Ian Paul Psephizo Where have all the clergy gone?
Donald Payne Surviving Church Iwerne in the 1980s
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock Mind the Gap: When Bishop’s Mission Orders Outrun Governance
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love A Brief Very Personal Survey of Global Challenges on the Anniversary of 9/11
96 CommentsThe next Bishop of Warwick is to be Canon Timothy Lomax. Details are in a Government press release, copied below, and on the Coventry diocesan website.
Suffragan Bishop of Warwick: 11 September 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Dr Timothy Michael Lomax, BEd Hons, DipTh, MA, DMin, to the Suffragan See of Warwick, in the Diocese of Coventry.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published: 11 September 2026
This appointment was approved by The King on the advice of the previous Prime Minister.
The King has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Dr Timothy Michael Lomax, BEd Hons, DipTh, MA, DMin, Director of Mission and Ministry and Residentiary Canon of St Albans Cathedral, to the Suffragan See of Warwick, in the Diocese of Coventry, in succession to the Right Reverend John Stroyan, BA, MTheol, BA, following his retirement.
Tim was educated at Nottingham University and Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky, and trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at St Philip Penn Fields, Wolverhampton, in the Diocese of Lichfield and, in 2008, he was ordained priest. From 2010, Tim Lomax served as Vicar at Christ Church, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury.
From 2016, Tim served as Director of Mission, in the Diocese of St Albans and in 2020, he was appointed to his current role as Director of Mission and Ministry, additionally serving as Residentiary Canon of St. Albans Cathedral.
Tim is married to Kate and they have three grown up children.
19 CommentsUpdated to add link to House of Commons library briefing.
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who is a Roman Catholic, today made the written statement below.
Statement made by
Andy Burnham
Prime Minister
Labour
Makerfield Commons
Statement
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention steps the Government is taking regarding Church appointments.
Restrictions set out in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 prevent persons professing the Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths only from advising the Sovereign on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland. I have therefore transferred my constitutional responsibility to advise the Sovereign on Church appointments to the Lord Chancellor.
It is, however, unacceptable for there to be a legislative bar against people of any faith performing all the functions of my office. The Government will therefore introduce a Bill at the earliest possible opportunity to correct this antiquated and archaic anomaly.
Update: There is also this House of Commons library briefing: Historic restrictions on members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths.
46 CommentsFergus Butler-Gallie The Telegraph Being a vicar sometimes feels like rarefied torture. I still love it
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Artificial Intelligence and the decline of truth and trust
31 CommentsWe reported in April that the Bishop of Salisbury had stepped back from ministry. The Church of England has now issued the following press release.
Clergy Discipline complaints against Bishop of Salisbury
07/09/2026
An investigation into allegations of financial misconduct by the Bishop of Salisbury Stephen Lake has concluded. A disciplinary complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure has now been brought against him.
Subsequent to these allegations, concerns relating to Bishop Stephen’s conduct were raised with the National Safeguarding Team. These have been taken very seriously and responded to according to House of Bishops Code of Practice. A second and separate disciplinary complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure has been brought against Bishop Stephen in relation to these concerns.
Bishop Stephen remains stepped back from ministry.
If this statement causes distress, support is available through the independent Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team in your area or the National Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@churchofengland.org.
Other support services are also available.
33 CommentsThe Rt Revd Anne Dyer, Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, has announced that she will retire in February 2027 when she reaches the Scottish Episcopal Church’s retirement age of 70. Details are in this press release: Bishop Anne Dyer to retire after nine years in Aberdeen & Orkney.
46 CommentsSavitri (Savi) Hensman ViaMedia.News Far-right Threat: Why the Bishops’ Take on “National Unity” is not enough – Part 2
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Reflections on the CDM Disciplinary Tribunal and the Case of Andrew Cornes
Robert Thompson ViaMedia.News What is Christian about Vengeance?
Nigel Biggar Spiked Is this the Church of England’s Arday affair?
177 CommentsPaul Avis Church Times Ask yourself: What can I do for the General Synod?
Savitri (Savi) Hensman ViaMedia.News Far-right Threat: Why the Bishops’ Take on “National Unity” is not enough – Part 1
107 CommentsAnthony Smith Three years as a (multi-church) vicar
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The Mystery of God: God is Love – part three of Ending Abusive Theologies
Global Safeguarding The Crab Effect. Holding Back Safeguarding Progress
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Speaking Truth to Power in the Church of England
140 CommentsAlex Frost Viamedia.News Evolution not Revolution: Creating Change in Working-Class Ministry in the Church of England
Helen King ViaMedia.News Safeguarding: Still Not Trauma-Informed
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church How Senior Clergy and the National Safeguarding Team fail Abuse Survivors who seek help. The Case of Jane Chevous.
