The latest Mystery Worshipper report from Ship of Fools: The Nativity, Bethlehem
Giles Fraser The Guardian What do an Etonian, a Trumpite and a Corbyn fan have in common? My church
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of hope
Approaching a landmark in his ministry, Mark Oakley remembers that in the beginning was the Word Church Times So great a cloud of witnesses
3 CommentsTwo recent reports:
The Department for Communities and Local Government has just published Cathedrals and their communities: a report on the diverse roles of cathedrals in modern England.
Read the press release here: Government report highlights English cathedrals’ community spirit and the full document (20 pages) can be downloaded here.
The Ecclesiastical Law Society reported: Cathedrals and their Communities.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport recently published The Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals.
Read the press release here: Independent review calls for greater community use to give church buildings a sustainable future and the full document (72 pages) can be downloaded here.
The Church Times reported on this: Review calls for change of attitude to church buildings.
7 CommentsThere is a press release today, which is copied in full below the fold.
More details from this website:
* About
* Trustees
* Council of Reference
* Charitable Objects
Paul Bayes God With Us
The Anglican Communion News Service has compiled a list of Christmas messages from Anglican Primates.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Ecumenical Christmas Letter 2017
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Praise Be!
Giles Goddard ViaMedia.News 2018 – A Year for Vigorous & Positive Action…
Sam Wells Evening Standard Be more material this Christmas; your spiritual side can wait
Eve Poole Church Times Saintly St Francis versus secular St Nicholas?
“Christmas offers a chance to reclaim the theology of desire which has been captured by consumerism”
Giles Fraser The Guardian Tidings of comfort and joy can’t take the pain out of life
“When my son can’t sleep and I offer reassurance I am reminded that, as a priest, that’s my job”
[Photo of the crib referenced in Giles’s column]
Catherine Fox Church Times Eternity wrapped in a span
“Catherine Fox finds it a struggle to grasp the magnitude of what happened in the Bethlehem stable”
Kelvin Holdsworth Advent and How Religion Works
Josiah Idowu-Fearon Anglican Communion News Service The ties that bind our Anglican Communion family
Phil Ashey American Anglican Who decides membership in the Anglican Communion? Not the Secretary General of the ACC!
Alan Bartlett The Telegraph As a vicar, I know better than anyone why so many clergy are close to the edge
Nancy Rockwell Patheos No More Lying About Mary
Linda Ryan Episcopal Café The Quiet Man
Revd Drayton Parslow The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Only Purely Biblical Carols
David Baker Christian Today Why it’s time to put ‘We Three Kings’ (and some other carols) in the bin
Nick Cohen The Guardian In losing religion we lose touch with each other
Stephen Cherry The New Bishop of London – and the merits of being ordained later in life
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The new Bishop of London – some Concerns
45 CommentsUpdated yet again Friday afternoon
This critique by Martin Sewell at Archbishop Cranmer needs to be read in full by anyone who has concerns about the way the Church of England has treated Bishop George Bell:
Carlile Report: Bishop George Bell has been traduced, and the blame lies squarely with Church House and Lambeth Palace
There is also this piece by Peter Hitchens in the Mail on Sunday:
PETER HITCHENS: If a saintly man can be branded a sex abuser, none of us is safe.
We linked previously to the Telegraph article by Charles Moore:
Archbishop Welby’s response to
the George Bell inquiry is shocking
Ian Paul has asked
What is missing in the George Bell case?
Martyn Percy at Christian Today
Why the Church’s response to the George Bell inquiry is so shocking
Peter Hitchens has now written an open letter to the Bishop of Chichester:
Acquitted and Vindicated – but his Reputation is Still in Prison. The Church’s Duty to George Bell
The Telegraph reports: Bishop Bell’s niece: Welby should resign
Church Times Letters to the Editor: Inadequate episcopal response to Carlile report includes two: one from Professors David Brown and Ann Loades, and the other from Dr Ruth Hildebrandt Grayson, who had written previously on 17 November (scroll down to second letter).
27 CommentsUpdated Tuesday morning, Friday morning, Saturday morning
The new bishop writes on her blog: I will be a servant.
Let me start with an admission: I am delighted but, yes, slightly terrified to be the next Bishop of London.
I have spent 32 years of my life in London so, for me, this will be returning home.
London is a world-facing city – multi-cultural and multi-faith.
It is a city of energy and diversity. London is open to all.
