Press release from the Church of England
House of Bishops – 26 September 2022
26/09/2022
The House of Bishops met by Zoom for its September meeting.
The meeting began with a series of reflections on the passing of the Queen, with the Bishop of Coventry offering condolences and a vote of thanks on behalf of the House.
An update was then given by the Enabling Officer of the Living in Love and Faith project. The paper updated the House on current timelines and changes, following the cancellation of the College of Bishops in September, due to the death of the Queen. The paper, outlining the proposed approach over the coming months was noted by the House.
The House was then addressed by the Secretary of the House on the inflation and energy crisis, and how it was affecting churches and the wider community. The House discussed work under way on how the national Church institutions may be able to contribute to helping dioceses and churches deal with the extra costs in the coming winter.
The Bishop of Guildford then gave an update on the work of the national governance Review Project Board. Since its formation in February 2022, the National Church Governance Project Board (NGPB) has been developing its proposals in relation to the governance of the National Church Institutions (NCI). The paper shared the Project Board’s proposals so far and sought guidance and assurance from the House on the current direction of travel. The House provided comments on issues such as the future board composition of the Church of England National Services (CENS) and the creation of a Nominations Committee.
The House was then addressed by members of the Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) updating the House on the work of the Board which provides independent oversight and scrutiny to the work of the National Safeguarding Team and the broader safeguarding culture across the Church of England. The lead bishop for safeguarding updated the House more generally on safeguarding matters.
The meeting then concluded in prayer.
No sign then of recognition of the effect of the clergy pension cap being limited to 3.5% or 5% when inflation is more than 10% and the need to maintain the value of that pension in an era of high inflation. What will it take to make the Church respond to its responsibility to prevent further pension diminution?
A particular worry I am sure for those clergy in Pension Board retirement property.
Does the ISB have a website yet?
The ISB website is currently delayed by 79 days. A relatively minor delay compared to that of the Makin Review into the Church’s handling of the Smyth abuses…. 848 days.
House of Survivors site:
https://houseofsurvivors.org/late-overdue/
Thanks Gilo. Yes, well… Checking back on an earlier post if mine, I was reminded: From the very early stages, it was proposed that “To ensure maximum transparency, the ISB should establish a website, serviced by the administrative officer, on which all its reports, formal minutes etc. are posted. There should be a clear link to the ISB website from the Church of England’s own website.” (February 2021) That was 19 months ago. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t find that ‘clear link’ to the website on the Church of England website and, as you say, all we have 19… Read more »
‘the passing of the Queen’ – bishops ought not to resort to euphemisms about death. I’ve never heard of a vote of thanks for someone who has died before either.
And if you are going to use a euphemism in this case then it is “the demise of the Crown”.
Not only a euphemism but a malapropism. “Demise” means passing something from one person to another. The Demise of the Crown refers to the succession of, in this case, King Charles III, to the Crown immediately following the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Perhaps metonymy or synecdoche rather than malapropism, I suggest.
Metonymy perhaps, since the demise is an adjunct of the death. Not synecdoche, since the demise is not part of the death, nor is the death part of the demise.
In a book of my own I express the view that use of the term ‘the Crown’ to mean ‘the reigning monarch’ has an element both of synecdoche and of metonymy. The book is:
Jones J.C. ‘Concepts in Scientific Writing’ BookBoon, Frederiksberg (2015).
Having introduced synecdoche and of metonymy in general terms, I go on to give examples in technical writing. I give as an example of metonymy:
‘One looks to Detroit for up-to-date information on engine lubricants’
where ‘Detroit’ means ‘automobile manufacturers based in Detroit’.
The book is downloadable free on the BookBoon web site. It was written in the setting of a bleak Gippsland winter.
Metonymy in the case of rulers has a long history. The title “Pharaoh” for an ancient Egyptian king literally means “great house” and is the precise analogue of the modern term “the palace” referring to the monarch.
