Thinking Anglicans

Opinion – 2 November 2024

Theo Hobson The Spectator

Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Modern Church (How) Can the Church Change Doctrine?

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The divine relationship; an audacious transformation

37 Comments

Justin Welby interview

The Archbishop of Canterbury was recently interviewed for The Rest is Politics podcast. The wide-ranging interview is also available on YouTube. The topics covered are listed below with links to where they start in the YouTube video.

The section “Is LGBT love sinful?” has attracted much comment. The Church Times has covered the interview and there has been a statement from Lambeth Palace.

Links to YouTube video

00:00 Intro
00:20 The Archbishop’s dad
03:50 The Archbishop’s mum
06:43 Alcoholism in his house
09:10 How he found his faith
10:00 How he found being a teenager
11:48 What did he want to do with his life
14:05 How he decided he wanted to be a priest
19:00 Archbishop’s relationship with politics
23:40 His experience of the war on terror
30:30 Israel and Palestine
36:47 How to feel hopeful
39:05 Peace building
41:05 The death of Queen Elizabeth II
45:50 The Coronation of Charles III
48:35 Is LGBT love sinful?
52:50 The Church as a broad coalition
54:50 The Church is growing
55:25 Mental health
59:40 What Christ brought to the world
1:01:35 Trump
1:04:37 Politics and power
1:07:10 Is he going to criticise keir starmer
1:07:41 Debrief

158 Comments

Opinion – 26 October 2024

Nic Tall ViaMedia.News Smoke and Mirrors and the Alliance

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love We are all implicated in the corporate, systemic, abusive, unhealthy, persistently homophobic culture of the Church of England

70 Comments

House of Bishops Autumn Meeting

The Church of England’s House of Bishops met earlier this week, and the following press release has been issued.

House of Bishops Autumn Meeting
23/10/2024

The House of Bishops met in person for its Autumn meeting

The House of Bishops met in Hertfordshire from 22nd-23rd October.

The House discussed the recently proposed Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the importance of investment in palliative care, the potential risks to vulnerable people and possible unintended consequences for those who might feel a burden to others at the end of their lives. The Bishops reflected on the need for compassion for all those involved in the debate and work on the subject.

In a session on finance the House received updates on the Triennium Funding Working Group, Diocesan Finances Review and the work of the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board. The Bishops continued to consider material from the Seal of the Confessional Working Group, noting that further legislative steps by Government on mandatory reporting have yet to be announced.

The House agreed to commission further work on safeguarding risk assessments with proposals to come back to the House within 12 months.

The House continued their discussions on the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process. In accordance with the General Synod motion GS 2358 passed in July, the Bishops considered what guidance could be given to the working groups developing the detail of proposals on specific areas of work, including the proposed Bishops Statement and Code of Practice. Additional feedback from the discussions will be provided to the working groups.

The House received an update on progress on the preparation of new policy and guidance on Clergy Files, supporting good safeguarding practice, safer recruitment and record keeping. Following the adoption by the House in May of the pilot template for the Episcopal Reference and Clergy Current Status Letter (CCSL) the House agreed to approve the final version presented with minor changes.

The Bishops had an initial discussion of the report ‘Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters’, exploring the well-being of working class clergy, and committed to further work.

The meeting closed in prayer.

More information

16 Comments

Opinion – 23 October 2024

Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law Bishops in Foreign Countries: Jurisdiction, Schism and Ecumenism

Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News The “Failure of the Church”: Why Waiting is Not Neutral

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Revising Christian fundamentals

73 Comments

Smyth independent review to be published on 13 November

The Church of England issued the following press release this morning.

Smyth independent review publication plan
22/10/2024

The National Safeguarding Team, NST, has now received the independent review from Keith Makin relating to the John Smyth case. A detailed plan, drawn up in consultation with survivors, is now in place to enable those that choose to do so to read the document in advance in a timely manner and with support on request. The NST has also been asked to factor in the half term period and the fact some of those impacted will not be around during those weeks. Once this process has been completed the report will be published in full on Wednesday November 13. On this day survivors will have the opportunity for a confidential webinar to ask questions. After the survivor webinar there will be a separate press conference.

12 Comments

Opinion – 19 October 2024

Helen King sharedconversations Yet another autumn of Living in Love and Faith

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Sounds like bog-standard Anglicanism to me

Bosco Peters Liturgy Which Bible is Inspired?

16 Comments

Opinion – 16 October 2024

The Church Mouse Is the Church of England getting out of the marriage business?

‘Graham’ ViaMedia.News Should We Expect Archbishops to Tell the Truth?

