Updated Sunday afternoon
Telegraph Jonathan Wynne-Jones
Church accuses Government of favouring Muslims
Archbishop of Canterbury in bid to prevent church split over homosexuality
BBC Church to consider fewer bishops
Press Association via Independent Synod to debate calls to sack bishops
Press Association Clergy retirement age may increase
There is also an excellent piece about the Synod on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme, link via this page.
Afternoon Update
Not strictly a report from General Synod, but very interesting:
Mail on Sunday Jonathan Petre Bishops ‘will lose right to vote’ in Labour’s reform of Lords
The Times Ruth Gledhill Dr John Sentamu warns of dangers of power as Church seeks cetralisation
Telegraph Martin Beckford Archbishop of York compares teen murder victims to John the Baptist
Living Church George Conger Motion in English Synod to Recognize ACNA
3 CommentsIn the debate on retaining the “Waddington amendment” reported earlier, the bishops of Chichester and Winchester both made speeches.
Hansard reports the full texts:
Bishop of Chichester
Here’s an extract from his contribution:
3 Comments…The question that we are facing in this debate is accurately described as one of free speech. What is at stake is whether your Lordships’ House and this Parliament intend to outlaw open discussion and teaching, not just among Christians but among others, of views that differ from the currently dominant political orthodoxy, and therefore privilege, in the face of others, that currently dominant orthodoxy. To be explicit, I mean the orthodoxy that sexual preference is as innate and fixed as ethnicity, and that sexual preference or orientation is more akin to ethnicity than to religious belief. That is the current political orthodoxy that lies behind the Government’s Clause 61. People of all sorts in this country need to be assured, peaceably and quietly, whether on street corners, in churches, mosques, synagogues or wherever, that they are free to express views that others may strongly disagree with but which question the current dominant political orthodoxy.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill: The right reverend Prelate had the good fortune not to hear what I had to say. I first reassure him that I believe everything he just said to be amply protected by the law. Secondly, although he refers to what he calls “current political orthodoxy”, surely even a Lord Spiritual would accept that there is scientific evidence to show that the reason why people are gay is innate and not to do with some kind of personal choice.
The Lord Bishop of Winchester: No. My own studies, which I suspect are comparable to that of the noble Lord in these matters, suggest that that is the case for some of those who understand themselves to be gay but for others it may not be. Substantial scientific, psychological and medical research points to the statement that I made a moment ago. That is why I say that this question is by no means settled. To pass law on the assumption that we can use the language of sexual orientation and believe that we are talking about something that is absolutely fixed and clear, as ethnicity might be thought to be, is a mistaken political orthodoxy…
Mr Clive Scowen (London) asked the Secretary General:
Q. Have any representations been made to HM Government, or briefings given to members of Parliament and peers, concerning the Equality Bill currently before Parliament, in particular relating to the likely impact of its provisions on Christian employers wishing to recruit committed disciples of Christ wishing to fashion their lives according to biblical precepts and, if so, what in outline was the substance of those submissions and briefings?
Mr William Fittall replied:
A. There is a copy on the Church of England website of the substantial submission produced by the Archbishops’ Council in response to the Government’s earlier consultation exercise. We produced a briefing document for MPs for the Second reading of the Bill and I gave oral evidence to the Bill Committee on 9 June at which, with representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Board of Deputies I argued strongly against the narrowing of the provisions for religious organisation in relation to employment. Our lobbying, in partnership with others, continues both publicly and privately.
Two supplementaries were asked:
The materials mentioned by Mr Fittall can be found:
Submission to the earlier consultation (A Framework for Fairness)
0 CommentsThe Revd Angus MacLeay (Rochester) asked the Chairman of the House of Bishops:
Q. What representation did the House of Bishops have at the recent inauguration of Bishop Bob Duncan as the Primate of the Anglican Church of North America on June 24?
The Bishop of Bristol replied on behalf of the Chairman:
A. None. It is not the practice of the House to arrange such representation.
Mrs Lorna Ashworth (Chichester) asked the Chairman of the House of Bishops:
Q. Has the House of Bishops considered the relationship of the Church of England to the new Anglican Church in North America?
Mrs Alison Ruoff (London) asked the Chairman of the Ministry Division:
Q. Has the House of Bishops considered what degree of recognition and welcome the Church of England can offer to the new Anglican Church in North America?
