Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News What Does it Mean to be Anglican in a Post-colonial Communion?
Ruth Grayson Surviving Church From Inertia to Overkill: A Surfeit of Safeguarding?
Michelle Burns Guarding The Flock Institutional Gaslighting in the Church: Rewriting the Stories of Those They Harmed
Thank you Michael for your article. Having had personal insight into just how well the CofE doesn’t do safeguarding concerns about clergy abuse, it all rings so utterly true. And it is very hard not to treat such an organisation with contempt. No wonder so many people don’t bother with us any longer.
Last week I (alone, it would seem, among the people at my church) received a ‘safeguarding quiz’ from our bishop; one question asked ‘Do you feel safe at church?’ Well, the obvious answer to that is “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t go.”
The obvious logic of your statement, which you were not doubt implying, was that if there was a poll asking all church attendees whether they felt safe at church, and 99.9% said they did, and the church announced that the church is safe and safeguarding processes are robust…
Then it is simply bad statistics. We see this kind of nonsense all the time.
Even worse when the question is raised by somebody in authority – the obvious answer is ‘yes I feel safe in church, but not from you’.
Independence, where art thou?
“Michael” ??
Michelle?
Michelle here,
Thank you so much for your support and for sharing my blog. I’ve been truly moved by the number of messages I’ve received about this piece.
I read TA regularly but have never commented before today. You have told my story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Possibly Autocorrect.
Ruth Grayson’s article is disturbing. Perpetuates the myth that safeguarding is about the ‘vulnerable’ (see the charity commission’s review).
Also it complains about DBS. Most secular organisations insist on DBS, even where they are not interacting with children. I wouldn’t be a licensed athletics timekeeper if I didn’t undergo DBS, even though I am well away on a timekeeping stand.
What is the problem? DBS is so easy. Even applying for jobs I am sometimes asked to do a DBS check. It is trivial.
Stop complaining.
Some of her other points are valid.
Excellent piece from Charlie Bell.
Yes, I found it excellent as well, Tim.
It’s interesting that you and Ruairidh were the people responding so positively to Charlie’s piece.
I wonder if “The voices in the room were far more female, far more indigenous, far less white” – and the awareness and challenge that brings – is everyday experience for a minister in the Anglican Church of Canada.
That’s why I so value your voice here.
Thanks, Simon. I like to think we’re working on it here in the Anglican Church of Canada, but we’re not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot.
Tim, In my own research and teaching I look at a lot of this post colonial “truth and reconciliation” type work across the world. I focus mainly on LGBTQ issues, but that work requires a wider perspective, especially around gender. Believe me, what is happening in Canada is often far ahead of what is happening elsewhere. And it seems to be not just the church but Government institutions and the indigenous communities themselves working on this. But you are right. It’s a long journey. https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/archbishop-canterbury-apologises-indigenous-peoples-canada Looking at it from a distance, it can’t have been easy to hold the church… Read more »
The problem with this analysis is that historically Christian communities have always regarded same sex relationships as sinful. It is not simply a British colonial issue as GAFCON testifies.
Thanks Simon, and again, I would agree with Tim. Also, keep up those informative comments!
BTW Ruth’s article gives an example of an adult choir being required to undergo safeguarding training. She seems to think it is unnecessary. It is entirely appropriate for members of an adult choir to undergo safeguarding training. Safeguarding is not just for children and ‘vulnerable’ adults. Indeed, there have been notorious cases of choirs being subject to bullying. The line between vigorous enforcing of standards and bullying can be quite thin. Problems between choir members are also not infrequent. Quoting from the Charity Commission: currently the Church does not treat allegations of abuse from an adult not assessed to be… Read more »
Nigel, Do you think that everyone who comes to church should – in advance, or immediately on first attendance – be required to have a DBS clearance and do Safeguarding training for continued participation? Because, after all, any level of participation in church life gives access to groom/abuse vulnerable, not-so-vulnerable and potentially vulnerable people. So any attender could be either victim or threat, or both. Any attender might be the recipient of a disclosure, and need to know how to properly respond. The category ‘all people who come into contact with their charity’ is (still) massive for the CofE, in… Read more »
You are using the word ‘vulnerable’. Read the Charity Commission words above. ‘Vulnerable’ is not relevant. Of course I don’t think all members of the congregation should have DBS. But church leadership, in all leadership positions, should take steps to protect from harm all who attend. A basic step is that those who have any leadership position (even if, for example, a leader in a bible study group – for any age) should be DBS cleared. Flower arrangers? Just do it, for the sake of our weaker brethren. Take the extra step. Stop complaining. Do you know how simple DBS… Read more »
Thanks Nigel agree completely.
