The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced that the Right Reverend Norman Banks, the Bishop of Richborough, is due to retire on Easter Sunday next year. The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Canterbury and one of three Provincial Episcopal Visitors (PEV) in the Church of England.
18 CommentsUpdated 25 January. The outline of business has been amended, see here.
Synod members have been sent an outline of business for the February 2024 meeting of the Church of England’s Generaal Synod. It is copied below.
Update (5 January 2024) This is now available online.
GENERAL SYNOD: FEBRUARY 2024 OUTLINE OF BUSINESS
This is the current outline of business and subject to change.
The final details of the items will be available on the Agenda which will be circulated in February.
Friday 23 February
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Opening worship
Introductions
Presidential Address
Business Committee Report
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Vacancy in See Regulations Consolidation
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Vacancy in See Regulations Act of Synod
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Amending Canon No 43 – for enactment
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Parochial Fees: London
*Not later than 5.30 pm Questions
Saturday 24 February
9.00 am – 12.45 pm
Opening worship
Safeguarding
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Code of Conduct for PCCs: Chelmsford
*Not later than 11.45am Questions
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Safeguarding
Land and Nature
Synod Code of Conduct
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions Future of work: Oxford
Sunday 25 February
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Racial Justice
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Bullying by Lay Officers
Standing Orders Committee Report
Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households
Monday 26 February
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
Opening Worship
Church Commissioners’ Response to Links to Transatlantic Chattel Slavery
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Parochial Fees Order 2024 – for approval
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure – first consideration Reappointment of two members of the Archbishops’ Council
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Living in Love and Faith
Estates Evangelism
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Clergy Pensions
Tuesday 27 February
9.00am – 12.30 pm
Opening Worship
Living in Love and Faith
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business Church Funds Measure
2.00pm – 4.30 pm
War in Ukraine and the Challenge to International Order
Special Agenda III – Private Members’ Motions Ordination after divorce
*Not later than 4.15pm Farewells
*Not later than 4.30pm Prorogation
Deemed business
Clergy Discipline Rules
Contingency Business
DSM Southwell & Notts – Church Buildings
DSM Sheffield – Foodbanks and Inadequacies in Social Security PMM Sam Wilson – LGBTQIA+ and Relationship Education
Deadline for receipt of questions: 1200 hrs Thursday 8 February 2024
8 CommentsStatement from the Archbishop of York, issued today.
Archbishop of York Statement on the Crown Nominations Commission for the next Bishop of Carlisle
15/12/2023
“At the conclusion of a lengthy process of discernment, culminating in two days of interviews on 13 and 14 December, the Crown Nominations Commission considering the nomination of the next Bishop of Carlisle has, very sadly, not been able reach the level of consensus required to nominate a new Diocesan Bishop.
“Over the course of the next months, the Crown Nominations Commission will need to reflect, and make a decision about which stage it wishes to re-commence the discernment process. This is not likely to be before the Spring of 2025.
“Bishop Rob Saner-Haigh, the Bishop of Penrith, will continue serving as acting Diocesan Bishop alongside the senior leadership team in the Diocese of Carlisle.
“Please continue to hold the Diocese of Carlisle and the discernment of the Crown Nominations Commission in your prayers.”
132 CommentsChurch of England Evangelical Council: House of Bishops’ commends Prayers of Love and Faith. CEEC responds…
“Anglican Alliance”: Letter to House of Bishops from the Anglican Alliance about Prayers of Love and Faith
General Synod Gender and Human Sexuality Group,
MOSAIC,
Inclusive Church,
Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England: Use the PLF this Sunday
Church Times: Prayers of Love and Faith commended, despite final HTB plea
Christian Today: Bishop asks clergy not to use Church of England’s new same-sex prayers
I will add other items as I discover them.
10 CommentsBishop of Southwell and Nottingham: Ad Clerum Prayers of Love and Faith 12 December 2023
Bishop of Liverpool: House of Bishops commends Prayers of Love and Faith
Bishop of Chichester: Ad Clerum – Prayers of Love and Faith
Bishop of Ebbsfleet: Bishop’s Statement and Ad Clerum
Archbishop of York: Archbishop Stephen’s letter of the 14th December 2023 to Ministers in the Diocese of York
Acting Bishop of Carlisle: Penrith_PLF_Ad_Clerum_Dec_23
Bishop of Rochester: 2023 12-15 Pastoral letter from Bishop Jonathan re LLF
Bishops of the Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda: The Society – Statement from The Society and Forward in Faith on the Prayers of Love and Faith
Bishop of Hereford: Ad Clerum December 2023
Bishop of Norwich (and suffragans): Prayers of Love and Faith
Other statements will be added as they are discovered.
29 CommentsPress release from the Church of Englaand
Prayers of Love and Faith to be made available for use from Sunday
12/12/2023
Selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples commended.
A selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples can be used in Church of England services for the first time from Sunday, December 17, following approval by the House of Bishops.
The final texts of Prayers of Love and Faith, commended for use in regular public worship or private prayer, are published today, together with pastoral guidance which sets out how they could be used.
