The General Synod has an item on Safeguarding scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday 9 February.
Presentation under SO 107
Note: the Business Committee has determined under SO 107(3) that this presentation should include an opportunity for questions.
The Bishop of Rochester to move:
‘That this Synod do take note of this Report.’
There are two synod documents relating to this topic
A group of survivors has also published a briefing for synod members which can be found here. This is something that all synod members should also read.
Martin Sewell has written an article for Surviving Church which discusses this, see General Synod and Safeguarding Issues: Will the problems be faced?
The Church Times has published a detailed report on all this, see Survivors of abuse in the C of E still feel threatened — and so do church staff helping them.
See also a more recent post.
7 CommentsThere is a video recording of Friday’s press conference to launch the LLF proposals, available here. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Bishop of London were among those taking part.
Oxford Prayers of thanksgiving and for God’s blessing for same-sex couples published
Bristol Bishop of Bristol’s statement on the proposal regarding same-sex relationships
St Edmundsbury A message from Bishop Martin and Bishop Mike
Manchester Bishop of Manchester | Living in Love and Faith Letter
Liverpool Bishops’ response to the Living in Love and Faith process outlined
Hereford Bishop Richard: statement on Living in Love and Faith
Chichester Living in Love and Faith – recent bishops’ meeting
Gloucester A message from Bishop Rachel and Bishop Robert
York Living in Love and Faith: a letter from the Archbishop and Bishops of the Diocese of York
Southwark Living In Love and Faith – Letter from Bishop Christopher to the Diocese of Southwark
Salisbury Ad clerum | Living in Love and Faith
Ely Living in Love and Faith (20 January 2022)
Lincoln Pastoral Letter to the Diocese
Birmingham Living in Love and Faith
Carlisle Bishops respond to Living In Love and Faith proposals
Derby Living in Love and Faith
Worcester Bishops publish draft prayers for blessing same-sex couples
Exeter Bishops Respond to Living in Love and Faith Proposals
Canterbury (Bp of Dover)
Truro LIVING IN LOVE & FAITH: COLLEGE OF BISHOPS PROPOSALS
Rochester Next Steps for Living in Love and Faith
Peterborough Living in Love and Faith
Coventry Living in Love and Faith – January 2023
Chelmsford Travelling Well Together – a pastoral letter from Bishop Guli, Bishop Roger and Bishop Lynne
More to be added as I discover them. Readers are welcome to submit additional links via the comments.
48 CommentsUpdated Monday evening
Several organisational responses in support of the statement from the bishops have already been published:
There are also several responses expressing opposition to the statement
Some of these items were issued before the release of the full LFF response on Friday. I will update them if newer statements appear, and I will update this post with additional items as I discover them.
62 CommentsThe full texts of the proposed Prayers of Love and Faith can be found here.
Paul Roberts has written two blog posts, discussing the concept of blessing, and then analysing these texts, and comparing them with others from the Church of England and the Church in Wales.
When is a liturgical blessing a blessing?
Prayers of Love and Faith – the draft rites
4 Comments…The House of Bishops’ draft of Prayers of Love and Faith that will be laid before the General Synod next month do not contain any prayer or statement in which a priest blesses a same-sex couple. God, however, is petitioned to bless the couple. So, indeed, the bishops have hedged their bets in a way which says “God, we’re not sure you approve of homosexual acts, so if you do, could you bless this couple? But we’re not going be doing it ourselves, just to be on the safe side…”
Bosco Peters Liturgy Ordination Requirements
Rebecca Chapman Church Times General Synod should be more than a talking shop
“Its members need clarity about who is making decisions and what they are voting on”
Meg Munn Chair of the National Safeguarding Panel National Redress Scheme
7 CommentsUpdated 25 January to add GS Misc 1339 (Prayers of Love and Faith: a note from the Legal Office) – see Monday’s papers.
Updated 5 February to add various notice papers.
