Paul Bickley Theos The Hundred: What Can Cricket Teach Religion?
Surviving Church Bleeding for Jesus. Martin Sewell reflects
Psephizo What does charismatic renewal bring to the Church?
Ian Paul interviews Christopher Landau, the new Director of ReSource.
News from the Diocese of Southwark:
The Bishop of Croydon, The Rt Revd Jonathan Clark, announces departure from the Diocese of Southwark
The Bishop of Croydon, The Rt Revd Jonathan Clark, announced today that he will be leaving the Diocese of Southwark on March 21, 2022 – exactly 10 years to the day of his consecration as Bishop…
12 CommentsThe Rt Revd Alison White is to retire as Bishop of Hull in February 2022. There are more details on the York diocesan website.
46 CommentsNews
Church Times Welsh agree to same-sex blessings in church
BBC Church in Wales to give blessings for same-sex marriages
The Telegraph The Church in Wales to bless gay marriages
The Guardian Church in Wales votes to bless same-sex marriages
Comment
Equal The Church in Wales will bless same-sex marriages and civil partnerships
Charlie Bell Equal A fly on the wall
15 CommentsUpdate – news and comment on this are being link in a separate article.
Press release from the Church in Wales
Church approves blessing service for same-sex partnerships
Provincial news Posted: 6 September 2021
Same-sex couples will be able to have their civil partnership or marriage blessed in Church in Wales churches for the first time after new legislation was passed today (September 6).
A Bill to authorise a service of blessing was approved by members of the Church’s Governing Body at its meeting. It was passed by the necessary two-thirds majority in each order of the three orders – Bishops, clergy and laity.
The service will be used experimentally for five years and it will be up to individual clergy to decide whether or not they wish to lead it.
The service is for a blessing only as same-sex couples are unable to marry in church.
The Bill was introduced by the Bishops, following an indication from Governing Body members that it was “pastorally unsustainable” for the Church to make no formal provision for those in committed same-sex relationships.
Responding to the vote, the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, who introduced the Bill, said, “I come out of this debate with no sense of triumph but believing that the Church in Wales has done the right thing under God for the LGBTQIA+ community. The Church has spoken decisively today in favour of blessings.
There is a journey still to be taken but I hope that we can do it together with all the wings of the Church.”
The Bishops passed the Bill unanimously, the clergy by 28 to 12 with two abstentions and the laity by 49 to 10 with one abstention.
The discussion and vote was held on the first day of the Governing Body meeting at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport. The second day of the meeting will take place online only, via Zoom, on Wednesday, September 8 and will also be live-streamed.
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Appointment of Dean of St Albans: 6 September
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Venerable Joanne Kelly-Moore, Archdeacon of Canterbury and Residentiary Canon at Canterbury Cathedral, for election as Dean of St Albans.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 6 September 2021
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Venerable Joanne Kelly-Moore, Archdeacon of Canterbury and Residentiary Canon at Canterbury Cathedral, for election as Dean of St Albans, in succession to The Very Reverend Dr Jeffrey John following his resignation on 31st March 2021.
Background
Joanne was educated at Victoria University of Wellington and the Law Society of New Zealand. After a career in the law in Wellington and London she completed a theology degree at the Bible College of New Zealand, followed by graduate studies for ministry at St John’s Theological College in Auckland. Joanne served her title at St Aidan’s, Remuera in the Diocese of Auckland, and was ordained Priest in 2001. Becoming Vicar of St Aidan’s in 2004, Joanne took up the additional role of Chaplain for Corran School for Girls and in 2005 was appointed Acting Archdeacon of Auckland for the duration of 18 months. Joanne became Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland in 2010. In 2017, Joanne took up her current roles as Archdeacon of Canterbury and Residentiary Canon at Canterbury Cathedral.
8 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of the parish as a system
Mary Wakefield The Spectator What’s the harm in opening the church doors?
Theo Hobson The Spectator The fight for the future of the Church of England
[This is also available on The Spectator‘s UK site, where it is behind the firewall.]
Madeleine Davies Church Times The Church and NDAs: when silence is enforced
David Goodhew The Living Church Whither the Church of England?
Surviving Church Review Article – German Lessons
97 CommentsTim Guymer Unadulterated Love Living in Love and Faith course material – key failings
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Personal Reflections on early Christian formation
Erika Cannon Earth & Altar Warning: Children in Church
Wesley Hill The Living Church Bring your Bible to Class – or Church
9 CommentsLeander S Harding The Living Church What should bishops do?
Giles Fraser UnHerd Does Jordan Peterson believe in God?
“The professor isn’t being shifty when he refuses to declare his faith”
Rosemarie Mallett The Diocese of Southwark Remembering Slavery and Emancipation: Reparation and Restitution
Archbishop Cranmer has two pieces relating to our article earlier this week.
