The Church of England issued a press release today, giving an update on the Smyth review. It is copied below.
Update on Smyth review
17/01/2024
Statement from National Director of Safeguarding
The following statement has been issued by the independent reviewer into the Church’s handling of allegations against the late John Smyth. We would like to say as commissioners of the review, the NST recognises the process has gone on longer than is acceptable for those waiting for an outcome and for the Church to act and learn on the outcomes of the report. Along with the reviewer we apologise for this delay. We continue to offer additional resources and financial support to ensure the report is received by the end of April with a view to publication as soon as practically possible after that date.
Statement from Keith Makin, Independent Reviewer
I would like to take this opportunity to thank victims for their courage, time, and detailed input to the review and more recently in meetings with me. I recognise the impact that the duration of the review has had on victims, their families and others involved in this case.
Concerns have been expressed that I may have been put under pressure to delay publication of this report, I can confirm this is not the case. Several factors have contributed to the time taken reaching this current stage, including varying the terms of my contract. This will enable me to carry out representations, where those criticised in the review will be given advance notice of this and provided with an opportunity to respond.
I can confirm that my report is now being prepared for this process and I anticipate this will commence in March 2024.
Support
Both the reviewers and the Church recognise that giving information to this review has the potential to be re-traumatising for victims and survivors. While support has previously been offered the NST has now secured the service of a specialist advocacy service. FearFree Support provides specialist support to victims and survivors of abuse, offering trauma informed and victim led bespoke support. Its director of services has identified an experienced independent advocate for victims and survivors – Nina Tanner – to deliver this service and this information has been relayed to the survivors and victims.
Contact: Nina.Tanner@fearfree.org.uk/ 07825 741751
10 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the diocesan website.
Appointment of Dean of Wells: 15 January 2024
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Toby Wright for appointment as Dean of Wells.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 15 January 2024
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Toby Wright, Team Rector of Witney and Honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, to be appointed as Dean of Wells, in succession to The Very Reverend Dr John Davies following his resignation.
Toby was educated at New College, Oxford, and trained for ministry at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield. He served his title at St Peter with St Mary, Petersfield, in the Diocese of Portsmouth and in 2002 he was ordained priest.
From 2004, Toby served as Priest in Charge at St John Chrysostom with St Andrew, Peckham, in the Diocese of Southwark, and in 2006 he was appointed Vicar, also serving as Area Dean of Camberwell.
In 2009, Toby took up his current role as Team Rector of the Benefice of Witney, in the Diocese of Oxford, serving as Area Dean of Witney from 2013 to 2019. From 2020-2023 Toby was on secondment to the Dorchester Episcopal Area Team and during part of this time served as Acting Associate Archdeacon. In addition, Toby is Warden of the Sisters of the Community of Saint Mary the Virgin, Wantage.
5 CommentsIt appears that the Jay report on the future of Church of England safeguarding, which was originally due to be published by 31 December, is delayed. An explanation for this is awaited.
Meanwhile, Surviving Church has published How Professor Jay may help save the Church of England from itself.
The Wilkinson report on ISB phase 1 was published on 11 December: ISB phase 1: Wilkinson report published. One month later, there is as yet no further response from the Archbishops’ Council.
There has however been an article about the Wilkinson report published by the National Secular Society, Review: CofE leaders mainly to blame for sacking safeguarding body.
Also, we linked earlier to Surviving Church: After Wilkinson. Towards a Trauma-Informed Church but it attracted only a few comments.
Now, there is a new paper by David Glasgow published at House of Survivors: Psychological Report: ISB cohort welfare and mental health.
30 CommentsThe Church Pastoral Aid Society is an evangelical mission agency which amongst other things is a major provider of training courses and a significant holder of patronage within the Church of England.. See these Wikipedia pages for more background on the CPAS and on Patronage in the Church of England.
In relation to the recently commended Prayers of Love and Faith, CPAS has issued the following:
The CPAS trustees are listed here.
The second of these two documents is attracting considerable criticism. For example
MOSAIC Cof E has posted on X:
Inclusive Parishes with CPAS as their patrons may not be aware of this change in their position on sexuality. Parishes may want to ask CPAS why this change was made without them being consulted or informed and how this will affect future appointments
The document in full:
CPAS trustees have endorsed the Evangelical Alliance’s affirmations on human sexuality.
We are conscious that different evangelicals might apply some of these points in different ways, but we believe that, taken together, they reflect an authentic, mainstream evangelical response to human sexuality in general and sexually active same-sex partnerships in particular:
75 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s office
There is more on the London diocesan website.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton: 20 December 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Anderson Harris Mithra Jeremiah for appointment to the Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton, in the Diocese of London.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 20 December 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Anderson Harris Mithra Jeremiah, Associate Priest at St Paul’s Scotforth, in the Diocese of Blackburn, and Associate Dean (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and People) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Lancaster University, for appointment to the Suffragan See of Edmonton, in the Diocese of London, in succession to The Right Reverend Robert Wickham, following his appointment as Chief Executive of the Church Urban Fund.
