Mrs Joanna Monckton (Lichfield) asked the Chairman of the Council for Christian Unity:
Q. Has the Council considered the implications from the point of view of the Porvoo Agreement of the announcement by the Church of Sweden that it is going to change its marriage service to take a gender neutral form so that the same form of service can be offered to same-sex couples as to heterosexual couples?
The Bishop of Guildford, Christopher Hill, replied:
A. The Church of Sweden has not yet taken a decision in response to recent state legislation providing for gender neutral marriage. The Synod meets in September and again in October and there is a proposal before it that the marriage liturgy should not be gender-specific. In the light of a letter from the Archbishop of Uppsala advising the Porvoo churches of likely developments in the legislature and the Swedish Synod, the Faith and Order Advisory Group considered the issues raised by this proposal at its last meeting and the Chairs of the CCU and FOAG have published an open letter to the Archbishop reflecting FOAG’s concerns about the implications of any revision of its marriage liturgy by the Church of Sweden. This letter is now on the Church of England website and I have arranged for a copy to be placed on the notice board.
PDF version of the letter mentioned above
Mrs Joanna Monckton (Lichfield) asked the Chairman of the Council of Christian Unity:
Q. In the light of the considerable difficulties experienced in the Anglican Communion following the consecration of a practicing homosexual as a bishop, has the Council considered the implications of the recent decision by the Church of Sweden to appoint a practising lesbian as a bishop?
The Bishop of Guildford replied:
A. The Council for Christian Unity has not had the opportunity to reflect on this recent development. When it does so it will need to consider the similarities and differences between the Anglican Communion and the communion of Porvoo Churches. However, in both contexts, the interchangeability of ordained ministries is subject to the discipline of the churches involved, which in the case of the Church of England is the discipline set out in the Revd Tony Higton’s 1988 General Synod motion and in the 1991 report Issues in Human Sexuality. The CCU has proposed that there should be a consultation next year in which the Porvoo churches share the work they have done in human sexuality and the doctrine of marriage, in order to see where there is common ground and where there are genuine differences between them.
10 CommentsThe Times Ruth Gledhill
Church of England Synod rejects bishops’ call to cut its councils
Archbishops snubbed over power-grab plans
Church of England faces calls for cuts in the number of bishops
Guardian Riazat Butt More bishops needed, says General Synod
Telegraph Martin Beckford Church of England needs more bishops, not fewer, General Synod hears
Independent Lewis Smith Grassroot unrest prompts review of bishops’ role
BBC Church considers bishop cuts
Daily Mail Steve Doughty Church of England dismisses grass root clergy’s call to axe bishops amid cash crisis
0 CommentsTwo reports from ECUSA General Convention, related to polity issues:
Episcopal Cafe reports The remarks of Dr. Jenny Te Paa to the House of Deputies.
…It may be worth my repeating here something I said the other day in my contribution to the Chicago Consultation luncheon event at which I spoke. I was sharing in all humility one of my deepest regrets (one that I know is shared by other Commissioners) that as members of the Lambeth Commission we were never fully apprised of the full facts of your polity and in particular of the limits to the power of the office of Presiding Bishop.
As a result of that crucial gap in knowledge and understanding it is my belief that the very unfair, in fact the odious myth of ‘The Episcopal Church acting (in the matter of the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson) with typical unchecked US imperialism’, was more readily enabled and abetted to grow wings and fly unchecked for way too long across the reaches of the Anglican Communion.
It was only in hindsight as a number of us as Commissioners managed to catch our breath, to compare notes and to consult with our trusted Episcopal Church sisters and brothers that I realized, that we realized, to our utterly deserved chagrin that we had perhaps failed albeit inadvertently to prevent something of the unprecedented vilification of the Episcopal Church and especially of its leadership that inevitably resulted…
George Conger writing for the Washington Times reports in Episcopal bishop warns of further schism
0 CommentsThe presiding bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church warned the Church of England not to foment schism in America, responding to a threat made over the possibility that the U.S. church will start ordaining actively gay bishops.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said Sunday, in response to questions from The Washington Times, that calls by conservatives in the Church of England for recognition of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) over gay-related issues would wound her church, already split by the secession of conservative dioceses and congregations to form the ACNA.
She urged Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to remember the “pain of many Episcopalians in several places of being shut out of their traditional worship spaces, and the broken relationships, the damaged relationships between people who have gone and people who have stayed.”
“Recognition of something like ACNA is unfortunately likely only to encourage” further secessions, she said, reminding the Church of England that “schism is not a Christian act…”
Jonathan Petre at the Daily Mail has a report: ‘Britain has become a cold place for Christians’ – Bishop warns.
8 CommentsA leading Church of England Bishop has warned that Britain has become a ‘cold place’ for Christians because of a raft of controversial equality laws.
The Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, criticised the new Equality Bill, due to be law next year, which will force religious organisations that regard same-sex relationships as sinful to employ gay workers.