Safeguarding suicide: ‘there is a crisis of trust within the Diocese of London’
Martin Sewell Fr Alan Griffin (RIP): the buck stops with Bishop Sarah Mullally
Edmund Weiner Surviving Church Memories of Bash (Iwerne) Camps in the early 70s
Margaret Pritchard Houston Church Times Want children in church? Put them in charge
42 CommentsLeslie Francis and Andrew Village Church Times Counting the cost of pandemic ministry
“What is the state of clergy morale, one year after the first lockdown”
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Misogyny in Islam and Christianity
Jen Frost Insurance Post Briefing: Ecclesiastical’s child abuse claims shame – CEO Hews’ admission too little too late?
44 CommentsStephen Parsons Surviving Church The Power of the Internet to bring change to the Safeguarding World
Frog Orr-Ewing Psephizo Do we need to ‘Save the Parish’?
42 CommentsNews from the Diocese of Newcastle
Bishop Christine announces the date of her retirement
The Right Reverend Christine Hardman, after six years as Bishop of Newcastle, has announced that she is to retire from her role at the end of November.
Bishop Christine, the 12th Bishop of Newcastle, said: “I am reaching my 70th birthday at the end of August and my time as Bishop of Newcastle is drawing to a close. Her Majesty the Queen has graciously accepted my resignation, and with the Archbishop of York’s permission I will be stepping down as Bishop of Newcastle on 30th November, 2021…
119 CommentsJames Mumford UnHerd What the ‘Save the Parish’ campaign doesn’t understand
“Justin Welby’s plans are better than critics claim”
Mark Bennet Surviving Church Doing Church without the difficult bits
David Ford Church Times In defence of ordinary, faithful churchgoers
“Talk of ‘missionary disciples’ means little to lay people in the parishes — and risks alienating them”
Alison Milbank The Critic Is the Parish Church worth saving?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Finding the voice of LGBTIQ+ people and allies in the LLF conversations
9 CommentsGreta Gaffin Earth & Altar 5 ways to pretend you know more about the Church than you really do
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Searching for Expertise in Safeguarding in the Church of England
Giles Fraser UnHerd The Church is on the brink of revolt
101 CommentsAlister McGrath The Living Church Anglicanism and the Natural Sciences
Gavin Drake The Jill Saward Organisation Church of England’s High Court contempt threat for abuse victims
Rachel White Surviving Church Lessons Not Learned: an 18-Month Review
Helen King sharedconversations The Church of England as a WASGIJ
Alex Clare-Young Living in love and faith? The construction of contemporary texts of terror
Archbishop Cranmer Does it matter if Church of England parishes wither on the vine?
29 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love Radical Christian Inclusion – a definition
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The ‘morale’ factor. Senior church staff and their support of clergy
20 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of church, speaking of strategy; speaking of leadership
Martyn Percy Meander Feeding the Five Thousand
23 CommentsThe Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Revd Dr David Ison, has announced his intention to retire in September 2022. Dr David Ison will be 68, and will have served at the Cathedral for ten years.
The announcement can be read on the websites of the Diocese of London and of St Paul’s Cathedral.
24 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Update on Smyth Review
29/07/2021
An update on timing for the Smyth Review from the National Safeguarding Team:
For the survivors and victims of the appalling abuse by Smyth it is vital this review is done thoroughly but we have also taken very seriously their concerns on timing. Due to the ongoing high volume of information coming into the reviewers, following the recent publication of an executive summary and statements relating to Smyth, it has been agreed that the deadline for submission of evidence will now be September 30. The reviewers will then compile data and timelines and set up any further meetings before writing up their report. This will be followed by a representation process once the report has been completed, publication is expected in 2022.
We apologise for the length of time this has taken, while some meetings were delayed by COVID the reviewers have also been dealing with an exceptionally high volume of information which has needed looking into; this has included harrowing testimonies from survivors and victims and we thank them for their courage and willingness to participate.
After the deadline of September 30 arrangements will be made by the reviewers to listen to any further survivors and victims, or those who have other information, who wish to come forward to share their experiences in a supported and confidential manner.
Both the reviewers and the Church recognise that giving information to this review has the potential to be re-traumatising for victims and survivors.
Support continues to be offered; please contact Emily Denne at emily.denne@churchofengland.org
or call the independent Safe Spaces helpline, on 0300 303 1056, or email safespaces@victimsupport.org.uk
Anyone who would like to come forward and share information please do contact the independent reviewer Keith Makin keith.makin@independentreviews.live
2 CommentsFrancis Spufford The Christian Century How I changed my mind about same-sex marriage
“It began when I realized the church has always had a process for changing its mind.”
Gilo Surviving Church Interim Support Scheme & Redress Scheme
Ian Paul Psephizo Can the C of E plant new churches and retain the parish system?
An interview with John McGinley
Paul Andrews The Yorkshire Post Why Church of England needs new PR team to win back worshippers
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The LLF definition of radical new Christian inclusion is not radical, nor new, nor Christian, nor inclusive
Meg Warner The Tablet Anglicanism and mission
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