New Scottish Primus elected

Today the Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church elected the Rt Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness as Primus, as reported here.

Publication of Mission and Ministry in Covenant

The Church of England has published the press release below with proposals to bring the Church of England and the Methodist Church in Britain into full communion.

The Methodist Church has published its own press release. Although this ends “The report has now been released for discussion in the Methodist Conference this week and the Church of England’s General Synod in July” the report is not on the agenda of either meeting.

Publication of Mission and Ministry in Covenant
27 June 2017

The Church of England and the Methodist Church in Britain are to consider proposals that would bring them into a new relationship of full communion, after a period of some 200 years of formal separation.

The proposals are presented in Mission and Ministry in Covenant, a joint report from the two churches’ faith and order bodies. It sets out how the Methodist Church could come to have bishops in the historic episcopate, and how ministers from one church could become eligible to serve in the other.

The report builds on the theological convergence established by ‘An Anglican-Methodist Covenant’, signed in 2003, and the subsequent work of the Covenant’s Joint Implementation Commission.

In 2014 the General Synod of the Church of England and the Methodist Conference mandated the faith and order bodies to bring forward proposals that would enable the interchangeability of ministries in the two churches.

The report sets out a way by which the Methodist Church would become one of the churches with which the Church of England is officially in communion, alongside other members of the Anglican Communion and Lutheran churches in the Porvoo Communion.

The Bishop of Coventry, The Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, Chair of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission, said: “I am grateful to the joint working group for their careful but imaginative work on bringing forward a workable plan for enabling interchangeability of presbyteral ministry in our two churches.

“The solution is built on the centrality of the historic episcopate and the bishop as minister of ordination.

“The scheme as proposed will enable dioceses, districts and local churches to engage in creative pastoral planning for the good of the mission of God in this country.”

The Bishop of Fulham The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker, Anglican Co-Chair of the joint working group, said: “The separation between Anglicans and Methodists in Great Britain is a tear in the fabric of the Body of Christ.

“The proposals in this Report are offered as a means of helping to repair that tear.

“They maintain the catholic, episcopal ordering of the church while at the same time acknowledging the real and effective ministry exercised by minsters in the Methodist Church.

“I warmly commend them for prayerful reading in the churches.”

The report has now been released with the aim of enabling a wider discussion in the Methodist Church and in the Church of England, and to allow consultation with other ecumenical partners.

Notes to editors:

Download the full report: Mission and Ministry in Covenant

Next Steps on Human Sexuality - 2

See previous article for the context. Please make comments about the Pastoral Advisory Group over there.

This article is focused on the specific proposals for the Episcopal Teaching Document Group contained in GS Misc 1158.

The material falls into two parts: there are five paragraphs which outline general principles, and then there are four and a half pages of detailed terms of reference etc.

The former paragraphs are copied in full below the fold.

The latter material starts on page 5 of GS Misc 1158. It’s worth noting that as yet none of the nominations of people to participate as members of thematic groups are shown, and also the full set of nominations for the Coordinating Group is not yet published.

Next Steps on Human Sexuality - 1

On Saturday morning at York, the General Synod will have a “Presentation from the House of Bishops on the Proposals for the Pastoral Advisory Group on Human Sexuality and the development of the Teaching Document.”

Note that this is not a debate, but a Presentation followed by a Question and Answer session. The relevant background document is GS Misc 1158 Next Steps on Human Sexuality. One hour has been allocated for this item.

The Proposals for the Pastoral Advisory Group (note the title change from Pastoral Oversight group) are quite brief, and are copied in full below the fold. About this aspect, para 3 of GS Misc 1158 says:

..in our letter of 16th February we committed ourselves, and the whole House of Bishops, to two actions. The first of these was the creation of a group, chaired by the Bishop of Newcastle, to advise dioceses on pastoral issues concerning human sexuality so that we can make explicit our commitment to show the love of Christ to all people, regardless of sexual or gender identity. Good progress has been made in establishing the new Pastoral Advisory Group, as reported below, which is now embarking on its work.

All the rest of the document is concerned with the development of the Teaching Document, and that will be covered here in a separate article, to follow shortly. This will enable discussion in the Comments below to focus specifically on the Pastoral Advisory group proposal.