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock Review Fatigue: How Many More Warnings Does the Church Need?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love A very brief history of LGBTQI+ activism in the C of E
78 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Cathedral Statistics 2025, and an accompanying press release which is copied below.
Attendance at Cathedral services rises for fifth year running
31/07/2026
A total of 32,600 people attended weekly services – such as Evensong, Morning and Evening Prayer or Sunday Eucharist – at Church of England cathedrals in 2025. Sunday attendance was up notably among adults, at eight per cent higher than in 2024.
(more…)
Jonathan Chaplin A defence of ‘Kairos II’ against Ray Gaston – and a call to revisit ‘God’s Unfailing Word’
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Time to change the Marriage Canon
Fergus Butler-Gallie The Critic Missionaries, not management consultants
55 CommentsI missed this when it was announced last month, but the Right Rev Ian Paton will retire as Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane on 1 November this year. Details are on the website of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
16 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love How do we change the House of Bishops?
Robert Thompson ViaMedia.News Where’s My Bishop?
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock The Church Doesn’t Have a Confessional Problem. It Has a Culture Problem.
Simon Robinson The Warrington Guardian Bishop of Warrington reflects on inclusion and Pride service
138 CommentsThe voting lists from this month’s meeting of General Synod are now available; see separate post. Readers may be particularly interested in how the bishops voted (or did not vote) on Helen King’s private member’s motion on same-sex relationships. The motion, as amended, was
That this Synod
a) affirm that all baptised, believing and faithful persons regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ;
b) delight in the lives and ministries of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England;
c) recognise a legitimate range of theological perspectives, held in good conscience, across the Church of England, on the right ordering of committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationships, and;
d) recognise that this includes views that affirm and views that reject the position that there are no fundamental objections to being in such a relationship and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship and ministry.
It was lost as the bishops voted 14 to 11 against, with 4 abstentions. Here are the names from the published list.
Bishops For
Bishops Against
Bishops Abstaining
There are 53 members of the House of Bishops, although some places are vacant. Those who did not vote were:
Diocesan bishops are numbers 1 to 42; Dover (ex officio) is 43, the Bishop to the Forces is 44, and the elected suffragans are 45 to 53. Note that suffragan bishops who attend Synod to represent their diocese during a vacancy in see are not eligible to vote, unless, like Sherborne, they happen to also be one of the elected suffragans.
89 CommentsThe electronic voting results from this month’s meeting of General Synod are now available online. These contain the names of voting members and how they voted.
The full text of motions can be found in the official record of Business Done.
Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News The End of the Synod: Grieving for Love
Helen King ViaMedia.News Creating Family: A Perspective on the Debate on Looked-after Children and Those in Care
37 CommentsIt was announced yesterday that the Revd Canon Andrew Dodd will be the next Dean of Coventry. He is currently Canon Treasurer at Canterbury Cathedral. The full announcement is here.
26 CommentsAs most readers will be aware General Synod debated a private member’s motion on same-sex relationships on Monday. After amendment it was put to the vote in the following form
That this Synod
a) affirm that all baptised, believing and faithful persons regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ;
b) delight in the lives and ministries of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England;
c) recognise a legitimate range of theological perspectives, held in good conscience, across the Church of England, on the right ordering of committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationships, and;
d) recognise that this includes views that affirm and views that reject the position that there are no fundamental objections to being in such a relationship and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship and ministry.
It was lost following a counted vote by houses. The voting was as follows:
For Against Recorded Abstentions Bishops 11 14 4 Clergy 93 79 0 Laity 101 83 0
In a vote by houses there has to be majority in favour in each house for the motion to be passed. As the majority of bishops voted against, the motion was lost even though the total votes were 205 in favour and 176 against.
The motion was originally proposed by Helen King, but illness meant that she was unable to attend Synod in person and the motion was proposed by Muriel Robinson. Synod members were provided with papers by Professor King and by the Secretary General.
Helen King attended remotely and has written about the debate here: Synod At Home (3) – Long Monday.
There is a Church Times report here: Motion affirming no fundamental objections to ‘committed, intimate, same-sex’ relationships falls in House of Bishops, and Colin Coward has blogged here: The House of Bishops does not control our intimate, sexual lives.
165 Comments