General Synod Agenda
The Church of England held its press briefing for next month’s General Synod yesterday. So far we have only found one item published as a result of this. Despite its title this does cover other Synod topics, such as women bishops.
Times
Jenny Booth and agencies Couples to gain wider choice of wedding churches
The proposals on marriage law were picked up by the Telegraph last week.
Jonathan Petre Church wedding rules may be eased
The CofE’s own news item on the Synod agenda is Key debates on women bishops, Faithful Cities report, further education, and major legislative proposals on agenda for General Synod.
Our links to the agenda and papers are here.
Tuesday evening update
A few more articles that mention the Synod agenda
The Mercury (South Africa) First female bishop ‘will not influence England’
Christian Post (USA) Episcopal Election of New Leader Highlights Anglican Rifts
Guardian Episcopal Choice Highlights Anglican Rifts
Papers for July General Synod
Papers for next month’s sessions of the General Synod of the Church of England are starting to appear online and are listed below. The list will be updated as more papers become available. [last update – Wednesday 2.45 pm]
Agenda
Outline Agenda
Friday 7 July
Saturday 8 July
Sunday 9 July
Monday 10 July
Tuesday 11 July
Special Agenda I – Legislative Business
Special Agenda V – Financial Business
Papers
(with the days on which they are scheduled to be debated or otherwise considered. Where no day is given there will only be a debate if a member requests one.)
GS 1597A Draft Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure (Saturday)
Part I (pages 1 to 15); Part II (pages 16 to 30); Part III (pages 31 to 45); Part IV (pages 46 to 59)
GS 1598A Draft Amending Canon No 27 (Saturday)
GS 1599A Draft Vacancy in See Committees (Amendment) Regulation (Saturday)
GS 1597-9Y Report by the Revision Committee (Saturday)
GS 1611 Faithful Cities: The Report of the Commission on Urban Life and Faith (Monday)
See also here
GS 1613 Report by the Business Committee (Friday)
GS 1615 Archbishops’ Council Annual Report
GS 1616 Draft Church of England Marriage Measure (Saturday)
GS 1616X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1617 Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2006
GS 1618 Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2006
GS 1617&18X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1619 Parochial Fees Order 2006
GS 1619X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1620 Church of England (Legal Aid) (Amendment) Rules 2006
GS 1620X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1621 40th Report of the Standing Orders Committee
GS 1622 The Draft Clergy Discipline (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Order 2006 (Saturday)
GS 1622X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1623 Annual Report of the Archbishops’ Council Audit Committee
GS 1624 Church Accounting Regulations (Saturday)
GS 1624X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1625 Scheme Amending the Diocese in Europe Constitution 1995 (Saturday)
GS 1625X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1626 Care of Cathedrals Rules 2006
GS 1626X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1627 Church of England Funded Pensions Scheme (Amendment) Rules 2006
GS 1627X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1628 Pushing Further: Report by the Board of Education (Friday)
GS 1629 Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (Sunday)
GS 1630 Women in the Episcopate: note by the Presidents (Monday)
GS Misc 826 Women in the Episcopate: Report to the House of Bishops from the Bishops of Guildford and Gloucester (Monday)
GS Misc 827 Resources for Reflection on the subject of Women Bishops in the Church of England (Monday)
GS 1631 Clergy Terms of Service (Monday)
GS 1632 The Archbishops’ Council’s Draft Budget for 2007 (Sunday)
GS 1633 Appointed Members of the Archbishops Council (Saturday)
GS Misc 824A Married Couple’s Tax Allowance: note by Mrs Monckton (Tuesday)
GS Misc 824B note by the Mission and Public Affairs Council (Tuesday)
GS Misc 825A Carbon Dioxide Emissions: note by the Diocese of Southwark (Sunday)
GS Misc 825B note by the Mission and Public Affairs Council (Sunday)
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report 2005 (Sunday)
0 CommentsGeneral Synod – Outline Agenda for July
Update Saturday 17 June
The rtf file of the outline agenda linked below has been replaced by this html version.
——
The outline agenda for the July 2006 group of sessions of the General Synod is now online here and is copied below.