The Church of England has published the papers for next month’s meeting of its General Synod, which meets in London from 6-9 February. I have linked to them all below the fold, but these three, in different ways, give an outline of the business.
Outline of Synod Business
Agenda Feb 23 v2 (GS 2283)
Report from the Business Committee (GS 2284)
The Church of England issued the following press release this morning.
Draft prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God’s blessing for same-sex couples published
20/01/2023
Prayers asking for God’s blessing on same-sex couples as they give thanks for their civil marriage or civil partnership are published today.
The draft texts, proposed by the bishops of the Church of England, will be considered by General Synod next month alongside other proposals in response to a six-year process of listening, learning and discernment on questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage known as Living in Love and Faith.
The bishops have also made a direct public apology to LGBTQI+ people for the way in which the Church has rejected or excluded them, admitting: “We have not loved you as God loves you, and that is profoundly wrong.”
The apology is set out in a pastoral letter from the bishops of the Church of England which also recognises that they disagree over same-sex marriage and proposes a way forward which could be put in action within months.
A report – Living in Love and Faith: A response from the Bishops of the Church of England about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage – sets out the bishops’ proposals and recommends areas for further work.
There is also a book of draft worship resources – Prayers of Love and Faith. It is a range of prayers and readings which could be used in a church service, such as a Service of the Word or a Service within a Celebration of Holy Communion.
There are prayers of thanksgiving and dedication and a prayer for God’s blessing as well as prayers for use with specific elements of a service, such as a Prayer when Rings are Worn and Prayers at the lighting of a candle.
Opening the letter the bishops write: “We want to apologise for the ways in which the Church of England has treated LGBTQI+ people – both those who worship in our churches and those who do not.
“For the times we have rejected or excluded you, and those you love, we are deeply sorry.
“The occasions on which you have received a hostile and homophobic response in our churches are shameful and for this we repent.
“As we have listened, we have been told time and time again how we have failed LGBTQI+ people.
“We have not loved you as God loves you, and that is profoundly wrong. We affirm, publicly and unequivocally, that LGBTQI+ people are welcome and valued: we are all children of God.”
Describing the prayers and readings, they explain: “This resource will offer clergy a variety of flexible ways to affirm and celebrate same-sex couples in church, and will include prayers of dedication, thanksgiving and for God’s blessing.”
They continue: “This resource will represent a significant move that is intended as a loving and celebratory response to same-sex couples who are cherished and deeply valued by the Church.”
They explain that the prayers will be entirely discretionary and that the formal teaching of the Church of England as set out in the canons and authorised liturgies – that Holy Matrimony is between one man and one woman for life – would not change.
“While there is a range of convictions held by the bishops about this important matter, we have not found sufficient consensus to propose a change in doctrine at the present time,” they write.
The bishops’ proposals will be discussed in detail at General Synod which meets at Church House, Westminster, from February 6 to 9.
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who chaired the group which led the process of discernment and decision making, said: “We are so grateful to the thousands of people across the Church of England who have taken part in this unique exercise in listening and learning together.
“I would like to thank all those who took part, sharing often deeply personal experiences, with great patience and courage.
“This has shown us vividly the diverse beliefs and hopes that are found among those who call the Church of England their spiritual home.
“We have taken all of those responses to heart and they have been vital in helping shape the proposals which we are putting forward today.”
More information
Synod will debate the Following motion on February 8:
‘That this Synod, recognising the commitment to learning and deep listening to God and to each other of the Living in Love and Faith process, and desiring with God’s help to journey together while acknowledging the different deeply held convictions within the Church:
(a) lament and repent of the failure of the Church to be welcoming to LGBTQI+ people and the harm that LGBTQI+ people have experienced and continue to experience in the life of the Church;
(b) recommit to our shared witness to God’s love for and acceptance of every person by continuing to embed the Pastoral Principles in our life together locally and nationally;
(c) commend the continued learning together enabled by the Living in Love and Faith process and resources in relation to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage;
(d) welcome the decision of the House of Bishops to replace Issues in Human Sexuality with new pastoral guidance;
(e) welcome the response from the College of Bishops and look forward to the House of Bishops further refining, commending and issuing the Prayers of Love and Faith described in GS 2289 and its Annexes;
(f) invite the House of Bishops to monitor the Church’s use of and response to the Prayers of Love and Faith, once they have been commended and published, and to report back to Synod in five years’ time.’
