The Church of England issued the press release below recently. There is some general information about the Dioceses Commission part way down this page.
Dioceses Commission begins review of structures
29 January 2009Further provisions of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007 come into force on 1 February. The Measure makes it a duty of the Dioceses Commission to review the provincial and diocesan structure of the Church of England, including the size, boundaries and number of provinces and dioceses, and arrangements for episcopal ministry. It will also have the power to draw up reorganization schemes.
The Commission, chaired by Dr Priscilla Chadwick, consulted diocesan bishops as to what its priorities should be and drew up an initial work programme in the light of comments and suggestions.
The Commission will begin by examining the apparent anomaly whereby seven parishes wholly or partly within the area of the City of Peterborough unitary authority, with more than one third of the City’s population, are in the Diocese of Ely rather than that of Peterborough.
In the autumn of 2009, the Commission will commence a review of the boundaries of the five Yorkshire dioceses (Bradford, Ripon and Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield and York). The aim will be to establish whether the shape and boundaries of the existing dioceses tend to facilitate the Church’s mission to the people and communities of Yorkshire or whether different boundaries would enable the Church to relate to them more effectively. The Commission has no agenda to reduce or increase the number of dioceses, but rather to ensure the best configuration to the communities that the dioceses serve, which could involve merging existing dioceses and/or creating new ones.
“The Commission is embarking on its review work with an open mind and a willingness to think radically, as well as an awareness of the need to be realistic,” said Dr Chadwick. “We have every confidence that the bishops and dioceses concerned will engage with the process in the same spirit.”
The Commission has a responsibility to consult widely. Its first step will be to seek the insights of the diocesan bishops, archdeacons and diocesan secretaries of the dioceses under review. It will then consult other leading clergy and laypeople of the dioceses, and representatives of any deaneries and parishes that might be affected by changes. Proposals for change will normally need the agreement of the diocesan synods concerned before going to the General Synod for decision. The Commission sees its role as one of helping the bishops, clergy and people of the Church of England in the areas concerned to come to a view as to how the Church can best be structured for mission in the 21st century.
Notes
In identifying the local communities to which the Church needs to relate, the Commission will look at how diocesan boundaries correlate with the boundaries of counties and unitary/metropolitan authorities and which configurations might best further the Church’s mission. It will also have in mind other factors. Among these are:
- the sense of local identity resulting from history and shared culture,
- contemporary communities reflecting the places between which people travel for work, shopping, leisure, education and health services,
- road and rail communication routes, and
- the accessibility and distance of cathedral cities by car and public transport from all parts of the diocese.
Two sections of Part II of the Measure remain to be brought into force at a later date: section 12 (which will place diocesan bishops under a duty to keep provision of episcopal ministry under review) and the related section 17 (which will enable the Commission, when a suffragan see falls vacant, to require that the approval of the General Synod would be needed before the see could be filled). The Commission’s present expectation is that these provisions will be brought into force towards the end of 2009.
One consequence of the start of the Commission’s work is that the General Synod’s business committee has decided to park* this diocesan synod motion from Bradford “for the moment while the new Dioceses Commission, recently established at the initiative of the Synod, is having its initial meetings to consider the first phase of its programme of work”.
That this Synod request the Archbishops’ Council to formulate proposals for reductions in the numbers of episcopal and senior clergy posts, taking into account reductions for the number of stipendiary clergy since 1979; and submit a report with recommendations to the General Synod within three years.
* Note: Diocesan Synod motions are normally taken in order of receipt, but can be “parked” by the Business Committee if it makes sense to delay their consideration until some other related business has been completed.
2 CommentsHere is a follow-up to our first round-up of press reports on the agenda for next month’s meeting of the Church of England General Synod.
First, two subscriber-only items by Bill Bowder in last week’s Church Times are now generally available.
Synod to discuss ban on BNP membership
Diocesan motion expresses concerns after Eweida case
Synod will be debating the Financial Crisis and the Recession on 12 February. A report on what effect the crisis might have on the Church itself was sent to synod members a few days ago. The Church’s own finances will be debated by the synod in July.
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph Church of England calls for increased donations as recession hits finances
Bill Bowder in the Church Times Parishes hit for millions by crunch
The Church Times also has Leader: reasons to spend fatly in the lean years
The paper GS Misc 913 Financial Prospects for the Church of England is available here as a PDF, and also here as a web page.