But it is also a city of inequality and deprivation. A typical woman in Tower Hamlets in east London will live 30 years in poor health, compared to only 12 for a man in Enfield further north.
It is a city where the number of people living alone will rise by over 50% in the next 25 years.
And it is a city where people feel ignored, marginalised and angry…
Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop’s statement on the new Bishop of London
Archbishop Justin Welby has welcomed the news that Bishop Sarah Mullally will be the new Bishop of London.
The Archbishop said:
“Bishop Sarah brings to this remarkable ministry in this great city an extraordinary experience and profound gifts which are guided by her faith in Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of all that she is…
The London diocesan website has Next Bishop of London announced
Church of England press release
Hattie Williams and Tim Wyatt Church Times Sarah Mullally to be the next Bishop of London
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Sarah Mullally appointed bishop of London
BBC News First female Bishop of London appointed
Mark Woods Christian Today Who is Sarah Mullally, the new Bishop of London?
Tola Mbakwe Premier New Bishop of London announced
Updates
Luke Miller (Archdeacon of London) London Welcomes a New Bishop
WATCH Press release at the announcement of the 133rd Bishop of London
BBC News Former nurse appointed as Bishop of London
Forward in Faith Nomination of the next Bishop of London
Melanie McDonagh The Spectator The new Bishop of London is a far cry from her predecessor
Melanie McDonagh and Ross Lydall Evening Standard Former nurse Sarah Mullally appointed first ever female Bishop of London
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph New bishop of London could pave the way for female archbishop, say campaigners
James Macintyre Christian Today New Bishop of London Sarah Mullally reaches out to conservatives over sexuality and gender
Ian Paul Psephizo ‘Is the new Bishop of London any good?’
Hattie Williams Church Times Have confidence in your new Bishop, London traditionalists are urged
19 CommentsPress release from Number 10
Bishop of London: Sarah Elisabeth Mullally
Confirmation of the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elisabeth Mullally for election as Bishop of London.
Published 18 December 2017
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elisabeth Mullally, DBE, MA, BSc, MSC, DSc(Hons), RGN, Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter for election as Bishop of London in succession to the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard John Carew Chartres, KCVO, PC, on his resignation on the 28 February 2018.
Further information
The Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, DBE, (aged 55) studied first at South Bank University for her BSc followed by a MSc and then at Heythrop College, University of London where she got her MA. She was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Science from Bournemouth University, (2004), University of Wolverhampton (2004) and University of Hertfordshire (2005) and was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 for her contribution to nursing and midwifery.
She is a late ordinand who before ordination was Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health. She trained for the ministry at the South East Institute for Theologian Education and served her first curacy at Battersea Fields in Southwark Diocese from 2001 to 2006. From 2006 to 2012 she was Team Rector at Sutton in Southwark Diocese. From 2012 to 2015 she was Canon Residentiary and Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral before taking up her current role in 2015 as Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
Sarah Mullally is married to Eamonn and they have two children. She has continued her interest in the health service having been a non executive director at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust then at Salisbury NHS Foundation Hospital. She is a member of Council at King’s College London University. She is a novice potter.
26 CommentsThe review referred to in the previous post was reported on earlier.
15 March 2016 Church of England publishes part of Elliott report into sexual abuse case
At that time it was reported that both the Guardian and the Church Times had seen the full report.
The Church of England has today published portions of the report that was commissioned in September 2015 into a particular case of alleged sexual abuse by a member of the clergy.
The materials published by the church do not disclose the names of any of the persons involved. However, the Guardian newspaper carries a report by Harriet Sherwood which names the perpetrator and states that the Guardian has seen the full report. The Guardian has also interviewed the survivor in this case.
The Church Times has also seen the full report…
Links made in that article to the CofE website no longer work but here are new ones:
Response from Bishop Sarah Mullally on Elliott Review findings.
…”This report has published a series of important recommendations. The Archbishop of Canterbury has seen these recommendations and will ensure they are implemented as quickly as possible.
“How we respond to those who have survived abuse in any form, whether as a child or an adult, is a measure of our humanity, compassion and of the Church’s mission in the world.”
A year later, on 31 March 2017:
Elliott Review progress report
The Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team has today published a progress report, one year on from the Elliott Review, which recommended a range of safeguarding proposals for the Church, particularly in the areas of handling disclosures and accountability…
The full text of the progress report is here.