Responding to red herrings is always a fraught situation.
You can’t currently require a church worker (paid or voluntary) who doesn’t work with children and/or vulnerable adults, to undergo a DBS check. To do so would currently, I believe, if I have remembered my S/G training correctly, be illegal. I worry about underplaying or abolishing the category of ‘vulnerable’. It seems manifestly clear to me that there are some people in my church community who need more protecting/looking out for than others, and they should be the proper focus of most of our energies. To neglect this, in favour of ‘protecting everybody’ may actually make the community. as a… Read more »
Perhaps worth saying to TA readers more widely, in England it is unlawful to require standard or enhanced DBS checks on people unless they are undertaking regulated activities with adults or children, as defined by the legislation. So generally speaking, a blanket insistence on DBS checks for everyone on the flower rota or bell tower is almost certainly unlawful, unless there are specific circumstances – which would need to be explained and justified. There is good information on this on the government website. Really, all those involved in managing safeguarding in churches and elsewhere ought to be aware of this… Read more »
Perhaps a flower arranger may have some past conviction of no possible relevance which she does not want gossipped about.
Or he.
And if he does it every week, and there are some 10 year olds helping? Alone in church? A previous conviction for child abuse?
Well obviously that would be a very different matter. It ought to be possible to distinguish between a conviction for child abuse and a conviction of no possible relevance.
I don’t think DBS distinguishes? Presumably it can all be done through the priest who would maintain confidentiality?
I think they are usually done by a member of the congregation. In any case even if confidentiality were maintained (which in a small community is doubtful -even with the best intentions people sniff out gossip in the smallest of facial expressions), even then, the flower arranger might not want the DBS checker, probably in a small congregation a friend, to know.
Yes, the admin is done by a member of the congregation. The Certificate is only seen by the owner. If there is anything on the certificate – parking ticket or murder – the parish just gets a note to tell the owner to contact the local diocesan safeguarding team. The DST does a risk assessment for the role and sends back a note for the parish to proceed or not. No one in the parish, incl the Incumbemt, Evidence Checker and Parish Safeguarding Officer, learns what is on the Certificate unless the owner decides to say: personal confidentiality is maintained… Read more »
AN Other, thank you, your last sentence surprises me. In my own dealings, I see many results with nil comments/references.
Apparently, in 2024 a quarter of the UK population had an entry on the Police National Computer. https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/data-shows-1-in-4-people-in-the-uk-has-a-police-record/5121354.article
AN Other, thank you, Oops, I had assumed you were talking about the church population.
Thanks. I suspect many flower arrangers and bellringers may be unaware of the process and might be happier to agree to checks if they knew more.
Of course, they cannot just ask how the process works, for fear of being suspected of having something to hide.
