Thinking Anglicans

Opinion – 17 July 2019

Richard Peers Quodcumque – Serious Christianity Our Archbishop is baffled – What are we going to do about deference in the Church of England?

Michael Sadgrove Equal Enlarging marriage

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The Matt Ineson Story – Archbishops challenged
Survivors and the post-IICSA Church

Meg Munn Chair of the National Safeguarding Panel Presenting to the Synod

 

54 Comments

Bishop of Sherwood to retire

The diocese of Southwell and Nottingham has announced that the suffragan Bishop of Sherwood, the Rt Revd Tony Porter, will retire on 22nd March 2020. More details here.

6 Comments

Olivia Graham to be next Bishop of Reading

Press release from Number 10

Queen has approved the nomination to the Suffragan See of Reading: 15 July 2019

Queen approves nomination of the Venerable Olivia Josephine Graham to the Suffragan See of Reading.

Published 15 July 2019
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Olivia Josephine Graham, BA, Archdeacon of Berkshire, in the Diocese of Oxford, to the Suffragan See of Reading, in the Diocese of Oxford, in succession to the Right Reverend Andrew John Proud, BD, AKC, MA, who resigned on 1st May 2019.

The Oxford diocesan website has more details. The new bishop will be consecrated on 19 November 2019.

15 Comments

Bishop of Truro’s report on FCO support for persecuted Christians

The Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, prepared a report for the Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, on the subject of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s support for persecuted Christians.

This has now been published: Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO support for Persecuted Christians.

There is an excellent summary of it at Law & Religion UKIndependent Review of FCO support for persecuted Christians.

The government press release is here.

0 Comments

Bishop Linda Nicholls elected as new Canadian Primate

The Anglican Journal has this story: Linda Nicholls elected primate.

Full details of the election results.

Information about Bishop Nicholls.

Information about all the candidates.

Here is the statement issued by the new primate after her election (which also deals with the earlier vote on the marriage canon).

2 Comments

Canadian General Synod fails to pass revised marriage canon

Updated Monday morning

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada is meeting in Vancouver.

The synod affirmed this statement, originally published in March: A Word to the Church: Considering the proposed amendment of Marriage Canon XXI. This contains at chronology of the preceding steps in this proposal. (h/t Tim Chesterton)

The Anglican Journal reported: Marriage canon amendment fails to pass at General Synod.

The 42nd General Synod voted against Resolution A052-R2, which would have amended the marriage canon to allow for same-sex marriage, after the resolution failed to pass by a two-thirds majority in all three orders. While two-thirds of the Order of Laity (80.9%) and Order of Clergy (73.2%) voted in favour, less than the required two-thirds (62.2%) voted in favour of the resolution in the Order of Bishops

.The final results of the vote, which took place on the evening of July 12 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, were as follows: The Order of Laity saw 89 members (80.9%) vote Yes and 21 members (19.1%) vote No, with one abstention. The Order of Clergy had 60 members (73.2%) voting Yes, 22 members (26.8%) voting No, and two abstentions. In the Order of Bishops, 23 members (62.2%) voted Yes and 14 members (37.8%) voted No, with two abstentions…

Subsequently, a number of Canadian bishops published messages in response, as reported in an email:

  • Archbishop Skelton Diocese of New Westminster Click here 
  • Bishop Peddle Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador Click here 
  • Bishop John Chapman Diocese of Ottawa Click here 
  • Bishop Geoffrey Woodcroft Diocese of Rupert’s Land Click here 
  • Bishop of the Diocese of Toronto Bishop Andrew Asbil on his Facebook page. Click here 
  • Bishop’s Call for Prayer Diocese of British Columbia Click here 
  • Bishop Jane Alexander Diocese of Edmonton Click here
  • Bishop Bell Diocese of Niagara Click here 

Madia reports:

Vancouver Sun Anglican Church rejects same-sex marriage in Vancouver vote

CBC Anglican Church rejects same-sex marriage approvals in vote

26 Comments

Opinion – 13 July 2019

Laurie Gudim The Episcopal Café Our Duty to Strangers

Nick Baines Bishop of Leeds What is the Will of the People asks Bishop Nick at Harold Wilson Lecture

David Gillett ViaMedia.News Does the Bible Really Say…that Baptism Should be Withheld from Some People?

4 Comments

IICSA Anglican Church hearing day 10

Updated 26 July (video recordings added)

Today, the final Friday,  was originally intended to be used only for closing statements from the lawyers representing the various parties. However, it was announced at the end of Thursday that an additional witness would be called first on Friday morning. This turned out to be David Bonehill, Claims Director of EIG and and John Titchener, Group Compliance Director of EIO.

The Church Times has a report of what happened: IICSA reprimands Ecclesiastical over earlier advice to C of E and evidence to Inquiry

Transcript of day 10 hearing.

Video recordings of today’s session are available, part one, and part two.

