Updated Friday
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that he wants the Church to be reviewed first by the independent inquiry led by Justice Lowell Goddard which is expected to last five years.
BBC Archbishop of Canterbury promises sex abuse inquiry
The Archbishop of Canterbury has promised to investigate sex abuse in the Church of England if the judge-led abuse inquiry does not look into it within six months. Justin Welby made the promise during a private meeting with survivors of clerical abuse earlier this week…
Michael Segalov The Independent Archbishop of Canterbury ‘promises inquiry into church sex abuse’ to survivors in private meeting this week
Update
Madeleine Davies Church Times Welby pledges new probe into abuse
1 CommentOn Sunday morning Synod members joined the regular congregation for the Eucharist in York Minster. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached this sermon.
Order paper 4 lists Sunday’s business.
Official summary of the day’s business
sound recordings
afternoon
Bishop of Chelmsford – CMEAC presentation
evening
Press release on the presentation by the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns: Church should reflect reality of multi-cultural society [copied below the fold]
I too am CofE – video included in the presentation
Press preview
John Bingham The Telegraph Nine-year-olds allowed to administer Holy Communion under Church shake-up
[As well as looking forward to the final approval debate on Sunday, this article also looks back to the preliminary debate held on Friday.]
Press report
Andrew Brown The Guardian Church of England failing to promote minority ethnic clergy, says bishop
1 CommentDavid Runcorn Church of England Newspaper And how would I know when I am wrong? Evangelical faith and the Bible –
Cole Moreton The Independent Why the Church of England faces a dilemma as it comes under pressure to back gay marriage
Graham Tomlin Church Times Neither wild prophets nor boring managers
Giles Fraser The Guardian Money is the only god the Tories want us to worship on a Sunday
To which Archdruid Eileen responds Clothed in the Last Shreds of Christendom
Order Paper 2 contains the business for Saturday morning and afternoon.
Official press release on the safeguarding business: Synod gives final approval for Safeguarding legislation – copied below the fold
Official summaries of the day’s business:
morning
afternoon and evening
Archbishop of Canterbury’s speech in the debate on senior church leadership: Archbishop speaks at Synod on senior church leadership
Sound recordings
morning
farewell to Michael Perham
afternoon
evening
Press reports
John Bingham The Telegraph Sex abuse priests could return to church without checks, warns Archbishop of York
2 CommentsOrder Paper 1 contains the day’s business.
Synod papers can be downloaded from here.
There is a live video stream here (when Synod is in session).
The Most Revd Dr Antje Jackelén (the Archbishop of Uppsala) (Church of Sweden) gave this address to Synod: Tal till Engelska kyrkans kyrkomöte i York 10 juli 2015 (på engelska)
Official summary of the day’s business General Synod: Friday PM
Sound recordings
item 2 [Archbishop of Uppsala’s address]
item 3 [Archbishop of York’s Presidential Address]
items 4-6 [remainder of afternoon session]
questions
Press report
John Bingham The Telegraph Church’s £360,000 budget for retreats to talk about sex
0 CommentsUpdated
It has been announced that Robert Wickham and Ric Thorpe will become the suffragan bishops of Edmonton and Islington respectively in the diocese of London.
There are separate press releases from Number 10.
Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton: Robert Wickham
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 9 July 2015
The Queen has approved the nomination of Robert Wickham to the Suffragan See of Edmonton in the diocese of London.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Robert Wickham MA, Rector of St John-at-Hackney in the diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Edmonton in the diocese of London in succession to the Right Reverend Peter Wheatley MA following his resignation on 31 December 2014.
Notes for editors
Mr Wickham was educated at Grey College, Durham and King’s College, London and trained for the ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at the Shrine Parish of St Mary Willesden in the diocese of London and was ordained priest in 1999. He went on to serve in what was to become the Parish of Old St Pancras in 2001. He took up his current role as Rector of St John-at-Hackney in 2007 and additionally became Area Dean of Hackney in 2014.
Mr Wickham is married to Helen, a primary school teacher, and they have three young children, Tom, Susannah and Harry. His interests include walking, family days out and following the fortunes of Plymouth Argyle football club.