There is a probably a difference here between flower arrangers and bellringers. Certainly a difference betweeen bellringers and say members of a choir or other church group. Many bellringers are not churchgoers and do not stay for the services — they ring the bells and go. They ring for services because the church wants them to ring and because they like ringing. They ring the bells at a weekly practice and for occasional services; they help maintain the bells and probably the clock and other things up the tower. So their presence benefits the church, at no financial cost. The… Read more »
Hello Admin, I’m not sure that you are right or accurate here. Only Tower Captains, like all church leaders, are required to undertake “Safeguarding Leadership” training, which is about trying to fix the culture of the Church and keep an eye on clergy (and other leaders’) misbehaviour. The rank-and-file bellringer ought to complete “Safeguarding Basic”, which just covers how to spot a potential problem and deal with it consistently. God doesn’t get a mention in “Safeguarding Basic”. There is no difference between bellringers, choristers, flower arrangers, stewards or any other group, either inside or outside of the church. These are… Read more »
I think the requirements vary from diocese to diocese. I am a ringer (indeed I’m a tower captain) and I see quite a lot of discussion among ringers about this. Of course some of this is general grumbling (and as you say they should just get on and do it). But there is also quite a bit of complaining about having to take a course with a religious basis.
Thanks for the robust debate! Without diving too far into all the legal aspects (yes, it is only a legal requirement for regulated activities, which cover aspects such as how regular the volunteer activity is), which can be found in detail on gov.uk: My personal uninformed views, open to change them, are: I am not an expert and have no wish to be an expert i agree there are degrees of vulnerability, but the Charity Commission is very clear on where the CoE falls down. It falls down in not regarding ALL adult issues as safeguarding issues. if it is… Read more »
Keep the faith, brother. You are right.
Tentative, Perhaps you could define and expand on your question with some deeper exploration of possible practical scenarios that may lead to a greater understanding of liability either direct or vicarious and an expanded answer to the definition of duty of care within amorphous faith communities? I think nailing down broad safeguarding principles to practical examples can be helpful in what is an expanding duty of care. Perhaps it’s an understanding of some of the incarnational and theological issues to do with Christian compassion service and grace expressed relationally and within community ? A challenging and thought provoking comment. Thank… Read more »
I agree that practical example are useful. But also how churches are seen and marketed, and balancing the views of the world and the risks against effort. As an example, a group of bell ringers objecting to DBS just looks silly, and generates ammunition for detractors. https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record I am currently in discussion about the issue of photos – I manage an athletic club web site – and it is tricky. In principle, photos should not be taken or published for under 16 yr olds without parental permission. But the reality gets more difficult – groups of athletes? Athletes from other… Read more »
I identify with this completely and thanks for this glimpse into reality. All my ministry was in busy inner urban parishes which were (in your words ) school engaging. We tried to live out a call to be inclusive and incarnational. It would never be ‘successful’ and the pace was fast moving, sometimes frenetic. Safeguarding “concerns” could be overplayed and misheard with the consequent reluctance to take on (or stay in) roles which was extremely difficult as leaders were at a premium. Authority was often viewed with suspicion and fear (which may have stemmed from someone nicking a chocolate bar… Read more »
Extra stewards over Christmas are, to my understanding, not regular, so do not need DBS. A lot of the problems arise from misunderstandings, and ignoring practical realities. I am currently trying to work out whether I should remove hundreds of photos of under 16 yr olds, and whether i should go through 1200 posts and diligently remove possible photos of under 16 yr olds. It does seem a bit crazy. I have been advised I should remove them. I will have to do whatever the executive committee and safeguarding officer suggests, but guidelines from higher authorities are by no means… Read more »
Maybe what Ruth highlighted was the (apparent) lack of coordination and communication of these issues. Other organisations seem to do it much better. For example see:
https://communitysouthwark.org/understanding-dbs-checks-for-volunteers/
https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/safeguarding/specific-aspects/getting-started-with-dbs-checks/overview/
Is there a similar clear and concise set of guidelines for the CoE?
Apparently it will be complete in Jan 2026.
https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/policy-and-practice-guidance
I did not immediately see any guidelines for DBS for volunteers.