List of documents adduced on day 10  seven of which have now been published, links here.

Witness statement of John Titchener

11 Comments

IICSA Anglican Church Hearing Day 9

Updated 26 July (video recordings added)

Transcript of day 9 (Thursday)

Video recordings are available:

List of documents adduced on day 9

Witness statements:

Media reports:

Telegraph The Archbishop of Canterbury banned abuse victim from cathedral grounds after treating his case with “casual indifference”, IICSA hears

Independent Bishops involved in sexual abuse do not get ‘an easy ride’, Archbishop of Canterbury claims

Guardian Archbishop of Canterbury calls for mandatory reporting of sexual abuse

Church Times IICSA: I am ashamed and horrified, says Welby

21 Comments

IICSA Anglican Church hearing days 7 and 8

Updated 26 July (video recordings added)

Transcript for day 7 (Tuesday) See below for further links

Transcript for day 8 (Wednesday)

Video recordings;

Day 8 list of documents adduced

Day 8 witness statements

At the time of writing no further documents for day 8 have been published by IICSA, but there is extensive media coverage:.

Press Association via Daily Mail Vicar tells abuse inquiry archbishops ‘not fit for office’. (this report also appears in numerous other newspapers)

Church Times Absolute power will corrupt bishops, says Sentamu

Guardian Archbishop: church ‘shabby and shambolic’ in abuse case

York Press Archbishop of York denies mishandling clerical abuse allegations

Doncaster Free Press Former South Yorkshire vicar claims sex abuse reports were ‘ignored’ by clerics

ITV Vicar tells abuse inquiry archbishops ‘not fit for office’ (includes video report)

Telegraph Archbishop of York: Parishes are ‘enabling abuse’ by refusing to punish paedophiles whom they deem ‘lovely people’

And this analysis at Surviving ChurchThe Matt Ineson IICSA testimony. A crisis of leadership in the Church of England?

Documents adduced on day 7 include the following witness statements:

And there is this media report:

Church Times Bishops not qualified to adjudicate on safeguarding cases, says Munn

22 Comments

General Synod – day 5 – Tuesday 9 July 2019

Order Paper 6 – Tuesday 9 July morning – details of the final day’s business

Synod members’ blogs

Andrew Nunn Heading home

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap I’m going home…

0 Comments

Crown Nominations Commission – changes to the rules

The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) is responsible for providing the prime minister with the names of candidates to be diocesan bishops in the Church of England. The current rules are that the CNC must provide two names and place them in order of preference. Recent prime ministers have agreed to always submit the first name to the Queen. The second name is then only required if for some reason the first choice becomes unavailable.

But each of the two names must be supported by two-thirds of the CNC members. So if the CNC is able to agree on a first name, but not on a second it has to reconvene and start again, even though the second name is rarely required.

General Synod was therefore asked to amend its standing orders so that the Crown Nominations Commission

i) Submit one name to the Prime Minister, subject to the support of two thirds of the voting members of the Commission in a secret ballot; and

ii) May agree on a second name if they so wish, also subject to the support of two thirds of the voting members of the Commission in a secret ballot as a reserve candidate.

The submission of one name will not therefore be dependent in any way on the agreement of a second name.

Synod agreed to these changes yesterday afternoon and they will come into effect on 10 July 2019.

The first meeting to be affected by these changes will be next week. The CNC will be having its second meeting (the one at which the names are chosen) for the forthcoming vacancy at Hereford on 15/16 July 2019.

There is a paper explaining these changes in more detail: GS 2144.

34 Comments

General Synod – day 4 – Monday 8 July 2019

Order Paper 4 – Monday 8 July morning
Order Paper 5 – Monday 8 July afternoon
Order Paper 5b – Monday 8 July afternoon

Press releases from the Church of England about items from today’s business

General Synod backs expansion in new forms of church gatherings

News reports

Laura FitzPatrick The Telegraph Monks and nuns to be recognised by the Church of England for first time since Reformation

Synod members’ blogs

Andrew Nunn Cathedral-shaped church

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap I went down to the sacred store

Stephen notes that the Archbishops’ Council Annual Report is not available on the Church of England’s website. But the Council is a charity and its annual report is available here on the website of the Charity Commission.

1 Comment

IICSA Anglican Church hearing day 6

Updated 26 July (video recordings added)

Transcript of hearing for Monday of week 2.

Video recordings:

2 Comments

General Synod – day 3 – Sunday 7 July 2019

Updated Monday morning

General Synod members attended the 10 am Sung Eucharist at York Minster, where the Archbishop of Canterbury preached this sermon.

