Peter Edge Law & Religion UK Tynwald and the Bishop of Sodor & Man
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK “Misconduct in Public Office” revisited
The texts of two talks given at the recent Ken Leech conference in Liverpool are now available for download here.
Alison Milbank Subversive Orthodoxy
George Guiver CR True Prayer and the 21st-century Church
Downing Street has announced that Loretta Minghella, the Chief Executive of Christian Aid, is to be the next First Church Estates Commissioner. She succeeds Sir Andreas Whittam Smith. The press release is copied below.
The Church of England has issued its own press release.
It was also announced last week that Dame Caroline Spelman MP has been reappointed Second Church Estates Commissioner following the General Election
Church Commissioner Appointment: Loretta Minghella
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published: 28 June 2017
The Queen has appointed Loretta Minghella as a Church Commissioner.
The Queen has approved that Ms Loretta Caroline Rose Minghella, OBE be appointed First Church Estates Commissioner in succession to Sir Andreas Whittam Smith, CBE.
Background
Loretta has been Chief Executive of Christian Aid since 2010, with overall responsibility for its strategy, plans and programmes across the world. She has since overseen responses to emergencies such as earthquakes and typhoons, the refugee crises in the Middle East and Europe, and hunger and famine in East Africa. She has also led Christian Aid’s long term development work and advocacy on major issues affecting the world’s poorest people, including climate change.
Loretta is a lawyer by training who, after practising as a criminal litigator, began a career in financial regulation in 1990. The first Head of Enforcement Law, Policy and International Cooperation for the Financial Services Authority, she also chaired the International Organisation of Securities Commissions’ Standing Committee on Enforcement and Information-Sharing.
In 2004, Loretta became Chief Executive of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, in which capacity she oversaw the payment of over £21 billion in compensation to victims of bank and other financial failures. In recognition of her contribution in that role, she was awarded the OBE in the New Year’s Honours 2010.
A trustee of the Disasters Emergency Committee and of St Georges House Trust (Windsor Castle), Loretta is a member of the Church of England’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group and a Sarum Canon at Salisbury Cathedral. Loretta has a BA (Hons) in Law from the University of Cambridge.
She lives with her husband and two children in London and attends St Barnabas Church, Dulwich, where she is, in her own words, an ‘enthusiastic if not talented’ member of the choir.
7 CommentsGeorge Clifford Episcopal Café Further thoughts on an all-digital BCP
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Teaching and teaching documents; some thoughts
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Bishops announce Next Steps on Human Sexuality
Jeremy Pemberton From the Choir Stalls Restoring Dignity in the Church of England
Paul Bayes ViaMedia.News The Elephant Orphanage
Michał Lubowicki Aleteia A cassock: Work clothes, not a dress uniform
The Guardian Editorial The Guardian view on abuse in the Church of England: a reputation deservedly damaged
Dame Moira Gibb’s remarkable report exposes a long and shameful pattern of sympathy for the wrong people
Stephen Kuhrt Resistance & Renewal Abuse, collusion and cover-up in the C of E
Justice, Peace, Joy On Ordination, Photos, and Communication
7 CommentsToday the Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church elected the Rt Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness as Primus, as reported here.
0 CommentsThe Church of England has published the press release below with proposals to bring the Church of England and the Methodist Church in Britain into full communion.
The Methodist Church has published its own press release. Although this ends “The report has now been released for discussion in the Methodist Conference this week and the Church of England’s General Synod in July” the report is not on the agenda of either meeting.
Publication of Mission and Ministry in Covenant
27 June 2017
The Church of England and the Methodist Church in Britain are to consider proposals that would bring them into a new relationship of full communion, after a period of some 200 years of formal separation.
The proposals are presented in Mission and Ministry in Covenant, a joint report from the two churches’ faith and order bodies. It sets out how the Methodist Church could come to have bishops in the historic episcopate, and how ministers from one church could become eligible to serve in the other.
The report builds on the theological convergence established by ‘An Anglican-Methodist Covenant’, signed in 2003, and the subsequent work of the Covenant’s Joint Implementation Commission.
In 2014 the General Synod of the Church of England and the Methodist Conference mandated the faith and order bodies to bring forward proposals that would enable the interchangeability of ministries in the two churches.
The report sets out a way by which the Methodist Church would become one of the churches with which the Church of England is officially in communion, alongside other members of the Anglican Communion and Lutheran churches in the Porvoo Communion.