The national training requirements are set out here (though they could be more succinct): https://www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-e-manual/safeguarding-learning-and-development-framework
The vetting requirements are set out in the Safer Recuitment policy. An example of a more succinct local version is here: https://www.london.anglican.org/church-and-parish-support/safeguarding/dbs-checks/
In practice, I write to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team for its Advice. DST replies. The DBS element, if required, is part of pre-appointment checks. The appointment is made. The applicant then complies with the training Advice or doesn’t. If not, the volunteer offer is voided after three months in line with Safer Recruitment. It is blunt but effective.
Whenever I see the word ‘framework’ I inwardly sigh! I know it will be vague and have too many words. I see it very often in my profession in the software industry. i have to ask ‘what is the audience for this framework, and if I purchase/acquire it, what do you give me, and what do I deliver with it?’ Even worse is a ‘holistic framework’. Just flipped through the link above on the framework (thanks for these links). I am not a masochist, eyes glazed over very quickly, and it seems to be all about training. The London link… Read more »
I thought Charlie Bell’s piece was fascinating, and worth paying attention to for those of us struggling to make headway on issues of sexuality or gender or race within the Church of England. We should make links with, and learn from, what is going on elsewhere in the Anglican Communion. When we look abroad from England to the Anglican Communion all we tend to see are the patriarchal GAFCON bishops with their anger and rejection. If we looked more carefully we might find, like Charlie did, a huge number of people working to push back against that patriarchal control. Phil… Read more »
I’d love to know how representative of the Anglican Communion were the “voices in the room”. I’d be delighted if they were. My worry is that GAFCON has a loud voice it seems. I used to feel interested and committed to the Anglican Communion. GAFCON has made me increasingly disinterested and uncommitted. Perhaps I can be reassured that I am mistaken?
It’s a good question Shamus. I don’t know the answer. That’s more Phil Groves’ territory. But I am aware that his consistent message over a few years posting on TA is that the progressive forces with the Anglican communion in Africa and elsewhere are stronger than we might think.
Thank you. That’s good to know. I feel we are missing the visionary Archbishop Tutu.
Hi Shamus, Let’s not forget that there were 6 Anglican Communion representatives on the body that chose a woman as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The liturgist Paul Bradshaw introduced a theory that I call “Bradshaw’s paradox”. If a bishop preaches or teaches against something, then that is evidence that this something existed within the community, otherwise there would be no reason to preach against it. And the more vituperative the preaching then the more active and powerful that thing must have been in the opinion of the preacher. The anguish in these GAFCON messages possibly suggests that in the… Read more »
I think we are ALL missing the visionary Archbishop Desmond Tutu!
Simon and Shamus – my mantra is that the Anglican communion is complex. The GAFCON group have the big two provinces of Nigeria and Uganda and so they can claim numerical dominance by membership, but they have not convinced the majority of provinces to split from the Anglican Communion. Anglicans do have progressive voices in many contexts – not always over sexuality. So we are strong and have been effective in indigenous rights – for example in Botswana and Argentina and we had a significant indigenous presence at COP from Brazilian indigenous peoples. The Episcopal Church has far stronger formal… Read more »
“GAFCON and GSFA tend to represent those who actually think the colonialist era had a lot going for it. Their ecclesiology is based on the same models of top down power.” That is such a profound insight, thank you. It certainly matches my own understanding based on LGBTQ issues. Before colonialism many African cultures incorporated various different forms of LGBTQ activity, commonly within a warrior culture or some form of spiritual/Shamen vocation. But these were suppressed by colonial forces enforcing a Christian morality. But now the GAFCON/GSFA teaching continues this colonialist anti-gay mindset, arguing that homosexuality never happened in Africa… Read more »
GAFCON and GSFA may think the message of the missionaries of the colonial era had a lot going for it, but that doesn’t make them fans of the era. That’s reflected in Musevoni’s lack of enthusiasm for colonialism but his support of the church; and in this blog: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2023/12/the-anti-colonial-conservative-revolution-in-the-anglican-communion/ In a nutshell, your claim is that African Anglicans who agree with more liberal churches in Britain and America are rejecting western colonialism; wile those telling the British to get lost are somehow expressing their support for it. It sounds a bit condescending, as though if the ABC can no longer… Read more »
Nigeria told the British to get lost. Took reference to Canterbury out. As you say. It’s upside down to call that colonial, unless one has a pre formed thesis. It’s not clear to me, furthermore, that missionaries from this era were chiefly ‘colonial’ in orientation as opposed to being chiefly concerned with conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Taking one’s coffin along to demonstrate that commitment.
