The Diocese of Edinburgh, in the Scottish Episcopal Church has announced the election as its next bishop, of Dr Dagmar Winter, currently suffragan Bishop of Huntingdon in the diocese of Ely, and acting Bishop of Ely.
6 CommentsNew Bishop Elected for the Diocese of Edinburgh
The Right Reverend Dr Dagmar Winter was elected yesterday, 14 February 2026, as the new Bishop of Edinburgh. She will take up her new post later in the year.
Bishop Dagmar becomes the Bishop-Elect of Edinburgh following the retirement in August 2025 of the Rt Rev Dr John Armes who served as Bishop of Edinburgh for 13 years.
The Bishop-Elect accepted the post following a meeting of the Electoral Synod in St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, where she received over half of the votes in each house, with clergy and lay representatives from congregations across the diocese voting.
Bishop Dagmar currently serves as the Bishop of Huntingdon, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Ely. Since 2023 she is also Acting Bishop of Ely.
She is Vice-President of the Conference of European Churches which runs a number of projects, especially Pathways to Peace, a coordinated response of the European church fellowship to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With a particular interest in New Testament scholarship, she has contributed to a number of English and German books and journals.
Bishop Dagmar studied at the Universities of Erlangen, Aberdeen and Heidelberg. She was ordained as deacon in 1996 and as priest in 1997. From 1995 to 1999 she served as curate at St Mark’s, Bromley, Kent, and was Assistant Chaplain at Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust. From 1999 to 2006 she was Associate Vicar at Hexham Abbey and Deanery Training Officer in the Diocese of Newcastle. From 2006 to 2015 she was Priest-in-Charge of Kirkwhelpington with Kirkharle & Kirkheaton, and Cambo in Northumberland, and the Officer for Rural Affairs for the Diocese of Newcastle. In 2010 she became Area Dean of Morpeth and in 2011 Honorary Canon of Newcastle Cathedral. From 2012 to 2019 she was Bishop’s Adviser for Women’s Ministry, returning in 2015 to Hexham Abbey as Rector and Lecturer. She was consecrated as a bishop in 2019.
Following the election, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Mark Strange, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Bishop Dagmar as Bishop-Elect into this new season of ministry in the Scottish Episcopal Church, and I am looking forward to welcoming her to the College of Bishops. The gifts she brings will enhance the life and mission of the Church.
“I would also like to thank everyone who took part in the process — those who offered themselves and tested their discernment, as well as members of the Electoral Synod, Diocesan Officers, Preparatory Committee, diocesan staff and Bishop Andrew, Convener of the Electoral Process, for their prayerful work.
“Please keep Bishop Dagmar in your prayers as we plan her installation and new beginnings in Scotland.”
The Bishop-Elect said:
“I am hugely honoured to have been elected as the next Bishop of Edinburgh and would like to thank most warmly all those involved in the thorough process, indeed, in electing me.
“I rejoice in the diversity and inclusivity of the Diocese of Edinburgh and can’t wait to get to know all the clergy and people in the charges from the Tweed to the Firth of Forth — your joys, your challenges, your opportunities. I firmly believe that the Scottish Episcopal Church has a unique voice to share in today’s world, and I am committed to supporting and encouraging all who contribute to its mission and ministry and to raising its profile further. I also look forward to joining the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
“As I pray for you, please pray for me as I prepare to leave Ely and join you in Edinburgh.
“Only last night I confirmed some young people, preaching on John 20:19-end, and told them ‘as Jesus was sent, so he sends us’. It will be exciting to discover with you where God will lead us. The one who calls us is faithful — this is our joy, our hope and our strength.”
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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.
Order papers
Notice papers
Business Done
Official press releases
Press reports and comment etc
Church Times
Tim Wyatt The Critical Friend
The Guardian
Religion News Service
BBC News
Gavin Drake Church Abuse
Guarding The Flock Misogyny Is Real, But It Cannot Be Used to Deflect Attention From Safeguarding Failures
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Thirsty for Hope – LLF and LGBTQIA+ diocesan pastors and chaplains and life in God’s field hospital
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51 CommentsThe House of Laity of the General Synod, and the two Convocations will meet on Monday afternoon (9 February) before the start of next week’s meeting of the Synod. Here are the papers.
House of Laity
Convocation of Canterbury
Convocation of York
The 258 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:
There are two sessions scheduled for Questions: on Monday afternoon (not later than 6.00 pm) and Tuesday afternoon (not later than 5.30 pm). Afternoon sessions finish at 7.00 pm, so this allocates a minimum of two and a half hours to Questions.
7 CommentsDavid Holdsworth, the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, has written a letter to the editor of the Church Times, responding to Andrew Brown’s column of 30 January Viewpoint with Andrew Brown: When everything is ‘safeguarding’ no one is safe.
