Updated at intervals during the day and on Wednesday
Press preview
Alistair Munro The Scotsman Kirk Moderator to make history in England
Harry Farley Christian Today Scottish moderator to address Synod for first time in history
BBC News Kirk moderator to address CofE Synod
Antony Bushfield Premier Church of Scotland moderator to make history at General Synod
Tuesday’s business
Speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury: Evangelism is ‘our duty, privilege and joy’, Archbishop tells Synod
Church of England press releases
General Synod votes to approve historic agreement with Church of Scotland
General Synod backs call to encourage blood and organ donation
Official summary of the day’s business: General Synod February 2016 sessions: Tuesday
Church of Scotland news
General Synod votes to approve historic agreement between Churches
Moderator’s Address to the General Synod of the Church of England
Press reports
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church life is fading fast in poorer communities, synod warned
Harry Farley Christian Today Church guilty of ‘abandoning the poor’, Synod told
Antony Bushfield Premier Bishop slams Church for preferring the rich
Harry Farley Christian Today Columba Declaration passed in historic show of unity at Synod
Antony Bushfield Premier General Synod passes historic Columba Declaration
Brian Donnelly Herald Scotland Moderator: Link between Kirk and Church of England embedded in DNA of both
Antony Bushfield Premier Synod rejects proposal to scrap extra charge for heating at funerals and weddings
Blog
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Fees and “extras” for Church weddings and funerals
How blessed we are within the Church of England to have bishops of the calibre of Philip North, an Anglo-Catholic with a great zeal for Evangelism. At long last the mantle of Bishop David Sheppard has fallen upon Bishop Philip North with his bias to the poor.
I have to agree with Philip North on this one. I could wish that his concern for the poor and oppressed included women and LGBTI people, but he’s certainly on target with the Gospel call for the preferential option for the poor.
According to Antony Bushfield, ABC “didn’t know why the [Columba Declaration] story had been leaked to a journalist”
It should have been discussed with SEC in the first place!
‘Kirk Moderator to make history’. How excruciatingly embarrassing that the latest Moderator of the Church of Scotland is to be complicit in the Church of England itself making history by its first unashamed act of ‘border crossing’ as it tramples over its sister the Scottish Episcopal Church. If this is ecumenism then it’s far from the definition we’ve been working with over the years.
About time we have heard the prophetic voice from an (Episcopal) Leader who sees the reality of being church where financial resources are not plentiful, but where faith is beyond any riches that can be imagined. +Philip is a great advocate that it is faith, perseverance and presence which builds the body of Christ and extends the Kingdom of God. Well done +Philip, Burnley
This Anglican baptised in the Church of South India concurs with the Moderator of the General Assembly on wondering why it has taken so long for the Church of England and the Church of Scotland to come to this point. Besides, evidence would strongly suggest key reps of the Scottish Episcopal Church were aware of progress here. Maybe even Prof Ian Henderson, who wrote Power Without Glory in 1967, might not now see the ecumenical movement as an Anglican plot. But who really do we or should we follow and serve? Despite our various and best patch-protection policies, practices and… Read more »
I listened to and watched the Columba Declaration debate yesterday on the live video stream. There was a gracious and “historic” speech by the Moderator of the Church OF Scotland followed by a very thorough and forensic speech by the Bishop of Chester during which he gave a blow by blow account as to how the Declaration came into being. From what he said I understood that the Scottish Episcopal Church was involved and included in the discussions at every twist and turn until half way through the process they chose to exclude themselves but were thereafter represented by an… Read more »
The Columba declaration. Once there is dissent over ecumenical proposals they are no longer truly ecumenical, rather they become an exercise in politics and power struggles. However detailed and fulsome the justification for the Church of England’s high-handed behaviour, it does not excuse it. People and provinces have got hurt in name of Christian unity – it’s a disgraceful chimera.
No, Fr David, I don’t see it as you have painted it. I’m all in favour of moves towards greater unity, but any such initiative in Scotland should have been between the Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland. What has happened here is undoubtedly border crossing, which we have rightly condemned when others do it. The amendments and hand-wringing apologies in the debate yesterday do not go nearly far enough to address the insult and deep offence caused to our Anglican friends in Scotland. Another appalling misjudgement by our appointed leaders. As someone else said in these pages recently,… Read more »
The Vicar of Belmont did not appear to me to cover herself with glory yesterday when she was unable to distinguish between the SEC and C of S in her speech and got the two muddled up. For someone who was claiming to know what she was talking about, she did seem rather to undermine herself.