Press preview
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Donating organs and blood is Christian duty, C of E synod to be told
Today’s business
Full text of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s presidential address: Archbishop reflects on Primates’ meeting in Synod address
Official summary of the day’s business: General Synod February 16 sessions: Monday PM
Audio from all the sessions at General Synod February 2016
Press reports
Antony Bushfield Premier Synod’s sexuality conversations “going to be risky”
Harry Farley Christian Today Welby at Synod: Primates meeting was ‘spun more than Donald Trump’
African churches could face ‘consequences’ for supporting criminalisation of homosexuality
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Gay rights and same-sex marriage will dominate C of E summer synod
18 CommentsArchdruid Eileen Government to Introduce League Tables For Churches
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave this Church of Ireland Theological Lecture on Monday: ‘The Generational Struggle’.
Nick Baines Under an African sky (Tanzania visit)
Church Times is publishing a seven-week series on Theology Now during Lent. This week there are articles on God. Most are behind the paywall, but here are two that are not.
John Inge, Bishop of Worcester In my heart and in my head
Andrew Davison Believing: a respectable approach
Antonia Honeywell The Telegraph I was driven out of my beloved church by homophobia
Mark Hart Living Out the Trinity in the Church of England
Ross Kane The Christian Century Should Episcopalians repent?
13 CommentsUpdated Saturday to add the article by William Nye
Also updated Saturday to give a working link to Martyn Percy’s essay
The General Synod of the Church of England meets next week. Here are some recent relevant articles.
Kelvin Holdsworth The Columba Declaration
Modern Church has published this essay by Martyn Percy: On Not Rearranging the Deckchairs on the Titanic: A Commentary on Reform and Renewal in the Church of England. Kieran Bohan has written this preview: Reform and Renewal or unintentional vandalism? A health and safety warning for General Synod, and there is a link at the end to download the full essay.
Bishop Steven Croft responds: RME – Response to Principals’ Concerns.
Mike Eastwood, Liverpool Diocesan Secretary and Director of Renewal and Reform, Renewal and Reform – a view from Liverpool
William Nye Renewal and Reform – some thoughts from a new boy
Church Times RME plans may be disastrous, say colleges
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Vesture: the House of Bishops Consultation
16 CommentsThe Church of England has issued this statement today.
Statement from Bishop Paul Butler on George Bell
08 February 2016The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, lead bishop on safeguarding has issued a statement today following various media comments on his recent contribution in the House of Lords regarding Bishop George Bell.
Bishop Paul has welcomed the opportunity to provide further clarity on his comments about the settlement of the civil claim regarding sexual abuse against George Bell, and the handling of the case. The particular focus on the language of legal tests, he says, “masks the genuine suffering and damage done to an individual in this case.”
He adds: “The decisions were not taken lightly or without consideration of the impact on the reputation of George Bell. But in this case, as in others, the overriding goal was to search out the truth and issues of reputation cannot take priority over that.”
Original statement on Bishop George Bell, October 2015
Points on a complex case – Diocese of Chichester blog on Bishop George Bell, January 2016
The full statement is copied below the fold.
27 CommentsRobert Cotton reflects on his five years as a member of the Archbishops’ Council.
Church Times leader Don’t rest yet
The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Rev Dr Alan Smith Statement on Government plans to extend Sunday trading
ChurchPOP 15 Hilarious Complaints Medieval Scribes Left in the Margins
Constantino Duran The Single Path
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law The Proposed Enabling Measure: A Complex Process of Simplification
19 CommentsUpdated
Today’s [Brighton] Argus carries this lengthy interview by Joel Adams: Bishop George Bell’s victim: “He said it was our little secret, because God loved me.”
TODAY, for the first time, the victim of George Bell has spoken about the sexual abuse she suffered as a five-year-old child at the hands of the wartime Bishop of Chichester.
Speaking exclusively to The Argus, she described how he repeatedly molested her over a period of four years while telling her that God loved her.