The Bishop of Coventry, The Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, Chair of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission, said: “I am grateful to the joint working group for their careful but imaginative work on bringing forward a workable plan for enabling interchangeability of presbyteral ministry in our two churches.
“The solution is built on the centrality of the historic episcopate and the bishop as minister of ordination.
“The scheme as proposed will enable dioceses, districts and local churches to engage in creative pastoral planning for the good of the mission of God in this country.”
The Bishop of Fulham The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker, Anglican Co-Chair of the joint working group, said: “The separation between Anglicans and Methodists in Great Britain is a tear in the fabric of the Body of Christ.
“The proposals in this Report are offered as a means of helping to repair that tear.
“They maintain the catholic, episcopal ordering of the church while at the same time acknowledging the real and effective ministry exercised by minsters in the Methodist Church.
“I warmly commend them for prayerful reading in the churches.”
The report has now been released with the aim of enabling a wider discussion in the Methodist Church and in the Church of England, and to allow consultation with other ecumenical partners.
Notes to editors:
Download the full report: Mission and Ministry in Covenant
13 CommentsHayley Matthews ViaMedia.News For Grenfell – Where Were You?
Giles Fraser The Guardian After the Grenfell fire, the church got it right where the council failed
Andrew Brown The Guardian Collusion, cover-up and child abuse in the Church of England
Bosco Peters Liturgy Preaching – The Parable of the Internet
Church Projector Screens
The second circulation of General Synod papers was issued this morning; see here for details. There is an accompanying press release (copied below) which concentrates on an addition to the agenda made by the archbishops. The text of the additional motion is copied below the fold.
After the General Election: a still small voice of calm
23 June 2017
The Church of England is providing a “still small voice of calm” at a time when the people of Britain face “unprecedented questions about the future”, according to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
The recent General Election has left many questions unanswered about at a “critical time in the nation’s history”, they say.
Christians should therefore pray for political leaders to have courage but also give thanks for signs of political apathy receding, they say.
The call comes in the text of the motion to be debated at the Church’s General Synod, which meets in York next month.
The archbishops have used their legal powers to change the published schedule to include an urgent debate on the state of the nation.
Entitled “After the General Election: a still small voice of calm” it will take place on the opening afternoon of Synod, Friday July 7.
Details of the motion were published as a second circulation of papers was issued ahead of the summer session of Synod at the University of York between July 7 and July 10.
The documents also include a paper setting out the process for compiling a major new teaching document on human sexuality and the work of a new Pastoral Advisory Group to advise dioceses on pastoral provision for same-sex couples.
It follows a vote in February in which Synod opted not to ‘take note’ of the House of Bishops’ report on sexuality.
The paper, also issued by the two archbishops, reiterates a pledge to base the new teaching document on a “radical Christian inclusion” to be “founded in scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology and the Christian faith as the Church of England has received it”.
The papers also include information on National Support for Local Churches and background information for a motion tabled by Jayne Ozanne, of the Diocese of Oxford, calling for Synod to condemn the practice of Conversion Therapy, among other subjects.
Notes to editors
The title of the motion is a reference to the story in 1 Kings 19 in which God spoke to the prophet Elijah not through a hurricane, earthquake or fire but through a “still small voice”.
3 CommentsGreg Goebel Anglican Pastor I Don’t Want a Celebration of Life, I Want a Burial Service
Luke T Harrington Christ and Pop Culture The History of Pews Is Just as Terrible and Embarrassing as You’d Imagine
Hannah A Blaze of Light Here’s To All The #NewRevs
6 CommentsAnne Richards writes about the Mystery Worshipper feature in Ship of Fools: Getting a visitors’ eye-view of church
“How can churches welcome people so they don’t end up feeling invisible and lonely?”
Ted Harrison reports for Church Times from a 100-year-old Anglican community in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka: The cost of a cup of tea
The Episcopal Café is up and running again so this article is now available: George Clifford For such a time as this… an electronic prayer book?
22 CommentsThe Church of England has issued the press release below about papers for next month’s meeting of General Synod.
See my previous article for my list of papers.
General Synod papers published
16 June 2017
Papers circulated to members of the Church of England’s General Synod ahead of its July sessions in York have been published online.
They detail discussions planned on subjects ranging from the Church’s work in areas where many people follow other faiths to concerns over the cost of applying for British citizenship and the possibility of services to help transgender Christians mark their transition.
Synod is due to meet at the University of York from Friday July 7 to Monday July 10.
