisions into a more user-friendly form and repeal provisions which are obsolete. There will also be an opportunity for Synod to discuss a report from the Development and Appointments Group updating Synod on the progress of their work on the training and development of senior Church leaders.
The Synod will also discuss a report on “A Church of England Vision for Education” with reference to the establishment of a foundation for education and leadership. The Synod will also examine Annual Reports from both the Church Commissioners and the Archbishops’ Council.
Aside from legislation linked to Renewal and Reform, Synod will also consider legislation which gives effect to two private members’ motions which were previously passed by the Synod. The amending legislation relates to forms of vesture requirements for ministers and providing for those who have taken their own life to be buried in accordance with the normal burial service.
Synod will also be addressed by Bishop Ralf Meister of the German Evangelical Church, who will look ahead to the anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. It will receive a report from the Archbishop of York on his 6 month pilgrimage.
The formal proceedings of the Synod will end on Saturday 9 July.
Following a service on 10 July at York Minster, members of the Synod will take part in Shared Conversations on Scripture, Mission and Human Sexuality – following the regional sessions that concluded earlier this year – until Tuesday.
1 CommentUpdated Friday 24 June to include second circulation papers
Papers in the first circulation All papers for next month’s meeting of General Synod on 8-12 July are now online here in agenda order. Here is a list in numerical order, with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration.
zip file of all first circulation papers
zip file of all second circulation papers
zip file of all the papers from both circulations
GS 2014A – Draft Measure and Pastoral Amendment Measure [Saturday]
GS 2014Y – Report by the Revision Committee
GS 2023 – Agenda
GS 2024 – Report by the Business Committee [Friday]
GS 2025 – Appointments to the Archbishops’ Council [Friday]
GS 2026 – Nurturing and Discerning Senior Leaders: Report from the Development And Appointments Group of the House of Bishops [Friday]
GS 2027 – Draft Legislative Reform Measure [Saturday]
GS 2027x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2028 – Draft Inspection of Churches Measure [Saturday]
GS 2028x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2029 – Draft Amending Canon No.36 [Saturday]
GS 2029x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2030 – Draft Statute Law (Repeals) Measure [Saturday]
GS 2030x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2031 – Draft Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure [Saturday]
GS 2031x – Explanatory Memorandum plus Orgins & Destinations
GS 2032 – Draft Pensions Measure [Saturday]
GS 2032x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2033 – Clergy Discipline Rules 2016 [Saturday]
GS 2033x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2034 – Suspension Appeals (Churchwardens etc) Rules 2016 [Saturday]
GS 2034x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2035 – Amending Code of Practice under Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 [Saturday]
GS 2035x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2036 – Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2016 [Saturday]
GS 2037 – Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and others (Fees) Order 2016 [Saturday]
GS 2036-7x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2038 – A Vision for Renewal and Reform [Saturday]
GS 2039 – A Church of England Vision for Education: a Report from the Education Division [Saturday]
GS 2040 – Archbishops’ Council’s Annual Report [Saturday]
GS 2041 – Archbishops’ Council’s Budget [Saturday]
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report [Friday]
Other Papers
GS Misc 1138 – Giving for life Re-ignited
GS Misc 1139 – FAOC Report on Communion and Disagreement.
Further resources can be found by clicking here
GS Misc 1140 – Draft Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 – Code of Practice as amended
GS Misc 1141 – Clergy Discipline Rules as amended by CDA Rules 2016
GS Misc 1142 – Audit Committee Annual Report
GS Misc 1143 – Clergy Discipline Commission Annual Report
GS Misc 1144 – House of Bishops Summary of Decisions
GS Misc 1145 – Anglican-Methodist Joint Covenant Advocacy and Monitoring Group
GS Misc 1146 – Report of the Archbishops’ Council’s Activities
GS Misc 1147 – Crown Nominations Commission Report
Shared Conversations Material
Timetable – Sunday afternoon – Tuesday lunchtime
14 CommentsUpdated Friday morning
A new book of essays, Journeys in Grace and Truth, edited by Jayne Ozanne, is launched this weekend. From the publicity:
Is it possible to hold a positive view of same-sex relationships while being a biblically rooted evangelical? These twelve senior Anglican Evangelicals believe so.
Journeys in Grace and Truth sets out the path each contributor has travelled to reach this point, involving moving encounters, scriptural exegesis and personal revelations. It is offered as a contribution to aid the discussion, and to broker deeper understanding between evangelicals and the wider Church.
Contributors include the Bishop of Liverpool, Paul Bayes, and the Bishop of Dorchester, Colin Fletcher, who have both been talking to the press.
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Leading evangelical bishops call for Church to change on gays
… Bishop Fletcher criticises the “immense” damage to “far too many good Christian people” by the Church’s attitude to gay people. Bishop Bayes says: “We need to change the Church – to make room and to extend the table.”…
This article includes a video of an interview with the Bishop of Liverpool, which can also be viewed on YouTube.
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Senior bishop calls for change in C of E attitudes to gay people
A senior bishop associated with the Church of England’s evangelical wing has called for far-reaching change in the church’s attitudes to lesbian and gay people and a meaningful welcome to Christians in same-sex relationships.
Acknowledging that he has been “profoundly changed” by encounters with lesbian and gay Christians, including within his own family, Paul Bayes, the bishop of Liverpool, has said: “I have come to believe that we need to change the church.”
LGBT people have been bruised and broken by the church, he said…
Update
John Bingham The Telegraph Two bishops urge clerics to rethink ‘interpretations’ of the Bible which condemn homosexuality
The Diocese of Liverpool has published this article on its webpage: Church ‘must give a hearing to Evangelical Journeys of Acceptance for same-sex relationships’.
25 Comments