Thinking Anglicans

General Synod Questions

The Questions (and Answers) for next week’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod were published today. The Question session (on Tuesday afternoon) will be devoted to supplementary questions.

Questions Notice Paper November 2021
Question 3 Notice Board
Question 13 Notice Board – page 1
Question 13 Notice Board – page 2
Question 88 Notice Board

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Ghana: archbishop issues a second statement

Updated Saturday afternoon

On 22 October, we published Anglican bishops in Ghana support anti-gay legislation. This was updated on 26 October to add the first statement issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury: Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement on Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.

Yesterday, 12 November, the archbishop issued another statement: Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement following a meeting with the Archbishop, bishops and senior clergy of the Anglican Church of Ghana. This is copied in full immediately below.

The Church Times reported this way: Welby apologises for Ghana LGBTQ+ pronouncement.

Update: Today, the General Synod Questions and Answers file was published (ahead of the session next Tuesday afternoon). Two questions relate to Ghana. These are copied below the fold.

Statement 12/11/2021

Read the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement following a meeting with the Archbishop, bishops and senior clergy of the Anglican Church of Ghana last week:

On 3rd November, I met online with the Anglican Archbishop of Ghana, the Most Revd Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, and several bishops and senior clergy from the Anglican Church of Ghana. We discussed their response to the draft Bill that is before the Ghanaian parliament, aimed at strengthening family life but including within it provision for the criminalisation of many LGBTQI+ people.

I welcomed this conversation, which should have happened before my previous statement. That is not mere diplomacy: Christ commands us to speak directly and prayerfully with our brothers and sisters. I apologised for failing to do so.

We affirmed that the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution 1.10 represents the last and most widely accepted statement by the Anglican Communion on the question of human sexuality.

We agreed that all human beings are made in God’s image and are worthy of love, respect and dignity, and that the Church of Jesus Christ is called to demonstrate the love of God by protecting all vulnerable people and communities.

This was a conversation between equals: I have no authority over the Church of Ghana, nor would I want any. I say that partly because of Britain’s colonial history in Ghana, but also because of the very nature of the Anglican Communion. We are a global family of churches who are autonomous but interdependent: a holy, catholic, apostolic Church bound together by history, sacraments, liturgy, and the love of Jesus Christ for each and every person.

One of the key conclusions of the meeting is that human dignity is always paramount, and that cultural, social and historical contexts must also be considered and understood.

I encourage continued good conversation with the Anglican Church of Ghana, with the same courteous but clear and robust conversation as I experienced, ahead of any future public statements.

(more…)

43 Comments

Opinion – 13 November 2021

Ian Gomersall St Chrysostom’s Church News and Views Not a failed orange

Nikki Groarke ViaMedia.News General Synod – A Pragmatic View from the Middle Ground

Peter Leonard OneBodyOneFaith Informed Consent?

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Going Public: Reasons for Hope in the Aftermath of Julie Macfarlane’s book

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love CA England call for appointment of six members of LGBTIQ+ community to the House of Bishops

1 Comment

Acting Bishop of Lincoln

It has been announced from Lambeth Palace that the Bishop of Ely, Stephen Conway, is to be Acting Bishop in the Diocese of Lincoln, following the retirement of Bishop Christopher Lowson in December 2021. Bishop Stephen will spend half of his time in Lincoln and half in Ely, and the arrangement is for an initial period of one year. In a letter to the diocese of Lincoln, the Archbishop writes:

You will be aware that we have started the process for the appointment of your next bishop and thank you to those of you who have shared your hopes and prayers for the Gospel and for the witness of the Church of England across Lincolnshire through the various listening exercises.
Following a meeting with Bishop Christopher Lowson and a subsequent meeting with the Bishop’s Staff team, I have asked Bishop Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely, to be the Acting Bishop of Lincoln from the 1st January 2022. Stephen will be spending half of his time in Lincoln and the arrangement will be reviewed at the end of the year. This will mean a longer vacancy period than we had originally planned but we hope that a pause in the appointment process will provide some space and time to reflect on the longer term needs of the diocese.

The full text of the announcement is on the Lincoln diocesan website and copied below the fold. The announcement from the Archbishop of Canterbury is here, and a letter from Bishop Stephen Conway to the diocese of Ely is here.

(more…)

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Bishop of Loughborough

Press release from Number 10. There are more details on the Leicester diocesan website.

Suffragan Bishop of Loughborough: 12 November 2021

The Queen has approved the nomination of The Reverend Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly to the Suffragan See of Loughborough.

From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 12 November 2021

The Queen has approved the nomination of The Reverend Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly (known as Saju), Vicar of St Mark’s Gillingham, in the Diocese of Rochester, to the Suffragan See of Loughborough, in the Diocese of Leicester, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Gulnar Francis-Dehqani following her translation to the See of Chelmsford.

Background

Saju grew up in the Syrian Orthodox Church in South India. He was educated at the Southern Asia Bible College in Bangalore and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St Thomas’, Lancaster in the Diocese of Blackburn and was ordained Priest in 2009.

Saju was appointed Associate Vicar at St Thomas’, Kendal and St Catherine’s, Crook in the Diocese of Carlisle in 2011. He has served at St Mark’s, Gillingham and St Mary’s Island in the Diocese of Rochester since 2015 initially as Priest-in-Charge, before being appointed Vicar in 2019.

