We reported in March on the Bishop of London’s proposal to revive the suffragan see of Islington to provide a “bishop for church-plants”. The Dioceses Commission has now given its approval to the proposal.
The official press release is here, and is copied below.
Go ahead for church planting bishop for See of Islington
01 May 2015
The Dioceses Commission has given its approval to revive the See* of Islington paving the way for a new bishop to lead on church planting within the Diocese of London.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has written to the Commission expressing his strong support for the new See. The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, formally submitted a proposal to the Commission laying out the support of both the Diocesan Synod and the Bishop’s Council.
Most bishops exercise their ministry within a defined geographical area. The proposal to revive the See of Islington is innovative as the bishop would hold a particular brief for church-planting initiatives primarily in the Diocese of London but to provide advice for other dioceses across England as invited to do so by the local bishop.
The Commission first looked at the Bishop of London’s proposal to revive the See of Islington at its meeting in September last year before it was being discussed by the London Diocesan Synod.
The Bishop of London has emphasised that the new bishop would be accountable to him and be part of the London Diocese’s senior team, playing his/her part in carrying out episcopal functions, such as confirmations, in the diocese and in particularly in supporting clergy in pioneer ministry.
Professor Michael Clarke, Chair of the Dioceses Commission, said: “The Commission looked very carefully at the Bishop of London’s proposal, and, in the light of clarification of the intended role of the new bishop, gave it a green light. As with our recent scheme radically reshaping dioceses in West Yorkshire, we are keen to play our part in adapting the Church’s structures to meet current mission needs.”
Following the Commission’s consent, the way is now open to appoint someone with a view to the new bishop being consecrated later in the year.
See also Diocese of London.
Notes for editors
The Dioceses Commission has particular responsibility for episcopal oversight across the Church of England and suffragan sees, such as this one, cannot normally be filled without its agreement. The creation of wholly new sees would nevertheless also require the consent of the General Synod. In this case the See of Islington had been created in the late 19th Century but had been left unfilled since 1923.
Church-planting was given a stimulus by the seminal 2004 Church Report Mission Shaped Church. This report recognised that ‘the existing parochial system alone is no longer able fully to deliver its underlying mission purpose…’ and that ‘a variety of integrated missionary approaches is required’ with ‘a mixed economy of parish churches and network churches.’ It described church plants as ‘creating new communities of Christian faith as part of the mission of God to express God’s kingdom in every geographic and cultural context.’ It is estimated that there are c.1,000 such Fresh Expressions across the Church of England attended by c.30,000 people. (See here.)
“Church-planting was given a stimulus by the seminal 2004 Church Report Mission Shaped Church. This report recognised that ‘the existing parochial system alone is no longer able fully to deliver its underlying mission purpose…’ and that ‘a variety of integrated missionary approaches is required’ with ‘a mixed economy of parish churches and network churches.’ It described church plants as ‘creating new communities of Christian faith as part of the mission of God to express God’s kingdom in every geographic and cultural context.’” – extract from above post – Does this mean that, with very little tweaking, the AMiE – and… Read more »
Step forward Nicky Gumbel.
Is this part of the Church of England’s plan to increase the number of bishops by 50% before the year 2020?
Please can we have a bishop for churches that take theology seriously?
David: obviously it is. William: obviously we cannot. Mostly because to ‘take theology seriously’ could mean any number of things, many of them awful. Like ‘bible-believing’, but with an extra spray-on veneer of intellectual snobbery.
Oh good! I have an aspidistra wanting a bishop in London.
Will he minister to St. John’s wort, as well?
Since Acts 6 the church has appointed new leadership to cope with growth in ministry. Thank goodness that part of the CofE is actually growing. Unfortunately when the CofE declines we keep all the same structures (and bishops) that we had before as if nothing had changed.
DBD: Oh dear. Area managers only then. I suppose we need lots of new bishops more likely to be filled be men (plants, conevos) so that the women can have the others.
Fr William: No! Rather so that all ordained clergy both male or female, liberal or traditionalist, catholic or evangelical can fill these roles.
At a time when Reform and Renewal seem to be stressing the importance of the “parish” as the basic unit that people identify with it seems that the “diocese” is becoming less and less important with Flying Bishops and the soon to be “Church Plant Bishop” of Islington being given freedom to roam whereever the wind blows.
Fr David, yes indeed. Anyway, to most in my congregations, bishops are at best peripheral. Our diocesan is retiring and when it came to considering a donation for a gift, some said ‘why, he’s never been here’ Others ‘he’s only been once’. They look like coughing up 30 quid between them. I said I would rather the money go to those who knock at the vicarage door (I’ve always been a soft touch).