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Jonathan Romain Church Times Standing on common ground
“Jonathan Romain finds clerical parallels in different faith traditions”
Editor’s note: The college at Oxford is, of course, Christ Church and not Christchurch. I have not corrected this error in the ISB’s statement.
The website of the Church of England’s Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) was finally launched yesterday.
Today the ISB has published a statement saying that it was pausing its review into the quality of earlier safeguarding investigations at Christ Church. This is copied below.
Christchurch review
A statement from the ISB
The ISB has upon invitation from the Diocese of Oxford and the Archbishops Council agreed to undertake a review into the quality of earlier safeguarding investigations at Christchurch. A copy of the published TOR is available here. A call for evidence has gone out and a timetable published. To date ISB has not started a qualitative review of the submitted evidence. The current constitution of the ISB, with the Chair currently stood down, places considerable additional capacity restraints on the limited resources of the ISB. The wider ISB work undertaken to date is in part set out in the newly launched website.
The question of independence is quite rightly a regular challenge to the ISB. The ISB does not currently operate as a stand-alone separate legal entity and this is something actively under consideration ahead of embarking upon the second phase of the ISB’s work in developing a pathway to embedding long lasting independent scrutiny and oversight of safeguarding within the COE.
The ISB is aware that other independent Reviews into Christ Church have been concluded and as such the ISB wishes to analyse those reviews to determine whether the ISB can usefully add to the body of independent work completed to date when weighed against the ISB’s finite resources and its current workload particularly directed towards the survivor community.
For these reasons the ISB has decided to pause the work on the Review pending consideration of other ISB priorities and the extent to which the ISB can usefully add to the work carried out by others and recommendations made.
One of the very clear functions of the ISB is to hold the COE to account for implementation of safeguarding best practice. To the extent the ISB endorses the recommendations made independently by other responsible bodies relating to Christ Church, they will seek assurance that those recommendations are implemented.
Survivor Advocate
Independent Safeguarding Board
[The review’s terms of reference are attached to the statement.]
10 CommentsPress Release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the Newcastle diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Newcastle: 20 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Suffragan Bishop of Ripon, for election as Bishop of Newcastle.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 20 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Suffragan Bishop of Ripon, for election as Bishop of Newcastle, in succession to The Right Reverend Christine Hardman following her retirement.
Helen-Ann Hartley was educated at the University of St. Andrews and Worcester College, Oxford. She trained for ministry on the St Albans & Oxford Ministry Course and was ordained Priest in 2006. She served her title at St Mary the Virgin, Wheatley, in the Diocese of Oxford, and was appointed Curate at St Mary the Virgin and St Nicholas, Littlemore, in 2007. During this time she was also Director of Biblical Studies and Tutor in New Testament at Ripon College, Cuddesdon.
In 2012, Helen-Ann moved to New Zealand where she was Dean for the New Zealand Dioceses at the College of St John the Evangelist, Auckland, and in 2014 she was consecrated Bishop of Waikato, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
Helen-Ann returned to the UK in 2018 when she was appointed to her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Ripon in the Diocese of Leeds.
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1 CommentPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the Liverpool diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Liverpool: 18 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Area Bishop of Bradwell, for election as Bishop of Liverpool.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 18 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Area Bishop of Bradwell, for election as Bishop of Liverpool, in succession to The Right Reverend Paul Bayes following his retirement.
Background
John hails from the ancient Syrian Christian community in Kerala, India, and trained for ministry at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune. He worked as a youth worker for university students and as a theological educator before his ordination in the Diocese of Calcutta, Church of North India.
He was Curate at St John’s Church, Calcutta, from 1994 and was appointed Vicar at St James’ Church in 1995. John then served as Vicar of St Thomas’ Church in 2000, as well as Chaplain at St Thomas’ Secondary School.
In 2002, John moved to the UK and was appointed Associate Rector at St George’s Church, Beckenham, in the Diocese of Rochester. He then served as Team Vicar of Northfleet and Rosherville in addition to Diocesan Advisor for Thames Gateway Regeneration. In 2008, he was appointed Vicar at All Saints Perry Street and served also as Diocesan Urban Officer.
John was appointed Archdeacon of Barking in 2013, in the Diocese of Chelmsford, and took up his current role as Area Bishop of Bradwell in 2018. He chairs the Churches Refugee Network for Britain and Ireland and is the Church of England’s lead bishop for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
9 CommentsPress release from the Anglican Communion Office
Bishop for Episcopal Ministry appointed to build on successful Lambeth Conference
A new post of Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion has been created to build on the success of this year’s Lambeth Conference. The Right Revd Dr Jo Bailey Wells, currently Bishop of Dorking in the Church of England’s Diocese of Guildford, has been appointed to the post and will begin her new role in January 2023…
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Anonymous Surviving Church The Conservative Party at Prayer
20 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office: the Bishop of Beverley is the provincial episcopal visitor (PEV) for the Province of York. There is more on the York diocesan website. The new bishop will be consecrated on St Andrew’s Day.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Beverley: 12 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Stephen Race to the Suffragan See of Beverley, in the Diocese of York.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 12 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Stephen Race, Incumbent of the Benefice of Central Barnsley and Area Dean of Barnsley, in the Diocese of Leeds, to the Suffragan See of Beverley, in the Diocese of York, in succession to The Right Reverend Glyn Webster following his retirement.