Her testimony brings new clarity to a story which has changed the world’s perception of one of the most revered Anglicans of the 20th century since news of a church payout was announced last October…
Harriet Sherwood also covers the story for The Guardian: Victim describes how she was abused by bishop George Bell.
The original Church statements on this case are here.
Update
The Bishop of Chichester has issued the following statement following the publication of the Brighton Argus article.
34 CommentsDr Warner said:
“It is testimony to her courage and integrity that the survivor who brought the allegations against George Bell has been prompted to speak out. My hope is that the telling of her story will contribute to her sense of being heard by those within and beyond the Church who are willing to listen with an open mind and respond with compassion and clarity.
“The presence of strident voices in the public arena which have sought to undermine the survivor’s claims has added in this case to the suffering of the survivor and her family. To that extent it is not surprising that she felt it necessary to take the courageous decision to speak out in public and reveal the personal details which the Church could not.
“Words of apology written in a letter can never be enough to express the Church’s shame or our recognition of damage done. However, the apology that I made on behalf of the Diocese of Chichester is genuine and a sincere expression that lessons are being learnt about how we respond to accusations of abuse.
“In some responses to the George Bell case, and to the original statements from the Church nationally and locally in the diocese of Chichester, we have witnessed shocking ignorance of the suffering felt at many different levels by victims of abuse.”
Elections to the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England have now been completed. Here is the full list of elected and appointed members.
Members of the Archbishops’ Council
Joint Presidents
The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of YorkProlocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of Canterbury
The Revd Canon Simon ButlerProlocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of York
The Venerable Cherry VannChair of the House of Laity
Canon Dr Jamie HarrisonVice-Chair of the House of Laity
Canon Elizabeth PaverElected by the House of Bishops
The Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield
The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of ElyElected by the House of Clergy
The Revd Dr Ian Paul
The Revd Sarah SchofieldElected by the House of Laity
Mrs Lorna Ashworth
Canon Mark RussellChurch Estates Commissioner
Sir Andreas Whittam Smith, First Church Estates CommissionerAppointed by the Archbishops
Mr John Spence
Mrs Mary Chapman: former CEO, Chartered Institute of Management
Mr Philip Fletcher
The Revd Dr Rosalyn Murphy: Vicar, St Thomas’s, Blackpool
Mrs Rebecca Salter: Medical Researcher
Mr Matthew Frost, former CEO Tearfund
Detailed results of the elections can be downloaded from here.
36 CommentsThe Most Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, offers his Perspectives on the Primates’ Meeting.
Colbert I King The Washington Post The Anglican Communion’s un-Christian stance on marriage
The Most Reverend Dr Mouneer Anis A Personal Reflection on the 2016 Primates’ Meeting
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Apology to LGBT community must be followed by action, senior Anglicans warn Archbishop of Canterbury — referring to this press release
Jacob Luther Hymn to the Anglican Communion
Christopher Wells The Living Church Catholicity, apostolicity: Come on down
Jesse Zink Church Times If it doesn’t work, do something new
Ben Irwin The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and the real reason we’re having this debate
Charles Hefling Christian Century Has the Episcopal Church been plutoed?
112 CommentsNigel Genders, Chief Education Officer for the Church of England, What is religious education for?
The Churchwarden Church Buildings Review: A Churchwarden’s Rant
Andrew Lightbown Why the church needs its revisionists
Linda Woodhead Why ‘no religion’ is the new religion – a lecture at the British Academy [45 minute video]
3 CommentsTim Wyatt Church Times Reform, sex talks, and Kirk on Synod’s agenda
John Bingham The Telegraph Dress-down Sundays: Church considers making clerical dress optional
[with reference to GS Misc 1133 – House of Bishops Consultation on Vestments]
Antony Bushfield Premier General Synod to focus on need for evangelism
Anglican talks on sexuality sometimes “painful”
BBC News Churches of England and Scotland publish report on proposed pact
Update
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Anglican clergy could drop traditional dress in favour of casual clothing
13 CommentsThe Scottish Episcopal Church issued this Statement re Columba Declaration and Growth in Communion – Partnership in Mission Report today.
