The Church of England’s College of Bishops (ie all serving bishops) held its annual meeting this week, following which they issued this press release.
College of Bishops residential meeting September 2017
14 September 2017
The annual meeting of the College of Bishops of the Church of England was held in Oxford from 11-14 September with the theme of “Telling the Gospel of Salvation in Every place”, exploring how the Church ministers to every community in the country.
Over the four day meeting, a wide ranging agenda was discussed, including, Renewal and Reform, Simplification, Mission and Theology, Church Planting and Minority Ethnic Inclusion. Reflections and discussions took place in group and plenary sessions.
Members of the College were joined this year in the first two days of the meeting by a number of BAME clergy to help bring additional perspectives on how the Church of England can reach more effectively into every community.
As with all meetings of the College of Bishops, the considerations of the College took place in private and its conclusions will be subsequently referred to the House of Bishops.
“Renewal and Reform, Simplification, Mission and Theology, Church Planting and Minority Ethnic Inclusion”
And the elephant in the room of same-sex relationships and the rejection by synod of the bishops’ position statement? Not worth discussing.
“The conclusions reached by the College of Bishops will subsequently be referred to the House of Bishops.”
Aren’t all members of the House of Bishops also members of the College of Bishops? If so what could be the point in referring a conclusion to them?
This sounds like a creative range of important topics. And as is very well known, and has already been noted and critiqued on TA, processes are in already in place for the elephant to be very thoroughly discussed. It is nonsense to say otherwise.