Background
Stephen was educated at St Hild and St Bede College, Durham. He trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and was ordained Priest in 2003.
Stephen served his title at St Mary’s Wigton, in the Diocese of Carlisle, and in 2005 he was appointed Vicar of St John the Baptist, Dodworth, in the Diocese of Wakefield. He was additionally appointed Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO) in 2008 for the Diocese of Wakefield (and subsequently the Diocese of Leeds), having served as Assistant DDO from 2005.
Stephen was appointed Priest-in-Charge of St Mary’s Barnsley in 2014, and additionally Priest-in-Charge of St Edward the Confessor Barnsley and St Thomas Gawber in 2017. Following this, he was licensed as Priest in Charge of St George’s Barnsley in 2018 and with the pastoral reorganisations completed, he was licensed as Incumbent of the Benefice of Central Barnsley in 2019. Stephen has served as Area Dean of Barnsley since 2009 and has been an Honorary Canon of Wakefield Cathedral since 2011.
33 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Appointment of Dean of Canterbury: 11 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, Dean of Leicester, for election as Dean of Canterbury.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 11 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, Dean of Leicester, for election as Dean of Canterbury, in succession to The Very Reverend Dr Robert Willis following his retirement.
Background
David grew up in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He was educated at St John’s College, Durham, and trained for ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham. He served his title at All Saints’, Kings Heath, in the Diocese of Birmingham, and was ordained Priest in 1994.
In 1997, David was appointed Curate at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in the Diocese of London, and in 2000 he became Associate Vicar. From 2002, David served as Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity, Wimbledon, in the Diocese of Southwark, additionally serving as Area Dean of Merton from 2004.
In 2009, he was appointed Team Rector for Merton Priory Team Ministry and additionally went on to serve as Canon Chancellor of Leicester Cathedral. He took up his current role as Dean of Leicester in 2013. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2016, from the University of Leicester, which acknowledges his role in the community including overseeing the re-interment of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.
As Dean of Leicester, David has chaired the St Philip’s Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and led and chaired the Bishop of Leicester’s Rural Commission. He currently chairs the Church of England College of Deans.
David shares his life in a Civil Partnership with David Hamilton, a palliative care and bereavement counsellor.
Update
There is more on the Canterbury Cathedral website. This includes the date of the new dean’s installation: Saturday 17 December at 15.00.
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54 CommentsI reported here in August that the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney had been suspended, and that the suspension had been lifted when she appealed against it. The Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church has now refused the appeal by a majority of three to two. The bishop’s suspension from office now resumes with immediate effect until further notice, while the next stage of the process takes place.
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The Archbishop of York The Labour Party Conference Church Service
“Each year Christians on the Left host a church service at the beginning of the Labour Party Conference. This year Archbishop Stephen was invited to preach at St James in the City, Liverpool.”
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114 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
House of Bishops – 26 September 2022
26/09/2022
The House of Bishops met by Zoom for its September meeting.
The meeting began with a series of reflections on the passing of the Queen, with the Bishop of Coventry offering condolences and a vote of thanks on behalf of the House.
An update was then given by the Enabling Officer of the Living in Love and Faith project. The paper updated the House on current timelines and changes, following the cancellation of the College of Bishops in September, due to the death of the Queen. The paper, outlining the proposed approach over the coming months was noted by the House.
The House was then addressed by the Secretary of the House on the inflation and energy crisis, and how it was affecting churches and the wider community. The House discussed work under way on how the national Church institutions may be able to contribute to helping dioceses and churches deal with the extra costs in the coming winter.
The Bishop of Guildford then gave an update on the work of the national governance Review Project Board. Since its formation in February 2022, the National Church Governance Project Board (NGPB) has been developing its proposals in relation to the governance of the National Church Institutions (NCI). The paper shared the Project Board’s proposals so far and sought guidance and assurance from the House on the current direction of travel. The House provided comments on issues such as the future board composition of the Church of England National Services (CENS) and the creation of a Nominations Committee.
The House was then addressed by members of the Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) updating the House on the work of the Board which provides independent oversight and scrutiny to the work of the National Safeguarding Team and the broader safeguarding culture across the Church of England. The lead bishop for safeguarding updated the House more generally on safeguarding matters.
The meeting then concluded in prayer.
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There is a pdf version of this article here.
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“Marriage breakdown can leave spouses without a place to live”
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19 Comments