Statement re Columba Declaration and Growth in Communion – Partnership in Mission Report
January 29, 2016There was some publicity around Christmastime regarding the publication of the joint Columba Declaration by the Church of Scotland and Church of England. The provincial Faith and Order Board met recently and agreed that a short background note should be issued.
After the publication in 2010 of Our Fellowship in the Gospel by the Joint Study Group of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, a product of five year’s work, an invitation to join the Joint Study Group was issued to the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The Scottish Episcopal Church was then involved in those new talks up until 2013. At that point, the other two churches expressed a desire to enter into a deeper ecumenical arrangement. The Faith and Order Board considered the matter carefully but did not believe it was appropriate to enter a tripartite “ecumenical” agreement where one of the parties was the Church of England because the Scottish Episcopal Church is already in full communion with the Church of England. The Board suggested instead that the three-way talks might continue, aimed not at forming an ecumenical agreement but rather at enriching common life and mission across the three churches. Therefore, it suggested alternative ways of proceeding on a tripartite basis.
However, the other two churches were keen to move towards some form of ecumenical agreement. It was at this point that the Scottish Episcopal Church ceased to be a full participant in the talks, albeit we were invited to appoint an observer, and duly did so. The then Convener of Inter-Church Relations Committee took on that role with his last involvement being at the final bilateral meeting in late 2014 where a draft of the report was under discussion.
A joint statement by the Church of Scotland and Church of England setting out the Columba Declaration (which forms only the final part of the report) was unexpectedly issued just before Christmas 2015, in response to a press query, and we became aware of this on Christmas Eve. The final form of the full report, however, was embargoed until the 29th January 2016.
Since the issue of that statement, we have been in direct contact with both the Church of Scotland and Church of England and have obtained a copy of the final report Growth in Communion-Partnership in Mission. We have been able to ask a number of initial questions which have been helpfully answered jointly by the Church of Scotland and the Church of England.
In the report it is stated that a response from the Scottish Episcopal Church would be welcomed. The Faith and Order Board at its meeting on 21st January agreed to remit the Scottish Episcopal Church’s detailed examination of the report to the Inter-Church Relations Committee and to ask that Committee to formulate a response for consideration by the Faith and Order Board in September 2016 (which will be the first meeting of the Board after this year’s Church of England Synod and the Church of Scotland General Assembly). This will include consideration of the concerns which the publication of the Columba Declaration, without the benefit of the full report, had prompted before Christmas. The Board believes that publication of Growth in Communion-Partnership in Mission now provides an opportunity to build on the warm relations which the Scottish Episcopal Church already enjoys with the Church of Scotland and very much looks forward to continuing discussions. The Board similarly looks forward to strengthening our relationship and mutual regard with the Church of England.
The report of the Church of Scotland and Church of England Joint Study Group can be read here.
A press release issued today by the Church of Scotland can be read here.
Our earlier coverage of the Columba Declaration is here, here and here.
The Church of England released the Report on the Church of England-Church of Scotland Joint Study Group (GS 2016) today; the Columba Declaration comprises Chapter IV of the report.
4 CommentsThe Church of England’s usual pre-synod press release has been issued today, and is copied below.
The remainder of the papers have also been published online, and I have updated my list here.
Agenda for February 2016 General Synod
29 January 2016
The General Synod of the Church of England meets in London in February for a three day meeting from 2.30 pm on Monday 15 February until 5.00 pm on Wednesday 17 February. This will be the first full-length meeting of the newly-elected General Synod since its inauguration in November 2015.
The agenda for the meeting can be found here. The majority of the papers have been released today. A major theme of this group of sessions will be taking forward the next stages of the Archbishops’ Renewal and Reform initiative. On Wednesday 17 February the various Task Group leads will be giving an overview to Synod on their plans for the coming year. Specific items related to Renewal and Reform feature on the February agenda.
