Updated Monday morning
The press has been looking ahead to this week’s General Synod.
Madeleine Davies Church Times FiF backs women-bishops deal
John Bingham Telegraph Church of England discusses overhaul of ‘rude and unchristian’ Synod
Edward Malnick Telegraph Church of England on brink of women bishops resolution
Sam Jones The Guardian Female bishops could become reality as Church of England synod meets
The BBC Radio4 Sunday programme starts with an interview with Pat Storey, soon to become the first women bishop in the Church of Ireland. About 18 minutes in Anne Stevens of WATCH is interviewed; an opponent of women bishops was due to appear but “he got lost”.
There are also some blog posts.
YES 2 Women Bishops has published The new proposals explained and Looking ahead to the November General Synod session.
Pete Broadbent has blogged Twenty quick hits to change the CofE.
David Keen blogs The Church of England, the Gospel, and the Future: my prayer for General Synod.
And the CofE has published these Prayers for November General Synod.
Update
Really like the the contribution by +Pete. I like the broad strokes. It does seem like there’s a yearning for decentralized church. Mission and ministry make much more sense at the local level. This does a couple of things, it better meets the need in the community, and it helps create stronger communities. Making real connection with others, whether it’s working in a soup kitchen or some other project, is perhaps what the kingdom is about. Does this mean that the role of the existing hierarchy changes? If the job is about helping to support and empower others, is that… Read more »
So Synod votes, and its votes are somewhat predictable, and its debates aren’t always the most elegant or friendly?
Why is any of this unexpected, or indeed a bad thing?
Why should we expect General Synod to behave better than any other legislature?
I have news: Christians are human too!
We’re coming up on the holidays. People tend to forget that at the Council of Nicaea, jolly old St. Nicholas is said to have punched someone.