One item on the synod agenda next month is a private member’s motion on church water bills. There have been several press reports on this topic recently.
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph Churches, Scout troops and sports clubs celebrate as water firm freezes ‘rain tax’
and ‘Rain tax’ means churches pay many times more than neighbouring businesses
Three items at the BBC
Churches fight drain on finances
Church begins ‘rain tax’ protest
Ministers fight church ‘rain tax’
This press release was issued by the Church of England yesterday.
Elections to the Church Commissioners
28 January 2009In its current round of quinquennial elections to the Church Commissioners, the General Synod has appointed three clerical and four lay members.
They are:
House of Clergy
The Revd Canon Bob Baker
The Revd Jeremy Crocker (St Albans)
The Revd Stephen Trott (Peterborough)House of Laity
April Alexander (Southwark)
Peter Bruinvels (Guildford)
Gavin Oldham (Oxford)
Jacob Vince (Chichester)Note
Four members of the House of Bishops and two Deans were duly nominated for election as Commissioners. In both cases this was the number required and it was announced in December that the following therefore stood elected to serve as Church Commissioners from 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2013:
The Rt Revd David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham
The Rt Revd Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dr Richard Chartres, Bishop of LondonThe Very Revd Adrian Newman, Dean of Rochester
The Very Revd Dr Christopher Hardwick, Dean of Truro
The other Church Commissioners are
The Archbishop of Canterbury (chairman)
The Archbishop of York
The three Church Estates Commissioners (appointed by Her Majesty)
Andreas Whittam Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner
Sir Stuart Bell MP, Second Church Estates Commissioner
T E H Walker, Third Church Estates Commissioner
Three people nominated by Her Majesty
R H Powers
Canon J A Spence
J Wythe
Three people nominated by the Archbishops
P Harrison QC
Peter Parker
Nicholas Sykes
Three people Nominated by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York after consultation with the Lord Mayors of the Cities of London and York and the Vice-Chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge Universities
B Carroll
Sir Robert Finch
Revd Rachel E Harrison
Ex Officio
The First Lord of the Treasury
The Lord President of the Council
The Secretary of State for the Home Department
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Speaker of the House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Lords
Updated again Saturday morning
There have been several confusing reports about Bishop Henry Scriven’s status as a bishop.
ENS reported Presiding Bishop accepts two bishops’ voluntary renunciation of orders.
Religious Intelligence reported US Presiding Bishop deposes Church of England Bishop
…On Oct 16, Bishop Scriven wrote to Bishop Schori to inform her that he was returning to the Britain to take up the post of director of South American ministry for SAMS-CMS. Ordained in the Church of England, Bishop Scriven was consecrated in 1995 as Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe by Archbishop George Carey. In 2002, Bishop Scriven became the Assistant Bishop of Pittsburgh in the Episcopal Church. Following Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan’s deposition from office as Bishop of Pittsburgh on Sept 19, Bishop Scriven’s position in the US church was terminated.
In his letter, Bishop Scriven informed Bishop Schori he was returning to the UK to take up the SAMS-CMS post and had been appointed an Honorary Assistant Bishop and would be under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Oxford.
In her response of Nov 12, Bishop Schori acknowledged that Bishop Scriven was now a Bishop of the Church of England, and said she would “release you from your orders in this Church” for reasons “not effecting moral character.” Bishop Schori added that she believed “that subtlety was lost on some of our Communion partners” over her understanding of canon law, as her action would not undo the “indelible” mark of ordination, but was a housekeeping action that would end his licence to serve in the US Church.
However, before Bishop Schori’s tenure as Presiding Bishop, bishops who left the US church to serve in other provinces were not released from their orders, but transferred to other churches…
The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has issued a statement:
An article that appeared on Episcopal Life Online on January 23, 2009 reported that Bishop Henry Scriven, the former Assistant Bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, had renounced his orders and that the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, had accepted that renunciation. Although the article may suggest otherwise, the Standing Committee understands that this action was not in any sense a disciplinary action or an action taken because of Bishop Scriven’s support for the attempt to realign the Diocese with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.
Before he relocated to England, Bishop Scriven had submitted his resignation as a member of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, inasmuch as he was planning to return to England and serve as Assistant to the Bishop of Oxford. In order to permit that, the Canons required that he be released from his orders in the Episcopal Church for reasons not affecting his moral character, which is what occurred. This is a routine way of permitting Bishop Scriven to continue his ministry. Orders in the Church themselves are indelible, but licensing is required to exercise them.