…Andrew Brown appears to doubt (Viewpoint, 30 January) that some bishops consider that their diocesan boards of finance are ultimately responsible for ensuring the proper handling of safeguarding concerns of which diocesan officers or trustees are made aware.
That misunderstanding is precisely the concern that the Charity Commission raised in its recent regulatory decisions regarding the dioceses of Chelmsford and Liverpool, where trustees were seemingly not aware of their duties and were not appraised to any extent about allegations made against an influential member of the clergy with a leadership role in their region.
Whether an investigation is labelled by the Church as conduct or safeguarding is rather beside the point: diocesan trustees — just like PCC members — have a duty to take reasonable steps to keep safe from harm all who come into contact with their charity…
The full text of his letter is here.
There is also a related letter (scroll down) from Gavin Drake.
19 CommentsThe Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Revd Martin Warner, has announced that he will retire at the end of May 2026. Details are here.
43 CommentsThe latest proposal for reforming Church of England safeguarding structures is contained in this document
which is due to be considered on Wednesday 11 February at 2.00 pm. Its Executive Summary reads:
In February 2025 the General Synod voted decisively for greater independence in the Church of England’s management of safeguarding. This report sets out the work that has been done since then to turn this decision into reality and, in particular, to deliver change at pace. It includes the following.
- A vision for a new charity, provisionally named as the Independent Safeguarding Authority. This charity will be an operationally independent organisation, led by a majority-independent non-executive Board. Executive functions of the charity will be led by a Chief Safeguarding Officer, whose operational safeguarding responsibilities will be a protected function of the charity and not subject to Board discussion or determination.
- A plan for a new, standardised complaints handling process comprising:
- A standard mandatory process for each Diocesan Board of Finance and other relevant Church bodies to follow; and
- A national external ombudsman-style body to provide resolution of complaints after processes within Church bodies have been exhausted.
The General Synod is asked to welcome this update, endorse the direction of travel set out in it and look forward to considering detailed proposals in futures Groups of Sessions.
Gavin Drake has written a comprehensive briefing paper (linked below) and a shorter blog which we linked to earlier today in our previous Opinion article. I found his analysis very helpful, and recommend its reading in full.
Blog: Delay and control: the problems with the Archbishops’ Council’s safeguarding plans
Briefing: The Church of England and independent safeguarding: why GS 2429 falls short
This briefing examines the Archbishops’ Council’s latest proposals for independent safeguarding, set out in GS 2429, and assesses them against the commitments, expectations, and regulatory requirements that have accumulated since the collapse of the Independent Safeguarding Board and the commissioning of the Jay and Wilkinson reviews.
Its focus is narrower and more fundamental. It is not an assessment of the diligence, competence, or good faith of safeguarding professionals. Instead, it asks whether the governance and accountability model now proposed is capable of delivering genuinely independent safeguarding in practice, or whether it preserves institutional control behind the language of reform. In that sense, GS 2429 is not merely a technical plan but a test of whether the Church is prepared to accept external constraint and independent authority as the price of restoring trust.
GS 2429 must be understood not as an isolated policy document but as part of a long chain of commitments and failures. IICSA, the creation and collapse of the ISB, Parliamentary scrutiny, the commissioning of Professor Alexis Jay, and the Charity Commission’s intervention have progressively narrowed the scope for delay. The question is no longer whether the Church intends to improve safeguarding, but whether it will do so in a way that transfers power and accountability away from the structures that have repeatedly failed victims and survivors…
Gavin refers repeatedly to the original report by Alexis Jay which recommended a system of total independence. This report is still available on the Church of England website but its annex of legal advice is not. For those interested here is a copy.
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13 CommentsUpdated Saturday 7 February
The Church Times recently reported: President of Tribunals finds no case to answer for Archbishop of York in David Tudor case.
The full decision by Sir Stephen Males is here. (Also his supplementary decision on publication.)
In response the Archbishop of York issued this statement.
This is not the only outstanding process relating to the David Tudor case. As Gavin Drake explains:
The Church of England is currently engaged in two distinct processes arising from the David Tudor case. One is a disciplinary complaint brought under the Clergy Discipline Measure against the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, which was halted at a preliminary stage by the President of Tribunals under section 17 of the Measure. The other is a national, independent Safeguarding Practice Review, still ongoing, examining the Church’s handling of the case over many years and intended to identify learning to improve safeguarding practice and outcomes for victims and survivors.
The Safeguarding Practice Review (SPR) was commissioned by the National Safeguarding Team and the dioceses of Chelmsford and Southwark to examine the Church’s handling of the David Tudor case over many years. Its terms of reference make clear that Stephen Cottrell’s actions will be part of the review. The review began work in March 2025 and was originally expected to conclude within six months. A final call for evidence was issued in September 2025, after that initial timetable had already elapsed, and in November the Church announced a further delay, citing new police information.