The Bishop of Bristol, Michael Hill, replied to both these questions:
A. The House has not specifically considered this matter.
Supplementary questions were asked. These revealed, according to my contemporaneous notes, that:
The audio recording of these supplementaries is available from this page, but I have not yet had time to listen to it. My notes may be inaccurate.
11 CommentsThe official report of Saturday’s proceedings is here: General Synod – Summary of business conducted on Saturday 11th July 2009. This includes links to audio recordings of each session. No doubt this page will be further updated at the end of the evening.)
0 CommentsUpdated Saturday evening
Some ENS reports:
Marriage equality, same-gender rites receive broad support at hearings
Testimony is overwhelmingly in favor of moving beyond B033
Resolution B033 continues to spark passionate debate
Ruth Gledhill has a guest blogger, Sue Carter who writes at #ECGC Danger of ‘spiritual earwax’ at Anaheim.
From Episcopal Café
Eyes on the Floor: B033 – A Festering Wound by Richard Helmer
Fear and the Episcopal future by Rebecca Wilson
And by the way The secret theology committee is secret no more.
0 CommentsBecause General Convention is meeting at the same time as the General Synod of the Church of England, coverage of the former here is inevitably limited. I linked before to a post of Dave Walker which suggested sources of information.
Here are some additional sources:
Titusonenine (Kendall Harmon)
2 CommentsCatherine Pepinster writes in The Times about how Social justice and the spiritual walk hand in hand.
Simon Rocker writes in the Guardian that Anti-discrimination law can be a double-edged sword for religious minorities.
At the Church Times David Edwards asks Does the C of E really value the Bible?
Last week, Colin Craston wrote that Communion doesn’t mean agreeing.
And Rebecca Paveley talked to Stephen Green about The credit side of banking.
At Ekklesia Symon Hill writes about Penitent homophobes.
0 CommentsThe Times Ruth Gledhill wrote yesterday about the forthcoming debate on re-organising many of the General Synod committees. Her news report was headlined Reform to hand Archbishop of Canterbury huge power. On her blog she added more information, including the whole text of a note by Philip Giddings. See General Synod: Laity asked to pay for loss of power.
Riazat Butt at the Guardian previews some other items, Church of England could cut number of bishops amid funding crisis.
Martin Beckford reports on yesterday for the Telegraph Church of England General Synod should talk more about wallets than people’s anatomy’ and Church of England bishops fear for ‘fragile unity’ of Anglicanism over new gay marriage moves.
Steve Doughty has two reports in the Daily Mail Church of England asks its flock for £1,000 a year and Church of England under pressure to accept gay marriage.
The letter about the Church of Sweden to which Steve and Martin refer can be found here.
There is a BBC report Synod to discuss boosting income.
4 CommentsOfficial report of the day’s proceedings, together with audio recordings of them, is at
General Synod – Summary of business conducted on Friday 10th July 2009 PM.
For some indications of what the Questions covered, see my Twitter entries from that session.
I will post more information about the Questions and Answers during the day tomorrow.
0 CommentsFor the background to this, see bishops oppose repeal of Waddington.
The relevant bill reached the House of Lords this week, and as the Independent reports,
Peers today defeated the Government’s attempt to overturn a “free speech” defence to the law on homophobic hatred.
The move by Tory former Home Secretary Lord Waddington to uphold the provision was passed by 186 votes to 133, majority 53.
Read ‘Free speech’ defeats incitement laws by Nicholas Randall and Anthony Looch, Press Association.
The BBC also reports it as Labour defeat on incitement laws.
Riazat Butt has written a comment article on Cif belief Free speech or homophobia?
9 Comments…The Bishop of Winchester, a senior Anglican cleric, said: “What is at stake is whether this House and this Parliament intends to outlaw, among not just Christians but others, open discussion and teaching of views that differ from the currently dominant political orthodoxy.”
Some peers, as well as the Ministry of Justice, were disappointed with today’s result, saying the free speech provision would be used as a defence by those looking to incite hatred towards gays and lesbians.
In what was portrayed as a battle for free speech, a coalition of Anglican bishops, Conservative peers, Labour malcontents and leading crossbenchers united to block the proposals…
The Chicago Consultation has published this study guide Christian Holiness and Human Sexuality. (PDF file).