1 CommentThe BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme this morning carried an interview with Ian Elliott concerning the Church of England’s response to the review he carried out into the case of Gilo, about which we have reported previously, here and also here and earlier here.
The radio programme can be found here. The interview starts just before 29 minutes in.
The full text of the statement prepared by Ian Elliott is published below the fold. Further comments by Ian are in the following press statement.
Press Statement from Gilo
Ian Elliott is an internationally recognised safeguarding expert and reviewer, who led the Elliott Review for the Church of England nearly two years ago. He has worked at national church and government level around the world and is highly regarded for his work in Ireland and Australia and elsewhere.
Ian Elliott’s comments following interview with Ed Stourton for BBCRadio4. Ian has given permission for these comments to be quoted in addition to anything from his statement.
“Archbishop Welby’s letter in response to the thoughtful and in my view, helpful open letter, is misplaced. Kind words are not adequate. What is needed is action. Survivors need to see the church letting them know what changes will be made, when changes will be made, and how the church can be held to account in terms of those changes. The survivors I have spoken to want to feel that what’s happened to them is of enough concern to the church that it is keeping the hierarchy awake at night. They don’t see enough real concern or impetus for action. Survivors just don’t see that at present. So many of the problems the Church of England face are of their own making because of the inertia and resistance to any change.”
Regarding the core groups with EIG presence, Ian wishes to add, as this was not covered in the interview:
“I attended two Core Group meetings when undertaking the Review. A lawyer representing EIG was present at both of these meetings which struck me as being unusual. I would have thought that the survivor could have been invited as well, and contributed usefully to the meeting but this does not appear to be usual practice. In my experience, affording the subject of the meeting, the survivor, the opportunity to contribute to it, makes for much better outcomes. The Core Group meeting should have a pastoral focus but this was not my assessment of the ones that I attended. It is rooted in attitudes towards survivors which are totally misguided, misplaced, and unacceptable.”
Phil Johnson, chair of MACSAS says: “These core groups demonstrate the extent to which the church is more interested in financial considerations than the well-being and care for victims. Survivors haven’t known or been invited with their own legal representative and this is a huge imbalance of power. It gives the insurer massive informational and strategic advantage and potential opportunity to cover its tracks”
Gilo says: “I’ve been raising questions to the Church about its relationship to Ecclesiastical Insurance for 2 years now, but saw the questions discredited and ignored by their National Safeguarding and National Advisor. Yet all this time they’ve kept quiet about these core groups. I’m not the first to raise questions about the church and insurer working in close tandem. Survivors have been raising the skewered relationship in person to Archbishop Welby for the past five years.
So it is disturbing that the church has been sitting on this embarrassing information in this way – hoping it will not see the light of day. My impression is the operation is heavily controlled by William Nye (Secretary General of Synod) who the National Advisor directly reports to. I tried to get answers from William Nye as to why my questions were discredited two years ago – but got nowhere. And despite the growing media interest in this scandal, they still do not provide answers.
So I have asked Bishop Peter Hancock and Bishop Sarah Mullally to instigate a review to establish how many pastoral core groups have had this presence under quiet stealth of the insurer. It’s the stuff of Spotlight! (the movie) I have also asked them to examine the NST’s culture of gaslighting and discrediting. These core groups are a major piece of the jigsaw in the church’s moral illegitimacy of response to all survivors, and probably a long term pattern. It is time the Church of England came clean on this. And it’s astonishing the extent to which they’ve shielded and protected Ecclesiastical’s deception across the past two years.
I was shocked to discover recently they did have input into Mr Elliott’s review, despite so many public statements to the contrary. EIG have been allowed by the church to be consistently dishonest, which has caused distress, confusion and deep mistrust. I’m glad that Mr Elliott has finally been able to put the record straight. I am aware that the Elliott Review has been openly trashed by caseworkers of the NST and also in Lambeth Palace at very high level. I feel they should put up or shut up – and get on with real action, real change and real justice instead of seeking to discredit survivors, and discredit independent reviews. In my view the church has been acting in ways bordering on corrupt. Time to stop discrediting and pretending the questions away. Church House in Westminster needs to be brought into daylight. And I hope this is what the lead bishop will now do.”
