The Prime Minister announced the names of five new crossbench life peers on Thursday. The list inlcuded The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres, KCVO, DD – lately Bishop of London (1995 to 2017).
London diocesan website: Peerage for Bishop Richard announced
Archbishop of Canterbury: Archbishop welcomes crossbench peerage for Bishop Richard Chartres
English diocesan bishops, other than archbishops, are not normally created peers on retirement. Two who were are David Sheppard of Liverpool and Richard Harries of Oxford.
17 CommentsUpdated to add day 2 to Colin Coward’s blogs
David Ison ViaMedia.News Confronting our Culture, Presenting our Past
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of leadership; speaking of reconfiguration.
Benjamin L Corey Patheos To Those Christians Who Say, “God Doesn’t Give Us More Than We Can Handle”
Ben Clements British Religion in Numbers Religion and the British Social Attitudes 2016 Survey
An update of the long-term religious data available from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) surveys
Colin Coward is attending the Intimate Conviction Conference in Jamaica.
Intimate Conviction Conference opens in Jamaica
Intimate Conviction Conference – Day 1
Intimate Convictions Conference – Day 2 and Reflections
Rachel Treweek Gloucestershire Live Letter to my younger self by the Bishop of Gloucester
11 CommentsConnor Hammond Country Living A celeb in the countryside: Reverend Richard Coles
The vicar of Finedon, broadcaster and musician discusses the importance of community.
Kate Botley Church of England “It might boost my ego, but no one becomes a vicar because they saw it on TV”
Abdul-Azim Ahmed interviews Frank Cranmer, who with David Pocklington, runs the popular Religion and Law blog online.
On Religion Religion and Law: Interview with Frank Cranmer
Rachel Neaum WATCH A response to the use of ‘minority’ in Sir Philip Mawer’s review
Jeremy Morris ViaMedia.News A “Safe Space” for Liberalism?
Chris Burn Yorkshire Post How Yorkshire’s women of spirit paved the way for female priests
54 CommentsAndrew Brown The Guardian Melvyn Bragg says kids should read the King James Bible. But is it too graphic?
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of Anglicanism; speaking of subsidiarity.
Bosco Peters Liturgy Praying Using Technology?
Hayley Matthews ViaMedia.News Primates Meetings – Who’d Be a Prophet?
Lucy Winkett and Sam Wells spoke on “Reforming Church” at St Martin in the Fields in London on 2 October. There are links to the full texts of the talks and to a podcast here. There is a shortened and edited version of Sam’s lecture in yesterday’s Church Times: It’s about abundant life, not hell-avoidance.
This was the second in an autumn series of public lectures on “Reformation” at St Martin in the Fields; the first was by Alister McGrath. Details of the series are here. Podcasts are added here after the event.
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Gravitational Waves
5 CommentsPhilip Christopher Baldwin Gay Times “The Church of England remains a battleground and all LGBT+ people need to advocate for change.”
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love False ideas in the church
Jonathan Clatworthy Château Clâteau Why progressives need God
Jonathan Draper Modern Church The Archbishop of Canterbury, irreconcilable difference and ‘copping out’
8 CommentsThe Rt Revd Richard Blackburn, the suffragan Bishop of Warrington in the diocese of Liverpool, has announced his retirement. His farewell service will take place on Saturday 21 April 2018.
From the Liverpool diocesan website: Bishop of Warrington announces his retirement
1 CommentThe Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal has been published quarterly since March 2017. Issues can be freely downloaded from here. There is some background information here.
The latest issue includes “Some Insights from Church Planting in the Tower Hamlets Deanery of the Diocese of London” by Carol Latimer.
Paul Bayes ViaMedia.News The True God and the Real World
Church Times leader comment Taking a knee
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Talking of speaking
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Speaking as a fool for God
Martyn Percy Christian Today Can the Church of England still afford nuance or ambiguity? Some final thoughts on Sir Philip Mawer’s Sheffield review
Richard Peers Quodcumque De-throning the ego: address to the Diocese of Leicester Catholic Societies, Michaelmas 2017
WATCH Ministry Statistics published September 2017
26 CommentsUpdated Friday
We reported on the row over the policies of the Church of St Sepulchre Holborn, in London, here and here. Today the Acting Bishop of London has issued a statement on this particular matter and the more general issue of booking space for musicians. The full statement is copied below the fold, but here are two extracts:
Major flagship concerts and rehearsals in preparation for these concerts will still take place at St Sepulchre, and the PCC is developing a wider programme of music which they will be announcing soon. I am pleased a new album from their choir will also be released shortly.
and
The Diocese has a role to play in facilitating and encouraging stronger relationships between the Church in London and the musical community, including making it easier for musicians to access rehearsal and concert space. The wide coverage of these matters has convinced me that we need to improve access to churches which are willing and able to provide such space. So, as from 1 November, we shall be launching a website – www.musicianschurch.org – that will provide easy access to hire space and booking options for musicians in London, as well as be used as a tool to promote concerts and events. I do hope this will also allow us to help support and encourage new musicians, as they form ensembles, and bring together family, friends and the wider public to enjoy the creativity and celebration of God-given musical talent.