Suffragan Bishop of Islington: Reverend Ric Thorpe
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 9 July 2015
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Ric Thorpe to the Suffragan See of Islington in the diocese of London.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Ric Thorpe BSC, Rector of St Paul’s Shadwell with Ratcliffe St James in the diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Islington in the diocese of London which has been in abeyance since 1923.
Notes to editors
Mr Thorpe was educated at Birmingham University and trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall. He served his title at Holy Trinity Brompton with St Paul, Onslow Square in the diocese of London and was ordained priest in 1997. He went on to serve as Priest in Charge of St Paul’s Shadwell in 2005 before becoming Rector of the same parish in 2010. He served as Priest in Charge of All Hallows, Bromley by Bow between 2010 and 2014.
Since 2000, Ric has been actively involved in supporting and enabling church planting in the Church of England. He took a team of 100 to St Paul’s Shadwell in 2005 and then went on to send planting teams to 4 other Anglican churches in Tower Hamlets to revitalise their parishes. In 2012, Ric was appointed as the Bishop of London’s Adviser for Church Planting and has been invited to support church plants in a number of other dioceses. He is also Tutor in Church Planting at St Mellitus College.
Ric is married to Louie, and they have three teenage children, Zoe, Barny and Toby, along with a springer spaniel called Tasha. Ric’s interests include sailing, rowing, music, eating chocolate, and he has competed in the London Marathon and London Triathlon.
The London diocesan website has Two new bishops and new archdeacon for London announced; it includes this information on consecration dates.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will consecrate Rob Wickham as the new Bishop of Edmonton on 23 September in Canterbury, alongside the Bishops of Kensington and Maidstone. The Archbishop will consecrate Ric Thorpe as the new Bishop of Islington in St Paul’s Cathedral on 29 September.
Update
The Bishop of London has issued this ad clerum: New bishops of Edmonton, Islington and new Archdeacon of Hampstead.
46 CommentsJonathan Elliott The Guardian I’m gay, liberal, open-minded – and a convert to Christianity
Archdruid Eileen Growing for Growth Strategy
Andy Griffiths Being Titus: a new model for incumbent ministry
Linda Woodhead gave a lecture on What’s wrong with the Church of England – and can anything be done? at St Bride’s church in Liverpool on Monday evening. There is a recording here.
Emma Jacobs Financial Times The reverend on a showbiz mission
2 CommentsToday’s issue of Church Times has a special series of feature articles (ten pages long in the paper edition): “planned, measured – or wild? getting to grips with church growth”. All are available online, including these which do not need a subscription for access.
Grace Davie Not fade away: the challenge for the Church
David Goodhew Numbers have always mattered
My tips: Pete Broadbent
Linda Woodhead
Philip North and Dan Tyndall
The Rt Revd Michael Bruce Curry (Diocese of North Carolina) has been elected the 27th Presiding Bishop of the American Episcopal Church. He is the first black Presiding Bishop. The press release is here:
The Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, was elected the 27th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church on the first ballot on June 27.
Bishop Curry, 62, is the first African-American to be elected Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
The election occurred during the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church.
Of the 174 votes tallied, Bishop Curry received 121 (89 needed to elect).
Following his election by the House of Bishops, Bishop Curry’s election was overwhelmingly confirmed by the House of Deputies, 800 for, 12 against…
Online reports include:
The Episcopal Café The Rt Revd Michael Curry elected as the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
Mary Frances Schjonberg Episcopal News Service Historic election of Bishop Michael Curry as 27th Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church
Czarina Ong Christian Today US Episcopal Church makes history by electing 1st black presiding bishop
Associated Press in The Guardian Episcopal church elects first African American presiding bishop
Associated Press in The New York Times Episcopal Church Elects Its First Black Presiding Bishop
Episcopal News Service Episcopalians, Anglicans react to historic election of Michael Curry as presiding bishop
Brady McCombs and Rachel Zoll Huffington Press Episcopal Church Elects Michael Curry, Its First Black Presiding Bishop
Robert Gehrke Washington Post Episcopal Church elects Michael Curry first black presiding bishop
3 CommentsSuffragan Bishop for Kensington: Graham Tomlin
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 2 July 2015The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Graham Tomlin to the Suffragan See of Kensington in the diocese of London.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Graham Tomlin MA PhD, Dean of St Mellitus College in the diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Kensington in the diocese of London in succession to the Right Reverend Paul Williams MA on his translation to the See of Southwell and Nottingham.