Background
Anderson was educated at the Universities of Madras and Edinburgh, and trained for ministry at United Theological College, Bangalore. He served his title at St Mary’s Church, Ranipet, in the Diocese of Vellore, Church of South India and, in 2004, he was ordained Priest and served as Anglican Chaplain at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. In 2007, Anderson was appointed Assistant Curate at Old St Paul’s Church Edinburgh and, from 2009, he served as Associate Rector at Christ Church Morningside, both in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
In 2012, Anderson was appointed as the first Lecturer in World Christianity at Lancaster University. Alongside his academic role from 2014 he served as the Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Gisburn and, from 2016, as Associate Priest at St Mary’s Priory Church, Lancaster, both in the Diocese of Blackburn. From 2018, Anderson served as the first Bishop’s Adviser for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Affairs in the Diocese of Blackburn and in 2021 was appointed Canon Theologian of Blackburn Cathedral. He has been a member of the Committee for Minority Ethnic Concerns, the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Task Force, General Synod, the Faith and Order Commission and the Ministry Council.
Anderson is married to Revd Dr Rebecca Aechtner and they have two daughters.
18 CommentsThe 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 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 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 CommentsA Review Group has been appointed to oversee an independent review process of the handling of alleged safeguarding issues regarding the former Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, Dr Martyn Percy. Details are in a press release, which is copied below.
Christ Church Review Group announced
02/11/2023
A Review Group has been appointed to oversee an independent review process of the handling of alleged safeguarding issues regarding the former Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, Dr Martyn Percy.
The Review will look at the handling of these safeguarding issues, and relevant reports and investigations including those commissioned by National Safeguarding Team and the Diocese of Oxford as well as material from Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) proceedings. It will not be concerned with the wider issues between the former Dean and the College.
The Review Group, details below, will consider that evidence with a view to appointing and instructing an independent reviewer with relevant expertise and experience.
The Review, commissioned by the Archbishops’ Council and diocese of Oxford was originally referred to the former Independent Safeguarding Board, ISB, with Terms of Reference announced in May 2022. Later that year the ISB announced it was pausing work on the review due to finite resources and workload.
This is the first Safeguarding Practice Review, formerly known as a learning lesson review, set up under the new Safeguarding Code of Practice approved at General Synod in July. Its aim is to improve safeguarding practice.
Review Group membership:
32 CommentsThe House of Bishops of the Church of England met for three days this week, and afterwards issued this press release.
House of Bishops Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2023
01/11/2023
The House of Bishops has held its annual autumn residential meeting, spending time in prayer and discussing matters including the war in Gaza, safeguarding, finance, youth evangelism, and Prayers of Love and Faith. The meeting was held at Cookham, Berkshire.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, updated Bishops on his recent visit to Jerusalem and led a discussion on the war in Israel and Gaza. The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, the Church of England’s representative on the Holy land Coordination Group, led a time of prayer.
The House then discussed proposals for a National Redress Scheme for victims and survivors of abuse, ahead of draft legislation coming to Synod this month.
Bishops also heard updates on the Safeguarding Programme arising out of the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) Inquiry Report on the Anglican Church.
This included Recommendations One and Eight, covering diocesan safeguarding officers and national safeguarding standards and audits as well as information sharing and the national casework management system.
Bishops also spent time reflecting on their recent decisions about the process of introducing Prayers of Love and Faith and discussed the upcoming meeting of Synod.
On Tuesday bishops heard updates on Diocesan finances and clergy retirement housing support. They also discussed the operation of the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015, which ensures that vacancies on the Bishops’ Bench in the House of Lords would be filled first by female diocesan bishops for 10 years or until parity is achieved.
The House reviewed guidance for good practice in praying for others, including a briefing document on conversion therapy.
Bishops also engaged with ongoing work to meet the challenge of ensuring that a church with a flourishing children, youth, and families’ ministry is within reach of every child or young person in England.
On Wednesday bishops considered questions around interventions in public life.
During the three days bishops attended the local parish church, Holy Trinity, Cookham, for services of morning prayer and Holy Communion.
21 CommentsThe Church Times reports: Don’t delay guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages, say 44 bishops
A GROUP of 44 bishops made a public statement on Wednesday afternoon expressing their hope that pastoral guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages would be issued “without delay”.
The statement in favour of reform follows three weeks after 12 bishops publicly dissented from a majority decision by the House of Bishops to commend prayers for same-sex couples (News, 20 October).
The new group, 14 diocesan bishops and 30 suffragans, write that they “recognise the complexities of the Pastoral Guidance in relation to ministry, and also the need for a swift end to the current uncertainty for LGBTQIA+ clergy and ordinands…
Do read the whole article. The full text of the statement is copied here below the fold.
50 CommentsUpdated Monday
The Church Times reports: Second Commissioner responds to MPs’ questions on Prayers of Love and Faith
The full texts of both questions and answers can be found at They Work For You, starting here. For convenience, the substantive content has been copied below the fold.