The contributors are:
Marilyn McCord Adams, Oxford University
Wil Gafney, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
A. Katherine Grieb, Virginia Theological Seminary
Louis Weil, Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Ellen K. Wondra, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Sylvia Sweeney, Episcopal Theological School at Claremont (Bloy House)Edited by
Gary R. Hall, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Ruth A. Meyers, Church Divinity School of the Pacific
ENS has a news report, Chicago Consultation releases homosexuality study guide.
Bringing its support for full inclusion of gay and lesbian Christians to General Convention, the group called the Chicago Consultation released on July 7 a study guide designed to help people in the pew face tough questions about homosexuality — and come up with their own answers.
But leaders of the 18-month-old group made clear that the 34-page booklet, Christian Holiness & Human Sexuality: A Study Guide for Episcopalians, presents a perspective in support of same-sex blessings and the ordination of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Episcopalians.
“In parishes everywhere there are members of the church who are struggling with misconceptions about human sexuality in the context of scripture, tradition and liturgy,” said the Rev. Ruth Meyers, co-editor of the new publication. “We’re trying to reconcile that with this study guide by providing information that can help people to make up their own minds.”
The booklet’s five essays, written by eminent Episcopal and Anglican theologians, review human sexuality within the context of scripture, tradition, ethics and liturgy, followed by eight pages of discussion questions. The publication, however, does not pretend to be an objective presentation of different opinions.
“Presenting disparate views on the issue is not the purpose of this study guide,” Meyers said. “The purpose is to show why we believe GLBT persons are a part of God’s gift to us.”
Meanwhile, Resolution B012 Pastoral Generosity in Addressing Civil Marriage was considered at legislative hearings.
Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That this 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church acknowledge the pastoral concerns facing those dioceses in states where the civil marriage of same gender couples is legal; and be it further
Resolved, That in those dioceses, under the direction of the bishop, generous discretion is extended to clergy in the exercise of their pastoral ministry in order to permit the adaptation of the Pastoral Offices for The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage and The Blessing of a Civil Marriage for use with all couples who seek the church’s support and God’s blessing in their marriages; and be it further
Resolved, That in order to build a body of experience for the benefit of the church, each bishop in those dioceses where this pastoral practice is exercised provide an annual written report on their experience to the House of Bishops each March and to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for its report to the 77th General Convention.
See ENS report Resolution to allow ‘generous discretion’ for same-sex blessings draws passionate debate.
Episcopal Café also has reports, Hearing no objections and Chicago Consultation reception draws quite a crowd.
0 CommentsUpdated Saturday
The Archbishop of Canterbury is at Anaheim, California, where the American General Convention is being held.
Reports of his visit, from ENS:
Global economics a ‘crisis of truthfulness,’ Archbishop of Canterbury tells convention
Describing the global economic downturn as a “crisis of truthfulness,” Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams addressed more than 2,000 people attending a July 8 forum in Anaheim, California, as part of the Episcopal Church’s General Convention.
During the last six to nine months, Williams said, “we have suddenly discovered we have been lying to ourselves. For the last decade or more there has been a steady erosion of trust in our financial life. Our word has not been our bond. We have learned to tolerate high levels of evasion and anti-relational practices.
“We have lied to ourselves about the possibility of profit without risk,” Williams told those gathered at the forum, titled Christian Faithfulness in the Global Economic Crisis.
“We have lied to ourselves consistently about the possibility of limitless material growth in a limited world. We have denied precisely that ubuntu that this convention seeks to venerate and reinforce,” Williams added, referring to the convention theme that emphasizes the interconnectedness of people in community…
Archbishop hears from cross section of Episcopal Church
…In addition to observing the work of the House of Bishops, Williams met with members of the convention’s official youth presence, the House of Deputies president’s council of advice and a small group of lesbian and gay deputies. He also met with provisional and assisting bishops in the four dioceses that are reorganizing after the majority of their members and leadership left the church…
And from Episcopal Café
Anderson and advisors meet with Archbishop Williams
…Anderson said she and her council expressed to Williams their concern that communications and requests to the Episcopal Church are typically addressed only to the Church’s House of Bishops, which does not have authority, on its own, to respond to them.
“We are a church of more than one order of voices,” Anderson said to several reporters after the meeting.
Sally Johnson, Anderson’s chancellor and a deputy from the Diocese of Minnesota, said that the group told Williams it hoped that requests to the Episcopal Church be addressed to the Episcopal Church, rather than to the House of Bishops. “Allow The Episcopal Church to decide for it who decides,” she said.