One key aspect of Renewal and Reform is the introduction of legislative changes to make it easier for parishes and dioceses to organise themselves to facilitate mission and growth. This is known as the Simplification work stream. On Monday 15 February legislation will come before Synod to simplify the Church’s rulebook to reduce regulatory burdens in the form of the Draft Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure (GS2014). On Tuesday 16 February, Synod will be asked to endorse plans to introduce an ‘Enabling Measure’ to make it easier to update Church legislation in the future as required on an on-going basis (GS 2018).
On Wednesday 17 February there will be a debate on a motion on the Resourcing Ministerial Education work stream, another element of Renewal and reform. The motion and the accompanying paper sets out plans for new funding arrangements to boost the number of candidates for ministry and a strategy for the continuing enhancement of their quality and deployability (GS 2020). Immediately after this item, there will be a Take Note debate on a report from the Task Group on Resourcing the Future which sets out plans to reorganise the way that the Church distributes money centrally to focus it on driving growth and helping mission in the poorest communities (GS 2021). Linked to these initiatives, there will be a report from the Evangelism Task Group with examples of best practice with regards to Church growth and evangelism (GS 2015).
On Monday 15 February the Archbishop of Canterbury will be giving a Presidential Address which will include a Statement on the outcome of the recent Primates meeting in Canterbury. There will also be an update by the Archbishop’s Director for Reconciliation on the progress in the dioceses of the Shared Conversations on Spirituality, Scripture and Mission. Synod members will have an opportunity to ask questions on the presentation.
On Tuesday 16 February, the Rt Revd Dr Angus Morrison, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will give a presentation on the Report of the Church of England – Church of Scotland Joint Study Group (GS 2016). This will be followed by a debate on the Report introduced by the Bishop of Chester.
Synod will be debating three Diocesan Synod Motions, two of which are closely related. The first two DSMs from Worcester Diocesan Synod relate to Parochial fees and related costs for weddings and funerals (GS 2017A and 2017B). This will be taken together on Tuesday 16 February. On Wednesday 17 February there will be a Diocesan Synod Motion arising from Leeds Diocesan Synod on the ‘Impact of Sanctions on Benefit Claimants’ (GS 2019A and GS2019B). A further Diocesan Synod Motion from Leeds Diocesan Synod on ‘Blood and Organ Donation’ (GS 2022A and GS2022B) is listed as contingency business.
ENDS
The full agenda can be viewed online here.
3 CommentsThe Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) released this statement today: A Statement on Archbishop Beach’s Participation at Primates 2016. Here it is, with my emphasis added in paragraph 4.
64 CommentsThe Anglican Church in North America has received numerous questions regarding whether or not Archbishop Beach was “a full voting member of the Primates Meeting.” Archbishop Beach did not consider himself a full voting member of the Primates Meeting, but with the exception of voting on the consequences for the Episcopal Church, Archbishop Beach participated fully in those parts of the meeting that he chose to attend.
Prior to Primates 2016 he was informed that there may be certain times when the Primates would move into a formal meeting, and, as the Anglican Church in North America is not an official member of the Communion’s instruments, he would be asked to step out of the room. However, he was never asked to leave the meeting.
While at the meeting, he addressed the gathering and participated in various balloting measures that set the agenda, ordered the agenda, and sought to discern the way those in the room wanted to proceed. He did not vote on the consequences for The Episcopal Church.
Some have asked whether Archbishop Beach voted to approve the final Communique or the new members of the Standing Committee. Neither he nor a majority of the GAFCON Primates were present for these discussions on Friday. Although early in the week he joined the other Primates in affirming his desire to walk together, this desire was necessarily contingent upon The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada giving evidence of returning to Biblical and historical Anglican theology and morality (Amos 3:3). On Thursday evening, with the absence of repentance, restored order, and true unity, Archbishop Beach felt it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.
Archbishop Beach appreciated the gracious invitation from the Archbishop of Canterbury to attend the meeting, and was thankful to be warmly received as the Primate of the Anglican Church in North America by most of the other primates who were present. While the Anglican Church in North America is recognized and in full communion with provinces who represent the majority of Anglicans in the world, the future place of the Anglican Church in North America in relation to the formal instruments remains an open question. Archbishop Beach was encouraged to see the growing recognition of the Anglican Church in North America as a part of the Communion by many of the Primates and Provinces around the table.