Order Paper 3 – Sunday 7 July afternoon – details of the day’s business

Press releases from the Church of England about items from today’s business

Presentation from lead safeguarding bishop, Peter Hancock

Synod backs further steps towards communion with the Methodist Church

News reports

Laura FitzPatrick The Telegraph Contactless collection plates used in York Minster for the first time

John Blow Yorkshire Post Archbishop of York attends his last General Synod in the city

Madeleine Davies, Tim Wyatt and Adam Becket Church Times Bishop Hancock challenges the Synod on safeguarding

Christian Today Church of England has a ‘long way still to travel’ on safeguarding

Madeleine Davies, Tim Wyatt and Adam Becket Church Times Division over Anglican-Methodist plan prompts Synod to decelerate process

Christian Today Church of England moves towards communion with the Methodist Church

Synod members’ blogs

Andrew Nunn Cautious steps

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap Together we can make it happen; wait and see

6 Comments

General Synod – day 2 – Saturday 6 July 2019

Updated Sunday morning and evening

Order Paper 2 – Saturday 6 July morning – details of the day’s business

Archbishop of York’s presidential address

Synod passed this motion on responding to serious youth violence.

That this Synod, recognizing that Serious Youth Violence affects the whole community;
a) call upon the National Church Institutions to recognize the opportunity the Church of England has to contribute to understanding of Serious Youth Violence and strategies to prevent it and to make available resources for those affected;
b) call upon Diocesan Boards of Education to recognize how the use of Exclusions impacts on serious youth violence and encourage alternative provision;
c) call upon dioceses to resource:
i) information about locally based resource and support networks, and training for church leaders in best practice for supporting those affected by Serious Youth Violence, including gun and knife crime,
ii) partnership work with statutory organizations and wider civil society to provide pastoral care for people affected by serious youth violence.

There were 315 votes in favour, none against and no recorded abstentions. None of the three amendments in the order paper were passed.

Synod is not sitting on Saturday afternoon. Instead members are invited to attend a series of seminars on The Living in Love and Faith Project and the Pastoral Advisory Group.

Update

There are two press releases from the Church of England about items from this morning’s business.

Synod unanimously backs call to act on serious youth violence

Synod votes to adopt Covenant on Clergy Care and Well-Being

Press reports

Madeleine Davies Church Times Our Church is too addicted to sound-bites, Archbishop of York tells Synod

Christian Today Church of England has become an ‘echo-chamber instead of interpreter’ on issues of human sexuality – John Sentamu

Madeleine Davies, Tim Wyatt and Adam Becket Church Times Synod votes for collaborative efforts to stem youth violence

Press Association (via the Belfast Telegraph) Church vows to play proactive role in tackling violent crime

Laura FitzPatrick The Telegraph Church of England schools urged not to expel pupils amid rise in youth violence

Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Bishop calls for Church of England schools to minimise exclusions

Christian Today Church of England clergy to be offered mentoring and coaching to support improved wellbeing

Christian Today Church of England commits to doing more to stop serious youth violence

Synod members’ blogs

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap Take good care of yourself

Andrew Nunn And / Or

14 Comments

Opinion – 6 July 2019

Jenny Standage Women and the Church Forty years on; A Woman’s Place is in the House of Bishops

Richard Peers Quodcumque – Serious Christianity Clergy Discipline Measure – the need for total change

Martyn Percy ViaMedia.News Does the Bible Really…Advocate the “Nuclear Family”

Cornel Wilde Anglican Ink The English, the evangelicals and the elites: The school for scandals

12 Comments

General Synod – day 1 – Friday 5 July 2019

Order Paper 1 – Friday 5 July – details of the day’s business
Questions and Answers

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap I know there’s an answer
a summary of the day’s business

Christian Today Church of England schools must safeguard different views on gender and sexuality, says bishop

2 Comments

IICSA Anglican Church Hearing Day 5

Updated 26 July (video recordings added)

The transcript of Friday’s hearing is now published.

Video recordings:

List of documents adduced.

Witness statements:

Church Times Church in Wales falls under IICSA’s scrutiny as Archbishop and Provincial Secretary are questioned.

0 Comments

Pre-Synod News and Opinion

The Church of England’s General Synod meets in York this weekend from today until Tuesday.

Stephen Lynas bathwellschap A bridge over troubled water
Stephen’s usual excellent introduction to this week’s business

Madeleine Davies Church Times Anglican Catholic Future raises concerns about Methodist proposals
“Conference’s backing same-sex marriage is now another issue”
[See our earlier article on this topic here.]
Synod ‘lazy and incurious’ about safeguarding scandals

Gabriella Swerling The Telegraph Church of England will condone gay couples for first time – as long as they were man and wife when they took vows
Steve Doughty Mail Online Church of England will allow husbands and wives to stay married after one changes gender, giving their blessing for same-sex marriages in major departure from traditional views
[This refers to question 86 here.]

Harriet Sherwood The Guardian C of E to recognise religious communities for first time in centuries

There are links to the Synod agenda and papers here. Synod opens at 2.30 pm today and you can view the live feed here.

0 Comments