The Rt Revd Mary Stallard, the Assistant Bishop in Bangor, was elected Bishop of Llandaff by the Electoral College of the Church in Wales today. Details are on the news pages of the provincial website: New Bishop of Llandaff elected.
3 CommentsUpdated Friday – The press release has been updated so that the first paragraph now reads:
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Andrew Zihni, Canon Precentor of Southwark Cathedral, to be appointed Dean of Gloucester, in succession to The Right Reverend Stephen Lake following his appointment as Bishop of Salisbury.
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Appointment of the Dean of Gloucester: 19 January 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Andrew Zihni for election as Dean of Gloucester.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 19 January 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Andrew Zihni, Canon Precentor of Southwark Cathedral for election as Dean of Gloucester, in succession to The Right Reverend Stephen Lake following his appointment as Bishop of Salisbury.
Andrew was educated at Merton College, Oxford, and trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. He served his title in the Parishes of Goldthorpe and Hickleton in the Diocese of Sheffield and was ordained priest in 2003.
In 2006 Andrew was appointed Minor Canon and School Chaplain, St George’s Chapel Windsor. In 2014 he was appointed Assistant Director of Vocations in the Diocese of Southwark and Honorary Minor Canon of Southwark Cathedral and additionally served as Priest Vicar, Westminster Abbey from 2018.
Andrew took up his current role as Canon Precentor of Southwark Cathedral and Chapter Safeguarding Lead in January 2021.
14 CommentsUpdated again Thursday
Church of England press release
Bishops propose prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God’s blessing for same-sex couples
The full text of the press release linked above is also in this PDF document: Prayers of Love and Faith 18.1.23.
There is a second press release here.
The Church Times has some additional information, and quotes from bishops, in this report: Bishops opt for blessings for same-sex couples in church, but not marriage.
And there is a further article reporting reactions to the press releases: Campaigners respond with fear and dismay to Bishops’ proposals to bless same-sex unions.
Thursday updates
Two further articles from the Church Times:
Conservative Anglicans add their criticism of the Bishops’ same-sex blessing plan
Bishops’ same-sex plans do not need General Synod’s consent
144 CommentsUpdated Tuesday
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North, Penny Mordaunt, has written to Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Portsmouth, about LLF. You can see her letter in full here. Her tweet summarises:
I have written to the Bishop of Portsmouth in advance of February’s General Synod regarding discussions on how the Church will move forward on the issue of same sex relationships. I hope they will back reform.
The Diocese has replied on Twitter:
Dear Penny, thank you for your letter. The views of @JonathanHFrost have been in the public domain since last November. You can find them at portsmouth.anglican.org/LLF Scroll down for more
Updates
Church Times reports further: MPs seek movement from Bishops on same-sex marriage
…The Church Times understands that at least 16 MPs have written to their area or diocesan bishops recommending that the Church change its position on same-sex marriage. This is understood to include the Labour MPs Saron Hodgson, Lilian Greenwood, Nadia Whittome, Alex Norris, Lyn Brown, Kim Leadbetter, Angela Eagle, and Luke Pollard. Neil Coyle, who sits as an independent after his suspension from the Labour Party last year, is also reported to have sent a letter, as has Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton…
20 Comments
The Church of England issued this press release this morning.
Bishop of Stepney to be new lead safeguarding bishop
16/01/2023
The Bishop of Stepney, Joanne Grenfell, is to be the Church of England’s new lead safeguarding bishop, taking over from Bishop Jonathan Gibbs who leaves the role at the end of March, when his three-year term ends.