In a foreword to a report by the pressure group Christian Action Research and Education, the Bishop wrote: ‘The sad fact is that Britain – which owes so much to its Christian heritage – is increasingly becoming a “cold” place which, as any reflection on the fruit of Christian good works will demonstrate, is not in the general interest of society.’
He said there appeared to be a ‘concerted’ attack on the rights of Christians and when there were clashes, gay rights triumphed.
Official report of the day is at General Synod – Summary of business conducted on Sunday 12th July 2009.
0 CommentsDave Walker has the report: Anglican Mainstream attacks Greenbelt and CMS.
As Anglican Mainstream mentions the Moral Maze radio programme, readers may wish to listen to the most recent edition. Here is the synopsis:
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week’s news. Claire Fox, Michael Portillo, Clifford Longley and Kenan Malik cross-examine witnesses.
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…
Listen here for another six days.
4 CommentsAs its last item of business on Sunday afternoon Synod considered a diocesan synod motion from Bradford.
The Revd Dr John Hartley (Bradford) moved on behalf of the Bradford Diocesan Synod:
That this Synod request the Archbishops’ Council to formulate proposals for reductions in the numbers of episcopal and senior clergy posts, taking into account reductions for the number of stipendiary clergy since 1979; and submit a report with recommendations to the General Synod within three years.
Canon Dr Christina Baxter (Southwell & Nottingham) moved as an amendment:
Leave out all the words after “That this Synod” and insert
“, welcoming
(a) the recent establishment of the new Dioceses Commission;
(b) the decision of the House of Bishops to decouple, from January 2011, national support for episcopal ministry from actual episcopal numbers; and
(c) the intention of the Archbishops’ Council later this year to begin consideration of future policy on the number of bishops and dioceses,
invite the Archbishops’ Council to prepare for the new Synod in November 2010 a progress report on the delivery of changes to the present pattern of dioceses and of episcopal deployment.”.
Dr Baxter’s amendment was carried on a show of hands.
The Revd Jonathan Clark (London) moved as an amendment:
At the end insert “and request the Faith and Order Advisory Group (or its successor body) to present to this Synod early in the next quinquennium a report:
(i) bringing together existing material in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion relating to the exercise of senior leadership in the Church; and
(ii) setting out biblical and theological perspectives to inform the Church’s developing patterns of senior leadership.”.
Mr Clark’s amendment was carried on a show of hands.
Following the two amendments the substantive motion became.
That this Synod, welcoming
(a) the recent establishment of the new Dioceses Commission;
(b) the decision of the House of Bishops to decouple, from January 2011, national support for episcopal ministry from actual episcopal numbers; and
(c) the intention of the Archbishops’ Council later this year to begin consideration of future policy on the number of bishops and dioceses,
invite the Archbishops’ Council to prepare for the new Synod in November 2010 a progress report on the delivery of changes to the present pattern of dioceses and of episcopal deployment and request the Faith and Order Advisory Group (or its successor body) to present to this Synod early in the next quinquennium a report:
(i) bringing together existing material in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion relating to the exercise of senior leadership in the Church; and
(ii) setting out biblical and theological perspectives to inform the Church’s developing patterns of senior leadership.”.
The amended substantive motion was carried on a show of hands.
Background papers
Note from the Diocese of Bradford (GS 1733A)
Note from the Dioceses Commission (GS 1733B)
On Sunday afternoon Synod debated a report Review of Constitutions (GS 1737) that proposed replacing most Church of England central boards and committees by a lead person supported by a small reference group.
Canon Dr Christina Baxter (Southwell and Nottingham), who chaired the group that produced the report, moved:
‘That this Synod
(a) welcome the further report of the Constitutions Review Group (GS 1737);
(b) endorse the recommendations set out in Annex 1 of the report; and
(c) invite the Archbishops’ Council and the Standing Orders Committee to take the steps necessary to give effect to those recommendations.’
Dr Philip Giddings (Oxford) moved as an amendment:
Leave out all the words after “That this Synod” and insert
“(a) decline to endorse the proposals set out in GS 1737; and
(b) request the Archbishops’ Council, after consultation with the boards and councils concerned, to produce revised proposals which:
(i) provide for the participation of elected Synod members in deliberation and policy-formation as well as in scrutiny and accountability; and
(ii) reflect the individual remits and sets of stake-holders of each area of activity.”
Dr Giddings’ amendment was carried on a show of hands.
As a result the substantive motion became:
That this Synod
(a) decline to endorse the proposals set out in GS 1737; and
(b) request the Archbishops’ Council, after consultation with the boards and councils concerned, to produce revised proposals which:
(i) provide for the participation of elected Synod members in deliberation and policy-formation as well as in scrutiny and accountability; and
(ii) reflect the individual remits and sets of stake-holders of each area of activity.
The amended motion was then carried on a show of hands.
Note: The report GS 1737 is not available online.
1 CommentUpdated 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 Comments