An adjournment debate was held in the House of Commons on Monday evening, on Church of England Safeguarding. The full transcript of the debate is available here.
A video recording of the entire day (starting at 2.30 pm) is available here. The adjournment debate began at 8.33 pm and concluded at 9.32 pm.
The Church Times has published this news article: Commons debate airs ‘disappointment’ at direction of church safeguarding
0 CommentsA review of Winchester Cathedral identified “significant failings in leadership and management”, the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, said today, when a summary of the review was published. The diocese issued this press release, and the summary is here. The Dean, the Very Revd Catherine Ogle, whose retirement in May this year was announced several months ago, has said that she will immediately hand over leadership responsibilities to Vice-Dean Canon Roly Riem.
There are a number of press reports.
Church Times ‘Significant failings’ found at Winchester Cathedral
Hampshire Chronicle Dean of Winchester Cathedral steps down following bullying review
Slippedisc Winchester in Turmoil as Dean Abruptly Quits
The cathedral website has this list of Winchester Cathedral Updates on Bishop’s Review.
28 Comments1 Bangor Cathedral
The Church Times and the BBC reported yesterday that the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andy John, who is also the Bishop of Bangor, has ordered a visitation of Bangor Cathedral because of safeguarding concerns.
There is also these earlier reports at Nation Cymru.
2 Anthony Pierce
In unrelated news, Anthony Pierce, a former bishop of Swansea and Brecon, was convicted last month of indecent assault on a child.
BBC
Church Times
There are two statements on the provincial website.
Press release from 10 Downing Street.
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Ruth Elizabeth Worsley, Suffragan Bishop of Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, to the See of Wigan, to be known as the Interim Bishop of Liverpool.
The Liverpool diocesan website has New Interim Bishop of Liverpool Announced.
68 CommentsFrom: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 28 February 2025The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Ruth Elizabeth Worsley, Suffragan Bishop of Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, to the See of Wigan, to be known as the Interim Bishop of Liverpool.
Background
Ruth was educated at the University of Manchester and prepared for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham. Ordained in 1996 to a title in Hyson Green, in the Diocese of Southwell she had various other parish responsibilities in that diocese as well as service as Area Dean of Nottingham North.
Ruth served as Dean of Women’s Ministry and as an Honorary Chaplain to Her late Majesty The Queen. She was subsequently Parish Development Officer in the Diocese of Southwark and then Archdeacon of Wiltshire in the Diocese of Salisbury. She was appointed Bishop of Taunton in 2015.
The electronic voting results from this month’s meeting of General Synod are now available online. These contain the names of voting members and how they voted.
David Lamming has compiled a spreadsheet summarising the outcomes of these votes which he has kindly provided to us. Some votes were counts of the whole Synod, but he has extracted the voting figures for each house.
The full text of motions can be found in the official record of Business Done.
Charlie Bell The Wheel Journal Power Struggles and Proxy Wars at the Church of England’s General Synod
Andrew Goddard Psephizo How will the next Archbishop of Canterbury be chosen?
Liz Shercliff Women and the Church Not Equal Yet – and how we can tell
33 CommentsChurch of England press release
The National Safeguarding Team has today announced the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin review, published in November. The review was commissioned to look at the Church’s handling of the allegations of the horrendous abuse by the late John Smyth.
This has been a rigorous and independent process to look at whether those named present any immediate risk and consider whether there is a case for disciplinary proceedings for clergy, under the Clergy Discipline Measure. This has been undertaken in line with the process announced in December with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.
Following this the National Safeguarding Team will now seek to bring disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure against the following:
In all cases the CDM will be ‘out of time’ and so the permission of the President of the Tribunals will need to be sought to bring such cases. This will be done by the National Director of Safeguarding, Alexander Kubeyinje.
In reaching its conclusions the Stage 3 panel has considered the safeguarding policies and guidance which were in force at the relevant time, the facts of the particular case, the relevant legal considerations and whether there is sufficient evidence to justify proceedings.