There is also a draft forecast of business for 2007 here.
July 2006 Agenda
Times of sessions (unless otherwise stated): 9.30 am – 1 pm, 2.30 pm – 6.15 pm, 8.30 pm – 10 pm
Friday, 7 July
4 pm
Prayers, introductions, welcomes, progress of Measures, presentation of officers (Deputy Prolocutors and Pro-Prolocutors)
Business Committee report
Further Education
8.30 pm
Questions
Saturday, 8 July
9.30 am
Prayers
Presidential Address (by the Archbishop of York)
Appointments to the Archbishops’ Council
Legislative Business: Church Accounting Regulations 2006
Women Bishops: theological principle
2.30 pm
Legislative Business: Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure: Revision Stage
8.30 pm
Legislative Business: Church of England Marriage Measure: First Consideration
Sunday, 9 July
2.30 pm
Pensions: presentation, followed by questions
Budget
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report
Southwark Diocesan Synod Motion: Carbon Dioxide Emissions
8.30 pm
WCC Assembly: presentation
Archbishops’ Council Annual Report: deemed approval
Audit Committee Annual Report: deemed approval
SOC item: deemed approval
Monday, 10 July
9.30 am
Prayers
Women Bishops: Next steps
2.30 pm
Commission on Urban Life and Faith Report
8.30 pm
Clergy Terms of Service: presentation by Professor David McClean, followed by questions
Tuesday, 11 July
9.30 am
Prayers
Legislative Business
Private Member’s Motion: Married Couples’ Tax Allowance
Not later than 1 pm
Prorogation
Transcripts of proceedings – February 2006
Full transcripts of the proceedings at February’s meeting of General Synod are now online. There are separate files for each half day and there are links to them here on the Church of England’s website, and here on mine.
0 CommentsGeneral Synod: more documents published
Two documents have been added to the CofE website:
The Decisions made by the Synod at the group of sessions are available as an RTF file here. An html copy is here.
The Answers to Questions 61 to the end, i.e. those which were not reached during the Thursday session. These are in an RTF file here.
Written Answers to Questions 1 to 16 and 26 to 60, which differ only very slightly from the oral answers given on Thursday, were issued to the Press, but not to synod members, in printed format on Thursday. The actual answers delivered can be heard in the Audio file published here (scroll to the bottom).
Answers to Questions 17 to 25 were reproduced here earlier, and the corresponding audio file can be found here.
1 Commentmore synod press coverage on Saturday
The Telegraph can’t stop. No less than four items about the slavery issue.
Jonathan Petre An unhappy reminder of complicity in a tragedy
Ben Fenton Church’s slavery apology ‘is not enough’
Letter to the editor The bishop who fought the slave trade
Telegraph leader Slavish guilt
And Times Online had Archbishop apologises to Chief Rabbi over Israel snub by Ruth Gledhill, see also here.
Update Jerusalem Post George Conger Archbishop apologizes for divestment
1 CommentArchbishop writes to Chief Rabbi
Following on from the General Synod vote about Israeli-related disinvestment, Rowan Williams has sent a letter to England’s Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks. See the press release which includes the full text of the letter.
0 CommentsFriday press reports
Church Times
Synod rejects ‘single-clause’ option for women bishops
Rachel Harden Housing sell-off is ‘deplorable’
Bulldozer motion ‘based on ignorance’
Telegraph
Jonathan Petre Compromise close on women bishops
Guardian
Michael Hann Should the C of E pay reparations for slavery?
General Synod: Thursday afternoon
Here is the official report: General Synod – Summary of business conducted on Thursday 9th February pm
I will report further on some of the Answers to Questions later.
2 CommentsGeneral Synod: Thursday morning
The motion to move forward on women bishops was passed with 1 negative vote. But there were several people present who abstained. The voting was recorded as 348-1. The official report is here: General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted, Thursday 9th February am. The audio file is now available there.
Details of the rejected amendments are given below the fold. All were lost on a show of hands, except as otherwise noted.