The Standing Committee gives thanks for the gracious way in which Bishop Scriven exercised his ministry in the Episcopal Church while he served here as Assistant Bishop and we hope he and his wife Catherine will visit us in the future.
Friday morning update
The Church Times has a report by Pat Ashworth ‘Really weird’, but Scriven bears no ill will on orders.
…Bishop Scriven described the letter he received in November releasing him from his orders as “really weird”. He retained it but did not respond to it. The promised certificate releasing Bishop Scriven from his orders did not reach him personally, “though, to be fair, she might have tried as I was wandering round the world,” he said on Wednesday.
The correspondence is now in the public domain. “I had no desire to publish these letters until the thing was announced but was then very happy for them to be released,” Bishop Scriven said. “Hers was a very gracious letter but I was kind of boggled by the language really. It’s two nations divided by the same language, it seems to me. I bear no ill will, and I think it’s a storm in a teacup really…
There is a further report from ENS which notes PITTSBURGH: Standing Committee acknowledges Scriven’s service to diocese.
The Anglican Communion Institute has published Is The Renunciation of Orders Routine?
Saturday update
Andrew Carey has also weighed in, see A dangerous move by the Americans.
8 CommentsThe Church Times has published a detailed report by Margaret Duggan on next month’s General Synod Agenda Financial crisis and ARCIC report feature on Synod agenda
One item was picked up by the secular press.
The Guardian Church of England may ban clergy from joining BNP
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph Vicars could be banned from membership of British National Party
And then there are two reports on an item that will not be debated this time because of a lack of interest from synod members:
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph Fix date of Easter to prevent ‘confusion and disruption’ over holidays, says clergyman
Steve Doughty in the Mail Church of England clerics want Easter date fixed for every year
The Church of England General Synod will be considering the Covenant again in February.
The two relevant documents are:
GS 1716 Anglican Covenant available here as a PDF, and also here as a web page.
GS Misc 910 The Governance of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion by Colin Podmore, available here as a PDF, and also here as a web page.
Last November, Mr Justin Brett asked a (written, electronic) Question, which is reported here:
Mr Justin Brett (Oxford) to ask the Secretary General:
Q2. What research has been undertaken to establish the effect of the Church of England’s participation in an Anglican Communion Covenant upon the relationship between the Church of England and the Crown, given the Queen’s position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the consequent tension between her prerogative and the potential demands of a disciplinary process within the proposed Covenant?
Mr William Fittall to reply as Secretary General:
A. The Church of England response of 19 December 2007 to the initial draft Covenant noted on page 13 that ‘it would be unlawful for the General Synod to delegate its decision making powers to the primates, and that this therefore means that it could not sign up to a Covenant which purported to give the primates of the Communion the ability to give ‘direction’ about the course of action that the Church of England should take.’ The same would be true in relation to delegation to any other body of the Anglican Communion. Since as a matter of law the Church of England could not submit itself to any such external power of direction, any separate possible difficulties in relation to the Royal Prerogative could not in practice arise.
There is no reference in the new report to the point raised in this Q and A.
The report indicates that the House of Bishops believes the process of adoption of the Covenant should not involve the passing of any Measure or Canon, but rather the passing of a Synod resolution which should then be formally declared to be an Act of Synod. It also considers that such a resolution would most likely be both Article 7 and Article 8 business, and thus would require referral to the dioceses.
The Church of England’s earlier response to the (then) draft Covenant can be found here. The full text is available in html here.
The Church Times reported last year’s debate: Anglican Covenant: New Covenant draft welcomed more warmly.
The voting result at that time was reported here.
9 CommentsUpdated Tuesday 27 January and Thursday 29 January
Most papers for next month’s meeting of General Synod are now online. Links will be added to the list below as the remainder become available.
Agenda
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Special Agenda I – Legislative Business
Papers for debates
The scheduled day for debate is appended.