In the Enthronement Declaration that the Dean of Canterbury uses and will use on March the 25th When Bishop Sarah Mullally is Enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury and places her in St Augustine’s Chair he will speak “of the Eyes of all Anglicans” looking to the See of Canterbury “For their Communion and Fellowship” which is a reminder at present that the Archbishop of Canterbury still has a role to play in the Anglican Communion. Whether any future Enthronement Declaration will contain the phrases I have mentioned , when any future Archbishop of Canterbury is enthroned in the future is… Read more »
Shamus – please be encouraged to look harder. There are those who have taken on Tutu’s mantle. I have just completed a chapter of a book to be published in honour of AB Thabo Makgoba. But even more important is Anglican lay person Alice Mogwe (if you have never heard of her then you should). She is an outstanding star of the human rights defenders movements and the person responsible for empowering people to speak for themselves rather than being spoken for by well meaning white liberals. Without her the San People and LGBTQI+ community in Botswana may not have… Read more »
I’m picking up on Simon’s comment “There are some seriously impressive people doing this work in many interlocking fields; race, gender, LGBTQ” in response to Charlie’s That there were queer, Black Anglican voices in the room from the ‘Global South. During my 20 years as Director of Changing Attitude I was funded by the trustees to attend two Lambeth Conferences and a number of Primates and Anglican Consultative Council meetings, notably in Tanzania when CA paid for Davis MacIyalla from Nigeria to attend the meeting with me. I was present at meetings in Jamaica and Egypt and queer black voices… Read more »
Thank you Michelle. So much truth in what you share here and I can only begin to imagine the pain you have experienced. I just want to say that you don’t even need to LEAVE the church to experience this – you just need to challenge the status quo – like making the radical claim that the Church should treat women and men equally or that the Church should recognise its institutional misogyny and do something about it! Gaslighting, the dark arts of NDAs and other abuses of power need to go.
Martine, thank you. You are doing a great job. Last Sunday, Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, inaugurated (or something) a woman as Archdeacon of Blackburn. I really do not know how he can square this with his strident approach to the ordination of women. We cannot put up with this ridiculous approach to women for much longer.
But the Diocese of Blackburn already has a suffragan bishop who is female. And so does the Diocese of Chichester. So there is ample precedent for this new archdeacon appointment.
Yes, I know that. My point is the ridiculous situation we are in, nothing more than that. Utterly ridiculous.
It’s mutual flourishing, allowing both female clergy and traditional catholics to have a full place in the Church of England. The fact we will soon have a female Archbishop of Canterbury shows that women and can rise to the highest offices while we traditional catholics are allowed to exist. It’s not perfect but it’s the settlement we have.
Though especially with a woman Archbishop consecrating future bishops it does mean traditional Catholics will be out of full communion with the bulk of the clergy of the C of E within ten years. That is a pretty strange position to be in it seems to me. The only way to make sense of it as a trad Cath friend said to me is seeing oneself as part of a ” faithful remnant”. But it reminds me of the Non Jurors tbh
The non jurors eventually died out of course — but they were not allowed to remain in their parishes or dioceses. Archbishops, bishops and parochial clergy all lost their livings if they would not take the oath to William & Mary. Similarly, dissenters lost their livings if they would not conform after 1662, and perhaps that is a slightly better parallel.
The non-jurors died out in England. The Scottish Episcopal Church descends from the non-jurors (as well as the qualified chapels) as does TEC. The circumstances of Seabury’s consecration were precisely because of being unable to take the oath to the crown required by the CofE.