Papers are being published in two batches. The first circulation of papers is available here.
A second circulation of papers will be published on Friday, June 23. There will also be a pre-Synod briefing at Church House Westminster next Friday.
One briefing paper in the first circulation sets out how an existing Church of England service for reaffirming baptismal vows may form the liturgical basis for services which help transgender Christians mark their gender transition publicly.
The liturgy for Affirmation of Baptismal Faith, contained in the Common Worship service book, may be used with people who have already been baptised but who wish to “reaffirm their identity in Christ” after a significant personal transition, including gender, according to the paper.
It rules out the possibility of so-called “re-baptism” services, because Church of England teaching makes clear that baptism can only be received once.
However it makes clear that there is “no legal or doctrinal difficulty” with transgender people reaffirming their baptism vows with a new name.
The briefing was issued in response to a motion being brought to Synod by the Diocese of Blackburn, calling for nationally commended liturgical materials to mark a person’s gender transition.
The papers also include details of a motion raising concerns about the cost of applying for British citizenship and its impact on those on low incomes.
There is also a report on the Church of England’s Presence and Engagement programme, which supports parishes fulfilling the Church of England’s commitment to being a Christian presence in every community, even in areas where many people follow other faiths.
The timetable for General Synod is available here.
1 CommentUpdated 17 June, 23 June, 5 July
All the papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod are now available online.
The first batch of papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod are now available online. The remaining papers will be issued on 23 June and I will add links when these become available.
zip file of all first circulation papers
zip file of all second circulation papers
zip file of all papers
Papers in numerical order with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration
Synod meets from Friday 7 to Monday 10 July 2017.
The Archbishops have made a change to agenda for Friday to add a debate on After the General Election, a still small voice of calm. Details are in Notice Paper 4.
GS 2027B – Draft Legislative Reform Measure [Saturday]
GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z – Report by the Steering Committee [Saturday]
GS 2029B – Draft Amending Canon No.36 for final approval [Friday]
GS 2029BB – Draft Amending Canon No.37 for final Approval [Monday]
GS 2029C – Draft Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Monday]
GS 2029CC – Draft Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Monday]
GS 2029Z – Report by the Steering Committee [Saturday]
GS 2030B – Draft Statute Law (repeals) Measure [Saturday]
[see also GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z above]
GS 2032B – Draft Pension (Pre-consolidation) Measure [Saturday]
[see also GS 2027Z/2030Z/2032Z above]
GS 2058 – Annual Report of the Archbishops’ Council [Monday]
GS 2059 – Agenda
GS 2060 – Report by the Business Committee [Friday]
GS 2061 – Appointment to the Archbishops’ Council [Friday]
GS 2062 – Annual Report of the Audit Committee [deemed business – Friday]
GS 2063 – Presence and Engagement [Saturday]
GS 2064 – Draft Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure [deemed business – Saturday]
GS 2064x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2065 – Payments to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2065x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2066 – Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2067 – Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order 2017 [Saturday]
GS 2066/2067x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2068 – 52nd Report of the Standing Orders Committee [deemed business – Saturday]
GS 2069 – National Support for Local Churches: Report from the Archbishops’ Council [Saturday]
GS 2070A – Conversion Therapy, A note from Ms Jayne Ozanne [Saturday]
GS 2070B – Conversion Therapy, A note from The Secretary General [Saturday]
GS 2071A – Welcoming Transgender People, A note from The Revd Chris Newlands [Sunday]
GS 2071B – Welcoming Transgender People, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]
GS 2072 – Clergy Wellbeing [Sunday]
[See also GS Misc 1163 below]
GS 2073A – Schools Admissions Code, A note from The Revd Tiffer Robinson [Sunday]
GS 2073B – Schools Admissions Code, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]