At a meeting held online this morning, the House of Bishops confirmed its earlier decision to commend the Prayers of Love and Faith resources for use in regular public worship and agreed that this should take effect from Sunday December 17.
The Prayers can be used in regular scheduled services, such as a Sunday Eucharist or Evensong.
The House also continued to discuss separate proposals for special standalone services for same-sex couples to be formally authorised under canon law.
This follows a motion agreed by General Synod in November calling on the bishops to consider whether standalone services for same-sex couples could be made available for use, possibly on a trial basis.
The Prayers of Love and Faith were developed as part of the outcome of a seven-year period of listening, learning and discernment known as Living in Love and Faith.
The House of Bishops has said it will consider pastoral provision to protect the conscience of those who wish to use the Prayers and of those who do not.
It is intended that there will be wide process of consultation regarding the provision to ensure that whatever is agreed serves to promote unity and has broad support across the Church.
The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, and the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, are chairing the group overseeing the introduction of Prayers of Love and Faith.
Bishop Helen-Ann said: “The Prayers of Love and Faith are resources to pray with and for a same-sex couple who are committed to one another in faithfulness and love. They are intended to enable those who wish to give thanks for and joyfully mark that commitment before God and their community of faith.”
Bishop Martyn added: “We know not everyone in the Church of England agrees on these important questions which go the heart of who we are – about people’s lives, their love and our shared faith. This is reflected in the House of Bishops, where there remain different views on the best ways to proceed.
“These Prayers are offered as pastoral provision. It is our prayer that they can be used with grace and understanding. Sharing them will be a blessing to the whole Church.”
The House agreed by 24 votes to 11, with three abstentions, in favour of a motion (see full text below) to make the Prayers of Love and Faith resources available with effect from December 17. Bishops also approved a motion to commend the Prayers for a Covenanted Friendship from the same date by 30 votes to six, with two abstentions. They are published together with the Prayers of Love and Faith resources.
More information
The motions approved were:
Further notes:
This review was announced on 11 September: Independent Barrister to conduct a Review of ISB phase 1
Today the report is published:
Press release:
Publication of independent review into Church’s Independent Safeguarding Board
The actual report is here (PDF)
28 CommentsWe reported previously on the November General Synod – electronic voting results
Andrew Goddard has published an analysis of these voting results here: Prayers of Love and Faith: a divided vote–a divided Church?
32 CommentsThe next Dean of Leicester is to be the Revd Canon Karen Rooms. She is currently the acting Dean and was previously Sub-Dean and Canon Missioner. There are announcements on the Leicester diocesan, Leicester cathedral and Church of England websites.
2 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
House of Bishops meeting: 29 November
29/11/2023
The House of Bishops met online on the morning of 29 November 2023.
The House considered the November Group of Sessions of General Synod, including next steps required following the vote on Prayers of Love and Faith.
It was agreed that a motion for the commendation of the “Prayers of Love and Faith: resource section” would take place at a further meeting before the end of the year. This aligns with the timescale indicated at Synod.
There was also consideration of the House of Bishops’ processes, with The House agreeing to begin a review with a focus on increasing transparency. The House voted in favour of immediate steps to publish summaries of meetings, and to set up a task-and-finish group to make recommendations to the House on potential improvements. A fuller summary of the meeting will be published in the coming days, in accordance with this.
The meeting ended in prayer.
24 CommentsThe Church Times reports that “TWO former Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) members [Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves] have announced that they have ceased to co-operate with the independent review of the ISB’s demise. They have concerns about the reviewer’s remit.”
Jas Sanghera has posted on X/Twitter that “At no point have @churchofengland engaged with us on terms of reference for this review, despite our numerous request. This is in effect CofE marking it’s own homework & not consulting with the very ppl it concerns. Shocking”.
Steve Reeves has posted that “the Church, with a remit solely defined by the Church, and excluding events critical of the Church, won’t tell anything like the true story.”
16 CommentsUpdated 30 November New versions of all these files have been uploaded to the CofE website. All those there now are internally dated 29 November. I have updated the links below to point to these new files.
The electronic voting results from this month’s General Synod are now available online and are linked below. The texts of items 7 and 500 can be found in the official record of Business Done.
Living in Love and Faith motion (as amended – text here)
Amendments to Living in Love and Faith motion (see Order Paper IV for the texts of the proposed amendments)
Motion to consider Abuse (Redress) Measure for revision in committee
Motion to amend standing orders (see Order Paper IV)
102 CommentsChurch Times
Press Release from the General Synod Gender & Sexuality Group and from Inclusive Groups
The Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England
Church of England Evangelical Council
Charlie Bell ViaMedia.News The Dam Has Broken: Synod and Beyond
Update
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Where have we arrived after General Synod?
54 CommentsDavid Lamming has written the following article about the synod discussion that occurred on 9 July concerning the Independent Safeguarding Board.
Question 204 from the November General Synod sessions refers (text included below).