5 CommentsJonathan Draper Afterthoughts A sermon for Midnight Mass
Tricia Gates Brown Episcopal Café The subversive, confrontational, emboldening stories of Christmas
Ysenda Maxtone Graham The Spectator Mission impossible? The C of E’s attempt to woo new members
“The church-will-see-me-out brigade’s attitude is not going to work for much longer”
Jayne Ozanne ViaMedia.News Spiritual Blindness & the Root of Fear
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer The Church of England is a compromised and compromising church – thank God!
4 CommentsUpdated to include press reports published after release of the report – more added Saturday morning and evening
The Bishop George Bell independent review (the “Carlile Report”) has been published today together with the press release below.
Scroll down for links to the report and its annexes, and for press reports.
Publication of Bishop George Bell independent review
15/12/2017
The Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team (NST,) has today published the key findings and recommendations, along with the full report, from the independent review into the processes used in the Bishop George Bell case.
The review, commissioned by the NST on the recommendation of the Bishop of Chichester, was carried out by Lord Carlile of Berriew. As he writes in the introduction, his purpose was not to determine the truthfulness of the woman referred to as Carol in the report, nor the guilt or innocence of Bishop Bell, but to examine the procedures followed by the Church of England. The objectives of the review included “ensuring that survivors are listened to and taken seriously”, and that recommendations are made to help the Church embed best practice in safeguarding in the future.
The report made 15 recommendations and concluded that the Church acted throughout in good faith while highlighting that the process was deficient in a number of respects.
Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, has responded on behalf of the Church:
“We are enormously grateful to Lord Carlile for this ‘lessons learned’ review which examines how the Church handled the allegations made by Carol in the 1990s, and more recently. Lord Carlile makes a number of considered points as to how to handle such cases in future and we accept the main thrust of his recommendations.
“In responding to the report, we first want to acknowledge and publicly apologise again for the Church’s lamentable failure, as noted by Lord Carlile, to handle the case properly in 1995.
“At the heart of this case was a judgement, on the balance of probabilities, as to whether, in the event that her claim for compensation reached trial, a court would have concluded that Carol was abused by Bishop Bell. The Church decided to compensate Carol, to apologise and to be open about the case.
“Lord Carlile states that ‘where as in this case the settlement is without admission of liability, the settlement generally should be with a confidentiality provision” but respectfully, we differ from that judgement. The Church is committed to transparency. We would look at each case on its merits but generally would seek to avoid confidentiality clauses.
“It is clear from the report, however, that our processes were deficient in a number of respects, in particular the process for seeking to establish what may have happened. For that we apologise. Lessons can and have been learnt about how we could have managed the process better.
“The Bishop Bell case is a complex one and it is clear from the report and minutes of Core Group meetings that much professional care and discussion were taken over both agreeing the settlement with Carol and the decision to make this public. As Lord Carlile’s report makes clear, we acted in good faith throughout with no calculated intention to damage George Bell’s reputation.
“The Church has always affirmed and treasured Bishop Bell’s principled stand in the Second World War and his contribution to peace remains extraordinary. At same time, we have a duty and commitment to listen to those reporting abuse, to guard their confidentiality, and to protect their interests.
“We recognise that Carol has suffered pain, as have surviving relatives of Bishop Bell. We are sorry that the Church has added to that pain through its handling of this case.”
Statement from Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner
“Lord Carlile’s Independent Review is a demonstration of the Church of England’s commitment to equality of justice and transparency in our safeguarding practice. The diocese of Chichester requested this “lessons learned” Review.
“We welcome Lord Carlile’s assessment of our processes, and apologise for failures in the work of the Core Group of national and diocesan officers and its inadequate attention to the rights of those who are dead. We also accept the Report’s recognition that we acted in good faith, and improvements to Core Group protocols are already in place. Further work on them is in hand.
“The Report demands further consideration of the complexities of this case, such as what boundaries can be set to the principle of transparency. Lord Carlile rightly draws our attention to public perception. The emotive principle of innocent until proven guilty is a standard by which our actions are judged and we have to ensure as best we can that justice is seen to be done. Irrespective of whether she is technically a complainant, survivor, or victim, ‘Carol’ emerges from this report as a person of dignity and integrity. It is essential that her right to privacy continues to be fully respected.
“The good deeds that Bishop George Bell did were recognised internationally. They will stand the test of time. In every other respect, we have all been diminished by the case that Lord Carlile has reviewed.”
