The Church of England’s House of Bishops has started to publish a Summary of Actions and Decisions for each of its meetings. These are much fuller that the usual bland press releases. Two such summaries, for November and December 2023, are available. They are in docx format; for convenience I have converted them to the pdf files below.
2 CommentsGerry Lynch The Critic The failure of Anglican managerialism
Giles Fraser UnHerd Will the Church follow the Post Office?
Ian Paul Psephizo The crisis of episcopal leadership in the Church of England
Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head What’s really happening to the churches in Scotland
121 CommentsHelen King sharedconversations Keeping the church together?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love God according to Harry Williams
David Goodhew The Living Church After COVID: The Deepening Decline of the Church of England
125 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love CEEC plot to impose an abusive, prejudiced, discriminatory, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic culture on the Church of England
Andrew Goddard Psephizo Have evangelicals made secret plans to split the Church?
Claire Brader House of Lords Library Lords spiritual in the House of Lords explained
Polly Smythe New York Times It’s Christmas, and England’s Priests Have Had Enough
[This is behind a paywall, but if you create a free account you may be able read it.]
Andrew Brown comments on this article in the Church Times: Press: New York Times probes unionisation of Anglican clergy
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Changing attitudes towards life in all its fullness
Andrew Graystone ViaMedia.News When Good Reviews Go Bad
20 CommentsNic Tall ViaMedia.News Plotting the Division of the Church of England
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church After Wilkinson. Towards a Trauma-Informed Church
226 CommentsKelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head Coupled Together
Jonathan Clatworthy The point of it all Fear, emptiness and hope
87 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s office
There is more on the London diocesan website.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton: 20 December 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Anderson Harris Mithra Jeremiah for appointment to the Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton, in the Diocese of London.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 20 December 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Anderson Harris Mithra Jeremiah, Associate Priest at St Paul’s Scotforth, in the Diocese of Blackburn, and Associate Dean (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and People) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Lancaster University, for appointment to the Suffragan See of Edmonton, in the Diocese of London, in succession to The Right Reverend Robert Wickham, following his appointment as Chief Executive of the Church Urban Fund.
Background
Anderson was educated at the Universities of Madras and Edinburgh, and trained for ministry at United Theological College, Bangalore. He served his title at St Mary’s Church, Ranipet, in the Diocese of Vellore, Church of South India and, in 2004, he was ordained Priest and served as Anglican Chaplain at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. In 2007, Anderson was appointed Assistant Curate at Old St Paul’s Church Edinburgh and, from 2009, he served as Associate Rector at Christ Church Morningside, both in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
In 2012, Anderson was appointed as the first Lecturer in World Christianity at Lancaster University. Alongside his academic role from 2014 he served as the Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Gisburn and, from 2016, as Associate Priest at St Mary’s Priory Church, Lancaster, both in the Diocese of Blackburn. From 2018, Anderson served as the first Bishop’s Adviser for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Affairs in the Diocese of Blackburn and in 2021 was appointed Canon Theologian of Blackburn Cathedral. He has been a member of the Committee for Minority Ethnic Concerns, the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Task Force, General Synod, the Faith and Order Commission and the Ministry Council.
Anderson is married to Revd Dr Rebecca Aechtner and they have two daughters.
18 CommentsThe Archbishop of Canterbury has announced that the Right Reverend Norman Banks, the Bishop of Richborough, is due to retire on Easter Sunday next year. The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Canterbury and one of three Provincial Episcopal Visitors (PEV) in the Church of England.
18 CommentsUpdated 25 January. The outline of business has been amended, see here.
Synod members have been sent an outline of business for the February 2024 meeting of the Church of England’s Generaal Synod. It is copied below.
Update (5 January 2024) This is now available online.
GENERAL SYNOD: FEBRUARY 2024 OUTLINE OF BUSINESS
This is the current outline of business and subject to change.
The final details of the items will be available on the Agenda which will be circulated in February.
Friday 23 February
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Opening worship
Introductions
Presidential Address
Business Committee Report
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Vacancy in See Regulations Consolidation
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Vacancy in See Regulations Act of Synod
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Amending Canon No 43 – for enactment
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Parochial Fees: London
*Not later than 5.30 pm Questions
Saturday 24 February
9.00 am – 12.45 pm
Opening worship
Safeguarding
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Code of Conduct for PCCs: Chelmsford
*Not later than 11.45am Questions
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Safeguarding
Land and Nature
Synod Code of Conduct
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Future of work: Oxford
Sunday 25 February
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Racial Justice
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Bullying by Lay Officers
Standing Orders Committee Report
Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households
Monday 26 February
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
Opening Worship
Church Commissioners’ Response to Links to Transatlantic Chattel Slavery
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Parochial Fees Order 2024 – for approval
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure – first consideration Reappointment of two members of the Archbishops’ Council
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Living in Love and Faith
Estates Evangelism
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Clergy Pensions
Tuesday 27 February
9.00am – 12.30 pm
Opening Worship
Living in Love and Faith
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Church Funds Measure
2.00pm – 4.30 pm
War in Ukraine and the Challenge to International Order
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Ordination after divorce
*Not later than 4.15pm Farewells
*Not later than 4.30pm Prorogation
Deemed business
Clergy Discipline Rules
Contingency Business
DSM Southwell & Notts – Church Buildings
DSM Sheffield – Foodbanks and Inadequacies in Social Security PMM Sam Wilson – LGBTQIA+ and Relationship Education
Deadline for receipt of questions: 1200 hrs Thursday 8 February 2024
8 CommentsStephen Parsons Surviving Church Does the CofE meet the Standards of the Nolan Principles in its Life?
The Church of England has a Redress Blog. It is “a blog for survivors and victims to express in their own words what “redress” means to them and to share their hopes for the National Redress Scheme. It is also a blog for Church officers and staff to provide regular updates on the progress the Church is making towards developing the Scheme.” Although the blog has been in place since October, it was only this week that there was a press release drawing attention to it. So far there have been these four posts.