David Runcorn Inclusive Evangelicals When Doctrine meets Dinosaurs

111 Comments

Opinion – 12 October 2024

Marcus Walker The Spectator Why C of E bishops are so bland

Kelvin Holdsworth What in Kelvin’s Head Finding a place to be

Luke Bretherton Comment The Conversion of Public Intellectuals

Al Barrett This estate we’re in When ‘being interrupted’ is not enough

44 Comments

Opinion – 9 October 2024

Mark Vasey-Saunders ViaMedia.News Theological Colleges: Being a Community in the Midst of Disagreement

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church

122 Comments

Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney

Updated Wednesday

The Scottish Episcopal Church has announced today that the disciplinary proceedings against the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney have been dropped. The Rt Revd Anne Dyer was suspended in August 2022 following complaints of bullying which she has always denied. This brings to an end the suspension of Bishop Dyer, who will resume duties in the Diocese in due course.

Update: The Church Times has a report here.

The full announcement is copied below.

Canon 54 process concludes after review by independent Procurator
October 8, 2024

During the Canon 54 process enacted following complaints made against the Rt Rev Anne Dyer, Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the independent Procurator to the Scottish Episcopal Church has kept under continuous review his decision of May this year to take charges to the Clergy Disciplinary Tribunal.

Having maintained that review throughout discussions with involved parties over the past five months, the Procurator, Paul Reid KC, has now decided that it would no longer be in the public interest to pursue the charges, and the Clergy Discipline Tribunal has granted his application to dismiss the proceedings.

In his Note of Reasons explaining his decision not to lead evidence, Mr Reid says: “As with the initial decision to refer allegations to the Tribunal for trial, I have approached each allegation in two stages: (a) is there sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction in respect of the allegation; and (b) whether a prosecution, or the continuation of a prosecution, in respect of each charge is in the ‘public interest’.”

He continues: “I have approached ‘public interest’ in these circumstances by considering the wider Church community and general confidence in the Church.” (more…)

32 Comments

Appointment of Second Church Estates Commissioner

Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office

Appointment of Second Church Estates Commissioner: 7 October 2024

The King has approved the nomination of Marsha de Cordova, Member of Parliament for Battersea, to be appointed as Second Church Estates Commissioner.

From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 7 October 2024

The King has approved the nomination of Marsha de Cordova, Member of Parliament for Battersea, to be appointed as Second Church Estates Commissioner

Marsha de Cordova is the Labour MP for Battersea, and has been an MP since 8 June 2017.

She was educated at London South Bank University studying Law and European Policy Studies. She was born with Nystagmus and is registered blind.

She has worked for numerous charities including Action for Blind People and Thomas Pocklington Trust before founding the charity South East London Vision (SELVis) in 2014. She was elected as a Labour Party councillor for the Larkhall ward on Lambeth Council in 2014.

Marsha has served in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities and Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions) (Disabled People). She also served on the Work and Pensions Select Committee and the Petitions Committee.

There is also a press release from the Church Commissoners.

The Second Church Estates Commissioner answers oral and written questions from MPs in the House of Commons about Church of England matters, is a member of Parliament’s Ecclesiastical Committee, and guides Church of England legislation through the House of Commons. She will be a member of the Church Commissioners’ Board of Governors and an ex-officio member of the General Synod.

26 Comments

Opinion – 5 October 2024

Bosco Peters Liturgy Male and Female?

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Looking for the Qualities of Leadership in our Bishops

Save The Parish Bishop of Chelmsford challenges the Church’s ‘Vision and Strategy’
This is a transcript of the Bishop’s Church Times Podcast that I linked to here.

61 Comments

Opinion – 2 October 2024

Church Times Podcast: Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani: Encouraging the weary with a word

Trevor Thurston-Smith The Pensive Pilgrim Clothes Maketh the Man : Do Vestments Maketh the Priest?

Richard Peers Oikodomeo Why is it so hard to talk about Walsingham?

Stuart Haynes Seen & Unseen How the curious react to creativity in a cathedral

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Holy Spirit failure to update Church operating systems

Anon & Friends Surviving Church Weighing Church of England Safeguarding on the Scales of Justice 5
[the last in the series]

84 Comments

Opinion – 28 September 2024

Martyn Percy Surviving Church continuing the series “Weighing Church of England Safeguarding on the Scales of Justice”

Chris Polhill ViaMedia.News 30 Years, 40 Years: And Not Equal Yet

29 Comments

Opinion – 21 September 2024

Top 1000 funds Church Commissioners: Managing historic real assets for the future

Rosalind Rutherford ViaMedia.News What do Others Think of Us?