Bishop Joanne, who will attend the House of Bishops, will work closely with the national director of safeguarding, Alexander Kubeyinje, who took up the role in September. As the Church continues to develop its safeguarding practice, there will be a particular focus on responses to and implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA and the Church’s second Past Cases Review, PCR2, published at the end of 2022.
Bishop Joanne will chair the National Safeguarding Steering Group (NSSG), the delegated House of Bishops body responsible for making national safeguarding decisions, and will work closely with the deputy lead bishops for safeguarding, the Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull and the Bishop of Birkenhead, Julie Conalty.
Both as a former archdeacon and currently as an area bishop in London Diocese, Bishop Joanne has chaired a number of safeguarding reviews and currently is the diocesan safeguarding lead, working closely with the Bishop of London. Bishop Joanne also chairs the national working group looking at the Seal of the Confessional.
Bishop Joanne said: “I believe that how the Church of England deals with safeguarding is of the utmost importance. It reveals our values and identity as a Church and is therefore a matter of spiritual integrity. I am committed to working for culture change, drawing on the wisdom of survivors and engaging with NST colleagues and leaders across the Church of England. My aim is that together we will not only prevent church-based abuse now, but also deal honestly, thoroughly, and proactively with what has previously been perpetrated and covered up.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “I am grateful to Bishop Jonathan who, as lead safeguarding bishop, has led the Church’s response to the IICSA and PCR2 reports, leading on the response both to the recommendations and the important calls for change from survivors. While recognising the safeguarding failures of the Church, Bishop Jonathan has been committed to seeking change in our safeguarding culture and practice.
“I am now very pleased to welcome Bishop Joanne to the role of lead safeguarding bishop. I commend her commitment and experience as well as her willingness to take up this role, which is a vital part of the work of the Church. I am aware of the immense time commitment that this role rightly involves and pray for Bishop Joanne as this new chapter begins.”
7 CommentsStacey Rand ViaMedia.News Leadership for Change: A Response to ‘The Sexism Women Continue to Face in the Church of England’
Rebecca Glover ViaMedia.News Emerging Adults: A Priority for the Churches
Martine Oborne The Guardian Why are female clergy cheering for a bishop who doesn’t believe in female priests?
Rambling Rector Retired Atonement or fakery?
46 CommentsThe Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its final report on 20 October 2022.
The Church of England’s initial responses were reported here.
Today, the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council have published a joint response to recommendations in relation to the safeguarding work of the Church of England. It’s a six-page PDF, available here. The covering press release is over here.
Following the October report publication, there was also a response from the (then new) National Safeguarding Director, reported here.
An earlier report relating to the Seal of the Confessional, was reported in this further roundup of responses.
7 CommentsThe Church Commissioners have published their full report into historic links that Queen Anne’s Bounty (one of the Commissioners’ predecessors) had to transatlantic chattel slavery*. It can be found here: Church Commissioners Links to Historic Transatlantic Slavery. There is this accompanying press release
which starts
The report follows an interim announcement in June 2022, which reported for the first time, and with great dismay, that the Church Commissioners’ endowment had historic links to transatlantic chattel slavery. The endowment traces its origins partly to Queen Anne’s Bounty, a fund established in 1704.
In response to the findings, the Church Commissioners’ Board has committed itself to trying to address some of the past wrongs by investing in a better future. It will seek to do this through committing £100 million of funding, delivered over the next nine years commencing in 2023, to a programme of investment, research and engagement…
* ‘Chattel slavery’ is the enslaving and owning of human beings and their offspring as property, able to be bought, sold, and forced to work without wages. This is distinguished from other systems of forced, unpaid, or low-wage labour also considered to be slavery.
There is also a press release about a related exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library.
The report has attracted much press attention.