The conclusions at Stage 3 were validated by the independent barrister at Stage 4 in the external scrutiny process,
In respect of all those under the authority or oversight of the Church of England not listed here but criticised in the Makin Review, the process has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to meet the threshold for instituting disciplinary proceedings at this time. There are two priests criticised in the report whose actions have not yet been reviewed as they are subject to other live, ongoing, processes. Once these have concluded they will be reviewed following the 4-stage process.
Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered.
Alexander Kubeyinje, the Church of England’s National Director of Safeguarding, said: “We must not forget that at heart of this case are the survivors and victims who have endured the lifelong effects of the appalling abuse by John Smyth, we are truly sorry. Today we have announced next steps in the process looking at both risk and disciplinary processes. We know this will never undo the harm caused but the Church is committed to taking very seriously its response to the findings of the review as well as responding to its recommendations.”
The National Safeguarding Team can make no further comment on these cases whilst the CDM proceedings are under way.
Finding support
(Media are requested to include these details in any coverage.)
If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently, please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team in your area or the National Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@churchofengland.org.
There are also other support services available.
ENDS
Notes for editors
Dioceses in which those listed currently minister:
Robert Wright Seen&Unseen Marsha de Cordova: the personal experiences driving her passionate politics
Lorraine Cavanagh Church Times Women in the Church: What do ‘micro-aggressions’ mean?
Kristin Breuss Women and the Church Why I Support the Not Equal Yet Campaign
135 CommentsThe President of Clergy Discipline Tribunals, Sir Stephen Males, has responded to an oral request from the Secretary General of the Archbishops’ Council that the Deputy President’s decision, refusing permission for the request of the Bishop of Warrington to make a complaint of misconduct out of time, should be provided to the trustees of the Archbishops’ Council and to the senior staff of the Council.
The full text of Sir Stephen’s decision on this request has, at his direction, been published on the Church of England website.
You can read it here: IN THE MATTER OF A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE RT REVD JOHN PERUMBALATH, FORMER BISHOP OF LIVERPOOL
93 CommentsGavin Drake Church Abuse In memory of Clive Billenness
Marcus Walker The Critic More than just a figurehead
“A new plan aims to strip the Archbishop of Canterbury of any real power or authority”
Helen King sharedconversations Living in parched places: February 2025 General Synod
Andrew Atherstone Law & Religion UK Wheat bread and fermented wine at Holy Communion? The origins of Canon B17
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Jesus and human flourishing or Trump, enemy of Christian humanism
Neil Patterson ViaMedia.News When Will the Bishops Think Properly About Same-Sex Marriage?3>
40 CommentsA post on the Church of England website announces that the candidate selected for nomination to the See of Durham has withdrawn. There is a longer statement on the Durham diocesan website.
Update on Durham Crown Nominations Commission
17/02/2025
The Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) for Durham met and nominated a candidate for the See of Durham, with interviews taking place in November 2024. However, the candidate has decided to withdraw from the nomination.
Having decided in November not to nominate a reserve candidate, the CNC has agreed to reconvene later in the year to continue the process of discernment.
A further update on the timescale for the Durham CNC will be offered in due course.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: “I want to thank The Bishop of Jarrow, Sarah Clark, for her ongoing service as acting Bishop of Durham, and everyone in the Diocese who is undertaking additional responsibilities during the vacancy. I will be praying for them, and please pray for the CNC as they reconvene to seek God’s discernment for the next Bishop of Durham, and for everyone served by the Church in the Diocese.”
105 Comments
The Dean of Wakefield, the Very Revd Simon Cowling, announced this morning that he will be retiring on 31 July this year. Details are on the Leeds diocesan website.