Once again we have an anodyne press release that tells us nothing of substance about the discussions that took place. For no apparent reason, it also fails to name various officers mentioned. Specifically: Who is the Enabling Officer of the LLF project and why can the paper he/she presented not be published? Who is the Secretary of the House (is it William Nye?), and what “work is under way on how the national Church institutions may be able to contribute to helping dioceses and churches deal with the extra costs in the coming winter.” Does this signal that the Archbishops’… Read more »
As usual, David, you make some good points. If the House of Bishops aspires to any leadership role which will have actual traction, it needs to say more. Else the bishops will imagine they are leading and will not notice the paucity of followers. Perhaps they are worrying about the people who won’t follow, rather than those who will? On LLF, I feel (as an LLF advocate) that the [very small] LLF team have been tasked with challenging the culture of the Church of England, and would love to be more open and transparent. “Culture change” was advertised at IICSA,… Read more »
I despair of this House of Bishops. All of the bishops and archbishops should have come together for a requiem mass for the repose of the soul of Her Late Majesty in whose name they held office. As well as being the right thing to do, it would have been such good publicity aka mission. Instead, they give a vote of thanks at a closed meeting.
Presumably the condolences were offered to His Majesty the King and other members of the Royal Family, so could it perhaps be that the ‘vote of thanks’ was to/for those who organised and took part in the State Funeral, and all the events that preceded or related to it following the Queen’s death? This is another instance of where the press release is inadequate. And did the Bishop of Coventry really offer a vote of thanks “on behalf of the House” as opposed to proposing a vote of thanks to which all the bishops concurred?
I believe that last Wednesday Cardinal Roche celebrated a Mass of Remembrance for Queen Elizabeth II in the basilica of Saint Paul Without the Walls.
It is impossible to have any confidence in these meetings and their bland press releases. There is a total lack of relevance to everyday life, and the disconnection from what people are currently living through makes the bishops press release painful to read. Nobody with any sense has any confidence in LLF. It was a hopeless exercise doomed to disappoint everyone. All it has highlighted is the lack of moral courage, theological wisdom and basic care and compassion within CofE leadership. The NST, ISB and all the other safeguarding bodies are not remotely trusted, and lack basic competence and are… Read more »
In a nutshell. Well said!
I am, glad that others, like me, noticed the reference to the ‘passing’ of HM the Queen. If the Bishops of the CofE are unable to bring themselves to speak/write about ‘death’, is it any wonder that many in the pews are unable to do so either. It may be, of course, that the press release was written by someone other than a bishop. If so, it seems to me that the bishops need to make clear how they expect such a press release to be formulated.
Personally I like the verb to pass, in a Christian sense as it signals that death isn’t an end but merely passage to another kingdom.
“He was crucified, passed, and was buried.” No!!! You had to use the word “death” to convey your idea. I’ll pass on pass.
Talking of someone passing always makes me wonder what they’re passing – the port, perhaps?
Presumably a necessary precursor to “crossing the bar”, as Tennyson had it.
Water or wind passed maybe; perhaps the former into the latter?
I note the increasing extent of expectation as the Bishops’ House Meeting draws on- … and then … and then …. and then … hardly the style of writing advocated when I was at school; nor of minute-taking, but then this is only a Press Release, the purpose of which is …?
If wind, maybe some kind of Sirocco, or Aeolian? No suggestion of Squall or Squabble.
In passing, are similar Press Releases released in relation to meetings of the House of Clergy, or the House of Laity?
Here’s hoping the HoB is refreshed by some new intake soon. Does anyone know if the Newcastle and Liverpool CNCs stuck to their respective timetables? If so we should have had announcements by now. Or perhaps the new CNC members elected by General Synod are standing firm.
The new central CNC members only came into office on 1 September so Liverpool and Newcastle were considered by the previous members. The Liverpool CNC met as planned and I understand that the announcment of the next bishop was planned for what turned out to be the day after the Queen died. Naturally the announcement was cancelled. Since some of the documentation must have been prepared in the name of the Queen it may be that this has to be redone in the name of the King, causing a delay in arranging a new date. I don’t know about Newcastle,… Read more »
Thank you. So the new central CNC members cut their teeth on the Blackburn appointment. With some clearly conservative votes from the central members and the diocesan members that one could be very interesting.
The Blackburn CNC members are listed here:
https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/diocesan-resources/archbishops-advisers-appointments-and-development/senior-appointments
– you will need to click on “Diocesan Bishops” and then “Forthcoming Vacant Sees”. The central members are still the old ones. Presumably consideration of this vacancy was considered to have started before the change of central CNC members was effective.
Righto. So a nice easy one for the new central CNC members to start with: Lincoln.