In this week’s issue of The Critical FriendTim Wyatt writes about the resignation/retirement of the Archbishop of Wales in The rot goes deep, and about The Leicester Stalker. For those who have not been following the Leicester case, the BBC investigation is here, and subsequent statements from the Diocese of Leicester are here. House of Survivors have also issued a statement.
on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at 9.44 am by Peter Owen
categorised as Church in Wales, News
The Representative Body of the Church in Wales issued a statement on Bangor Cathedral, and other related matters within the Church, yesterday. It is copied below.
Statement from the Representative Body of the Church in Wales on Bangor Cathedral
Posted: 1 July 2025
The Representative Body of the Church in Wales met on Tuesday June 24 to consider, among other matters, the situation at Bangor Cathedral.
A brief public statement was issued later that day:
“The Representative Body of the Church in Wales met today to consider matters relating to Bangor Cathedral. After extensive and detailed discussions, the meeting has been adjourned, and a statement will be issued in due course.”
That full statement is now being issued, comprising the full text of the motion approved by the Representative Body. (more…)
The process for electing a new Archbishop is in the Constitution. Within thirty days after a vacancy arises in the archbishopric, the senior Diocesan Bishop (currently the Bishop of St Asaph) shall summon each member of the Archbishop’s Electoral College to a meeting to be held not less than fourteen and not more than thirty days after the date of such summons. So the meeting must be held not later that 26 August.
The only reason for delay is if a see is vacant or becomes vacant within 14 days of the archbishopric becoming vacant. In that case the process does not start until the vacant see has been filled. But Bishop John has delayed his resignation from his see by more than 14 days, so the timetable above must be followed.
on Friday, 27 June 2025 at 9.17 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as Church in Wales, News
The Archbishop of Wales has announced this evening that he has retired with immediate effect as Archbishop. He will also retire as Bishop of Bangor on 31 August. There are statements from the Archbishop, the Bench of Bishops and the Chair of the Representative Body in this press release, copied below.
Retirement of the Archbishop of Wales
Posted: 27 June 2025
Statement from the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd. Andrew John
Dear Friends,
I am writing to you to announce my immediate retirement today as Archbishop of Wales. I also intend to retire as Bishop of Bangor on August 31st.
It has been an enormous joy to serve in the Church in Wales for over 35 years. I cannot thank you enough for the privilege of working at your side for the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
I would very much like to thank the clergy and congregations of this wonderful diocese before I retire and I will be in touch again about the way in which this might happen.
Thank you, and Christ give you joy and peace in believing.
+Andy
Statement on behalf of the Bench of Bishops of the Church in Wales
The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Rev’d Gregory Cameron, Senior Bishop of the Church in Wales, spoke on behalf of the Bench of Bishops:
“As Archbishop Andrew announces his retirement today as Archbishop of Wales and his forthcoming retirement as Bishop of Bangor, the Bench of Bishops of the Church in Wales wish to express our heartfelt thanks for his service to the Church during his ministry.
“Andy has dedicated thirty-six years of his life to ordained ministry in the Church in Wales, and has served with commitment and energy to proclaim the Christian Gospel and draw people to deeper faith in Jesus Christ. He has given so much for the good of the Church in Wales. He now lays down his considerable responsibilities in the same spirit in which he has served for these decades.
“We offer most sincere thanks, and our commitment to hold him and his family in prayer at this time and in the days ahead.”
Statement by Professor Medwin Hughes, Chair of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales
As Archbishop Andrew retires from his duties, I wish to thank him on behalf of The Representative Body of the Church in Wales for his hard work, commitment and vision during his time as Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor.
The Archbishop has led the Church through a time of immense change and challenge. Throughout his time in post, has shown his deeply felt concern for the welfare, not just of the Church itself, but of our society and the world as a whole.
I know that everyone who has worked with The Archbishop during his ministry will have been touched by his pastoral care and his profound dedication to improving the life of the Church in Wales and of the wider community.
As he now passes that work to other hands, I want to place on record my sincere gratitude for all he has achieved, together with my admiration for the integrity of his ministry to the people of Wales. All members of the Representative Body will continue to hold The Archbishop and his family in our prayers.
There are links to the papers below the fold, grouped by the day on which they are due to be debated. There are also a number of GS Misc papers and items of deemed and contingency business.
The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in York next month. The papers were released today along with the following press release. I will publish a detailed list of papers later today.
Christian responses to war, people coming to faith, and measures to support clergy on Synod agenda
A major package of proposals to support clergy; signs of growth in church attendance, and how Christians can respond to potential for armed conflict are among topics on the agenda at the upcoming General Synod.
Members of Synod will gather in York for their annual residential meeting from July 11 to 15, with a wide-ranging agenda of legislation, topical debate and discussion.
Significant time will be set aside for the final stages of the legislation to set up the National Redress Scheme for victims and survivors of Church-related abuse.
Amid war in Ukraine and the Middle East and tensions around the world, Synod will be hearing from a senior member of the Armed Forces reflecting on the current global context and how churches can respond to armed conflict. Synod papers published today also include a reflection by the Church of England’s Bishop to the Forces, Hugh Nelson, on how parishes can support members of the armed forces and their families in their communities and addressing questions of how the Church can serve its mission in times of conflict. (See GS Misc 1428)
Following four years of overall growth in church attendance, Synod will spend some time considering church growth and outreach, drawing on research by the Archbishops’ Council on factors which help churches grow.