“No one can respond and bind the Episcopal Church except the General Convention,” Johnson added. “These may seem like fine distinctions to other people, but to us they are foundational…“
The archbishop also attended the opening service where the Presiding Bishop preached.
Dave Walker explains how to follow General Convention on the internet.
Update
The full text of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s meditation at the eucharist is available here.
Archbishop of Canterbury visits Santa Ana preschoolers
18 CommentsAnglican Mainstream has now published the full texts of the two exchanges between FCA and Buckingham Palace.
Correspondence between Her Majesty the Queen and the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
18 CommentsThe previous report on this matter is at RC adoption agency loses appeal.
The latest development is that the Charity Tribunal has given approval for an appeal to the High Court against some of its recent findings.
The full text of its decision on the appeal is here: Ruling on Catholic Care’s request for Permission to Appeal (6 July 2009)
Charity Finance explains:
Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) has been granted leave to appeal to the High Court against certain parts, but not all, of the Charity Tribunal’s recent decision not to allow it to discriminate against gay people.
As the case is believed to have been the first in which a court or tribunal was asked to consider the correct interpretation of regulation 18 of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, the Tribunal said the case “raises a point of law of public importance which it would be appropriate for the High Court to consider on appeal”.
…But now it has said that Catholic Care can take the case to the High Court to argue seven of its 14 grounds for appeal. The seven that are allowed collectively raise the same point of law, namely that the Tribunal erred in its interpretation of the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 and its interpretation of regulation 18 in particular.
However, it will not allow the charity to appeal against the other seven points raised, concluding that these were “misconceived”.
Third Sector also has a report.
Any appeal will presumably also be of great interest to the Scottish Charity Regulator, which appears to have allowed a Scottish RC agency to make similar changes to its trust deed.
1 CommentMartin Beckford reports in the Telegraph House of Lords votes against allowing Britons to help terminally ill die at ‘suicide clinics’.
Controversial plans that were feared to “give the green light” to the state sanctioning assisted suicide have been thrown out by peers….
Two bishops spoke in this debate:
Other news reports:
The Times Amendment to relax law on assisted dying is thrown out by peers
Guardian Disabled peer pleads against legalising assisted suicide
Updated Wednesday noon
George Pitcher at the Telegraph has written Anti-gay Anglicans take Queen’s name in vain.
…“Sources close to the Palace”, as they say, have coughed lightly and raised an eyebrow to one another. That’s a courtier’s equivalent of being incandescent with rage.
Because Her Majesty said no such thing. A secretary wrote in reply to representations that Her Majesty (as Supreme Governor of the Church of England) “understands the commitment to the Anglican Church that prompted you and your brethren to write as you did”. And that was a year ago, in reply to a letter to her from what was then called Gafcon, when the traditionalists met in Jerusalem. She then sent her “good wishes to all concerned” last week in response to a separate approach from Foca. Even Foca’s trumpet-bearers at the Anglican Mainstream website carry these passages…
BBC Radio 4 tonight: The Moral Maze:
…While Conservative and Labour politicians are trading insults with each other in a bid to win over the ‘gay vote’, the Bishop of Rochester has taken a different tack. With the rainbow bunting from London’s Pride festival hardly yet packed away, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said homosexuals should change and repent their sin.
The Church of England has been embroiled in a doctrinal battle over sexuality since the ordination of the first openly homosexual bishop in 2003. The Bishop of Rochester was speaking just before the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, a conservative group in the Church of England. ‘We want to hold on to the traditional teachings of the Church. We don’t want to be rolled over by culture and trends in the Church.’ Well, despite Michael Nazir-Ali’s attempts to clarify his position, saying that we all need to repent for straying from God’s purpose for us, it hasn’t stopped the accusations of homophobia…
Dave Walker at the Church Times blog has a selection of blog posts titled Anglo Catholics unimpressed by the FCA launch meeting.
Update
Dave has now added a comprehensive roundup of links to bloggers who have commented on the FCA meeting. See Bloggers on the FCA launch.
Updated – make that three items…
Colin Coward has written Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali condemned by The Times.
…Changing Attitude took to task the group of bishops supporting yesterday’s launch back in September 2008 when Blackburn, Chester, Chichester, Exeter, Rochester and Winchester wrote in support of Bishop Bob Duncan in the USA…
…Today’s Times leader says that Michael Nazir-Ali is willing to provoke splits and risk schism within the Anglican Communion and has now signalled insubordination to the authority of Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Bishops of Exeter and Winchester emailed me in anger last September, Exeter saying there was absolutely no reason to assume that any of them were contemplating or would desire the kind of action about which I speculated. Yet at the time, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said a new Province was needed in England and all six bishops either attended or send messages of support yesterday.