GS 1642B Draft Amending Canon No. 28 [Tuesday]
GS 1642C Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Tuesday]
GS 1642Z Report by the House of Bishops
GS 1683B Draft Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure [Tuesday]
GS 1683Z and Report by the Steering Committee
GS 1692A Draft Vacancies in Suffragan Sees and Other Ecclesiastical Offices Measure [Thursday]
GS 1693A Draft Crown Benefices (Parish Representatives) Measure [Thursday]
GS 1692-3Y Report by the Revision Committee
GS 1699 Revised Forty-Third Report of the Standing Orders Committee [Wednesday]
First Notice Paper
GS 1707 Women in the Episcopate [Wednesday]
GS 1708 Draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure [Wednesday]
GS 1709 Draft Amending Canon No. 30 [Wednesday]
GS 1710 Illustrative Code of Practice
GS 1708-10X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1712 Report by the Business Committee [Monday]
GS 1713 Church as Communion [Monday]
GS 1714 Review of Constitutions [Tuesday]
GS 1715 Ecclesiastical Fees (Amendment) Measure [Tuesday]
GS 1715X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1716 Anglican Covenant [Thursday]
GS 1717 Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (Debt Apportionment) (Amendment) Rules 2008 [Thursday]
GS 1717X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1718 Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (Exclusion of ineligible Persons) (Amendment) Rules 2008 [Thursday]
GS 1718X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1719 Implications of the Financial Crisis and the Recession [Thursday]
GS 1720 Inter Faith: Presence and Engagement [Thursday]
GS Misc 898 revised and GS Misc 898A Revised Diocesan Synod Motion: Voice of the Church in Public Life [Tuesday]
GS Misc 903A and GS Misc 903B Private Member’s Motion: Membership of Organisations which Contradict the Duty to Promote Race Equality [Tuesday]
GS Misc 904A and GS Misc 904B Private Member’s Motion: Church Water Bills [Wednesday]
GS Misc 905A and GS Misc 905B Uniqueness of Christ in Multi-Faith Britain [Wednesday]
GS Misc 906A and GS Misc 906B Diocesan Synod Motion: Human Trafficking [Wednesday]
GS Misc 907A and GS Misc 907B Diocesan Synod Motion: The Future of Church of England Retreat Houses [Thursday]
GS Misc 908A and GS Misc 908B Diocesan Synod Motion: Justice and Asylum Seekers [Friday]
GS Misc 909A and GS Misc 909B Diocesan Synod Motion: Climate Change and the Church’s property [Friday]
GS Misc 911A and GS Misc 911B Eucharistic Worship for Young People [contingency business]
Other papers circulated to members of the General Synod
GS Misc 900 The 36th Report of the Central Stipends Authority 2008
GS Misc 902 Update on Forecast Archbishops’ Council Expenditure 2008
GS Misc 910 The Governance of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion
GS Misc 912 Moral, But No Compass A Report to the C of E from the Von Hugel Institute Background paper from the Rt Revd Stephen Lowe, Bishop for Urban Life and Faith
GS Misc 913 Financial Prospects for the Church of England
GS Misc 914 Activities of the Archbishops’ Council
GS Misc 915 Reflections on how Decisions are Made
A Church of England Approach to the Unique Significance of Jesus Christ A paper prepared by Dr Martin Davie for the Theological Group of the House of Bishops
8 CommentsAndrew Brown thinks they are. Read his blog article, The conservatives take over the asylum, and the comments there.
The items to which this refers are:
21 CommentsThe General Synod of the Church of England will meet in London from 9 to 13 February 2009. The following press release was issued a short time ago.
NEWS from the Church of England
PR06.09
19/1/09
General Synod: February 2009
Key debates on the international financial crisis, women bishops, the Anglican Covenant, human trafficking, asylum, Anglican-Roman Catholic relations and inter faith relations
Major debates concerning the Church’s ministry and relations with other Churches, the financial crisis and the Church’s engagement with wider society will be on the agenda at the General Synod when it meets at Church House, Westminster from Monday to Friday, 9-13 February. The Synod will be debating a considerable amount of legislative business, including the first consideration stage of the draft women bishops legislation.
The International Financial Crisis
The Synod agenda provides opportunities for members to reflect on the international financial crisis and the recession. On the Tuesday afternoon, Andreas Whittam Smith (First Church Estates Commissioner) will facilitate presentations from and engage in dialogue with Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach and the Rt Revd Peter Selby. This will be an opportunity for the Synod to hear about and discuss with the two speakers the reasons for the crisis and its wider implications.
Brian Griffiths has been Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International since 1991 and a member of the Board since 2007. He was from 1984 to 1990 Head of Mrs Thatcher’s Policy Unit at No 10 Downing Street. He is the author of a number of books and. since 1997, has been Chairman of the Lambeth Fund. Peter Selby was, until 2007, Bishop of Worcester and a member of the Church Commissioners’ Assets Committee. He has been a member of the Doctrine Commission and has written on the subject of faith and economics.