I am confident that these steps, along with a clearer programme of activities at St Sepulchre, will start to rebuild confidence in our partnerships and focus our minds on growth. Growth in the work of the church, growth in the use of our buildings, and growth in the music performed in our churches.
Update
The rector of St Sepulchre’s has issued this undated statement about music on behalf of the PCC. Since it refers to the above statement it must have been issued today (Thursday).
Press reports
Church Times The ‘Musicians’ Church’ goes virtual as St Sepulchre’s sticks to its guns
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian London church rebuffs bishop’s efforts to get it to remain concert venue
26 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Ministry Statistics 2016, and an accompanying press release which is copied below. There is also a fact sheet on the number of ordinands entering training this year.
Number of women in ordained ministry at record high
27 September 2017
The number of people entering training to become priests in the Church of England is at the highest level for a decade with women making up more than half the total, according to new figures released today.
A total of 544 men and women are starting training for ordained ministry this autumn (known as ordinands), an increase of 14% on last year and the highest figure for 10 years, according to statistics from the Ministry Division of the Church of England.
Women make up more than half of those entering training, or 274 ordinands, the biggest intake of female ordinands for a decade, and an increase of 19% compared to last year. At the same time, the number of younger ordinands, in the under 32 age group, rose by nearly two fifths, and now accounts for 28% of the total.
22 CommentsAndy Hill Metro I’m an atheist who goes to church – here’s why you should too
Scott Cowdell ABC Religion and Ethics Gender and Identity: Freeing the Bible from Modern Western Anxieties
Tony Payne ABC Religion and Ethics Is There Moral Truth Out There? A Response to Scott Cowdell on Gender and Identity
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love ‘Feeling’ and ‘knowing’ – David Jenkins’ Guide to the Debate about God
Alister McGrath ABC Religion and Ethics Is God a Figment of Our Imagination? On Certainty, Scepticism and the Limits of Proof
[Professor McGrath is giving a public lecture, C. S. Lewis for Today: Making Sense of Faith and Culture, in Liverpool on 25 October 2017. Details are here.]
Mark Clavier The Living Church The Sea Change: Reflections of a Former Theological Educator
Giles Goddard ViaMedia.News Loyalty and Obsession
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of ordination, speaking of good will
Jesse Zink Church Times Born in discord, striving for harmony
Janet Traill explains the Colenso affair, which was the trigger for the first Lambeth Conference: Church Times A question of authority
29 CommentsLast Friday’s Church Times carried a news item by Madeleine Davies headlined Clergy living comfortably, long-term Living Ministry study suggests. This was based on “the first fruits of a large-scale Ministry Division survey”. The report “Mapping the Wellbeing of Church of England Clergy and Ordinands” itself is somewhat hidden away on the Church of England’s Ministry Development website where you can download the full report and an executive summary.
Panel Survey Wave 1 Report
Panel Survey Wave 1 Report Executive Summary
But Doug Chaplin’s eye was caught by the paragraph that suggested all was not quite as well as the Church Times headline suggested, and he writes about it here: Living comfortably: the fiction of a stipend?
4 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Dean of Exeter: Jonathan Greener
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Published: 19 September 2017
Reverend Jonathan Desmond Francis Greener has been appointed Dean of the Cathedral Church, Exeter.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend Jonathan Desmond Francis Greener, MA, Dean of Wakefield, in the diocese of Leeds, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Exeter, on the resignation of the Very Reverend Jonathan Lee Draper, BA, PhD, on 31 August 2017.
Background information
The Very Reverend Jonathan Greener (56) trained for ordination at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield. He studied Theology and Religious Studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. He served his title as Curate at St Matthew, Elephant and Castle, in the diocese of Southwark from 1991 to 1994 before becoming Bishop of Truro’s Domestic Chaplain from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 2003 he was Vicar at the Good Shepherd, Brighton in Chichester diocese. From 2003 to 2007 he was Archdeacon of Pontefract in Wakefield diocese. From 2007 to 2014 he was Dean of Wakefield in Wakefield diocese and since 2014 he has been Dean of Wakefield in Leeds diocese.
He is married to Pamela, a retired international tax accountant, now a freelance musician.
His interests include photography, cookery, languages and travel.