Statement from Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby
“Bishop George Bell is one of the great Anglican heroes of the 20th century. The decision to publish his name was taken with immense reluctance, and all involved recognised the deep tragedy involved. However we have to differ from Lord Carlile’s point that ‘where as in this case the settlement is without admission of liability, the settlement generally should be with a confidentiality provision”. The C of E is committed to transparency and therefore we would take a different approach.
“Lord Carlile does not seek to say whether George Bell was in fact responsible for the acts about which the complaint was made. He does make significant comments on our processes, and we accept that improvement is necessary, in all cases including those where the person complained about is dead. We are utterly committed to seeking to ensure just outcomes for all. We apologise for the failures of the process.
“The complaint about Bishop Bell does not diminish the importance of his great achievement. We realise that a significant cloud is left over his name. Let us therefore remember his defence of Jewish victims of persecution, his moral stand against indiscriminate bombing, his personal risks in the cause of supporting the anti Hitler resistance, and his long service in the Diocese of Chichester. No human being is entirely good or bad. Bishop Bell was in many ways a hero. He is also accused of great wickedness. Good acts do not diminish evil ones, nor do evil ones make it right to forget the good. Whatever is thought about the accusations, the whole person and whole life should be kept in mind.”
Documents
Carlile Review
Annexes to the Review
Press reports
(published before the release of the report)
BBC News Church apology over Bishop George Bell abuse inquiry
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England to apologise over George Bell abuse allegations
Robert Mendick The Telegraph Church of England accused of ruining reputation of Bishop George Bell over sex abuse claims 50 years ago
James Macintyre Christian Today Church of England apologises over ‘deficient processes’ and ‘pain’ in its handling of George Bell ‘abuse’ claim
(published after release of the report)
Tim Wyatt Church Times Traducing George Bell’s name was ‘just wrong’ says Carlile review
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Anglican church ‘rushed to judgment’ in George Bell child abuse case
Olivia Rudgard The Telegraph Archbishop criticised for refusing to clear bishop besmirched by the Church
Joel Adams The Argus Victim: ‘He can say Bishop Bell wouldn’t be found guilty, it doesn’t change the facts’
Charles Moore The Telegraph Archbishop Welby’s response to the George Bell inquiry is shocking
56 CommentsThe outline timetable for the February General Synod of the Church of England has been published today, and is copied below.
[The published timetable does not explain the asterisks against certain items, but these clearly indicate timed business, eg Questions on the Thursday will start not later than 4.00 pm.]
FEBRUARY 2018 GROUP OF SESSIONS TIMETABLE
| Thursday 8 February | |
| 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm | |
| 1.30 pm | Worship |
| 1.45 pm | Introductions and welcomes |
| 2.00 pm | Report by the Business Committee |
| 2.30 pm | Discerning In Obedience: A Theological Review of the Crown Nominations Commission – Presentation under SO 107 – with questions |
| 3.15 pm | Discerning In Obedience: A Theological Review of the Crown Nominations Commission – Take note debate |
| *4.00 pm | Questions |
| 5.30 – 5.45 pm | Evening worship |
| Friday 9 February | |
| 9.15 am – 1.00 pm | |
| 9.15 am | Holy Communion |
| Anglican Communion Matters | |
| 10.30 am |
Address from Anglican Communion Representatives |
| 10.45 am | Companion Links and the Anglican Communion: Debate on a motion |
| 11.45 am | Appointment of the Chair of the Appointments Committee |
| Diocesan Synod Motion | |
| 12.00 pm |
Food Waste |
| 2.30 pm – 7.00 pm | |
| 2.30 pm | Presidential Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury |
| Legislative Business | |
| 3.00 pm | Amending Canon No. 36 (Enactment) Amending Canon No. 37 (Enactment) Draft Ecumenical Relations Measure (Revision) Draft Amending Canon No. 38 (Revision) Draft Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions Measure) (Revision) See of Richmond – Petition for change of name to See of Kirkstall (Petition) |
| 5.15 pm | Address by a speaker from the Methodist Church |
| 5.30 pm | Mission and Ministry in Covenant: Debate on a Motion about Mission and Ministry in Covenant |
| 7.00 – 7.15 pm | Evening worship |
| Saturday 10 February | 9.15 am – 1.00 pm |
| 9.15 am | Worship |
| 9.30 am | Safeguarding: Presentation under SO 107 – with Q&A |
| 11.00 am | Religious Communities – Debate on a Motion |
| 12.00 pm | Digital Evangelism: Presentation under SO 107 – with Q&A |
| 2.30 pm – 4.00 pm | |
| 2.30 pm | “Valuing People with Downs Syndrome” – Debate on a Motion |
| *4.00 pm | Prorogation |
| Deemed Business | |
| Church Property Measure (First Consideration) Pensions Measure (First Consideration) |
|
| Contingency Business | |
| DSM: Long Term Sustainability of the National Health Service | |
Questions Deadline: Midday, 29 January 2018
2 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Report from December House of Bishops
13/12/2017
On Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th December the House of Bishops met at Lambeth Palace.