Notes for editors
Dr Tomlin was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St Leonard with Holy Trinity Exeter, in the diocese of Exeter from 1986 to 1989.
He was ordained priest in 1987 and became Chaplain at Jesus College, Oxford in 1989. He started as a tutor at Wycliffe Hall in 1989 and went on to become Vice-Principal there from 1998 to 2005.
He took up the role of Principal of St Paul’s Theological Centre in the diocese of London in 2005 before going on to serve in his current post as Dean (now Principal) of St Mellitus College in 2007.
Dr Tomlin is married to Janet with two grown up married children. His interests include many forms of music and sport, including football, cricket, golf and rugby, and Middle Eastern politics and history.
London diocesan website Dr Graham Tomlin announced as the new Bishop of Kensington
14 CommentsSuffragan Bishop of Aston: The Reverend Anne Hollinghurst
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 2 July 2015The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Anne Elizabeth Hollinghurst BA, MSt, to the Suffragan See of Aston.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Anne Elizabeth Hollinghurst BA, MSt, Vicar of St Peter’s St Albans in the diocese of St Albans, to the Suffragan See of Aston in the diocese of Birmingham in succession to the Right Reverend Andrew Watson MA on his translation to the See of Guildford on 24 November 2014.
Notes to editors
The Reverend Anne Hollinghurst (aged 51) holds a BA from the University of Bristol and trained for the ministry at Trinity College, Bristol. She later studied for an MSt at the University of Cambridge. Prior to ordination she was a Youth Worker on the staff of the Hyson Green/ Basford Team Ministry in inner-city Nottingham. She served her title at Saviour’s Nottingham in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham from 1996 to 1999. She was ordained priest in 1997 and went on to become Chaplain at the University of Derby and Derby Cathedral in 1999. In 2005 she took up the role of Bishop’s Domestic Chaplain and Residentiary Canon of Manchester Cathedral in the Diocese of Manchester before moving to her current post as Vicar of St Peter’s Church, St Albans in St Albans diocese in 2010.
Anne is married to Steve, who is a researcher and trainer in mission and culture, and a part-time tutor for Church Army. Her interests include theatre and the arts, the environment, the history of Christian spirituality and contemplative prayer. She enjoys travel, fell-walking, and real ale pubs.
Birmingham diocesan wesbite The Revd Anne Hollinghurst announced as next Bishop of Aston
29 CommentsI wrote here about the Lambeth Declaration on Climate Change, and the Pope’s encyclical letter Laudato Si’.
David Pocklington of Law & Religion UK has now written an analysis of the approaches to climate change taken by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church: Climate change, the Archbishop and the Pope.
General Synod will be holding two debates on some of these issues on the last day of next month’s group of sessions (Monday 13 July). The two motions are copied below the fold. The day will start with private group work on the environment. These are the papers issued to members:
Group Work Bible Study Material on Environment
GS 2003 – Combatting Climate Change: The Paris Summit and the Mission of the Church [item 25]
GS 2004 – Climate Change and Investment Policy [item 26]
GS Misc 1113 – Birmingham Diocesan Synod Motion on Fossil Fuel Disinvestment
GS Misc 1114 – Oxford Diocesan Synod Motion on Fossil Fuel Disinvestment
[These last diocesan synod motions are not being debated, but the papers are provided as background information.]
Suffragan Bishop of Taunton: Ruth Worsley
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 30 June 2015The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Ruth Worsley to the Suffragan See of Taunton in the diocese of Bath and Wells.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Ruth Worsley, Archdeacon of Wiltshire in the diocese of Salisbury, to the Suffragan See of Taunton in the diocese of Bath and Wells in succession to the Right Reverend Peter Maurice MA on his resignation on 30 April 2015.
Notes for editors
The Venerable Ruth Worsley was educated at the University of Manchester and trained for the ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at Basford with Hyson Green, in the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and was ordained priest in 1997. She continued as curate of Hyson Green with Forest Fields and became Priest in Charge there in 2001.
From 2006 to 2008 she served as Area Dean in North Nottingham before becoming half-time Area Dean of Nottingham South and half-time Priest in Charge of Sneinton St Christopher with St Philip in 2008. From 2007 to 2010 she also served as Dean of Women’s Ministry and Honorary Canon of Southwell Minster.
In 2010 she became Parish Development Officer in the diocese of Southwark, before taking up her current role as Archdeacon of Wiltshire in the diocese of Salisbury in 2013. She has been Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen since 2009.
Mrs Worsley is married to Howard, Vice-Principal of Trinity College, Bristol. They have three adult sons, Nathanael, Jonathan and Ben and a very new daughter-in-law, Danielle. Ruth’s interests include walking and sailing (though she doesn’t like getting wet!), reading novels, playing the saxophone badly and singing, a little better.
Bath & Wells diocesan website Archdeacon Ruth Worsley announced as next Bishop of Taunton
Salisbury diocesan website Wilts Archdeacon to be New Bishop of Taunton
Ian Paul asks What did Jesus look like?
The Patriarch of Constantinople and the Archbishop of Canterbury New York Times Climate Change and Moral Responsibility
32 CommentsGiles Fraser The Guardian Pope Francis is a bit like Naomi Klein in a cassock
Margaret Pritchard Houston The body of Christ, given for you
Ian Meredith Church Times How to regain funerals from civil celebrants
39 CommentsUpdated to include second circulation papers
Papers in the first circulation for next month’s meeting of General Synod on 10-13 July are now online here in agenda order. Here is a list in numerical order, with a note of the day scheduled for their consideration.
I have also included the papers that I expect to see in the second circulation, due in a week’s time. I will add links to these papers when they become available.
zip file of all first circulation papers
zip file of second circulation papers
zip file of all papers
[Note: The zip files do not contain the Church Commissioners’ Annual Report and the Archbishops’ Council’s Annual Report.]
GS 1928A and GS 1928C – Diocesan Synod Motion: Nature and Structure of the Church of England [Sunday]
GS 1952B – Draft Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure [Saturday]
GS 1953B – Draft Amending Canon No.34 [Saturday]
GS 1952-3Z – Report by the Steering Committee [Saturday]
GS 1953C – Petition for Her Majesty’s Royal Assent and Licence [Saturday]
GS 1958B – Christian Initiation: Additional Text for Holy Baptism in Accessible Language [Sunday]
GS 1958X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1964D – Amending Canon No.35 [Friday]
GS 1969A – Draft Diocesan Stipends Funds (Amendment) Measure [Saturday]
GS 1986A – The Church: Towards a Common Vision [Saturday]
[The Church: Towards a Common Vision is online here.]
GS 1987 – Agenda
GS 1988 – Report by the Business Committee [Friday]
GS 1989 – Appointments to the Archbishops’ Council [Friday]
GS 1990 – Appointment of the Secretary General [Friday]
GS 1991 – Report of the Standing Orders Committee [Friday]
GS 1992 – Administration of Holy Communion Regulations [Friday]
GS 1992X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1993 – Draft Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1993X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1994 – Draft Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Directions 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1994X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1995 – Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1995X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1996 – Draft Ecclesiastical Property Order 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1996X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1997 – Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1997X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1998 – Single Transferable Vote (Amendment) Regulations 2015 [Saturday]
GS 1998X – Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1999A and GS 1999B – Private Members’ Motion: Senior Leadership [Saturday]
GS 2000 – Consolidated Texts of the Standing Order [Friday]
GS 2001 – Archbishops’ Council’s Annual Report [Saturday]
GS 2002 – The Archbishops’ Council Budget and Proposals for Apportionment for 2016 [Monday]
GS 2003 – Combatting Climate Change: The Paris Summit and the Mission of the Church [Monday]
GS 2004 – Climate Change and Investment Policy [Monday]
Other papers
Church Commissioners Annual Report and Accounts 2014 [Saturday]
GS Misc 1104 – Liturgical Commission End of Quinquennium Report
GS Misc 1105 – Evangelism Task Group Update
GS Misc 1106 – Report of the Clergy Discipline Commission
GS Misc 1107 – EIAG Annual Report
GS Misc 1108 – CMEAC presention
GS Misc 1109 – National Society: Development of Teaching and Educational Leadership Partnerships [item 24]
GS Misc 1110 – Ethical Investment Advisory Group and the National Investing Bodies [item 6]
GS Misc 1111 – Summary of Decisions Done (2010 – 2015)
GS Misc 1112 – Audit Committee Annual Report
GS Misc 1113 – Birmingham Diocesan Synod Motion on Fossil Fuel Disinvestment
GS Misc 1114 – Oxford Diocesan Synod Motion on Fossil Fuel Disinvestment
GS Misc 1115 – Update on Activities of the Archbishops’ Council
GS Misc 1116 – Reform and Renewal update
GS Misc 1117 – Changing the Culture report from the BC
GS Misc 1118 – Joint Covenant and Monitoring Group
GS Misc 1119 – Membership of Boards, Councils and Committees
GS Misc 1120 – Summary of Decisions from the House of Bishops
GS Misc 1121 – Appointment of the Synod Chaplain
Updated
The final agenda and the papers for next month’s four day meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England are published today, along with this press release summarising the agenda. I will publish a list of online papers later today.
Agenda for July 2015 group of sessions of the General Synod
19 June 2015
The General Synod of the Church of England meets in York in July for a five [sic] day meeting from 3.00 pm on Friday 10th July until 6.00 pm on Monday 13th July. This will be the final meeting of the current Synod before the elections for the new General Synod which will take place over the summer and early autumn.
The Agenda for the July meeting is published today. As this Synodical term draws to a close, there will be a substantial amount of legislative business which will need to be concluded before the current Synod is dissolved. There will be a series of items of Environmental Business focusing on the forthcoming Paris Summit and the investment policies of the Church Commissioners and other church investment bodies. There will also be a number of opportunities, both in formal business and fringe meetings for Synod members to engage further with the reform and renewal programme, which was debated at length during the Synod in July and is currently the subject of widespread consultation around the church.
On the afternoon of Friday 10 July, there will be a Presidential Address by the Archbishop of York. There will also be a presentation followed by a Question and Answer session from the Ethical Investment Advisory Group and the National Investment Bodies.
On Saturday 11 July there will be a sequence of legislative business, including the Final Approval of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure and the associated Amending Canon No.34, which will strengthen the Church’s legal framework in relation to safeguarding and make its disciplinary processes more effective where safeguarding issues arise. Changes will include making it easier to suspend clergy, or bring complaints against them, where abuse is alleged, enabling bishops to compel clergy to undergo risk assessments and imposing a duty on clergy, churchwardens and PCCs to have due regard to the House of Bishops’ safeguarding policies.
In addition to the items of legislative business already mentioned, the Synod will be considering new Faculty Jurisdiction Rules, an order giving PCCs greater freedom to dispose of property without the need for diocesan consent an amendment to the Clergy Terms of Service Regulations arising out of one of the recommendations of the Simplification Task Group, new regulations to allow the administration of Holy Communion by children.
On the Saturday afternoon, the Synod will be debating a Private Member’s Motion on Senior Leadership arising out of the recent Faith and Order Commission publication on this topic. The Synod will also be responding formally to a report by the World Council of Churches entitled The Church: Towards a Common Vision.
On Sunday 12 July the Synod will be debating the proposed Additional Texts for Holy Baptism in Accessible Language. There will be a debate on a Diocesan Synod Motion from the former Diocese of Wakefield (now part of the new Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales) on the Nature and Structure of the Church of England. This will be followed by a presentation from the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC) on progress made over the last four years in encouraging MEA participation in the work and ministry of the Church.
The final day of Synod in this Synodical period will be devoted to two motions on environmental issues. The first looks ahead to the Paris Summit and the Church’s response to it. The second concerns the new investment policy unveiled by the Ethical Investment Advisory Group.
Synod will conclude this current term with a service of Holy Communion. The new Synod will reconvene for its inaugural meeting after the elections on 24 November.
The full agenda can be viewed online here.
Update
Madeleine Davies of Church Times was at today’s press briefing: Environment is top of General Synod agenda in York.
0 CommentsFaith leaders in the UK, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, issued a declaration on climate change late on Tuesday.
Archbishop of Canterbury join faith leaders in call for urgent action to tackle climate change
16 June 2015Faith leaders in Britain have pledged to fast and pray for the success of key international negotiations over climate change in a new declaration warning of the “huge challenge” facing the world over global warming.
Representatives of the major faiths including the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said climate change has already hit the poorest of the world hardest and urgent action is needed now to protect future generations.
In the newly-launched Lambeth Declaration, signatories call on faith communities to recognise the pressing need to make the transition to a low carbon economy…
The text of the declaration is copied below the fold.