16 CommentsAndrew Lightbown Theore0 Speaking of faith in the public square
Rosie Harper ViaMedia.News Is “Sorry” Too Easy a Word?
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Troubles with Trebles
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The unconditional and the insistence of God
A little world made cunningly: in defence of the parish
St Mellitus will host a debate asking whether the parish has had its day. Priests from across the country told Church Times their answers.
The Church of England’s College of Bishops (ie all serving bishops) held its annual meeting this week, following which they issued this press release.
College of Bishops residential meeting September 2017
14 September 2017
The annual meeting of the College of Bishops of the Church of England was held in Oxford from 11-14 September with the theme of “Telling the Gospel of Salvation in Every place”, exploring how the Church ministers to every community in the country.
Over the four day meeting, a wide ranging agenda was discussed, including, Renewal and Reform, Simplification, Mission and Theology, Church Planting and Minority Ethnic Inclusion. Reflections and discussions took place in group and plenary sessions.
Members of the College were joined this year in the first two days of the meeting by a number of BAME clergy to help bring additional perspectives on how the Church of England can reach more effectively into every community.
As with all meetings of the College of Bishops, the considerations of the College took place in private and its conclusions will be subsequently referred to the House of Bishops.
3 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love Life in all its fullness and meditation in the body
Eric Reitan Religion Dispatches A 14-point Rebuttal to the Nashville Statement from a straight cis Christian man
Bibles, arm-waving, and incense – Philip North recounts visiting three very different Christian festivals this summer for Church Times
Ian Paul Psephizo Is there hope for unbelieving Britain?
Simon Butler ViaMedia.News This Love Ain’t Big Enough!
4 CommentsGiles Fraser The Guardian The disestablishment of the church is now necessary and inevitable
Church Times Leader Comment Life with the ‘nones’
The above two articles comment on figures contained in the latest British Social Attitudes survey. Madeleine Davies has written about the figures for Church Times: Bishops unfazed by surge among the non-religious in latest British Social Attitudes survey.
Simon Butler ViaMedia.News In Praise of Activists…
Charles Clapham Unadulterated Love The House of Bishops’ proposed Teaching Document on Human Sexuality
[This is a consolidation of Dr Clapham’s comments on our article here.]
Jeremy Paxman Financial Times Jeremy Paxman on the Church of England’s fight to survive
As congregations dwindle, is the Church on the brink of extinction?
[You may find this article is behind a paywall; this has been happening to me intermittently.]
We reported in July that Canon Tim Sledge was to be the next Dean of Peterborough. The Bishop of Peterborough has now announced that Canon Sledge has withdrawn his acceptance of this post.
11 CommentsFrom the website of the Church in Wales
New Archbishop of Wales elected
A new Archbishop of Wales has been elected today (September 6).
John Davies, who has served as the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon for the past nine years, has been chosen as the 13th Archbishop of Wales.
He succeeds Dr Barry Morgan who retired in January after 14 years as the leader of the Church in Wales. His election is also historic as this is the first time a Bishop of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon has been elected as Archbishop of Wales.
Archbishop John was elected having secured a two-thirds majority vote from members of the Electoral College on the first second day of its meeting at Holy Trinity Church, Llandrindod Wells. The election was immediately confirmed by the five other diocesan bishops and announced at the door of the church by the Provincial Secretary of the Church in Wales, Simon Lloyd. Archbishop John will be enthroned at Brecon cathedral in due course.
He said, “I am overwhelmed and humbled. I would like to thank members of the College and especially my fellow bishops for the confidence and trust they have shown in me. We will work together as a team to grow and strengthen the Church as it serves the communities of Wales and helps build the kingdom of God.”
The Dean of Brecon, Dr Paul Shackerley welcomed the news on behalf of the Diocese. He said, “I am delighted with the news that Bishop John has been called to be our next Archbishop. He has proven gifts and experience to lead the Church into the future and will receive our full support and prayers he prepares to exercise his weighty, yet joyful, archiepiscopal ministry. I feel the future of the Church in Wales is in good hands with all our faithful Bishops, to lead us with hope into the future that we may flourish and serve the communities in which we are called.”
10 CommentsJack Jenkins ThinkProgress Are evangelicals inventing a new kind of Christianity that’s all about sex?
Eliel Cruz The New York Times The Nashville Statement Is an Attack on L.G.B.T. Christians
Jonathan Merritt Religion News Service Take a deep breath. The Nashville Statement won’t change anything
The Victorian Society has expressed its opinion on keeping churches open. There’s nothing on their website, but Olivia Rudgard reports their views in The Telegraph: Victorian Society criticises evangelical group for keeping churches ‘shuttered and barred’
21 Comments