Ian Paul The Primates and Public Relations
Bosco Peters 11 Ways To Stop Church Growth
Simon Hunter Law & Religion UK What is a “church” in English law?
Jonathan Chaplin Law & Religion UK ‘Living with Difference’: Time for a constructive Christian engagement
Martin Saunders Christian Today ‘When a knight won his spurs’: the lost genius of the 1980s school hymn
Andrew Brown The Guardian No religion is the new religion
Mark Woods Christian Today Church decline: Is evangelicalism to blame?
Stephen Altrogge The Blazing Center Early Warning Signs of Adult Onset Calvinism
Richard Chartres Church Times And Esau was an hairy man
Gabrielle Higgins, Chichester Diocesan Secretary, Bishop George Bell – points on a complex case
93 CommentsToday’s issue of Church Times carries these three news items by Madeleine Davies.
Reactions pour in to the Primates’ pronouncements
Curry looks to the ACC to respond to the Primates’ ruling
Welby: Fixed Easter ‘in five-ten years’
There is also this piece by unnamed staff reporters: The Canterbury tale.
25 CommentsThe second circulation papers have now been added below.
Papers in the first circulation for next month’s meeting of General Synod on 15-17 February are now online here in agenda order. Here is a list in numerical order, with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration.
More papers are scheduled for release on 29 January. There appear to be rather more of these than usual. I have included below all those mentioned in the agenda, and I will add links to them in due course.
zip file of all first circulation papers
zip file of all second circulation papers
zip file of all papers
GS 1953D – Amending Canon No.34 [Monday]
GS 2011 – Agenda
GS 2012 – Appointment of the Chair of the Dioceses Commission [Monday]
GS 2013 – Report by the Business Committee [Monday]
GS 2014 – Draft Mission and Pastoral (Amendment) Measure [Monday]
GS 2014x – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 2015 – Report from the Evangelism Task Group [Tuesday]
GS 2016 – Report of the Church of England-Church of Scotland Joint Study Group [Tuesday]
GS 2017A and graph and GS 2017B – Diocesan Synod Motion: Parochial Fees [Tuesday]
GS 2018 – Proposed Enabling Measure [Tuesday]
GS 2019A and GS 2019B – Diocesan Synod Motion: Impact of Sanctions on Benefit Claimants [Wednesday]
GS 2020 – Renewal and Reform: Resourcing Ministerial Education [Wednesday]
GS 2021 – Renewal and Reform: Resourcing the Future [Wednesday]
GS 2022A and GS 2022B – Diocesan Synod Motion: Blood and Organ [contingency business]
Notice papers
Notice Paper 1
Notice Paper 2
Notice Paper 3
Other papers
GS Misc 1129 – Instructions regarding counted votes conducted by electronic means
GS Misc 1130 – The Dioceses Commission Annual Report 2015
GS Misc 1131 – House of Bishops Summary of Decisions
GS Misc 1132 – Report on the Churches Together in England 2015 Forum
GS Misc 1133 – House of Bishops Consultation on Vestments
GS Misc 1134 – Update on Archbishop’s Council activities
GS Misc 1135 – Council for Christian Unity Annual Report
GS Misc 1136 – Central Stipends Authority Annual Report
Group work membership
Group work questions [Tuesday morning]
The Archbishop of Canterbury has written a reflection on the meeting of Anglican Primates in Canterbury last week. Read it here.
Some other recent comments and reflections on the Primates meeting
Bishop Pierre Whalon writes for Huffington Post: Ain’t it awful ‘bout dem Anglicans?
Inclusive Church has published a Reflection from the Chair of Inclusive Church and a Joint statement from Inclusive Church, Modern Church and Progressive Christianity Network: Responses to the Anglican Primates’ Meeting.