General Synod: motions on Sexuality and Gender

Updated Tuesday afternoon

There are two motions due to come before General Synod in York next month. One is a Diocesan motion from Blackburn, Welcoming Transgender People, to be debated on Sunday afternoon, the other is a Private Member’s Motion from Jayne Ozanne, on Conversion Therapy, to be debated on Saturday afternoon.

The Blackburn diocesan motion reads:

That this Synod, recognizing the need for transgender people to be welcomed and affirmed in their parish church, call on the House of Bishops to consider whether some nationally commended liturgical materials might be prepared to mark a person’s gender transition.

The background paper from the diocese is GS 2071A Welcoming Transgender People. This provides a comprehensive briefing, including a helpful glossary of terms, and a detailed explanation of the circumstances which prompted the motion being brought forward.

There is also a background note from the Secretary General, GS 2071B, which includes a discussion of some theological considerations, and reviews the existing liturgical provisions which might be relevant.

OneBodyOneFaith has published an article by Christina Beardsley Welcoming and affirming transgender people: reflections and resources for the Blackburn Motion,which comments on some of the opposition to this motion, and links to a number of resources that reflect modern scientific thinking on this topic.

The Private Member’s Motion reads:

Jayne Ozanne (Oxford) to move that this Synod:

(a) endorse the statement (see below) of 16 January 2017 signed by The UK Council
for Psychotherapy, The Royal College of General Practitioners and others that the
practice of conversion therapy has no place in the modern world, is unethical,
harmful and not supported by evidence; and

(b) call upon the Archbishops’ Council to become a co-signatory to the statement on
behalf of the Church of England.

The statement referred to reads:

January 16th 2017 Statement
We the undersigned UK organisations wish to state that the practice of conversion therapy has no place in the modern world. It is unethical and harmful and not supported by evidence.

Conversion Therapy is the term for therapy that assumes certain sexual orientations or gender identities are inferior to others, and seeks to change or suppress them on that basis.

Sexual orientations and gender identities are not mental health disorders, although exclusion, stigma and prejudice may precipitate mental health issues for any person subjected to these abuses. Anyone accessing therapeutic help should be able to do so without fear of judgement or the threat of being pressured to change a fundamental aspect of who they are.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
The British Psychoanalytic Council
The British Psychological Society
The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists
GLADD – The Association of LGBT Doctors and Dentists
The National Counselling Society
National Health Service Scotland
Pink Therapy
The Royal College of General Practitioners
The Scottish Government
Stonewall
The UK Council for Psychotherapy

The background paper by Jayne Ozanne is GS 2070A Conversion Therapy. This explains how the 2017 statement came into being, describes the position of the UK Government, and lists the comments of various medical professional bodies on conversion therapy.

There is also a background note from the Secretary General GS 2070B which goes into more detail and notes some differences between the 2017 statement and earlier ones.

And OneBodyOneFaith has reproduced another article by Jayne Ozanne A Call to Condemn Conversion Therapy.

Updates

The Church Times has this: Ozanne motion seeks to label as ‘unethical’ therapy to change sexual orientation.

This paper by Jayne Ozanne is also published: Spiritual abuse – the next great scandal for the Church.

Opinion - 24 June 2017

Hayley Matthews ViaMedia.News For Grenfell – Where Were You?

Giles Fraser The Guardian After the Grenfell fire, the church got it right where the council failed

Andrew Brown The Guardian Collusion, cover-up and child abuse in the Church of England

Bosco Peters Liturgy Preaching – The Parable of the Internet
Church Projector Screens

After the General Election: a still small voice of calm

The second circulation of General Synod papers was issued this morning; see here for details. There is an accompanying press release (copied below) which concentrates on an addition to the agenda made by the archbishops. The text of the additional motion is copied below the fold.

After the General Election: a still small voice of calm
23 June 2017

The Church of England is providing a “still small voice of calm” at a time when the people of Britain face “unprecedented questions about the future”, according to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The recent General Election has left many questions unanswered about at a “critical time in the nation’s history”, they say.

Christians should therefore pray for political leaders to have courage but also give thanks for signs of political apathy receding, they say.

The call comes in the text of the motion to be debated at the Church’s General Synod, which meets in York next month.