8 CommentsUpdated Thursday and Friday and Saturday
Yesterday (Tuesday), the Church of England’s General Synod debated and voted on two proposed models (labelled 3 and 4) for independent safeguarding in the Church of England, and passed the following motion
That this Synod:
(a) thank all those involved in Church safeguarding, particularly the victims and survivors who give so generously of their wisdom and experience, often at great personal cost, and parish safeguarding officers who make sure that safeguarding is a priority in every level and all those who support them in dioceses;
(b) affirm its commitment to greater independence in safeguarding in the Church of England;
(c) thank the Response Group for its work for greater independence in safeguarding in the Church of England; and, noting the significant reservations around model 4 in paragraph 62 of GS 2378 and the legal advice from VWV dated 31st January 2025, endorse model 3 as the way forward in the short term and call for further work as to the legal and practical requirements necessary to implement model 4;
(d) and lament and repent of the failure of the Church to be welcoming to victims and survivors and the harm they have experienced and continue to experience in the life of the Church.
Details, including voting figures, are in an official press release: Synod votes on next steps for independent safeguarding.
Reactions to Synod’s vote include the following.
This post will be updated as the meeting proceeds.
The Church of England’s General Synod is meeting this week. The timetable is here, the agenda is here and the papers are here.
Live video etc
All sessions are streamed live on YouTube and remain available to view afterwards. Links have been provided in advance.
There is an official X/Twitter account.
Official list of General Synod members (updated February 2025)
[This includes bishops attending (without voting rights) in dioceses with vacancies for their diocesan bishop.]
Order papers
Notice papers
Business Done
Official press releases
Press reports and comment etc
Church Times
BBC
The Guardian
Christian Today
The Living Church
Liverpool Diocesan website
Independent
103 CommentsUpdate Sunday: Andrew Goddard has added a comment from the Bishop of Warrington to his blog. I have copied it below the fold.
Tim Wyatt New Statesman There is no solution to the Church of England permacrisis
Martyn Percy Meander
Andrew Goddard Psephizo The Bishop of Liverpool: outstanding questions that need answers
Gavin Drake Church Abuse An open letter to the Church of England’s Diocesan Bishops: General Synod and Safeguarding
Al Barrett This estate we’re in “Burn it down”: responses to/within the polycrisis in the CofE
44 CommentsMinutes of meetings of the House of Bishops of the Church of England are now available online; they are towards the bottom of the page. This is announced in the answer to a question at next week’s meeting of General Synod. I have copied the question and answer below.
The Revd Andrew Atherstone (Oxford) to ask the Chair of the House of Bishops:
Q153 In May 2024, the House of Bishops committed itself to “maximum transparency”, including the publication of its agendas (before each meeting takes place) and its minutes, as outlined in GS Misc 1387. What processes are now in place to ensure the regular publication of these papers in an expeditious manner?
The Archbishop of York to reply as Vice-Chair of the House of Bishops:
A Thank you for the question and I am grateful for your persistence and help on the important question of how we can build trust through transparency in the work of the House of Bishops.
The minutes of the House of Bishops meetings are now available on the website at House of Bishops | The Church of England. I recognise there has been a delay to publishing the minutes, but in future these should now appear in a timely manner after they have been agreed by the House. Regarding the publication of the agenda – we are aware of further work needed to complete the points set out in GS Misc 1387 and will be working with colleagues on that over the next few months.
6 CommentsThe Questions (and answers) for next week’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod were issued today. They can be found online here: Questions Notice Paper February 2025.
Questions will be taken on Monday afternoon (10 February).
28 CommentsThe Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, the Bishop of Bristol, has announced that she will retire on 1 September 2025. Details are on the diocesan website. She was enthroned as Bishop of Bristol on 20 October 2018.
32 CommentsTwo documents have been issued to General Synod members, both of which raise concerns about the recommendation in favour of Option 4, as described in GS 2378.
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa has published this news release:
Archbishop’s Panel of Inquiry pinpoints church’s failures on Smyth abuse report
This includes a seven page summary of the full report, which can also be read separately, via this link: Guide-to-Inquiry-Panel-report.
And also:
The Church of England has made this response: Response to South African Church’s report on John Smyth
29 Comments