Church Times Church Commissioners to set aside £100 million to compensate for slave-trade links
The Guardian C of E setting up £100m fund to ‘address past wrongs’ of slave trade links
The Guardian C of E’s historic slavery fund – worth £100m but how far will it stretch across communities?
Third Sector Charity’s £100m promise to address ‘shameful’ slave trade links
BBC News Church of England announces £100m fund after slavery links
The Telegraph Justin Welby defends £100m fund to ‘address past wrongs of slavery’ as churches struggle
Bishop John Inge has written an open letter to the Diocese, setting out why he believes that the celebration and honouring of monogamous, faithful same-sex relationships by the Church of England would be consonant with the scriptural witness.
The letter begins:
Dear Friends in Christ,
In our recent letter to the clergy of the Diocese of Worcester, the Bishop of Dudley and I wrote that we think the time has come for the Church of England to celebrate and honour monogamous, faithful same-sex relationships. We added that we believe this to be consonant with the scriptural witness but did not set out our reasoning. We merely commended the Bishop of Oxford’s booklet, Living together in Love and Faith.[i] I feel I should summarise my own thinking on the subject and shall attempt to do so here.
The full text of his letter can be read here.
21 CommentsUpdated Wednesday
A number of relevant links have been included in the comments on this article. For convenience I have these listed below the govenrment press release.
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Blackburn: 10 January 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Philip North, Suffragan Bishop of Burnley, for election as Bishop of Blackburn.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 10 January 2023
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Philip North, Suffragan Bishop of Burnley, for election as Bishop of Blackburn, in succession to The Right Reverend Julian Henderson following his retirement.
Philip was educated at the University of York and trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. He served his title at St Mary the Virgin in the Diocese of Durham and was ordained priest in 1993. In 1996 Philip took up the role of Vicar at Holy Trinity and St Mark’s Hartlepool and was also appointed Area Dean of Hartlepool in 2000.
In 2002 Philip was appointed Priest Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, in the Diocese of Norwich, before being appointed Team Rector of the Parish of Old St Pancras, in the Diocese of London, in 2008.
Philip took up his current role as Bishop of Burnley in 2015.
Update
WATCH The Nomination of The Rt Rev’d Philip North as the next diocesan Bishop of Blackburn
Bishop Philip’s Address at the Cathedral during the announcement of the next Bishop of Blackburn.
Women in Ministry Statement from our new Bishop-Elect of Blackburn
From the Independent Reviewer’s Sheffield Report – Bishop North’s position on the ordination of women
Statement from the Society
Christopher Peak was the registrar to the Diocese of Gloucester between January 1985 and November 2012. During this period he also represented the then-bishop of Gloucester, Peter Ball, in his personal capacity, when indecent assault allegations were made against the bishop. The Solicitors Regulation Authority, in response to a complaint from the National Secular Society, found this constituted a conflict of interest with his official duties towards the diocese. Mr Peak has accepted their findings, and has agreed to permanently remove his name from the roll of solicitors maintained by the SRA.
The matter is reported in detail as follows:
Solicitors Regulation Authority Christopher Peak
Law Society Gazette Retired solicitor agrees to quit roll over conflict of interest in defending bishop
National Secular Society Solicitor struck off for conflict of interests in defending bishop
25 CommentsAnother dean has announced his retirement, in this case the Rt Revd David Conner of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. This is not yet on the Chapel’s website, but I have been sent a copy of the current Chapel newsletter which starts with this.
The Dean of Windsor
Bishop David Conner has announced his intention to retire at the end of July 2023, twenty-five years after his appointment as Dean of Windsor.
As Dean he holds the role of Register of the Order of the Garter and was also, from 2001 to 2009, Bishop to the Forces.
David and Jayne Conner will be much missed but, given that July is several months away, there will be plenty of time to give them our heartfelt thanks and wish them a happy retirement.
62 CommentsThe Very Reverend Doctor John Davies has retired as Dean of Wells. The announcement is here and here.
7 Comments