The archbishops have used their legal powers to change the published schedule to include an urgent debate on the state of the nation.

Entitled “After the General Election: a still small voice of calm” it will take place on the opening afternoon of Synod, Friday July 7.

Details of the motion were published as a second circulation of papers was issued ahead of the summer session of Synod at the University of York between July 7 and July 10.

The documents also include a paper setting out the process for compiling a major new teaching document on human sexuality and the work of a new Pastoral Advisory Group to advise dioceses on pastoral provision for same-sex couples.

It follows a vote in February in which Synod opted not to ‘take note’ of the House of Bishops’ report on sexuality.

The paper, also issued by the two archbishops, reiterates a pledge to base the new teaching document on a “radical Christian inclusion” to be “founded in scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology and the Christian faith as the Church of England has received it”.

The papers also include information on National Support for Local Churches and background information for a motion tabled by Jayne Ozanne, of the Diocese of Oxford, calling for Synod to condemn the practice of Conversion Therapy, among other subjects.

Notes to editors

The title of the motion is a reference to the story in 1 Kings 19 in which God spoke to the prophet Elijah not through a hurricane, earthquake or fire but through a “still small voice”.

Bishop Peter Ball: An Abuse of Faith

Updated again Monday afternoon

An Abuse of Faith, the independent report by Dame Moira Gibb into the Church’s handling of the Bishop Peter Ball case, has been published today.

The full text of the press release is copied below the fold. This includes a statement by Archbishop Justin Welby.

The full text of the statement read at the press conference by Bishop Peter Hancock is available here.

Updates

The official press release has been updated to include video links:

• Video statement by Dame Moira Gibb

• Video statement by the Bishop of Bath and Wells

Media coverage has been extensive, here is a small selection:

Church Times Lord Carey steps back from ministry after ‘harrowing’ report on Peter Ball case

Telegraph Lord Carey criticised by damning report which finds Church ‘colluded’ with disgraced bishop Peter Ball to cover up sex offences

Guardian Justin Welby asks George Carey to quit over church abuse report

Oxford Mail Ex-Archbishop asked to leave Diocese of Oxford over sex abuse ‘collusion’

Christian Today Church of England colluded in abuse by former bishop, says damning report and Archbishop Welby asks Lord Carey to consider his position as assistant bishop over Ball abuse case

Gloucestershire Live Church of England bosses helped to cover up former Bishop of Gloucester’s sexual offences

ITV News Bishop of Gloucester ‘shocked and distressed’ by church abuse review

BBC Church ‘colluded’ with sex abuse bishop Peter Ball

Update Monday afternoon

The Bishop of Oxford has issued this statement:

LORD CAREY: STATEMENT FROM THE RT. REV DR STEVEN CROFT, BISHOP OF OXFORD

“I have met with Lord Carey following the Archbishop’s letter to him. In light of Dame Moira Gibb’s review into the Peter Ball case, Lord Carey has resigned from his role as honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Oxford. Lord Carey has accepted the criticisms made of him in the Gibb review and has apologised to the victims of Peter Ball.

He said in his statement on Thursday: “I accept the criticisms made of me. I apologise to the victims of Peter Ball. I believed Peter Ball’s protestations and gave too little credence to the vulnerable young men and boys behind those allegations. I regret that after Peter Ball was cautioned I did not place his name on the Lambeth list.”

Along with many others, I have been deeply distressed to read Dame Moira Gibb’s report with its narrative of the abuse perpetrated by Peter Ball which remained hidden for so long. I hope that the focus of attention will continue to be on the survivors of abuse and offering to them the care and support they need.

As the Diocese of Oxford we are committed to improving continually the quality of safeguarding and care and will seek to learn the lessons of Dame Moira Gibb’s review and put its recommendations into practice”.

Opinion - 21 June 2017

Greg Goebel Anglican Pastor I Don’t Want a Celebration of Life, I Want a Burial Service

Luke T Harrington Christ and Pop Culture The History of Pews Is Just as Terrible and Embarrassing as You’d Imagine

Hannah A Blaze of Light Here’s To All The #NewRevs

What should the CofE teaching document on sexuality encompass?