A paper by the Rev Kate Wharton, a member of Archbishops’ Council and Prolocutor of the House of Clergy, explains: “This is a moment of opportunity. Churches are revitalising, starting new services, planting, and reaching people in new ways.
“The Church is rediscovering its calling to be younger, more diverse and rooted in every community.
“All of this reminds us: growth is God’s work. Our task is to pray, prepare, and respond with faith.”
Church Commissioners for England endowment fund delivers 10.3% return in 2024
06/06/2025
The Church Commissioners for England, which manages the Church of England’s endowment fund, delivered a 10.3% return in 2024, marking the sixteenth consecutive year of positive returns, with the fund now valued at £11.1bn at the end of 2024. (more…)
The Church of England has announced its national spending plans for 2026-2028, in particular how it will use the funds made available by the Church Commissioners. The text of this morning’s press release is copied below; there is also a helpful video.
Major investment in local churches and parish clergy as £1.6bn three-year national spending plans unveiled
09/06/2025
Church Commissioners’ funding towards work of the church set to leap by 36 per cent in the three-year period 2026-28, amounting to the biggest distribution in Church’s history.
Indicative distributions of £4.6 billion over nine years from 2026 to 2034.
Typical stipend set to rise 10.7 per cent next year under new proposals as clergy well-being put at centre of spending plans. Boost in support for churches in lowest income communities.
The Church of England today unveils plans to invest more than £1.6 billion towards sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving local communities over the next three years – a 36 per cent rise on the national funding made available in 2022 for the current three-year period. (more…)
on Friday, 6 June 2025 at 4.59 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as Church of England, News
The Diocese of Canterbury’s Vacancy in See Committee has published its Statement of Needs. There is also an article with background information on the diocesan website; it is copied below.
Diocese of Canterbury publishes document to help discern next Archbishop
The process to identify the next Archbishop of Canterbury is underway and the Diocese of Canterbury’s Vacancy in see Committee – the group that manages and oversees the Diocese’s role in the process – has published its Statement of Needs.
The document incorporates views which were gathered as part of a public consultation as well as explaining what life in our diocese is like for those who live, work and worship here.
The online consultation had responses from people across Kent, including the views of children and young people in the Diocese who took part in consultation activities in schools and youth groups.
The Statement of Needs will be read by candidates as well as the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), the body that is meeting to pray, reflect and ultimately nominate someone to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. The CNC will make its nomination to the Prime Minister who, if he accepts will advise His Majesty the King, who will formally appoint the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
The document states: ‘The Archbishop is ‘our’ Archbishop alongside their responsibilities in the Church of England, the nation, the Anglican Communion and on the world stage. We offer in the Diocese of Canterbury and in the Cathedral Precincts a home, where the Archbishop will feel they belong.’
The Chair of the Vacancy in See Committee, the Venerable Dr Will Adam, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part in our diocesan consultation to help the process of discernment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The responses gathered have helped us put together a Statement of Needs that captures the opportunities and challenges in our diverse corner of the country, reflecting the coastal, urban and rural communities and the church in all its variety in this diocese. The document will be enormously helpful to the Crown Nominations Commission and to candidates as we continue to discern who God is calling to be our next Archbishop.”
The process of identifying the next Archbishop of Canterbury began after Archbishop Justin Welby announced his intention to resign in November 2024.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury alongside their national and global roles. The candidates and CNC will be informed by the themes from a wider consultation that took in the views of 11,000 people. It will sit alongside the Statement of Needs as well as other information provided by the National Church and Anglican Communion.
First published on: 5th June 2025
Page last updated: Friday 6th June 2025 10:31 AM
on Friday, 6 June 2025 at 4.16 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as Church of England, News
Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester, has stepped from his role as Lead Bishop for Living in Love and Faith. He published the following statement on his Facebook page earlier this afternoon.
With a very heavy heart, I have decided to step down from my role as Lead Bishop for Living in Love and Faith. I am hugely grateful to the staff team that I have worked with over the last 18 months and similarly the Working Group members who have given hours of their time to seek an agreed way forward in the Church of England on matters of sexuality, relationships, and marriage. I hope it may yet be possible to reach such an agreement, but I don’t think that can happen under my leadership. I will not be making any further comments.
The Church of England issued the following press release this morning.
Next stage of Makin Review CDMs announced
05/06/2025
Following the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin review, it was announced in February that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) would seek to bring disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) against 10 clergy including two bishops. In all cases, the complaint was ‘out of time’ and so the permission of the President of the Tribunals needed to be sought to initiate proceedings. The President has now considered the applications and granted permission in seven of the 10 cases. This is an independent judicial process, and the National Safeguarding Team entirely respect the decisions.
The NST will now initiate proceedings under the CDM against the following individuals:
Bishop Paul Butler
Revd Roger Combes
Revd Sue Colman
Revd Andrew Cornes
Revd Tim Hastie-Smith
Revd Nick Stott
Revd John Woolmer
No further action under the CDM will be taken against the following individuals:
Bishop George Carey
Revd Paul Perkin
Revd Hugh Palmer
The decision to bring CDMs was undertaken in line with the process announced in December and concluded in February with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.
Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered. The National Safeguarding Team will make no further comment on these cases whilst the CDM proceedings are under way.