There was a varied agenda, including items on safeguarding, the importance of Black and Minority Ethnic clergy inclusion and representation, church planting, lessons learned from the appointment of the See of Sheffield, a review of the Crown Nominations Commission’s practices and the Anglican-Methodist Covenant.
Dame Moira Gibb and Sir Roger Singleton led a discussion on safeguarding that focused on survivors’ needs, with Q&As followed by group discussions. Dame Moira chaired the independent review into the Bishop Peter Ball case and Sir Roger, former Government adviser on Safeguarding, is currently working with the National Team.
The House accepted the four recommendations that were made by Sir Philip Mawer in his report on the See of Sheffield and reaffirmed its commitment to the Five Guiding Principles set out in its Declaration of 2014.
Renewed commitments were made to continue to strength the inclusion and representation of Black and Minority Ethnic clergy at all levels of leadership within the church.
There was a discussion as to the value of church planting alongside established parish churches in making a valuable contribution to mission.
Recommendations from a group chaired by Professor Oliver O’Donovan with regards to the theology of the Crown Nominations Commission’s work nominating Bishops was considered by the House. The report will be published and General Synod will have the opportunity to review and debate these recommendations in February.
Regarding the future relationship of the Church of England and the Methodist Church, the House agreed to ask the General Synod Business Committee for a debate on the proposals set out in Mission and Ministry in Covenant to take place at the February General Synod.
8 CommentsMartin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer Mandatory reporting of CofE child abuse is complicated, so let’s proceed incrementally
Ekklesia Rowan Williams’ 2017 Christmas Message
Michael Curry Episcopal Café A Christmas message from the Presiding Bishop
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Communion as social dynamite or depth charge
Andrew Lightbown There0 Speaking of despair; talking of ‘healing.’
4 CommentsUpdated Monday
David Pocklington has written at great length about this subject, see AMiE ordinations. There is little that can be added to his detailed account and comprehensive links.
The Church Times report has been updated to list the names and locations of those ordained:
The newly ordained priest was the Revd Peter Jackson, a pastor at Christ Church, in Walkley, an AMiE church plant in north-west Sheffield.
Those ordained deacon were Kenny Larsen, the associate pastor in Walkley; Jon Cawsey and Matthew Thompson, who together lead Christ Church, Stockport; Alistair Harper, from Grace Church, Bude (which has no website); Christopher Houghton, from Christ Church Central, in Sheffield; Martin Soole and Christopher Young, who are senior minister and student worker respectively at Trinity Church, Lancaster; and Robert Tearle, assistant minister at Trinity Church, Scarborough.
Christ Church Walkley includes among its trustees a member of the General Synod of the Church of England, Ms Jane Patterson. She is also listed for Christ Church Central.
The Christian Today report of the ordinations notes that:
38 Comments…A number of senior conservative Church of England figures played prominent roles in the service.
The move will be seen as provocative as it sets up Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) as a rival Anglican Church to the Church of England.
Canon Andy Lines was appointed GAFCON’s ‘missionary bishop’ within minutes of the Scottish Episcopal Church allowing gay marriage in church.
Several retired bishops attended the ceremony at East London Tabernacle Baptist Church and a number of active CofE clergy were also present. Before the service a CofE spokesman said any clergy who ‘participate actively’ in AMiE’s services would be breaking canon law.
Rev David Banting, a well known evangelical in the Church of England and vicar of St Peter’s Harold Wood in the Diocese of Chelmsford, joined in the laying on of hands of the new ordinands – a key part in the process of ordination.
It is not clear whether this amounted to breaking the Church’s canon laws.In a move that is likely to increase tensions with Lambeth Palace, two senior conservative Anglican leaders, the Archbishop of Nigeria and the Archbishop of Uganda, sent a video message welcoming the move. Both figures boycotted a meeting of global Anglican leaders called by the Archbishop of Canterbury in October over deeply entrenched disagreements on gay marriage.