On the Thursday afternoon there will be a debate, introduced by the Archbishop of York, examining the challenges and opportunities for the Church’s mission and ministry in communities that the international financial crisis and recession presents.
Women Bishops
Last July, the Synod agreed that draft legislation be prepared, including special arrangements for those who would not be able to receive the ministry of women as bishops (or priests) in a statutory national code of practice. The Women Bishops Legislative Drafting Group (chaired by the Bishop of Manchester) has completed its work on this basis and the Synod will be giving First Consideration to the draft legislation required to admit women to the episcopate.
It will not be possible to move amendments to the draft legislation at this Group of Sessions; the issue before the Synod will be whether to agree that the draft Measure and draft Amending Canon be referred for consideration by a Revision Committee. (See PR103/08 at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr10308.html.)
Anglican Covenant
The Churches of the Anglican Communion were asked in March 2008 if they were able, in principle, to commit to the Covenant process and to say if there were any elements which in their view would need extensive change in order to make viable the process of adoption by their Synods. The General Synod will consider a take note motion, moved by the Bishop of Rochester on behalf of the House of Bishops, on a report from the House, to which is attached a draft Church of England response to these questions. The draft response welcomes the direction of travel of the Covenant while flagging up a number of points which still require attention.
Anglican-Roman Catholic Relations
The Synod will be addressed on its first day by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster. His address, together with an introduction by the Archbishop of Canterbury, will provide an opportunity for the Synod to reflect on relations between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. This will lead to a debate, requested by the Synod, on the report by the Second Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission on Church as Communion.
Inter Faith Relations
The Synod will consider a Private Member’s Motion from Mr Paul Eddy, which asks the House of Bishops to report to the Synod on their understanding of the uniqueness of Christ in a multi-faith society and to offer examples of good practice in sharing the gospel of salvation through Christ alone with people of other faiths and of none.
The Synod will also be considering the inter faith and engagement programme which it launched in July 2005 when it also set up a task group, chaired by the Bishop of Bradford. This second debate provides the Synod with an opportunity to take note of what has been achieved so far and the work that is proposed for the next phase of the Presence and Engagement programme
The Church in Public Life
There are three Diocesan Synod Motions particularly concerned with the Church’s engagement in wider society. The first, from Chester, is wide ranging in its concern about the role of the Church in civic society and asks the divisions of the Archbishops’ Council to report to the Synod on their work to foster a clearer understanding of the Christian faith among the institutions and organizations of society, and to reinforce the claims of the Church to take its place in public life.
The second motion, which has been passed in identical terms by the Newcastle and Winchester Diocesan Synods, urges the Church of England to deplore the continuing evil of human trafficking, to support the work of those who seek to end human trafficking and to rescue those trapped in it, and also to support the implementation of the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, particularly in relation to the 2012 Olympics. The debate will be preceded by a presentation which will include an invited speaker from the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre.
The motion from the Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Synod asks the Synod to call on the Government to ensure that the treatment of asylum seekers is just and compassionate. In particular, it calls for the conferring of a right to work on all asylum seekers, and the declaration of an amnesty for legacy cases that predate the Government’s New Asylum Model. It also asks the Government to find a practical and humane remedy to the situation of refused asylum seekers who are unable to return to their country of origin because of personal safety, health or family reasons.
A Private Member’s Motion from Ms Vasantha Gnanadoss asks the House of Bishops to formulate and implement a policy for the Church of England under which clergy, ordinands and such employed lay persons as have duties that require them to speak on behalf of the Church should not be a member of an organization whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements contradict the duty to promote race equality.
Property Issues for the Church
Three motions explore different aspects of the Church’s property and resources.
The Private Member’s Motion from Mr Martin Dales expresses concern about the effect on many parish churches of the sudden and very large rises in water charges for churches in some areas. It asks the Government to remind OFWAT of its obligations to ensure that the water companies adhere to the guidance given in 2000 by the Secretary of State for the Environment not to treat all non-household customers (including places of worship) as if they were businesses.
The Worcester Diocesan Synod Motion calls on the Archbishops’ Council to conduct an urgent review of the Endowments and Glebe Measure and other church legislation, with a view to enabling diocesan bodies and PCCs, in disposing of land, to give weight to environmental as well as financial considerations, particularly in relation to cutting carbon emissions.