Andrew Lightbown has written An Open Letter to the Primates.
Kelvin Holdworth has written that Outrage is not a mission strategy.
Integrity USA has published An Open Letter by its President, Bruce Garner.
Angus Ritchie ABC Religion and Ethics Scripture, Sin and Same-Sex Relationships after the Gathering of Anglican Primates
Bill Countryman The Archbishops in Secret
49 CommentsMadeleine Davies writes for Church Times that Primates’ ruling is not binding, says canon lawyer.
THE communiqué issued by the Primates in Canterbury last week does not bind anyone, because the Primates’ meeting has no jurisdiction, a canon lawyer said this week. It represented “completely unacceptable interference” with the autonomy of the bodies to whom it had issued requirements.
“I find it utterly extraordinary,” the director of the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff University, Professor Norman Doe, said on Tuesday. “No instrument exists conferring upon the Primates’ meeting the jurisdiction to ‘require’ these things… Whatever they require is unenforceable.”…
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has written A Reflection on the Meeting of the Primates of the Anglican Communion in Canterbury, England, January 11-15, 2016
The Anglican Journal [of Canada] reports on this reflection: Hiltz addresses ‘sharp criticism’ over stance on TEC .
Archbishop Philip Freier, the Primate of Australia, has reported that he was elected to the Primates’ Standing Committee at last week’s meeting: Dr Freier in key role. He gives the full list of the five primates elected to the standing committee as:
Archbishop Philip Freier from Australia for the Asia Pacific
Archbishop John Holder from the Caribbean for the Americas
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba from South Africa for Africa
Archbishop Richard Clarke from Ireland for Europe
Archbishop Mouneer Anis from Egypt and the Middle East for Asia.
Andrew Goddard of Fulcrum has drawn up this list of Responses to Primates 2016 from The Episcopal Church (USA).
The No Anglican Covenant Coalition has issued this statement by its Moderator, the Ven Malcolm French, “regarding the primates meeting 2016 and the purported sanctions against The Episcopal Church”.
Marie Alford-Harkey Huffington Post The Real Consequences of the Anglican Primates’ Censure of the Episcopal Church
Jonathan Merritt The Atlantic The Selective Outrage of the Anglican Church
Mark Strange, the Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, writes that All are one in Christ.
15 CommentsArchbishop Philip Richardson ‘Walk or stay? We chose to stay’
BBC News Dr Richard Clarke: Church of Ireland primate defends decision on US Episcopal Church
Scottish Episcopal Church Primates Meeting 2016 – radio interviews with Primus
Hudson Kuteesa AllAfrica Rwanda: Canterbury Has Taken Best Decision On Gay – Bishop Rucyahana
Some blog posts from a range of perspectives
Andrew Lightbown A tale of two Primates
Richard Haggis Winsome, Lose some
Giles Goddard The Primates’ Meeting – good or bad?
Bosco Peters Primates Do Not Suspend TEC
Ephraim Radner First Things Reaffirming Communion: an Act of Hope
20 CommentsThe following statement was published on the Primates 2016 website this morning.
Statement on votes given to Primates at the meeting in Canterbury
17 Jan 2016
On those occasions when the discussion required Primates to privately record a preference or a decision, slips were informally distributed around the tables and then collected. Apart from when the meeting agreed the agenda at the start, it was made clear to Archbishop Foley Beach that it would not be appropriate for him to take part and he was not invited to do so. Given the spirit of the meeting at all times, it is unfortunate that this is misrepresented in recent reports.
Mark Harris We stand corrected: Its CONSEQUENCES not SANCTIONS. Got it? Its part Four of the Anglican Covenant.
Sam Wells To All who Read the Primates’ Statement with Grief and Dismay
Alan Wilson Washington Post [transcript of an interview with Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of Washington DC]
Bishop Budde published this letter on Friday: Walk in Love: A Letter from Bishop Mariann on the Primates Meeting.
BBC News Dr Richard Clarke: Church of Ireland primate defends decision on US Episcopal Church
29 Comments