The key paragraph of the motion is very loosely worded, note the phrasing I have emphasised below:
(b) consider that an approach along the lines of “Transferred Episcopal Arrangements”, expressed in a Measure with an associated code of practice, merits further exploration as a basis for proceeding in a way that will maintain the highest possible degree of communion in the Church of England;
Archbishop’s contribution to the debate on the House of Bishops’ Women Bishops Group: Report to the General Synod
Archbishop’s speech summing up the debate on the House of Bishops’ Women Bishops Group: Report to the General Synod
Press Reports:
Reuters Church of England backs plans for women bishops and Williams urges support for women bishops
BBC Synod backs women bishops plan
Press Association Church backs compromise on women bishops
29 CommentsThursday morning press reports
Church Times Wednesday’s Roundup
Telegraph Jonathan Petre Church offers apology for its role in slavery
The Times Ruth Gledhill Church apologises for role in slave trade
Also, Oliver Kamm Wholly wrong: a holy mess
And a letter to the editor from Lord Carey.
Guardian Stephen Bates Church apologises for benefiting from slave trade
Reuters Anglicans say sorry for role in slave trade
New York Times Neela Banerjee Anglicans Vote to Divest From Concerns in Israel-Occupied Areas
Jerusalem Post George Conger Church of England’s disinvestment vote ‘only advisory’
0 CommentsGeneral Synod: Wednesday
This morning’s business is reported on the CofE website:
General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted Wednesday 8th February am.
This includes a full audio record of the Questions about the Octavia Hill Estates including the supplementary questions and answers. The text of Andreas Whittam Smith’s written answers is below the fold.
In his supplementary answers, he referred to the Oxford judgement. That can be read in full here (PDF format)
Press Association
Martha Linden Church Commissioners reject housing sale criticism
Church of England Newspaper
Jonathan Wynne-Jones and Matt Cresswell Bishop says property sale will affect Church’s mission
The CEN has placed these Synod stories from yesterday online:
Rural discrimination claim
Synod plea for stronger Christian ethos in Church colleges
Convergence revealed in conversations with Baptists
The official report of the afternoon’s business is here:General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted on Wednesday 8th February pm
When noting the voting figures given, it may help to remember that the total membership of the synod is 466.
Associated Press Church of England to apologize for role in slave trade
BBC Church apologises for slave trade
ekklesia Church of England apologises for part in slave trade
press reports of Tuesday's debates
Guardian Stephen Bates
Synod opens debate on women bishops
Telegraph Jonathan Petre
General Synod tries to smooth path for first woman bishop
Press Association Compromise over women bishops ‘discriminatory’
Church Times Synod Roundup
And, Alastair Cutting is blogging from the synod.
Update
Some other press coverage of the Caterpillar matter:
Jerusalem Post George Conger Lord Carey ‘ashamed to be an Anglican’
Haaretz Anglican Church in Britain decides to divest
Palestine News Agency UK Campaigners Welcome Church of England Divestment Vote on Caterpillar
ekklesia C of E’s disinvestment vote increases risk for arms dealers say campaigners
General Synod: Tuesday
General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted on Tuesday 7th February am
This includes an audio recording of the whole debate.
The Times Ruth Gledhill Synod inches towards women bishops
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Sermon at Eucharist service, General Synod London
Change in the order of business for Wednesday:
Questions 17-25 relating to the Octavia Hill Estates will be taken on Wednesday morning immediately after the Legislative Business.
Evening Update
General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted on Tuesday 7th February pm
Again complete audio files are available there.
Press reports of Monday's debates
The Times Ruth Gledhill
Disunity ‘is the cost of women being bishops’
Synod in disinvestment snub to Israel
Also, Ruth’s blog has Church-Israel row looms as synod backs Caterpillar divestment
Telegraph Jonathan Petre
Williams backs bid to disinvest in firms that aid Israeli ‘occupiers’
Cardinal’s warning on women bishops
Guardian Stephen Bates
Church votes to sell off shares in Caterpillar
BBC Robert Pigott
Synod tackles women bishop debate
Today radio programme excerpts (Real Audio)
The spring Synod of the Church of England is attempting to reach a compromise over women bishops. Listen here
The Rt Rev Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford, and Dr John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham, on the proposals for a compromise over the issue of women bishops Listen here
Church Times
Monday’s Synod round-up
Octavia Hill Estates
Last Friday, the Church Commissioners made a decision to sell their remaining holdings of property in the Octavia Hill Estates. The press release announcing this decision is here:
Church Commissioners select buyer for London residential properties.