A motion passed in the same terms by both the Leicester and Peterborough Diocesan Synods asks the Archbishops’ Council to review and make recommendations for the future sustainability of the Church of England retreat houses, and encourages church bodies to make full use of these resources.
Other Business
The Archbishop of Canterbury will give a Presidential Address, which will include a reflection on the recent Lambeth Conference.
A report from the Standing Orders Committee proposes some adjustments to the Synod’s procedures. There will also be a presentation on some proposed changes to the constitution of bodies answerable to the Synod through the Archbishops’ Council.
Communicating Synod
Parishioners can keep in touch with the General Synod while it meets. Background papers and other information will be posted on the Church of England website (www.cofe.anglican.org) ahead of the General Synod sessions. Audio files of debates, along with updates on the days’ proceedings will be posted during the sessions.
ends
17 CommentsLast week, the Church Times had a feature about theNational Archives at Kew, and the government documents that reveal the relationship between the state and the Church of England in the 20th century.
First, see Treasures buried in the archive by A.D. Harvey.
Then, read the full text of a 1960 memorandum from David Stephens, the Prime Minister’s appointments secretary, to Harold Macmillan about the filling of vacant sees.
A quiet word about the next archbishop.
3 CommentsThe tenth Bishop of St Albans is to be the Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Downing Street has announced this morning.
Read the announcement on the St Albans diocesan website.
Watch the YouTube video here.
Listen to an audio recording of his opening remarks at the press conference.
Read four pages from the Diocese of Lichfield site: Prime Minister’s announcement, Tributes as Bishop of Shrewsbury prepares to move to St Albans, Bishop of Shrewsbury excited about his move to St Albans, and another copy of the St Albans press release.
The CofE also carries the press release.
And the original announcement from 10 Downing Street? Well, it has belatedly appeared here.
5 CommentsUpdated Saturday
Today, the Church Times reports: Women drafts impress supporters, but not FiF by Pat Ashworth.
DRAFT legislation for women bishops has drawn cautious responses since its publication last week (News, 2 January). There is a prevailing desire not to question what the proposed Code of Practice could do before the General Synod examines it in detail in February.
The response of the traditionalist Catholic body Forward in Faith has been the most uncompromising. While it welcomed publication of the further report and associated documents, the organisation opposes in principle the Code that is at the heart of the proposals.
“We have consistently argued that a Code of Practice (with no transfer of jurisdiction) will not provide the security which tens of thousands of faithful and loyal Anglicans need in order to live with integrity in the Church of England after the ordina tion of women to the episcopate. Nothing in these documents changes that situation,” a terse statement on its website said last week…
The Forward in Faith statement is here.
And there is a Leader: Manchester’s plan.
…Taking the two sides in turn, supporters of women bishops have nothing to fear. This is a big, grown-up world, where every woman priest lives with the knowledge that her orders are questioned by a neighbouring priest or parish. After all, every C of E priest works (or should work) closely with Roman Catholics who cannot official recognise his or her orders; every Christian works (or should work) with people of other faiths who take issue with many of his or her central beliefs. In 21st-century Britain, any Christian — bishop, priest, or lay person — who is surrounded solely by affirming, unchallenging supporters needs to get out more. If women are confident that opposition will dwindle naturally over the years, then they need do nothing but wait.
One might be similarly robust with traditionalists. If they believe in the rightness of their position, it will thrive in the C of E whether hedged about by legal structures or not. The Manchester proposals contain firmer provisions for opponents of women bishops than had been thought, and it is conceivable that agreement might be reached on this basis. But there is a stumbling block. The 15 years since the passing of the Act of Synod have furnished traditionalists with a wealth of tales of pressure and shenanigans in some dioceses. These have brought them to the point where they simply do not trust bishops, or future bishops, to uphold the code of conduct…
Last week, The Times had It’s time to appoint Britain’s first woman bishop, says Canon Jane Hedges by Ruth Gledhill.
And Ruth’s blog asked: Women bishops: what’s the answer?
Update
Jonathan Wynne-Jones wrote It’s time for a truce in battle over women bishops.
117 CommentsNotes of a meeting of Church of England bishops held at Lambeth Palace have been passed to me…
The Church Times has a news report: Legislation drafted for women bishops.