The laying on of hands is a key part of the Anglican ordination service.
Rev Rico Tice, senior minister at All Souls’ Langham Place, a large evangelical church in central London, preached the sermon.Jane Patterson, a senior conservative member of the Church of England’s general synod, gave a reading and Susie Leafe, director of the evangelical grouping Reform and a member of the General Synod, said prayers.
Before the service a Church of England spokesman said: ‘It has come to our attention that Bishop Andy Lines, a Bishop in the Anglican Church in North America, will be carrying out some ordinations this week in a denomination calling itself the Anglican Mission in England.
‘For clarity, this group is not part of, nor affiliated with, the Church of England, nor is Bishop Lines’s parent denomination part of the Anglican Communion.
‘Under our canon law, Church of England clergy are unable to participate actively in the group’s services.
‘Our prayers are, of course, with all those seeking to proclaim Christ.’
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley The Seven Deadly Sins of Church Committees
Martin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer Iwerne Trust abuse: leading public school gives victims immediate help, while the Church of England leaves them hanging
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Liturgy Coming to Life
Madeleine Davies Church Times Shenfield, place of trophy houses and Alpha families
Last week, Madeleine Davies visited Blackpool, the most deprived parish in the country. This week she goes to Shenfield, in Essex, one of the least deprived
Neil Patterson Church Times ‘Our’ God? No, God is everybody’s
Neil Patterson has misgivings about the theology in some popular modern praise songs
David Walker ViaMedia.News Power, Abuse and the Sense of Entitlement
5 CommentsLinda Woodhead Patheos Divination – A Most Neglected Most Important Element of Religion
Hayley Matthews ViaMedia.News Does “Othering” Exist in Our Church, and Does this Lead to Exclusion?
Mark Oakley gave the 5th Donald Barnes Memorial Lecture recently: The Devil is in the Drivel! Reclaiming the mystery of faith
[Scroll to the bottom for a link to the full text of the lecture]
Richard Peers Psephizo Can Anglo-Catholic churches grow?
Liam Beadle The Guardian Not even vicars have the patience of saints
“A member of the clergy is in trouble for venting on his congregation. There, but for the grace of God, go many of us”
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Authority and loss
21 CommentsDavid Ison the Dean of St Paul’s has called for a radical overhaul of safeguarding in the Church of England.
This is reported here: Dean of St Paul’s calls for ‘compromised’ bishops to lose responsibility for safeguarding.
The full text of the dean’s remarks can be found here: “Cassock Chasers” and Compromised Clergy. Please read the whole of it.
4 CommentsChristian Today has a news report that: Bishop urged to oppose controversial UK Franklin Graham rally.
The Bishop of Blackburn is being urged to speak against an evangelism event in Blackpool featuring the controversial figure Franklin Graham.
Franklin, the son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, is an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump and vociferously opposes gay marriage and Islam.
He is due to speak at the town’s Winter Gardens venue, which has hosted the likes of the Beatles as well as many political party conferences after being invited by a number of local churches including St John’s Church in Blackpool, St Mark’s Church in Layton, and All Hallows Church in Bispham for the rally next September…
The open letter referenced in this article can be found here: An open letter to The Bishop of Blackburn and his Senior Staff. It is well worth reading in its entirety, but concludes this way:
… Julian, in a recent radio broadcast you said that you are ‘staying firmly on the fence’ over the visit of Franklin Graham. We have to tell you, from our knowledge at the grass roots, that to remain silent is not to remain neutral. Given that you know well that the Mission is booked and that Franklin Graham is leading it, and given that you are well aware of Franklin Graham’s own opinions and statements, we suggest that your silence, along with the silence of your Senior Staff can only be seen as support. Certainly that was the opinion of one of my fellow community leaders in Blackpool, a Muslim, with whom One of us had coffee this morning.
Bishop Julian and fellow members of the Senior Staff, are you going to remain silent? We call upon you together or severally to at least distance yourselves from Franklin Graham and his views, and to make it clear that the invitation to Franklin Graham to come to Blackpool is ‘Not in your name.’ How else shall we be able to look our Muslim brothers and sisters in the eye?
Earlier news reports:
June: Church fury as anti-gay cleric invited to talk
September: Protests over Franklin Graham Blackpool visit build as hundreds sign petition
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