This action was opposed before the decision was taken, and continues to be opposed by a variety of groups. Some reports on this:
Ekklesia Church of England accused of acting unethically over homes sale
LondonSE1 Waterloo and Union Street homes sold by Church Commissioners
BBC MPs’ shock at church homes sale and Protest on church homes sell-off
Guardian Archbishop intervenes in row over £200m estates sale.
24dash.com Octavia Hill residents stage protest over Church of England’s decision to sell homes
A letter, from the three MPs whose constituents are affected by this, to all members of the synod was issued today, and the text of it appears in full below the fold.
1 CommentGeneral Synod: Monday report
The official report of today’s business can be found here. Audio recordings of the proceedings have been posted. (The .wax files can be heard using Windows Media Player.)
As the report shows, synod declined to extend the session beyond 7 pm, and this meant that the last item of scheduled business was not completed by the time of adjournment. Therefore no debate yet occurred on the motion from the Bishop of Southwark relating to investments in land and real estate, which would give an opportunity for a substantive discussion of the Octavia Hill Estates matter.
2 CommentsGeneral Synod: Questions
The Questions to be asked have now been published, as noted in our Synod Papers item (which contains links to all documents for this group of sessions bar one item, GS 1601, which has still not been made available electronically).
The original .rtf Questions file is on the CofE website here. An html version of this page is available here. The construction of the html version took me approximately 90 seconds and required no technical skill.
Question 62 is a Question about the November Answers. I have been asking the same question of the synod office ever since November and I have never had any reply to my queries, so I will be really interested in the answer.
The Answers session is at the end of Thursday next week.
1 CommentGeneral Synod: CT on women bishops
Last week, the Church Times had extensive coverage of the report of the Women Bishops Group.
Guildford report proposes TEA and sympathy Glyn Paflin
Contemplating a woman at Canterbury (an extract from the report)
This is how the plans could work by Christopher Hill Bishop of Guildford
Surprise, surprise: a middle way editorial comment
Synod Papers
General Synod meets from 6 to 9 February 2006. Links to the online agenda follow together with a list of papers mentioned in the agenda. Links are made to available online copies. This list will be updated.
The Business Committee’s forecast of future business is copied below the fold.
The Church of England’s own list of papers is here and here is a press release on the agenda.
Agenda
Monday 6 February
Tuesday 7 February
Wednesday 8 February
Thursday 9 February
Questions
Papers
GS 1596A Admission of Baptised Children to Holy Communion Regualtions
GS 1596Y Report by the House of Bishops (included in GS 1596A)
GS 1601 Mutual Expectations: The Church Of England And Church Colleges/Universities Report By The Board Of Education
GS 1603 Report By The Business Committee
GS 1604 Ethical Investment: Report By The Ethical Investment Advisory Group
GS 1605 House Of Bishops’ Women Bishops Group: Report To The General Synod From A Working Group Chaired By The Bishop Of Guildford.
GS 1605A Note by the Presidents
GS 1606 Seeds In Holy Ground: A Future For The Rural Church?
GS 1607 Into The New Quinquennium
GS 1609 Hospital And Health Care Chaplaincy
GS 1610 The Church’s Built Heritage Annex 1 Annex 3
GS Misc 801 Pushing At The Boundaries Of Unity: Anglicans And Baptists In Conversation
GS Misc 807 Ecumenical Responses To Women Bishops In The Church Of England?
GS Misc 808 Bicentenary of the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
GS Misc 812A Private Member’s Motion – Readers – A background note by Nigel Holmes
GS Misc 812B Background Paper from the Ministry Division Annex
GS Misc 813 The Human Genome: Background note from the Diocese of Guildford
Other papers circulated to Synod members
Summary decisions of the most recent meeting of the House of Bishops (January 2006)
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