Updated

The LGBTI Mission has published a document, which makes suggestions for what the proposed Church of England teaching document on sexuality should cover.

The document itself can be found here, and the accompanying press release is copied below the fold.

Update

A selection of the questions in this paper is contained in a comment article in the Church TImes for 23 June, which is titled Issues that must be addressed.

Opinion - 17 June 2017

Anne Richards writes about the Mystery Worshipper feature in Ship of Fools: Getting a visitors’ eye-view of church
“How can churches welcome people so they don’t end up feeling invisible and lonely?”

Ted Harrison reports for Church Times from a 100-year-old Anglican community in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka: The cost of a cup of tea

The Episcopal Café is up and running again so this article is now available: George Clifford For such a time as this… an electronic prayer book?

General Synod papers published

The Church of England has issued the press release below about papers for next month’s meeting of General Synod.

See my previous article for my list of papers.

General Synod papers published
16 June 2017

Papers circulated to members of the Church of England’s General Synod ahead of its July sessions in York have been published online.

They detail discussions planned on subjects ranging from the Church’s work in areas where many people follow other faiths to concerns over the cost of applying for British citizenship and the possibility of services to help transgender Christians mark their transition.

Synod is due to meet at the University of York from Friday July 7 to Monday July 10.

Papers are being published in two batches. The first circulation of papers is available here.

A second circulation of papers will be published on Friday, June 23. There will also be a pre-Synod briefing at Church House Westminster next Friday.

One briefing paper in the first circulation sets out how an existing Church of England service for reaffirming baptismal vows may form the liturgical basis for services which help transgender Christians mark their gender transition publicly.

The liturgy for Affirmation of Baptismal Faith, contained in the Common Worship service book, may be used with people who have already been baptised but who wish to “reaffirm their identity in Christ” after a significant personal transition, including gender, according to the paper.

It rules out the possibility of so-called “re-baptism” services, because Church of England teaching makes clear that baptism can only be received once.

However it makes clear that there is “no legal or doctrinal difficulty” with transgender people reaffirming their baptism vows with a new name.

The briefing was issued in response to a motion being brought to Synod by the Diocese of Blackburn, calling for nationally commended liturgical materials to mark a person’s gender transition.

The papers also include details of a motion raising concerns about the cost of applying for British citizenship and its impact on those on low incomes.

There is also a report on the Church of England’s Presence and Engagement programme, which supports parishes fulfilling the Church of England’s commitment to being a Christian presence in every community, even in areas where many people follow other faiths.

The timetable for General Synod is available here.

July General Synod - online papers

Updated 17 June, 23 June

All the papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod are now available online.

The first batch of papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod are now available online. The remaining papers will be issued on 23 June and I will add links when these become available.

zip file of all first circulation papers
zip file of all second circulation papers
zip file of all papers

Papers in numerical order with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration
Synod meets from Friday 7 to Monday 10 July 2017.

The Archbishops have made a change to agenda for Friday to add a debate on After the General Election, a still small voice of calm. Details are in Notice Paper 4.

GS 2027B – Draft Legislative Reform Measure [Saturday]
GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z – Report by the Steering Committee [Saturday]

GS 2029B – Draft Amending Canon No.36 for final approval [Friday]
GS 2029BB – Draft Amending Canon No.37 for final Approval [Monday]
GS 2029C – Draft Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Monday]
GS 2029CC – Draft Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Monday]
GS 2029Z – Report by the Steering Committee [Saturday]

GS 2030B – Draft Statute Law (repeals) Measure [Saturday]
[see also GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z above]

GS 2032B – Draft Pension (Pre-consolidation) Measure [Saturday]
[see also GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z above]

GS 2058 – Annual Report of the Archbishops’ Council [Monday]

GS 2059 – Agenda

GS 2060 – Report by the Business Committee [Friday]

GS 2061 – Appointment to the Archbishops’ Council [Friday]

GS 2062 – Annual Report of the Audit Committee [deemed business - Friday]

GS 2063 – Presence and Engagement [Saturday]

GS 2064 – Draft Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure [deemed business - Saturday]
GS 2064x – Explanatory Memorandum

GS 2065 – Payments to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2065x – Explanatory Memorandum