The review is now expected to report in early 2026. Its stated purpose is not to re-litigate disciplinary findings, but to identify learning, assess safeguarding practice and decision-making, and improve outcomes for victims and survivors. At the time the Archbishop issued his statement, this review was ongoing and unfinished.
Gavin has further commentary on this.
He also has criticism of the president’s decision and of the archbishop’s statement over here and also here.
Update
Ian Paul has also written about this: Do we have safeguarding leadership in the Church of England? This article, like Gavin’s, is also worth reading in full.
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91 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of Ely is to be the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, currently suffragan Bishop of Jarrow. Ely diocese has this item about the appointment and Durham has this.
89 CommentsAppointment of Bishop of Ely: 27 January 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elizabeth Clark, for election as Bishop of Ely.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 27 January 2026The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Ely, in succession to the Right Reverend Stephen David Conway, following his translation to the See of Lincoln.
Background
Sarah was educated at Loughborough University and prior to ordination worked as a civil servant within the Department of Employment. She trained for ministry at St. John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at St. James Porchester, in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, and was ordained Priest in 1999.
In 2002, Sarah was appointed Rector of the United Benefice of Carlton-in-Lindrick and Langold with Oldcotes and, from 2009, she served as Team Rector of the Clifton Team Ministry in Nottingham. In 2011 Sarah became an honorary Canon of Southwell Minster and took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry. From 2014 she served as Archdeacon of Nottingham.
In 2019, Sarah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow and, since 2024, she has additionally served as Acting Diocesan Bishop of Durham since The Right Reverend Paul Butler’s retirement from that See.
Updated Monday
St Albans diocese recently (19 January) announced a grant of £2.3 million from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB): £2.3m awarded to equip leaders and revitalise churches in our diocese and there are links from that page to further details about this.
The Church Times reported this on 22 January: St Albans diocese plans to put faith and funding in Soul Survivor.
This report, and in particular the headline, provoked negative reactions from many people who were shocked that apparently Soul Survivor was to benefit in some way as part of this. The diocese then issued on 23 January a “clarification”, sent by email to all diocesan clergy and readers, the full text of which is copied here below the fold. (At the time of writing it has not appeared on the diocesan website.)
Updates
Religion Media Centre has a report (scroll down) : Soul Survivor named ‘engine of mission’ despite safeguarding scandal, which includes a link to the diocesan proposal for funding: DS-25-11v.2 – SMMIB Funding Application
Media coverage:
Telegraph Church at centre of abuse scandal ‘rewarded’ with new role and Church of England to overhaul internships after Soul Survivor abuse scandal
Watford Observer C of E to tighten rules after Soul Survivor Watford scandal
Premier Christian News Church of England to revise mission rules to avoid another Soul Survivor
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The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in London from 9 to 13 February. The agenda and papers for the meeting were released today.
There are links to the papers below the fold, grouped by the day on which they are due to be debated. There are also a number of GS Misc papers and items of deemed and contingency business.
20 CommentsThe Church of England’s General Synod will meet in London next month. The papers were released today along with the following press release. I will publish a detailed list of papers later today.
Poverty, the care crisis and mental health – Synod to discuss challenges facing 21st Century Britain
21/01/2026
Call for renewed commitment to listening to and acting to support people living in poverty among motions set to be debated at February Synod.
A call for a renewed commitment to listening to and acting to support people living in poverty is among a number of motions set to be debated at the upcoming meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod.
The debate, marking 40 years since the landmark Faith in the City report, is among a series of key social challenges set for discussion, alongside the care system and the nation’s mental health in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, at the gathering in London from February 9 to 13.
The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally – who formally takes office next week – will deliver her first Presidential Address to Synod on Tuesday, February 10.
Later that day Archbishop Sarah will lead a debate on care for older and disabled people. In a debate the following day Synod will explore how the Church can respond to people’s mental health needs.
Key items on the agenda during the February group of sessions include discussion on progress in establishing independent oversight of Church Safeguarding and next steps after the Living in Love and faith process – which explores the Church’s approach to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage – comes to a conclusion this year.
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138 CommentsCharity Commission press release
Regulator issues Official Warnings to two Church of England Dioceses
The Charity Commission has taken regulatory action against and over failures to handle safeguarding allegations in line with the Commission’s guidance and trustee duties.
The Commission’s definition of safeguarding includes taking reasonable steps to protect from harm all those who come into contact with a charity.
The charities, which have purposes to assist and promote the work of the Church of England in the Dioceses of Liverpool and Chelmsford respectively, have both been issued with Official Warnings and advice on how to improve their practice for the future…
The full text of the press release continues below the fold.
Each diocese has issued a statement in response: