Updated
Yesterday the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church voted to start a process that could allow same-sex couples to be married in church. It issued this press release.
Faith and Order Board – Marriage
June 12, 2015The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church has today voted to begin a process for change in relation to its Canon on Marriage. It has therefore instructed the Church’s Faith and Order Board to begin the two year process which may lead towards canonical change. That change would potentially allow the marriage of same gendered couples in Church in late 2017. The option which Synod voted for states:
Removal of section 1 of Canon 31. This option would remove section 1 from Canon 31* in its entirety so that the Canon was silent on the question of a doctrine of marriage.
General Synod also decided to add a conscience clause that ensures that no cleric would be obliged to solemnise a marriage against their conscience.
Commenting on the decision by General Synod today, The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church says “Our General Synod has taken two important steps forward today. We have decided that we wish to consider possible change to our Marriage Canon. We have identified one possible expression of that change. This potentially creates a situation in which Same-Sex marriages could be celebrated in churches of the Scottish Episcopal Church. That would also allow our clergy to enter into same-sex marriages. It is important to realise that at this point this is an indicative decision only. Any change to the Canon will require the normal two year process and two thirds majorities will be required. That process will begin at General Synod 2016 and cannot be complete until General Synod 2017.”
*Canon 31, section 1 states The Doctrine of this Church is that Marriage is a physical, spiritual and mystical union of one man and one woman created by their mutual consent of heart, mind and will thereto, and is a holy and lifelong estate instituted of God.
A vote to instruct the Church’s Faith and Order Board to prepare canonical material to enable the registration of Civil Partnerships to be undertaken in the Scottish Episcopal Church, failed to pass.
David Chillingworth, the SEC primus, write this for Herald Scotland before the vote: Why our church is facing the challenge of same-sex marriage.
Reports and reactions to the vote include:
Andrew Page and Dan Littauer KaleidoScot Episcopal Church Scotland commits to same-sex marriage
Brian Donnelly Herald Scotland Change to doctrine on marriage could allow first gay church weddings in Scotland
Cameron Brooks The Press and Journal Church takes step closer to recognising gay marriage
Nick Duffy Pink News Scottish Episcopal Church passes initial vote in favour of same-sex marriage
Kelvin Holdsworth The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning
Beth Routledge General Synod 2015: Going Forward In Diversity and Difference
The agenda and papers for the whole synod meeting are available as a single pdf file.
Updates
Pat Ashworth has written this report on the debate for Church Times: Scottish Synod opens church door to same-sex weddings.
Changing Attitude Scotland has issued this Statement following General Synod 2015.
The statement from a group of episcopal clergy and laity in Professor Sietz’s comment below is online here: Responding to the Decisions on Marriage made by General Synod.
Savi Hensman Ekklesia Scottish Episcopal Church moves towards marrying same-sex couples
21 CommentsPete Wilcox A Response to Richard Moy’s ‘Dear Deans’ challenge
Michael Sadgrove ‘Dear Deans’: a response from the north
Michael Nazir-Ali The Telegraph We need to embrace our history and reach out to the “spiritual” if we want to halt declining Anglican numbers
Canon J John Huffington Post An Open Letter to Britain
Joel J Miller Why Bonhoeffer made the sign of the cross
8 CommentsThe Archbishops’ Council has announced that William Nye has been selected to be its next Secretary-General and Secretary General of the General Synod of the Church of England
CofE Announces new Secretary General
10 June 2015
The Archbishops’ Council are delighted to announce William Nye has been selected to be its next Secretary-General and Secretary General of the General Synod of the Church of England. He will succeed William Fittall who is retiring at the end of November after thirteen years in this post.
William Nye was selected unanimously by a panel comprising both Archbishops, seven other members of the Council (including two officers of the General Synod) and the Chair of the Appointments Committee. The recommendation of the panel was unanimously endorsed by a meeting of the full Council in May 2015.
William Nye brings 25 years of experience from the Civil Service and Whitehall. His roles and departments have included National Security at the Cabinet Office, Diplomacy, Intelligence and Defence at HM Treasury and Arts at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
For the last four years he has worked as the Principal Private Secretary to Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall where he has led on matters of significant public sensitivity and organisational effectiveness.
Mr. Nye, 49, is a long serving and active member of the Church of England where he has served as a PCC member for nearly 20 years and a Churchwarden for around 10 years. He has also served as a Deanery Synod representative.
The selection process for the new Secretary General was both extensive and thorough. A wide selection of candidates from inside and outside the Church was sought and a field of around 30 candidates was attracted. The Council was supported in its search by a leading recruitment agency.
The Shortlist comprised 5 applicants drawn from public, private and third sectors. There were many strong applications, in the end the panel selected the candidate who was best able to fulfil the broad scope of the role and would be best able to serve in the priority areas.
In his interviews William Nye demonstrated great commitment to the vision of a Church which will support future generations. He brought great insight and demonstrated great sensitivity to the needs of the dioceses. He impressed the panel with his understanding of the challenges that the church faces and the depth of thinking as to how those challenges can be met and opportunities exploited. William pointed out that after 25 years of public service he wishes now to help the Church to thrive on behalf of the whole of our country.
William Nye is due to start work at Church House at the beginning of November in preparation for taking up his new responsibilities on 1 December. Under Standing Order 123 of the Synod’s Standing Orders, the person appointed by the Archbishops’ Council as its Secretary General is also, subject to the approval of the Synod, Secretary General of the Synod. In accordance with the Standing Order that approval will be deemed to be given unless, by midnight on Wednesday 24 June 40 or more members have given notice to the Clerk of the Synod in accordance with Standing Order 12 that they wish the appointment to be debated by the Synod.
William Nye – Biographical details
Mr Nye was born in 1966 and educated at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham. He has a BA in Economics from Cambridge University and an MA in Economics from Yale University, in the United States.
He joined the Civil Service after university, starting in the Treasury. His subsequent senior appointments include:
1998-2000: Head of Arts policy at the Department of Culture Media and Sport
2001-2002: Head of Defence, Diplomacy and Intelligence at the Treasury
2002-2005: Director of Performance and Finance at the Home Office
2005-2007: Director of Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence at the Home Office
2007-2008: Director, Law, Security and International at the Home Office
2008-2011: Director in the National Security Secretariat at the Cabinet Office
2011-2015: Principal Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall
I reported here on the Consultation paper on the operation of the Resolution of Disputes Procedure that was issued last week.
David Pocklington of Law & Religion UK has now reviewed the paper here: CofE: a quasi-consultation on quasi-law?
0 CommentsUpdated
Suffragan Bishop of Crediton: Sarah Elisabeth Mullally
From:Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 9 June 2015
The Queen has approved the nomination of Reverend Canon Sarah Elisabeth Mullally to the Suffragan See of Crediton, in the Diocese of Exeter.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Sarah Elisabeth Mullally, DBE, MA, MSc, BSc, RGN, DSc honoris causa Canon Residentairy and Canon Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral in the Diocese of Salisbury, to the Suffragan See of Crediton, in the Diocese of Exeter, in succession to the Right Reverend Nicholas Howard Paul McKinnel, MA, on his translation to the See of Plymouth on 19 April 2015.
Notes for editors
The Reverend Canon Dame Sarah Mullally (aged 53) studied first at South Bank University for her BSc followed by a MSc and then at Heythrop College, University of London where she got her MA. She was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Science from Bournemouth University, (2004), University of Wolverhampton (2004) and University of Hertfordshire (2005) and was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 for her contribution to nursing and midwifery. She is a late ordinand who before ordination was Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health. She trained for the ministry at the South East Institute for Theologian Education and served her first curacy at Battersea Fields in Southwark Diocese from 2001 to 2006. From 2006 to 2012 she was Team Rector at Sutton in Southwark Diocese. Since 2012 she has been Canon Residentiary and Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral.
Dame Sarah Mullally is married to Eamonn and they have 2 children. She has continued her interest in the health service, having been a non executive director at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and then at Salisbury NHS Foundation Hospital. She is a novice potter.
Update
The Exeter diocesan website has this news item New Bishop of Crediton to be Dame Sarah Mullally. This states that she will be consecrated at the same service as Rachel Treweek, ie on 22 July 2015.
The Salisbury diocesan website has Canon Chancellor Announced as Bishop.
25 CommentsAndrew Brown The Guardian We shouldn’t focus on assisted dying, but rather help others find value in life
Caroline Spelman, the Second Church Estates Commissioner (“2CEC”), writes about A voice for the Church in Parliament.
Rowan Williams New Statesman Blasphemy can provoke violence – and be a progressive force within religion
Giles Fraser The Guardian Thieves may have stolen my optimism, but not my defiance
Richard Moy Dear Deans
Kelvin Holdsworth Dear Deans – a Scottish Response
Press release from the Church of England
Consultation paper on the operation of the Resolution of Disputes Procedure
04 June 2015
House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests
Consultation Paper on the Operation of the Resolution of Disputes Procedure
The Independent Reviewer, Sir Philip Mawer, appointed to consider grievances and concerns relating to the operation of the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests has issued a consultation paper on the working of the disputes resolution procedure. The paper sets out how Sir Philip intends to implement the new procedure.
The consultation paper is available here.
The closing date for comments is 4 September 2015
3 CommentsUpdated
How to refer to God – male, female, both or neither – has become a hot topic in the media in the last few days, as the long list below testifies. It appears to have started with this article (behind the paywall) by Nicholas Hellen, the Social Affairs Editor of the Sunday Times: Women clergy pray God gets a feminine touch. John Bingham and others then took it up.
Bingham and others refer to a public call by the Transformations Steering Group to the bishops to encourage more “expansive language and imagery about God”. The phrase comes from this document, issued in 2011 and presented to the bishops in 2012.
John Bingham Telegraph Calls to refer to God as a woman as female bishops take up posts
Ian Johnston Independent Female clergy propose referring to God as ‘She’ to counter idea only men are made in his image
Amelia Butterly BBC God is neither ‘she’ nor ‘he’ say Anglican priests
Nadia Khomami The Guardian Let God be a ‘she’, says Church of England women’s group
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today ‘Jesa Christa’: God is female too, say Church of England campaigners
Claire Elliot Daily Mail Our Mother who art in heaven: Group of Church women want to refer to God as a ‘She’ to combat sexism
Archdruid Eileen Should God be referred to as a Woman?
Kate Bottley The Guardian Is God a woman? To ask the question is to miss the point
Sally Hitchiner Telegraph Is God a man or a woman?
Jemima Thackray Telegraph Imagining God as a woman? That’s like farting against thunder
Telegraph leader Of course God is a woman
Carey Lodge Christian Today Is it wrong to refer to God in the female?
The Guardian Pass Notes Praise her, praise her: should we refer to God as a woman?
Damian Thompson Daily Mail No, God ISN’T male. But calling Him a ‘She’ is unholy twaddle
Updates
The media interest was prompted by remarks made at last week’s Westminster Faith Debate on Women Bishops – what difference does it make? including Hilary Cotton’s address at Westminster Faith Debate on gender justice and the church.
Andrew Lightbown Gender, Jesus and Identity; some ‘what ifs….’
Ian Paul Can we address God as ‘She’?
Archbishop Cranmer Against heresy: if Jesus called God ‘Father’, who are we to conflate him with Mary?
Jonathan Clatworthy God’s genitalia
Emma Percy answers questions from Premier Christianity: Why I believe God should be referred to as ‘she’.
Madeleine Davies Church Times WATCH reignites debate on gender language and God
56 CommentsAdrian Chiles BBC What I learnt from 46 consecutive days in church
Mark Woods Christian Today 10 bad preaching habits which must be stopped
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today The wonderful world of the Christian Resources Exhibition
Stephen Heard Archbishop Cranmer The way the Church does politics is largely ineffective
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Politics and the CofE
Church Times Leader: A reality check
Rachel Dixon The Guardian Holy nights: camping in a church
Archdruid Eileen Holy, Holy, Holy
10 CommentsKate Bottley The Guardian I’m the vicar on Gogglebox, but that’s not the only funny thing about me
In Church Times Michael Palin writes about churches that have meant the most to him in my seven of the best, and there is this leading article: A church definition.
Robert Ellsberg The Tablet Raised to the altars: one who fell for the poor
John Dear Huffington Post Honoring Oscar Romero of El Salvador
The outline timetable for the July 2015 sessions of the General Synod of the Church of England is now available to download as a pdf file, and is copied below. The full agenda and other papers will be available on Friday 19 June.
GENERAL SYNOD: JULY 2015
Timetable
Friday 10 July
[1.15 pm – 2.30 pm Convocation meetings to discuss the Revised Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy]
3.00 pm – 6.15 pm
Opening worship
Formal business
Response on behalf of ecumenical guests by the Archbishop of Uppsala
Presidential Address by the Archbishop of York
Business Committee Report
4.25 pm Approval of appointments
Amendments to the Standing Orders regarding General Synod Question time
Legislative Business
Enactment of Amending Canon No. 35
Administration of Holy Communion Regulations: Preliminary consideration
Presentation followed by Q&A from the Ethical Investment Advisory Group and the National Investment Bodies
8.30 pm – 10.00 pm
Questions
Saturday 11 July
9.30 am – 1.00 pm
Legislative Business
Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure and Amending Canon No. 34 – final Drafting/Final Approval
Diocesan Stipends Funds (Amendment) Measure – Revision Stage and Final Drafting/Final Approval
Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations
Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Directions (deemed)
Faculty Jurisdiction Rules
Ecclesiastical Property (Exceptions from Requirement for Consent to dealings) Order
Ecclesiastical Judges etc (Fees) Order
Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order (deemed)
STV (Amendment) Regulations
Pre-consolidation amendments to Standing Orders
2.30 pm – 6.15 pm
Farewell
Private Member’s Motion: Senior Leadership
Legislative Business
[Business not reached or completed in the morning]
[Pre-consolidation amendments to Standing Orders if not reached in the morning]
Debate on a Motion on a Report by the World Council of Churches: ‘The Church: Towards a Common Vision’
8.30 pm – 9.45 pm
EITHER
Meetings of the Convocations for the purposes of the Article 7 reference relating to the Administration of Holy Communion Regulations and/or the Baptism Texts [if required]
OR
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report
Archbishops’ Council Annual Report
Sunday 12 July
2.30 pm – 6.20 pm
Liturgical Business
Additional texts for Holy Baptism – Final Approval
Legislative Business – Any remaining legislative business followed by:
Standing Orders: Adoption of Consolidated Text
Administration of Holy Communion Regulations: Final Approval (following Article 7 referral to HoB and the Convocations / House of Laity if required)
Diocesan Synod Motion: Nature and Structure of the Church of England: National Debate
Presentation on follow-up to GS 1844 – Unfinished Business by the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC)
Introduction to Group Work and Bible Study on the Environment
8.30 pm – 10.00 pm
Financial Business
Archbishops’ Council’s Budget 2016
Presentation on National Society Development of Teaching and Educational Leadership Partnerships
Monday 13 July
9.30 am – 11.00 am
Worship (in small groups)
Group Work and Bible Study on the subject of the Environment
11.30 – 1.00 pm
Debate on a Motion on the Paris Summit from the Mission and Public Affairs Council
2.30 pm – 5.45 pm
Debate on a Motion on Climate Change and Investment Policy from the National Investing Bodies
Farewells
BREAK
4.45 pm End of Synod Communion in Central Hall
5.45 pm Prorogation
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Second Church Estates Commissioner: Caroline Spelman
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 21 May 2015
Part of: Arts and culture and Government efficiency, transparency and accountabilityThe Queen has approved the appointment of Mrs Caroline Spelman MP as Second Church Estates Commissioner.
The Queen has approved the appointment of Mrs Caroline Spelman MP as Second Church Estates Commissioner.
Note for editors
Caroline Spelman has been the Member of Parliament for Meriden in the West Midlands since 1997. She is a former Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is a confirmed member of the Church of England.
The Second Commissioner is a Member of Parliament and answers to Parliament for the business of the Commissioners. Mrs Spelman succeeds Sir Tony Baldry, who did not stand for re-election in the recent general election.
There is a much longer press release from the Church Commissioners, which is copied below the fold.
2 CommentsThe new UK Parliament met for the first time yesterday and the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 came into force. For the next ten years eligible women will go to the head of the queue to fill vacancies among the 21 Lords Spiritual that are normally filled by seniority.
The next vacancy among these Lords Spiritual will arise on 11 July 2015 when Tim Stevens, the Bishop of Leicester, retires. According to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s diary, Rachel Treweek’s election as the next Bishop of Gloucester will be confirmed on 15 June and she will be consecrated on 22 July. Under section 1(4) of the Act it is the date of her confirmation of election that determines eligibility. As this is before 11 July, Rachel will fill the vacancy created by the Bishop of Leicester’s retirement and become the first female Lord Spiritual.
Bishop Tim’s retirement has another consequence as he has been the Convenor of the Lords Spiritual for the last six years. It was announced yesterday that the Archbishop of Canterbury had appointed the Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart, to be the new convenor. The announcement includes this job description: “The Convenor ensures that the work of the Lords Spiritual is coordinated and supported and that the interests of the Bishops’ Bench are represented fully in and outside Parliament. The Convenor is the primary point of contact and liaison on behalf of the Bishops’ Bench for the party leaderships in the Lords, Convenor of the Cross Bench Peers, officials and business managers.”
8 CommentsBishop Steven Croft Advising Mr Cameron: lessons from an ancient kingdom
A study day on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner taught Malcolm Doney the link between poetry and theology; he writes in Church Times: Grey beard — but no loon.
Claire Jones Come to this table – if you’re one of us
The Bishops of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and of Hertford were consecrated at Westminster Abbey on Ascension Day. Rowan Williams preached the sermon.
17 CommentsUpdated
The Church Commissioners have released their Annual Report for 2014 today. There is also a press release, highlighting a “total return on investments at 14.4% in 2014”, and this is copied below the fold.
The report includes an overview from Andreas Whittam Smith, the First Church Estates Commissioner, which includes the following paragraphs on the Archbishops’ Task Groups.
LOOKING AHEAD
By coincidence, one of the factors that contributed to the Church Commissioners’ difficulties in the late 1980s and early 1990s has been the subject of lively discussion in recent months. I refer to the principle of inter-generational equity, which means that the Commissioners, advised by their actuaries, should only distribute such sums to their beneficiaries as will enable the value of the endowment to be maintained in real terms through time. This policy has been followed rigidly for more than 20 years.
Now Task Groups, set up by the Archbishops, have made ambitious proposals to equip the Church for the future. The Church Commissioners strongly welcome these initiatives. However, financing such plans would likely require the Commissioners to provide additional funds over and above their normal distributions.
The arguments in favour and against such a course were fully explored in a paper presented to General Synod in February 2015. A distinction was drawn between ‘bad’ over-distribution and ‘good’ over-distribution. The good version, which is now envisaged, is undertaken for a clear purpose, in response to plans that are evidence based, is fully costed and is entered into with the agreement and understanding of all parties and there are safeguards in place. It should be seen as an investment in the church to encourage growth. In addition a successful outcome would have, as a by-product, an increase in the Church’s financial strength.
Accordingly at General Synod in February, I moved a motion that invited members to ‘support the Commissioners’ in releasing additional funds to support changes to ‘equip the Church of England more effectively for sustainable mission’. Large majorities approved the motion…
The paper referred to is GS 1981 Church Commissioners’ Funds and Inter-Generational Equity, and the motion carried by Synod was:
‘That this Synod,
welcoming GS 1981; and
noting that the funds of the Church Commissioners are a permanent endowment, held in perpetuity to support the Church of England as it seeks to proclaim the faith afresh in each generation,
support the Commissioners, in consultation with the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council, giving consideration to the basis on which they might, for a limited period, release additional funds in order to support changes that will equip the Church of England more effectively for sustainable mission and ministry over the coming generations.’
Barney Thompson has written about the report for The Financial Times: Church of England blessed by property boom.
Update
James Moore Independent Church to splash out on clergy as booming investments pass £6.7bn
Tim Wyatt Church Times Commissioners use shareholder clout to combat excessive pay deals
2 CommentsThe Crown Nominations Commission held its second meeting to consider the vacancy in the see of Oxford on Monday and Tuesday of this week (11 and 12 May) but failed to make a decision. The Archbishop of Canterbury has today issued this statement:
From the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Diocese of Oxford
Vacancy in the See of Oxford
An update from the Archbishop of Canterbury – Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission
You will be aware that the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) met on the 11th and 12th May to consider the nomination of the next Bishop of Oxford and to meet with possible candidates.
I am writing to advise that the Commission has been unable to discern the candidate whom God is calling at this stage to be the next Bishop of Oxford. Under the election rules under which we operate, in a secret ballot no candidate received the required number of votes for nomination.
Although the CNC has a number of meetings scheduled for later this year they are reserved for the consideration of other Dioceses. It is unfortunately impossible to add further demands on the time of the voluntary members of the CNC, who have their own jobs as well. The Oxford CNC will therefore reconvene on the 4th February 2016 with the second meeting on the 7th/8th March 2016. Bishop Colin will continue to provide oversight to the diocese as he has done over the past few months during the interregnum and I am very grateful to him for this.
Many of you will have had the CNC in your prayers and I thank you for them. I will continue to keep the diocese in my prayers over the next months. This will not be the news that you wanted to hear but please take this as a sign of the CNC’s commitment to finding the right person to be your next bishop.
The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby
69 CommentsRachel Giles Church Times Health: Blessed, but not with a child
Patrick Comerford The Irish Times Same-sex marriage: Why are faith groups so concerned about civil legislation?
Christopher Howse The Telegraph Women building a library in exile
2 CommentsUpdated
reactions
press reports
John Bingham The Telegraph Leader of campaign against women bishops is made a bishop in bid to avert CofE split
Tim Wyatt Church Times C of E honours its pledge to appoint a ‘headship’ Evangelical as bishop
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today ‘Male headship’ campaigner appointed as CofE bishop
Update
statement by WATCH (Women and the Church)
John Martin The Living Church Prebendary Thomas Steps Up
42 CommentsPress release from the Number 10 website.
Suffragan Bishop of Maidstone: Roderick Charles Howell Thomas
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 5 May 2015
Part of: Community and societyThe Queen has approved the nomination of Roderick Charles Howell Thomas to the Suffragan See of Maidstone in the Diocese of Canterbury.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Prebendary Roderick Charles Howell Thomas, BSc (Econ), Vicar of Elburton, to the Suffragan See of Maidstone, in the Diocese of Canterbury. He will succeed the Right Reverend Graham Cray who became leader of the Archbishops’ Fresh Expressions Team in 2009. The See has been vacant since then. In December 2014, the Dioceses Commission agreed to a proposal from the Archbishops to fill the See in order to provide a bishop who takes the conservative evangelical view on male headship.
Notes to editors
The Reverend Prebendary Roderick Thomas, aged 60, studied at the London School of Economics and subsequently became the Director of Employment and Environmental Affairs at the CBI. He trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his Curacy at Plymouth St Andrew with St Paul and St George in the Diocese of Exeter from 1993 to 1995.
From 1995 to 1999 he was Curate at Plymouth St Andrew. From 1999 to 2005 he was Priest-in-Charge of Elburton and has been Vicar of Elburton since 2005. He has been a member of the General Synod since 2000 and a Prebendary at Exeter Cathedral since 2012.
Prebendary Roderick Thomas is married to Lesley and they have 3 children. Prebendary Roderick Thomas has chaired Reform, a network for conservative evangelicals in the Church of England, since 2007. His interests include boating, walking the South West Coast Path, and carpentry.
There is also a press release from Lambeth Palace, copied below the fold.
38 CommentsThe Report of Proceedings of the February 2015 meeting of General Synod is now available online. This comprises a verbatim transcript of the complete proceedings. It also includes the questions (and their answers) that were for written answer and those which were not reached in the time available.
General Synod will be dissolved after the July 2015 group of sessions, and elections for a new Synod held between mid-July and mid-October. The Church of England website has a series of pages about these elections.
0 Comments