The Bishop of Rochester thinks homosexuals should “repent and be changed.” The Times says he has “inflamed an issue on which social attitudes have changed radically for the better within a generation.”
I have yet to hear any of the other five bishops publicly disown the stance taken by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, either in his comment about needing a new Province or in his attitude to lesbian and gay people which is doing so much damage to ability of the Church of England to evangelise in England…
Jonathan Bartley has written for Cif belief Evangelicals are betraying their heritage.
On Monday a new coalition of evangelical and Anglo-Catholic parishes launched within the Church of England, claiming to uphold the “traditional biblical view” on homosexuality.
But such a coalition was unlikely to be contemplated by evangelicals at many times gone by. For the original evangelical spirit with its reforming zeal and progressive outlook was more often at odds with traditionalists, than aligned with them. The idea of an alliance with those of a conservative disposition would have been an anathema…
Simon Rundell wrote FoCA – the beginning of the end.
11 Comments…The (few) members of the House of Bishops supporting this schism should be ashamed. If they aren’t ashamed, then they should have the integrity to resign from this Church. This would, of course, leave Chichester without Episcopal oversight, but hey, at least all those gay priests in Chichester would know where they stood. Likewise, I note with sadness the support of the PEVs – they who have in their care a disproportionately high number of gay priests, most not even safely in the closet, but many who have active partners – I went to Mirfield, and that is how I know this to be the case. I wonder how cheated they feel at present. As MadPriest asked yesterday, is it worth the sacrifice of their integrity and their self-worth just simply to keep the girls out? We ordain women because we baptise girls…
Updated again Tuesday afternoon
Religious Intelligence FCA threatens Church run by “Satan” by Toby Cohen
Reuters Orthodox Anglicans won’t leave Church of England by Harpreet Bhal
Cif belief Anglican schism? Bring it on by Theo Hobson
The Times The spiritual battle for the soul of Anglicanism by Ruth Gledhill on Articles of Faith.
BBC Church group ‘not planning split’
The full text of Archbishop Peter Jensen’s presentation is here.
And the presentation on behalf of Archbishop Peter Akinola, Primate of Nigeria and Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council delivered by Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of Bendel, Nigeria, is here.
Updates
The Times
Ruth Gledhill Britain in battle for its soul, says Sydney Archbishop Peter Jensen
and
Leading Article: Bishop’s wrong move
…Bishop Nazir-Ali is a longstanding critic of modern mores and church accommodation with them. He has become increasingly outspoken as his early retirement from Rochester approaches. But his willingness to provoke splits and risk schism within the Anglican Communion serves neither Church nor nation. He commented before yesterday’s gathering that homosexuals should “repent and be changed”. He thereby inflamed an issue on which social attitudes have changed radically for the better within a generation, and signalled insubordination to the authority of Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. To adapt the words of Clement Attlee to an obstreperous Labour critic: a period of silence on his part would be welcome…
Telegraph Martin Beckford Bishop of Lewes: Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans formed to counter ‘heartache’
And an earlier report that I missed, Religious Intelligence Bishop attacks ‘lurid’ headlines
The Bishop, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, had given an interview to the Sunday Telegraph ahead of today’s launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in London.
In the interview he was reported as calling for gay people to repent and change, and his comments provoked a strong backlash from gay groups, liberal Christians and from the media…
Two items from Changing Attitude:
Davis Mac-Iyalla reports on Archbishop Okoh’s visit to Christ Church Beckenham
Schismatic bishops obsessed with gays
Greetings to Be Faithful from Her Majesty the Queen, Archbishops and others
Her Majesty the Queen:
After the Jerusalem conference we wrote to her Majesty the Queen expressing our concerns for the Anglican Communion, our loyalty to her as the Supreme Governor of the CofE, and the pressing need for the Anglican Church to remain faithful to the biblical gospel. She replied that she ‘understands the commitment to the Anglican Church that prompted you and your brethren to write as you did’. She sent us another message last week, expressing her encouragement for our meeting today, and her (quote) ‘good wishes to all concerned for a successful and memorable event’.
The Most Reverend Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury:
‘I shall be glad to hold all of you in my prayers for the occasion’.