Statement from the Archbishop of York, issued today.
Archbishop of York Statement on the Crown Nominations Commission for the next Bishop of Carlisle
15/12/2023
“At the conclusion of a lengthy process of discernment, culminating in two days of interviews on 13 and 14 December, the Crown Nominations Commission considering the nomination of the next Bishop of Carlisle has, very sadly, not been able reach the level of consensus required to nominate a new Diocesan Bishop.
“Over the course of the next months, the Crown Nominations Commission will need to reflect, and make a decision about which stage it wishes to re-commence the discernment process. This is not likely to be before the Spring of 2025.
“Bishop Rob Saner-Haigh, the Bishop of Penrith, will continue serving as acting Diocesan Bishop alongside the senior leadership team in the Diocese of Carlisle.
“Please continue to hold the Diocese of Carlisle and the discernment of the Crown Nominations Commission in your prayers.”
132 CommentsSurviving Church The Catastrophic Failure of Governance
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love What kind of God?
Neil Elliot NumbersMatters Who’s coming for Christmas?
11 CommentsPress release from the Church of Englaand
Prayers of Love and Faith to be made available for use from Sunday
12/12/2023
Selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples commended.
A selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples can be used in Church of England services for the first time from Sunday, December 17, following approval by the House of Bishops.
The final texts of Prayers of Love and Faith, commended for use in regular public worship or private prayer, are published today, together with pastoral guidance which sets out how they could be used.
At a meeting held online this morning, the House of Bishops confirmed its earlier decision to commend the Prayers of Love and Faith resources for use in regular public worship and agreed that this should take effect from Sunday December 17.
The Prayers can be used in regular scheduled services, such as a Sunday Eucharist or Evensong.
The House also continued to discuss separate proposals for special standalone services for same-sex couples to be formally authorised under canon law.
This follows a motion agreed by General Synod in November calling on the bishops to consider whether standalone services for same-sex couples could be made available for use, possibly on a trial basis.
The Prayers of Love and Faith were developed as part of the outcome of a seven-year period of listening, learning and discernment known as Living in Love and Faith.
The House of Bishops has said it will consider pastoral provision to protect the conscience of those who wish to use the Prayers and of those who do not.
It is intended that there will be wide process of consultation regarding the provision to ensure that whatever is agreed serves to promote unity and has broad support across the Church.
The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, and the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, are chairing the group overseeing the introduction of Prayers of Love and Faith.
Bishop Helen-Ann said: “The Prayers of Love and Faith are resources to pray with and for a same-sex couple who are committed to one another in faithfulness and love. They are intended to enable those who wish to give thanks for and joyfully mark that commitment before God and their community of faith.”
Bishop Martyn added: “We know not everyone in the Church of England agrees on these important questions which go the heart of who we are – about people’s lives, their love and our shared faith. This is reflected in the House of Bishops, where there remain different views on the best ways to proceed.
“These Prayers are offered as pastoral provision. It is our prayer that they can be used with grace and understanding. Sharing them will be a blessing to the whole Church.”
The House agreed by 24 votes to 11, with three abstentions, in favour of a motion (see full text below) to make the Prayers of Love and Faith resources available with effect from December 17. Bishops also approved a motion to commend the Prayers for a Covenanted Friendship from the same date by 30 votes to six, with two abstentions. They are published together with the Prayers of Love and Faith resources.
More information
The motions approved were:
Further notes:
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love God is a revisionist
Martin Sewell Surviving Church Waiting for Wilkinson
50 CommentsNeil Elliot NumbersMatters Census taking – sacred and dangerous?
Bosco Peters Liturgy Are We Letting Worship Shape Us?
29 CommentsThe next Dean of Leicester is to be the Revd Canon Karen Rooms. She is currently the acting Dean and was previously Sub-Dean and Canon Missioner. There are announcements on the Leicester diocesan, Leicester cathedral and Church of England websites.
2 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
House of Bishops meeting: 29 November
29/11/2023
The House of Bishops met online on the morning of 29 November 2023.
The House considered the November Group of Sessions of General Synod, including next steps required following the vote on Prayers of Love and Faith.
It was agreed that a motion for the commendation of the “Prayers of Love and Faith: resource section” would take place at a further meeting before the end of the year. This aligns with the timescale indicated at Synod.
There was also consideration of the House of Bishops’ processes, with The House agreeing to begin a review with a focus on increasing transparency. The House voted in favour of immediate steps to publish summaries of meetings, and to set up a task-and-finish group to make recommendations to the House on potential improvements. A fuller summary of the meeting will be published in the coming days, in accordance with this.
The meeting ended in prayer.
24 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love Vile Bodies – Christian prejudice and abuse
Neil Elliot NumbersMatters Looking in the mirror?
“What happens to the statistics we carefully collect and collate. How are they used – if at all? In this edition we will look at myths, realities, and aspirations of using church stats”
Thomas Sharp ViaMedia.News Agree or Disagree: I’m Still in Communion with my Bishop
12 CommentsThe Church Times reports that “TWO former Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) members [Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves] have announced that they have ceased to co-operate with the independent review of the ISB’s demise. They have concerns about the reviewer’s remit.”
Jas Sanghera has posted on X/Twitter that “At no point have @churchofengland engaged with us on terms of reference for this review, despite our numerous request. This is in effect CofE marking it’s own homework & not consulting with the very ppl it concerns. Shocking”.
Steve Reeves has posted that “the Church, with a remit solely defined by the Church, and excluding events critical of the Church, won’t tell anything like the true story.”
16 Comments