GS 2066 – Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2067 – Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2066/2067x – Explanatory Memorandum

GS 2068 – 52nd Report of the Standing Orders Committee [deemed business - Saturday]

GS 2069 – National Support for Local Churches: Report from the Archbishops’ Council [Saturday]

GS 2070A - Conversion Therapy, A note from Ms Jayne Ozanne [Saturday]
GS 2070B - Conversion Therapy, A note from The Secretary General [Saturday]

GS 2071A – Welcoming Transgender People, A note from The Revd Chris Newlands [Sunday]
GS 2071B – Welcoming Transgender People, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]

GS 2072 – Clergy Wellbeing [Sunday]
[See also GS Misc 1163 below]

GS 2073A – Schools Admissions Code, A note from The Revd Tiffer Robinson [Sunday]
GS 2073B – Schools Admissions Code, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]

GS 2074A – Cost of applying for Citizenship, A note from Mr Ben Franks [Monday]
GS 2074B – Cost of applying for Citizenship, A note from The Secretary General [Monday]

GS 2075 – The work of the General Elections Review Group [Monday]
[See also GS Misc 1164 below]

GS 2076 – The Archbishops’ Council’s Budget [Monday]

GS 2077A - Food Wastage, A note from The Revd Andrew Dotchin
GS 2077B - Food Wastage, A note from The Secretary General [contingency business]

Other Papers

Church Commissioners Annual Report 2016 [Friday]

GS Misc 1158 – Proposals for the pastoral advisory group on human sexuality and the development of the teaching document [Saturday]

GS Misc 1159 – Interim Report on the Review of the Crown Nominations Commission [Sunday]

GS Misc 1160 – Instructions on Electronic Voting

GS Misc 1161 – Report of the Meissen Commission

GS Misc 1162 – Code of Conduct

GS Misc 1163 – Clergy Wellbeing, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]

GS Misc 1164 - Presentation by the Elections Review Group [Monday]

GS Misc 1165 - Clergy Discipline Commission

GS Misc 1166 - Signature of PMMs

GS Misc 1167 - Members of Councils, Boards and Committees

GS Misc 1168 - Summary of Decisions from the House of Bishops

GS Misc 1169 - Update on the Archbishops’ Council Activities

GS Misc 1170 - Resourcing Ministerial Education

House of Laity

HLA1 – House of Laity Agenda [Saturday evening]

HLA2 – House of Laity Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)

House of Clergy

Convocation of Canterbury Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)

Convocation of York Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)

Opinion - 14 June 2017

Archdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley continues her series on attending church: Sermons

Paul Bayes Huffington Post UK Shaken And Unshaken

Jennifer Ross The Tablet A revival in pilgrimage is bringing the prospect of environmental and ecumenical opportunities to Canterbury and beyond
to which Marcus Holden adds this

Daniel H Martins The Living Church What the Camino Taught Me

Archbishop of Canterbury criticises cross-border interventions

Updated Monday afternoon

Jonathan Petre reports in the Mail on Sunday that Welby goes to war over ‘anti-gay’ bishop plot by traditionalists after historic marriage vote in Scotland. Here’s an extract, but do read the whole article:

The Archbishop of Canterbury has hit out at traditionalists who are planting a ‘missionary’ bishop in the UK after last week’s historic vote by Scottish Anglicans to approve gay marriage.

The rebuke from Justin Welby is his latest attempt to avert a damaging permanent split in the worldwide Anglican Communion over homosexuality…

…Now, in a confidential letter to fellow Anglican leaders, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Archbishop Welby has warned the African archbishops against creating ‘disturbance and discords’ by intervening in Britain. He accused them bluntly of a ‘cross-border’ intervention’ that would ‘carry no weight in the Church of England’.

Welby said in his letter to Anglican leaders across the 80 million-strong worldwide Communion that there was no need for a missionary bishop in the Church of England because worshippers could already express a range of views.

He said there had been strong opposition to ‘cross-border interventions’ for centuries, and quoted the ‘uncompromising’ verdict of the early Church’s First Council of Nicea in 325 AD, which condemned the ‘great disturbances and discords that occur’ when bishops ministered in this way.

The full text of this letter has appeared at VirtueOnline. Copied below the line.