GS 2074A – Cost of applying for Citizenship, A note from Mr Ben Franks [Monday]
GS 2074B – Cost of applying for Citizenship, A note from The Secretary General [Monday]
GS 2075 – The work of the General Elections Review Group [Monday]
[See also GS Misc 1164 below]
GS 2076 – The Archbishops’ Council’s Budget [Monday]
GS 2077A – Food Wastage, A note from The Revd Andrew Dotchin
GS 2077B – Food Wastage, A note from The Secretary General [contingency business]
Other Papers
Questions Notice Paper [Friday]
Church Commissioners Annual Report 2016 [Friday]
GS Misc 1158 – Proposals for the pastoral advisory group on human sexuality and the development of the teaching document [Saturday]
GS Misc 1159 – Interim Report on the Review of the Crown Nominations Commission [Sunday]
GS Misc 1160 – Instructions on Electronic Voting
GS Misc 1161 – Report of the Meissen Commission
GS Misc 1162 – Code of Conduct
GS Misc 1163 – Clergy Wellbeing, A note from The Secretary General [Sunday]
GS Misc 1164 – Presentation by the Elections Review Group [Monday]
GS Misc 1165 – Clergy Discipline Commission
GS Misc 1166 – Signature of PMMs
GS Misc 1167 – Members of Councils, Boards and Committees
GS Misc 1168 – Summary of Decisions from the House of Bishops
GS Misc 1169 – Update on the Archbishops’ Council Activities
GS Misc 1170 – Resourcing Ministerial Education
House of Laity
HLA1 – House of Laity Agenda [Saturday evening]
HLA2 – House of Laity Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)
House of Clergy
Convocation of Canterbury Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)
Convocation of York Agenda (if an Article 7 reference is required)
6 CommentsArchdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley continues her series on attending church: Sermons
Paul Bayes Huffington Post UK Shaken And Unshaken
Jennifer Ross The Tablet A revival in pilgrimage is bringing the prospect of environmental and ecumenical opportunities to Canterbury and beyond
to which Marcus Holden adds this
Daniel H Martins The Living Church What the Camino Taught Me
0 CommentsArchdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Hymns
David Ison ViaMedia.News Bishops and Transforming Love
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Uncertainty and un-knowing are at the heart of faith
1 CommentGeorge Clifford The Episcopal Café For such a time as this… an electronic prayer book?
[not currently available as site is being rebuilt]
Jake Owensby Looking for God in Messy Places People Like Us
Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley
First Find Your Church
Knowing When to Turn Up
Actually Turning up at Church
The Welcomers
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love It was 50 years ago today … buildings and spirituality for introverts
[Colin refers to this article by Joe Moran in The Guardian: From Sgt Pepper to the sublime: in praise of Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral at 50.]
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Scottish lessons for the English church (or at least the C of E)
Rowan Williams New Statesman The Benedict Option: a new monasticism for the 21st century
A new book by the conservative blogger Rob Dreher asks whether Christians should turn their back on society – is he right?
Revd Nathan Writes of the Church Letters to the Church Magazine – June 2017
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Making systemic homophobia in the Church of England more visible
Andrew Brown The Guardian Theresa May is like Jesus? Let’s examine this …
Eve Poole Church Times From Alpha to VUCA: the art of unknowing
18 CommentsRichard Beck Experimental Theology How to See an Old Church
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love The insidious nature of systemic homophobic prejudice at the heart of the respectable church
Justin Gau a sermon preached at St John’s College Cambridge Kingdom Values…Mercy
There is an audio recording and a transcript.
Michael Curry Thy Kingdom Come (video)
[released to mark the start of the Thy Kingdom Come global wave of prayer]
Archdruid Eileen Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Failed Church Advertising Slogans
Charles Clapham pneuma When leadership fails: Holman Hunt and ‘The Hireling Shepherd’
John Turner Patheos John Donne, Redone
Rhonda Waters Anglican Journal Let’s ask the hard questions
Charlotte Bannister-Parker ViaMedia.News Walking Beside Our Neighbour
2 CommentsUpdated 2 July to incorporate revised tiemtable
The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in York from Friday July 7 until Monday July 11. The outline timetable is available here, and is copied below. The full agenda will be published with the first release of papers on Friday June 16.