Update This Church Times article also includes information on voting in the House and College, some of which is additional to that in the previous report:
9 Comments…In September, the College of Bishops voted 72-26 to “recommend to the House that we continue the work on pastoral provision, to extend this to clergy who enter into same-sex marriages”.
They also agreed, by a margin of 81-17, that there should be “no questions around sexual intimacy” put to “clergy in same-sex civil partnerships”.
The House of Bishops also voted in favour of a motion stipulating that the pastoral guidance should remove all barriers to clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, albeit by a narrower margin: 18 votes to 15.
The House agreed, however, by a vote of 23-13, to delay the publication of such pastoral guidance until “further work” had been done — a decision that was announced last Friday, when an update on LLF was published in advance of the next month’s General Synod meeting…
Updated Friday
Francis Martin reports in the Church Times:
Bishops’ divisions over same-sex marriage exposed
Read the whole article if you possibly can, but it starts out:
A LARGE majority of C of E bishops support a move towards allowing priests to enter into same-sex marriage, and the immediate adoption of stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples, the Church Times can report.
The House of Bishops, however, voted to slow progress on both issues in a meeting earlier this month, in the face of conservative hostility. The outcome has prompted MPs to question the process of episcopal governance…
The report includes the following specific voting figures:
Update Friday
The leader in the Church Times reports that the College of Bishops voting on the pastoral guidance was “72 to 26 to work on giving permission for clergy to enter same-sex marriages”. This leader is also recommended reading.
70 CommentsThere are two new documents on the website of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches:
The full list of those attending is copied here below the fold. It includes three active clergy of the Church of England, John Dunnett (Chelmsford diocese), Richard Moy (London diocese), and Nicky Gumbel (London diocese).
96 CommentsThe Church of England’s General Synod will meet in London next month, and the usual pre-Synod press release, copied below, was issued today.
Synod meeting to focus on implementation of Prayers of Love and Faith
20/10/2023
General Synod papers published for November 2023 Group of Sessions
The General Synod of the Church of England will meet next month in London to discuss the steps being taken to implement texts known as Prayers of Love and Faith, which ask for God’s blessing for same-sex couples.
In February of this year, Synod agreed a motion welcoming the texts and calling on The House of Bishops to further refine and commend them for use in the Church of England, together with new pastoral guidance and proposals for pastoral reassurance.
Earlier this month, The House of Bishops agreed in principle that the Prayers of Love and Faith should be commended for use, also concluding that special services for same-sex couples, based on the Prayers, should go forward for consideration to be formally authorised under canon law. Synod also voted for no change to the doctrine of the Church of England around marriage and sexual intimacy.
In November, Synod members will be presented with the work that the House of Bishops has carried out on the Prayers of Love and Faith since February. They will also have the opportunity to discuss the draft pastoral guidance, specifically supporting the Prayers, which has been shared for the first time.
The Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, who has co-chaired the Living in Love and Faith steering group, said: “This twin-track approach means that prayers asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples will be available for use in church very soon, as Synod has asked. A means of offering special, standalone services for same-sex couples will go forward to be considered for formal authorisation at a later stage.
“While we do not all agree about questions of marriage and sexual intimacy, a long period of discernment has shown that a majority of people would like to see a change in the Church of England’s approach to same-sex relationships. Based on what the Church has told us, no change is not an option.
“There are those who would like to see us go much further, and those who believe we are going too far. Yet we have expressed our heartfelt wish to remain together as one Church. The pastoral provision must protect and value both those who struggle so much with this that they need reassurance, and those who wish to place same-sex relationships before God in prayer.
“In other words, it will be ‘both and’, not ‘either or’. We are implementing what Synod asked us to, prayerfully and with the hope of God’s Grace.”
Papers for the November 2023 Group of Sessions were published and sent to members today.
Synod will consider and vote on the first consideration of the draft Redress Measure which makes legal provision for the creation of a national redress scheme for victims and survivors of Church-related abuse. This delivers on the commitment made by the Church in its response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
The draft Measure lays the groundwork to deliver a Scheme which offers redress in a range of forms including apology, acknowledgement, therapeutic, and financial support to survivors of abuse perpetrated by a person acting under the authority of the Church of England. It makes provision for a single ‘redress body’ to deliver the Scheme and also makes provision for the financing and includes further details of the Scheme’s operation.
The Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, chair of the Redress Project Board, will introduce the draft Measure and take questions from members.
The Measure is expected to return to the Synod for the Revision Stage in July 2024 followed by the Final Drafting and Final Approval stages.
More information
Read the Papers and find out more about the November General Synod meeting
44 CommentsNew Bishop of St Davids elected
Provincial news Posted: 17 October 2023
A senior cleric, who has served in every county of Wales’ largest diocese, will now lead it as its 130th bishop.
The Archdeacon of Carmarthen, Dorrien Davies, was today elected as the next Bishop of St Davids – a diocese which covers the three West Wales counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
Archdeacon Dorrien secured the necessary two-thirds majority vote from members of the Electoral College on the second day of its meeting at St Davids Cathedral.
15 Comments