Comment is free has published an opinion article by Judith Maltby Women bishops: get over them.
In the press release, Women in the Episcopate draft Measure published, which was linked previously, there is a further link to the December 08 House of Bishops Summary of Decisions document (.doc format) which contains the following:
49 Comments4. Women in the Episcopate
The House of Bishops considered the draft report, Measure, Amending Canon, Code of Practice and Explanatory Memorandum prepared by the Legislative Drafting Group. It made a number of detailed suggestions for the Bishops of Manchester and Basingstoke to report to the group for consideration at its final meeting. The House welcomed the careful and thorough work that the group had carried out in accordance with the mandate given by Synod.
In discussion several members of the House expressed support for further work to be done to explore approaches for those who could not receive the ministry of women priests and bishops which would either permit a diocesan bishop to confer jurisdiction by operation of law rather than by delegation or would provide a measure of cohesion and assurance through the development of a new, recognised religious society.
The House concluded that it would not be timely for it to commission further work of this kind at this point. It noted, however, that individual bishops would be able to lend their support to attempts to amend the draft material in these and other ways once Synod had resolved to commit it to the revision process. It was important that members of the House played their part in ensuring that the proposals were carefully scrutinised during the synodical process and alternatives duly tested.
The House acknowledged that it would continue to have a special responsibility for seeking to help the Church of England, through the legislative process, come to a conclusion that built trust and enabled as many people as possible, as loyal Anglicans, to remain members of the Church of England, notwithstanding their differing theological convictions on this issue.
The Church Times review of 2008 is now available online.
The main news review is here.
There are several other pages, including this press review.
0 CommentsUpdated Wednesday morning
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph Bishops put forward as solution to Church of England row over women clergy
Ruth Gledhill in The Times Historic Church of England deal paves way for first women bishops
and Women reach for bishops’ chairs in Church of England as last barriers fall
Riazat Butt in The Guardian Church tries to quell dissent over female bishops with new role
Robert Verkaik in The Independent Opt-out for parishioners opposed to women bishops
WATCH (Women and the Church) has issued a press release today commenting on the draft.
WATCH is pleased that provision in the draft legislation endorses the authority of diocesan bishops, and that they retain the authority to delegate certain functions to another bishop if requested to do so. This means that episcopal authority resides in and is retained by the diocesan bishop and is not transferred automatically to another bishop.
The full press release is below the fold.
Wednesday updates
George Pitcher at the Telegraph has Women bishops demonstrate the Anglican tradition of compromise.
Andrew Brown at Comment is free has Will complementary bishops fly?
104 CommentsThe Church of England General Synod meets from 9 to 13 February in London and an outline agenda has been published, and is copied below.
One major item of business is the first consideration of the Women Bishops legislation. See our separate item on this and make your comments there please.
GENERAL SYNOD
February Group of Sessions 2009
Timetable
Sitting hours: 9.30 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 7 pm, except where otherwise stated
Monday 9 February
3.00 pm Prayers, introductions, welcomes; progress of legislation etc
Business Committee report and dates for Synod in 2011 and 2012
Appointment of Chair of Appointments Committee
Address by Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, introduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission report on Church as Communion
Questions
Tuesday 10 February
9.30 am Prayers
Review of Constitutions: presentation, followed by questions
Legislative Business:
Amending Canon No 28: Final Approval
Miscellaneous Provisions Measure – Final Drafting & Final Approval
Ecclesiastical Fees (Amendment) Measure – First Consideration
(if time allows, legislative business scheduled for Thursday will be taken)
2.30 pm Presidential Address
Private Members’ Motion: Vasantha Gnanadoss: Membership of Organisations which Contradict the Duty to Promote Race Equality
The International Financial Crisis and Recession: presentation
Diocesan Synod Motion: Diocese of Chester: Voice of the Church in Public Life
Wednesday 11 February
9.30 am Holy Communion
Women Bishops legislation: First Consideration
2.30 pm Private Members’ Motion: Martin Dales: Church Water Bills
Private Members’ Motion: Paul Eddy: The Uniqueness of Christ in Multi-Faith Britain
Standing Orders Committee report
Diocesan Synod Motion: Dioceses of Newcastle and Winchester: Human Trafficking (presentation followed by debate)
Thursday 12 February
9.30 am Prayers
Anglican Covenant
Legislative Business:
Vacancies in Suffragan Sees and Other Ecclesiastical Offices Measure: Revision Stage
Crown Benefices (Parish Representatives) Measure
Funded Pension Scheme Rules changes
2.30 pm The International Financial Crisis and Recession: debate
Inter faith/Presence and Engagement
Diocesan Synod Motion: Dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough: Future of Church of England Retreat Houses
Friday 13 February
9.30 am Prayers
Diocesan Synod Motion: Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham: Justice and Asylum Seekers
Diocesan Synod Motion: Diocese of Worcester: Climate Change and the Church’s Property Transactions
Farewells
1.00pm Prorogation
Contingency business:
Diocesan Synod Motion: Diocese of Peterborough: Eucharistic Worship for Young People
The Women in the Episcopate draft Measure has been published.