RE-WRITING HISTORY: OMITTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FORMER ISB MEMBERS STEVE REEVES AND JASVINDER SANGHERA FROM THE FORMAL RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE YORK SYNOD IN JULY 2023
General Synod members, and those watching the proceedings on the livestream, will recall the débâcle at York on the Sunday afternoon, 9 July, when, after several attempts to use the standing orders to enable Jasvinder Sanghera and Steve Reeves to respond to the ‘Presentation on developments relating to the Independent Safeguarding Board’ were thwarted, the formal sitting was adjourned so that they could address Synod members, with Robert Hammond (chair of the Business Committee) taking over as chair of the informal session.
One of the thwarted attempts to use Standing Orders to allow Steve and Jasvinder to address Synod concerned SO 120(1), which provides: “The Presidents may invite such persons as they think fit to address the Synod.” The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said that he was “happy to do that”, though he thought that Meg Munn, who was also present, “ought to be invited to say something as well.” That said, he added: “I think if people [i.e. Jasvinder and Steve] were able to make a short statement and then perhaps a final response from the panel, I will leave that in your hands, Chair. I think then we should include this item.” (emphasis added). He was thwarted, though, as the legal advice given to the Chair (who reported it to Synod with ‘a regret‘) was that it was “unlawful for one of the Presidents and not both to suspend the Standing Orders.” Leaving aside that Debbie Buggs’s request was to “ask the Archbishop of York in his capacity as President to ask Steve and Jasvinder to address Synod, please,” not to suspend the SOs, it is to be noted that the reason the Archbishop of Canterbury was not present was that he had left Synod to be with his dying mother.
11 CommentsSurviving Church has published this report on the current status of numerous safeguarding matters, few of which are on the agenda for the November synod. The editor of SC writes:
This is a copy of a newsletter written by Martin Sewell which helps a reader to understand at depth the issues on safeguarding that are coming before General Synod this week. Previous newsletters have been shared with synod members. (Ed.)
General Synod Safeguarding Newsletter
I recommend this report for the careful attention of all TA readers.
21 CommentsThis post will be updated as the meeting proceeds.
The Church of England’s General Synod is meeting this week. The timetable is here, the agenda is here and the papers are here.
Live video etc
All sessions are streamed live on YouTube and remain available to view afterwards. Links have been provided in advance.
There is an official Twitter account.
Order papers
Business done
Official press releases
Press reports and comment
Church Times
The Guardian
BBC News
The Washington Times
The Independent
The Living Church
Members’ blogs
Helen King
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes
72 CommentsPaul Roberts Inclusive Evangelicals On the use and abuse of the term ‘orthodox’
Mandy Ford ViaMedia.News Polluted Ground or Holy Ground? Going Forward to the November Synod
Church Times General Synod same-sex debate on knife edge
25 CommentsThe Questions (and answers) for next week’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod were issued today. They can be found online here: QUESTIONS Notice Paper November 2023 FINAL.
Questions will be taken in two groups; on Monday from 2.50pm to 4.30pm, any questions relating to Living in Love and Faith matters will be taken first, followed by other questions rotating through the boards and councils as is customary. Questions will resume at 11.45am on Tuesday 14 November until 12.45pm.
Update
Q56 and Q64 have been provided with the wrong answers in the Questions Notice Paper. The correct answers are in Notice Paper 8.
12 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Statistics for Mission 2022. There is an accompanying press release, copied below.
Church attendance rises for second year running
10/11/2023
Statistics for Mission show increase in regular worshippers and average weekly attendance
Nearly a million people were regular worshippers last year as the Church of England continued its post pandemic bounce back, statistics from the Church of England show today.
The worshipping community of the Church of England – made up of regular worshippers – grew by nearly 20,000 people to 984,000 in 2022 compared to 966,000 in 2021. Average weekly attendance for all ages grew nearly 50,000 over the same period from 605,000 to 654,000.
Child average weekly attendance rose 17% from its 2021 level to 87,000 and there was an 85% rise in all age school service attendance from its 2021 level to 164,000.
But despite the rises over two years, the figures were lower than before the pandemic in 2019 when the worshipping community stood at 1.1 million and all age average weekly attendance was 854,000.
Child average weekly attendance stood at 120,000 and school service attendance was 182,000 in 2019. (more…)
55 CommentsUpdated
Colin Coward has published this report of a meeting on Friday 3 November at Lambeth Palace Library: The Archbishop of Canterbury meets thirty four representatives of progressive organisations
On Friday afternoon, forty one people gathered forming a huge rectangle in the room on the top floor of the Lambeth Palace library. Thirty four were representatives of progressive organisations and networks seeking the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England.
I think the meeting represents a turning point in the decades-long movement in the Church of England towards achieving the full and equal inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in our church – but although progress may now be made, the future is still very uncertain….
Helen King has published another report of the same meeting: Going to the top: meeting the Archbishop of Canterbury
144 Comments…When Friday’s meeting was announced, at short notice, I heard from several stakeholders that they weren’t inclined to drag themselves into London yet again for what could well be a pointless meeting. We have bitter experience of being asked at these meetings to react to various scenarios, only for an entirely different scenario to be the one that is decided upon. Eventually they concluded that they may as well go; we’re nothing if not resilient. So, there we were. Again. Only, this time, all in the same room, rather than meeting the LLF team in sub-groups (Evangelical inclusives, Catholic inclusives, etc)…