The Cumberland & Westmorland Herald reports today that the Bishop of Penrith, the Right Revd Robert Freeman, is to retire next Easter. Penrith is a suffragan see in the diocese of Carlisle. As yet, there is nothing about this on the diocesan website.
4 CommentsBosco Peters Liturgy Sex Obsessed
Ian Paul Psephizo What did large churches ever do for us?
Tony Clavier The Living Church Protestant or Catholic?
ViaMedia.News It Can Happen to Guys Too!
39 CommentsThere is to be an election to fill two casual vacancies in the Universities and Theological Education Institutions Electoral Area of the Church of England General Synod. Full details are in this paper.
Most importantly a new register of those entitled to vote and stand for election in the constituency is being compiled. Those who were on the 2015 register will not have their names carried forward and if still eligible they will have to apply now for inclusion on the new register.
Time is short as applications to join the register must be received at Church House Westminster no later than Wednesday 8 November 2017. There is an application form here.
6 CommentsMartin Sewell Archbishop Cranmer “I need a friendly bishop,” said the child abuse survivor, as the prelate passed by on the other side
Josh Parry Liverpool Echo Why I won’t be donating a Christmas charity shoebox this year – and you shouldn’t either
ViaMedia.News A Zero Tolerance Approach to the Weinsteins in the Church?
Adrian Alker PCN Britain She’s a woman – get over it!
Mark Harris Preludium AAC, ACNA and GAFCON, wandering astray in the fields of the Lord
Michael Sadgrove Woolgathering in North East England Crumbling Cathedrals?
Mike Higton kaì euthùs Making our minds up
16 CommentsChurch of England press release
Director of Communications appointed
23 October 2017
The Church of England is pleased to announce the appointment of Tashi Lassalle as Director of Communications.
Bringing extensive experience of leading communications and marketing teams in the financial and professional services sectors, both in the UK and overseas, Tashi will oversee the work of the Church of England’s communications department, working across traditional media, digital platforms and publishing.
Based at Church House, Westminster, the department serves the Archbishops’ Council, the Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board as well as working closely with Lambeth and Bishopthorpe Palaces, bishops’ offices, dioceses and cathedrals.
Tashi, 39, has held a series of senior posts in the brand and marketing fields, most recently as Head of Communications and Marketing for Lloyd’s of London and previously as Head of Communications at Actis, the private equity firm. She has lived and worked in the US and Denmark as well as London.
She came to faith as a student at Cambridge. She worships at St Mary’s, Long Ditton in Surrey.
She said: “The Church of England makes a unique contribution to the spiritual, cultural and social fabric of this country.
“It has a bright and vibrant future.
“It’s a great privilege to take up this position.
“I look forward to serving and enabling the life changing vocation of the Church’s diverse ministry and mission.”
William Nye, Secretary General to the General Synod, said: “We are very glad to welcome Tashi Lassalle to the post of Communications Director for the Church of England’s national institutions.
“She combines a personal commitment to the mission of the Church with wide professional experience in a range of sectors.
“She will help us build on the existing strengths of our communications effort across multiple channels, recently recognised in awards for our digital evangelism campaigns.”
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Tashi to her new appointment.
“Her experience and imagination will be a huge asset to the Church of England in its task of proclaiming the gospel in an age of social media.
“She knows the scale of the challenge and I wish her well in all that lies ahead.”
Notes to Editors
Tashi will take up the post in early November 2017.
A photograph is available here.
Ian Paul Psephizo The shame of Britain’s prison system
Jonathan Draper Afterthoughts Obsessed about sex?
David Keen Opinionated Vicar Church of England Attendance Change by Diocese, 2011-16
43 CommentsThe Church of England released its Statistics for Mission 2016 and this report on its digital reach this week. There is also a press release which is copied below the fold.
Also released this week is Finance Statistics 2015.
Church Times reporters write about these reports:
Madeleine Davies Too few children in too many pews, latest C of E mission statistics warn
Tim Wyatt Church of England reaching more people online than ever before
Tim Wyatt Good news and bad news on parish finances, statistics show
Olivia Rudgard writes for The Telegraph: Church of England reaches more on social media than in services.
Links to statistics for earlier years can be found here.
32 CommentsSir Mark Hedley Ecclesiastical Law Society Practical Aspects of the Clergy Discipline Measure
Sir Mark is Deputy Chair and Deputy President of Tribunals.
The Babylon Bee The Bee Explains: Main Differences Between Popular Bible Translations
6 CommentsThe 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 Comments