Yes, thanks, I was only commenting on England, but the situation was rather different in Scotland, as you say. As for the USA, the Episcopal Church there received its first bishop at the hands of the non-juring Scots, along with an agreement from him to shape the communion rite along Scottish lines. But the next two American bishops, William White and Samuel Provoost were consecrated at Lambeth Palace by the two English Archbishops following the enactment of the Consecration of Bishops Abroad Act 1786. White became the first Presiding Bishop of the nascent Church and therefore the chief consecrator of… Read more »
I suppose I was thinking less of the 400 or so who actually left and more those who conformed and stayed in with considerable unhappiness and theological angst, hoping for better days under a possible Stuart restoration. And laity like Dr Johnson.
Fair point, though I suppose that technically they were not non-jurors!
They are already , because of their argument that any bishop who ordains a woman has put his orders into question by this action. Hence “Traditional Catholic” ordinands choose to be ordained by a bishop who has never ordained a woman, and have rejected both archbishops as chief consecrators for over ten years now.. The argument is different for conservative evangelicals who reject a woman’s leadership. This is a strange position for those who emphasise the importance of the collegiality of the bishops.
This is not true and not an understanding of the traditional catholic argument around orders and is condemned by the Society. The principal rather is full communion and that communion is broken by the ordination and consecration of women to the priesthood and episcopate. Priests and Bishops should be ordained by those with whom they are in full communion, as ordination is an expression of full ecclesial communion.
It is hard to call an ararngement ‘mutual’ when one side can legally discriminate against the other in employment practice solely on grounds of gender. Nor is it obvious how those discriminated against can be reasonably expected to ‘flourish’ under such an arrangement – which includes being required to promise due and canonical obedience to their bishop who does not actually agree they should be ordained and would not lay hands on them. And you and I – as men – will never ever know how it feels to be treated like that. So we need to listen carefully.
Dark arts indeed. Thank you Martine!
I have had a relatively straight-forward time in ministry in the Church of England, but everything you said rings true. All of us would be shut out in the cold without hesitation because the only thing the institution cares about at the end of the day is survival. I’ve seen many instances of colleagues being treated exactly as you say. It’s a sad state of affairs but I don’t see honest change coming.
I sympathise with the calls for proportionality here. In our local U3A I am the coordinator for the intermediate Italian group. It would be silly to suggest group coordinators should all have DBS checks. What’s so special about churches? But yes, a complaint from a non vulnerable adult (such as, a Bishop for example) should certainly be vigorously investigated. Whether you label this “safeguarding” or not is perhaps not so self evident.
The Charity Commission cannot be more clear about this.
CofE safeguarding courses are stark contrast to those for sports bodies. Sports courses all have lots of examples where the abuser/bully is the coach/official, whereas in my dio (cannot speak for others) invariably the priest is the person to trust, to spot abuse, etc. This is despite fact that our dio abuse record is appalling, with even diocesan involved in cover up (Eric Kemp).
Lots of paperwork & process, but in abuse case would I trust CofE to do the right things, or would I go direct the secular authorities? Secular every day.
Michelle’s article is so very telling and I’m amazed that it has attracted such a large response- it has clearly chimed with a lot of people . The COf E has bullying and gaslighting down to a very fine art No surprise that safeguarding remains an unsolved issue which refuses to go away.An earlier article from Surviving Church which gained no traction was the Durham University report into Soul Survivor saying that the C of E needed to become more aware of the formation of cults within its organisation. Michelle’s article made me wonder whether the entire church has in… Read more »
Exactly. I compare with sports bodies and secular volunteer organisations because they seem to do things better. Simper, clear and independent.
Churches are not unique in having volunteers.
Wrt. the charity commission audit, the CoE should simply say ‘yes, you are right, we fall short, what should we do to improve it, by what date? Can you help us?’