The declaration was launched at a service in St Margaret’s, Westminster, yesterday. Nicholas Holtam, the Bishop of Salisbury, preached this sermon.
There was also a mass climate change lobby outside parliament.
Emma Howard The Guardian Thousands join mass climate change lobby outside UK parliament
Adam Vaughan The Guardian Thousands gather in London to lobby their MPs over climate change – as it happened
Jo Siedlecka Independent Catholic News Thousands lobby Parliament for action on climate change
Comment includes:
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Lambeth Declaration on Climate Change
David Atkinson Fulcrum Climate change and the churches
Today Pope Francis has issued an encyclical letter: Laudato Si’ on care of our common home. The Church of England has welcomed the Pope’s encyclical.
4 CommentsPress release from Number 10.
Suffragan See of Richmond: Paul Slater
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 18 June 2015The Venerable Paul Slater is appointed as Her Majesty’s [sic] Suffragan See of Richmond for the diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Paul Slater, Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven in the newly created diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales, to the Suffragan See of Richmond also in the newly created diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.
Notes for editors
The Venerable Paul Slater studied at Corpus Christi, Oxford and trained for the Ordained Ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He was ordained Deacon in 1984 and served his title in the diocese of Bradford. He became Priest-in-Charge of Cullingworth in 1988, before taking on the role of Chaplain to the Bishop of Bradford n 1993. Paul Slater returned to parish ministry to serve as Rector of Haworth in 1995, before being appointed as Bishop’s Officer for Ministry and Mission in the Diocese of Bradford in 2001. He took up the role of Archdeacon of Craven in 2005, where he served until taking up the role of Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven in the newly created Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales in 2014.
He is married to Beverley, a manager in the NHS leading service improvement, and they have two grown up sons. His interests include tennis, cricket, cooking and workplace mediation.
Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds, has written about the appointment.
A new Bishop of Richmond
It has been announced this morning that the Venerable Paul Slater, currently Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven, is to be the Bishop of Richmond in the Diocese of Leeds (West Yorkshire and the Dales).
Paul has served his entire ministry in West Yorkshire, knows the territory better than anyone, and has walked (at some cost) the journey of transition from three historic dioceses into the one we now have.
Why Richmond? Well, we argued throughout the process for creating the new diocese that the diocesan bishop should not have responsibility for creating and running an episcopal area (of which we have five). We lost the argument. However, the experience of the last year has proved us right. The quickest and easiest way to add capacity was to revive the dormant See of Richmond and appoint a suffragan bishop to it. However, based in Leeds, the new bishop will essentially cover the Leeds Episcopal Area, setting me free (as diocesan bishop) to attend in more detail to the diocesan creation and transformation.
Paul will hit the ground running – a key criterion for this post. He will need no induction into the diocese, the journey we are on, the challenges we face, or the structures we are creating/transitioning.
For the record, I looked at four people: two women and two men. Paul was unanimously approved by the advisory group that interviewed him. I am delighted with his appointment and look forward to what lies ahead.
The diocesan website has Archdeacon Paul Slater to be new Bishop of Richmond. This notes that “Paul Slater will be consecrated as Bishop of Richmond at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday 19 July at 4pm.”
20 CommentsUpdated
The Westminster Faith Debates today release A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools by Charles Clarke, the former education secretary, and Linda Woodhead, professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University.
Press reports include:
Barney Thompson Financial Times Call to overhaul religious education in schools
Richard Garner Independent Schools told to end religious instruction and teach morality instead
Press Association in The Guardian Scrap compulsory worship in schools, says former education secretary
The Guardian editorial The Guardian view on religious education in schools: don’t trash it, transform itJavier Espinoza Telegraph It’s time to end compulsory daily worship in schools, says Clarke
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Abolish religious assemblies in schools, says new report
Sean Coughlan BBC News Call to end compulsory worship in schools
Charles Clarke was interviewed on the BBC Radio4 Today programme this morning, starting at 02hr 54min.
The Church of England has issued this Statement on RE and collective worship, apparently in response to the paper, although since it fails to mention either the pamphlet or its authors it could be a complete coincidence.
Update
Rev Nigel Genders, Church of England Chief Education Officer RE must not be downgraded
4 Comments