GENERAL SYNOD: JULY 2017
Timetable
Friday 7 July
2.30 pm – 7.00 pm
2.30 pm Opening worship
Introduction and welcomes
Response on behalf of ecumenical guests
3.15 pm Report by the Business Committee
3.45 pm Debate on a motion from the Archbishops “After the General Election, a still small voice of calm”
4.45 pm Legislative Business Amending Canon No. 36 – Final Drafting
5.05 pm Approval of appointment to the Archbishops’ Council
5.25 pm Church Commissioners Annual Report – Presentation under Standing Order 107 followed by Q&A
*6.00 pm Questions
7.00 pm Close of business
Worship
Saturday 8 July
7.30 am Holy Communion in the Berrick Saul Theatre
8.15 am House of Bishops meeting to approve the final form of Amending Canons Nos. 36 and 37
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
9.00 am Morning worship
9.15 am Presentation from the House of Bishops on the Proposals for the Pastoral Advisory Group on Human Sexuality and the development of the Teaching Document – Presentation under S.O. 107 followed by Q&A
10.15 am Report from the Mission and Public Affairs Council on the Presence and Engagement Interfaith programme
*11.00 Legislative Business Legislative Reform Measure – Final Drafting / Final Approval
11.45 Legislative Business Statute Law (Repeals) Measure – Final Drafting/Final Approval
12.00 Legislative Business Pensions (Pre-consolidation) Measure – Final Drafting / Final Approval
*12.10 Introductory Session: National Support for Local Churches – Presentation under Standing Order 107
12.30 pm – 2.30 pm
Lunch
Synod members meet in groups from 2.30 pm – 4.00 pm
2.30 pm Workshops on Forms of National Support for Local Churches
4.30 pm – 7.00 pm
4.30 pm Report from the Archbishops’ Council on National Support for Local Churches
5.45 pm Private Member’s Motion – Conversion Therapy
7.00 pm Close of business
Worship
8.30 pm Meeting of the House of Laity
Sunday 9 July
10.00 am Holy Communion in York Minster
2.30 pm – 7.00 pm
2.30 pm Diocesan Synod Motion – Welcoming Transgender People
3.45 pm Interim Report on the Review of the Crown Nominations Commission – Presentation under S.O. 107 followed by Q&A
4.30 pm Report from the House of Clergy on a Covenant for Clergy Wellbeing
5.45 pm
EITHER
Meetings of the House of Laity and Convocations from 5.45-7.00 pm [including evening worship]
OR
Private Member’s Motion – Schools Admissions Code
7.00 pm Close of business
Worship
Monday 10 July
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
9.00 am Morning worship
9.15 am Diocesan Synod Motion – Cost of Applying for Citizenship
10.30 am Report from the Elections Review Group
10.50 am Presentation from the Elections Review Group Presentation under S.O. 107 followed by Q&A
11.50 pm Legislative Business (ctd …) Amending Canon No. 36 – Final Approval
12.30 pm – 2.30 pm
Lunch
2.30 pm – 5.00 pm
2.30 pm Archbishops’ Council’s Annual Report 2016 – Presentation under S.O. 106 followed by Q&A
3.00 pm Archbishops’ Council’s Budget for 2018
4.00 pm Amending Canon No. 37 – Final Approval
*4.30 pm Farewells
*5.00 pm Prorogation
Contingency Business
Private Members’ Motion: Schools Admission Code
Diocesan Synod Motion: Food wastage
Deemed Items
The Archbishops’ Council Audit Committee Annual Report
Report from the Standing Orders Committee on the amendments to the Standing Orders required in connection with the Legislative Reform Measure and other matters
Miscellaneous Provisions Measure
Payments to the CCT Order
Fees Orders
* not later than
Please note that all timings are indicative unless marked with an asterisk
The English House of Bishops has issued this brief summary of their meeting held this week.
Report from May House of Bishops
24 May 2017
The House of Bishops met at Bishopthorpe Palace on 22-23 May; on the Tuesday morning prayers were said for all those affected by the Manchester bombing.
Bishops in the House of Lords (Lords Spiritual) met ahead of the full meeting to look at the parliamentary term ahead, particularly in light of the General Election.
A new approach to delegation, new outline proposals for selection for ministry and draft bishops’ guidelines on ordination training were all discussed and approved. The House also agreed that the Faith and Order Commission (FAOC) could publish a document from the Joint Working Group with the Methodist Church to allow both churches to discuss it further over the coming year.
The House discussed next steps on human sexuality. This included progress on work, announced by the Archbishops after February’s General Synod, to establish a group to produce a Teaching Document and to set up a Pastoral Advisory Group. The meeting also looked at safeguarding policy and a FAOC theology paper on this area, along with a discussion on the work of the National Safeguarding Steering Group.
6 CommentsThe Church Commissioners for England announced today publication of their 2016 financial results and annual report. Their press release is copied below the fold.
You can download the 2016 report here. There are also reports for earlier years and an annual review focussing on some of the projects they have funded and supported over the past 12 months.
Press reports
Simon Goodley The Guardian Church of England made stunning 17% return on investments in 2016
BBC News Church of England fund sees ‘stellar’ returns
John Plender Financial Times Church of England delivers divine returns
Peter Smith Financial Times Church of England fund becomes top world performer
16 Comments