Neil Patterson ViaMedia.News Can the Church of England be Mature about Love?

Martyn Percy Meander Crisis, What Crisis?

Bosco Peters Liturgy Do Churches Really Want More People?

Martyn Percy Surviving Church Weighing Church of England Safeguarding on the Scales of Justice: No. 1: Who Pays?

52 Comments

Bishops back proposals to simplify nomination process for diocesan bishops

Updated Friday evening

As we reported earlier the Church of England’s House of Bishops met today to consider proposals to reform the CNC (Crown Nominations Commission) procedures for nominating diocesan bishops. The proposals are in paragraphs 12 to 14 of HB(24)30. They were accepted with one amendment (which did not alter the proposed change to the CNC procedures) by 27 votes to nine, with three abstentions.

The proposals and their background are summarised in a press release, which is copied  below.

The House met in public and there is a report of their debate in the Church Times.

The CNC procedures are part of the standing orders of General Synod. The bishops’ proposed changes must be agreed by the Synod, which next meets in February 2025. Changes to standing orders can come into effect immediately.

Friday evening update

The Church Times has published a further article House of Bishops’ CNC debate rouses ire of central members.

Press release

Bishops back proposals to simplify nomination process for diocesan bishops
18/09/2024

House of Bishops supports proposals to simplify the Crown Nominations Commission process

The House of Bishops has given its support to proposed changes to the process of nominating future diocesan bishops to the Crown, to simplify the process and help enable a broad representation.

The House – which is made up of the diocesan bishops and other senior bishops in the Church of England – agreed to ask General Synod to consider changing the rules governing how Crown Nominations Commissions (CNCs), which nominate future diocesan bishops, operate.

It follows two cases in the last year in which CNCs were unable to reach agreement to fill vacancies for new bishops.

When a see becomes vacant a CNC gathers to consider possible candidates and put forward a name to the King through the Prime Minister. Once the nomination has been approved by the King, the new bishop is announced by Downing Street. (Note: a ‘see’ is the area of a bishop’s authority and jurisdiction.)

In each case the CNC is made up of a combination of representatives from the local diocese and a group of “central members”, elected from the General Synod to represent the national Church.

Following the two recent cases in which the CNC was unable to appoint (for new Bishops of Carlisle and Ely), the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who chairs the Advisory Group for Appointments and Vocations, suggested a series of changes including to the voting threshold required to make an appointment.

Under the current Standing Orders, at least two thirds of the members of a CNC must support a nomination before it goes forward. That includes any who decide to abstain.

However, as Bishop Sarah explains in a paper to the House, currently, with 14 members on a CNC, this means 10 members must agree, meaning the threshold is in fact above 71 per cent.

Bishop Sarah proposed:

  • Reducing the threshold required for a nomination to 60 per cent of those voting, also removing any abstentions from the total.
  • Remove the secret ballot.
  • Giving the presiding Archbishop (of Canterbury or York) an additional vote in the event of a deadlock.

Speaking at the bishops’ meeting in Oxford today, she said: “There is a lack of diversity on the CNC, including gender, race, and theology, which has led to a loss of trust in the process.

“Restoring trust will require the process to be competent, consistent, full of integrity, and compassionate. Ultimately, we need to restore confidence in this discernment process under God.”

The House approved a motion welcoming the recommendations by 27 votes to nine, with three abstentions.

Notes to editors

The motion agreed by the House was:

‘That this House, regretting the difficulties in the recent CNC processes as set out in HB(24)30 welcome the recommendations as set out in paragraphs 12 to 14 of that paper and request that work be undertaken to bring the proposals to Synod.’

51 Comments

Church of England census dashboards

The Church of England has mapped the 2021 Census figures against parishes.

Census Dashboards

These dashboards provide a 1-page parish summary of national census and deprivation data, mapped onto Church of England parish boundaries (boundaries as of October 2023).

19 Comments

Opinion – 14 September 2024

‘Graham’ ViaMedia.News Is the Failure to Act on a Safeguarding Disclosure a Disciplinary Offence or Not?

Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head The Beatitudes of Livestreaming

70 Comments

Opinion – 11 September 2024

Gavin Drake Church Abuse Finally – a glimpse of some good news for Church of England safeguarding (Nazir Afzal)

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The church’s problem with sex according to Diarmaid

Eric Vanden Eykel Religion News Service What is the Shroud of Turin and why is there so much controversy around it?

10 Comments