In the official press release the chair of the legislative drafting group, the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester, is quoted as saying:
The General Synod mandated us to draft a Measure including special arrangements, within existing structures, for those unable to receive the ministry of women bishops and to do that in a national code of practice. We believe we have achieved that by providing for male complementary bishops, as we suggested in our earlier report, and now hand our work to the Synod to discuss the drafts in detail.
The draft measure and associated papers are available for download.
GS 1707 – Women in the Episcopate – Further Report from the Legislative Drafting Group
GS 1708 – Draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure
GS 1709 – Amending Canon Number 30
GS 1710 – Illustrative Code of Practice
GS 1708-10X – Explanatory Memorandum
This morning, on the Today radio programme, John Humphrys interviewed the Archbishop of Canterbury. You can listen to the whole event, here.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has issued his Christmas message. In a wide-ranging interview, he gives his views on the economic downturn, the invasion of Iraq and the possibility of disestablishment of the Church of England.
This interview has also provoked a considerable volume of comment, including from the Prime Minister. Here’s some of the reporting:
BBC Economic crisis a ‘reality check’ by Robert Piggot
Guardian
Brown’s spending plans like ‘addict returning to the drug’, says archbishop and
Spin, Brown style: or how to bash the Tories with a bishop
Telegraph
Martin Beckford Archbishop of Canterbury: Gordon Brown’s recovery plan like ‘addict returning to drug’
James Kirkup and Martin Beckford Gordon Brown hits back over Rowan Williams’ economic attack
The Times
Philippe Naughton Archbishop of Canterbury welcomes credit crunch ‘reality check’ and
Brown slaps down Archbishop of Canterbury in credit crunch row
The Archbishop’s Christmas Message can be found here.
4 CommentsThe New Statesman has an interview, or rather a report on a series of interviews, with Rowan Williams in its latest issue.
See Interview: Rowan Williams by James Macintyre.
This interview has provoked quite a lot of comment in the Telegraph , The Times and the Guardian.
Telegraph Archbishop of Canterbury: Disestablishment would not be ‘end of the world’ by Martin Beckford.
The Times Archbishop: disestablishment of Church of England not ‘the end of the world by Ruth Gledhill and Archbishop of Canterbury: Not ‘end of world’ if Church disestablished on Ruth’s blog.
Guardian Riazat Butt Church and state could separate in UK, says Archbishop of Canterbury online yesterday afternoon, and Archbishop backs disestablishment (and the Muppets) in this morning’s newspaper. But today’s newspaper also has How Williams changed views on splitting church from state by Stephen Bates and Comment is free has Reading between Rowan’s lines by Giles Fraser.
23 CommentsAt TA we have just become aware of a new Church of England website Parish Resources “supporting stewardship in the local church”. To quote the site itself
We are stewards. Both individually and corporately, all that we have and all that we are comes from God – our time, our money, our skills and the environment. Christian stewardship relates to how we respond to God’s amazing generosity to us.
This site offers a wide range of resources to support all aspects of stewardship in the local church. There are pages for those who preach and teach about stewardship, for encouraging giving in the local church, for parish treasurers, Gift Aid secretaries and for those involved in seeking funding for major projects. Guidance on SORP2005 can be found here, as well as some statistics on giving and church finance.
Additional resources are provided for PCC members in their role as charity trustees, guidance on registering larger PCCs with the Charity Commission, a stewardship toolkit for rural churches, a good practice guide for managing parish reserves, and a number of activities for use in teaching stewardship topics to young people. We also have a sister site with resources on encouraging people to consider leaving a gift to the church in their wills.
All the resources are free.
Although some of the site is specific to Church of England parishes much of the information will be of wider interest.
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