3 Comments

Opinion – 10 November 2021

Archdruid Eileen The Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley Let’s Hear it for Zebedee

Rosie Harper ViaMedia.News General Synod: Over and Out!

8 Comments

Opinion – 6 November 2021

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Living in Love and Faith in crisis: the latest manifestation of abuse in the Church
and The abusive toxic culture produced by the evangelical doctrine of penal substitution

Trevor Wyatt ViaMedia.News On Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali’s Move to Rome…

Rob Dyer Ministry Architects They’re Not Coming Back

77 Comments

next Bishop of Swansea and Brecon

News from the Church in Wales

Former Navy aircraft engineer appointed Bishop

An aircraft engineer, who served in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War, will be the next Bishop of Swansea and Brecon.

The Archdeacon of Wrexham, John Lomas, has been chosen as the 10th Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, a diocese which stretches south to the coast of the Gower and north into much of mid-Wales…

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Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments and Development to retire

News from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York

Archbishops pay tribute to Caroline Boddington for 17 years of service to Church of England
03/11/2021

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have paid tribute to the service of Caroline Boddington, who has announced today she will be leaving the National Church Institutions (NCIs) at the end of 2021 after 17 years as the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments and Development.

Caroline has been a senior adviser to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York since she joined the NCIs in 2004. During this time she has transformed the process by which senior appointments are made in the Church of England – with a particular focus on ensuring greater diversity among candidates for senior roles.

As well as supporting those exploring senior leadership roles and those involved in discerning candidates for the better part of twenty years, Caroline has led the transformation of the leadership and ministerial development for bishops and deans, and for those who are thinking about wider leadership roles in the future through the Strategic Leadership Development Programme.

Caroline has led the modernisation of the processes that ensure the recruitment for appointments to senior ecclesiastical office is fair and transparent – as well as grounded in prayer and guided by the Holy Spirit. She has also overseen the induction of bishops and deans into their new roles.

As part of changes being made to simplify the structures of the NCIs and bring functions together to support the Church’s Vision and strategic priorities for the 2020s, a new expanded remit for the Ministry team will include clergy HR and aspects of senior leadership development, bringing the entire clergy and lay ministry life cycle into one team. Caroline’s decision comes in the light of those changes. The Archbishops’ Appointments Secretary role will continue to lead on senior clergy appointments.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Most Revd Justin Welby and the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, said: “It’s hard to overstate the impact that Caroline has had on the Church of England over the past 17 years – or our gratitude for her service. Inspired by her deep faith and devoted discipleship, Caroline’s leadership has been marked by a tireless willingness to ask the difficult questions and challenge our thinking and processes. As a result, senior appointments increasingly reflect the diversity of the people of God and the Church of Jesus Christ.

“Meanwhile Caroline has been committed to providing bishops and deans with continual support and development, while nurturing the next generation of leaders. These have been gifts to the Church that will bear fruit for many years to come. Caroline leaves the NCIs with our prayers, gratitude and very best wishes for the future.”

Caroline Boddington said: “It has truly been a privilege to serve the Church of England over the last seventeen years. To have been alongside individuals, dioceses and cathedrals as they have sought to discern their vocation has been a precious gift. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had and for the creative and stimulating colleagues with whom I have worked in all sorts of teams and project groups. I will miss them greatly as I now step into my own journey of exploration as to what might be next.”

Links:

54 Comments

Opinion – 3 November 2021

Helen King sharedconversations Handing on the baton? Part 2

Simon Butler ViaMedia.News General Synod: Once More Unto the Breach?

Pete Hobson Psephizo Who needs a Trade Union for Faith?

Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Living in Love and Faith: A Guide for Members of General Synod
[This refers to GS Misc 1306 which can be downloaded here.]

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Should the Church be spending money on reputational management?

2 Comments

LLF Next Steps Group Meeting on 12th October 2021

Press release from the Church of England

LLF Next Steps Group Meeting on 12th October 2021
03/11/2021

The Next Steps Group agreed that the next interim findings from the LLF Questionnaire should be circulated for the December House of Bishops meeting, particularly with a view to assessing the extent and diversity of participation.

Members heard about and agreed to the production of a short film that will encourage churches to engage with LLF. A small group of people who have taken part in the LLF Course will be filmed in conversation about their experience.

The Group noted the importance of offering new members of General Synod an induction to LLF and took action to ensure this would happen at the November 2021 group of sessions.

In early 2022 Diocesan Synods will be invited to participate in the LLF journey of learning, listening and discerning together. The group agreed to produce materials to enable Synods to do this as appropriate for their context. A key question would be: what kind of church do we want to be and what is the role of Diocesan Synods within that?

The Next Steps bishops concluded by reflecting together what it would look like for the group to have carried out their responsibilities as effectively and successfully as possible.

5 Comments

Opinion – 30 October 2021

The Guardian editorial The Guardian view on the Church of England: the numbers are not adding up
The paper has published several letters in response to its editorial: Parish churches have been living on a prayer.

Theo Hobson The Spectator Why I’m paying my daughter to go to church

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Is it time to start discussing Bullying in the Church?

Phil Groves ViaMedia.News ‘The Bible is Clear’, Consent & ‘Conversion Therapy’

83 Comments

Church launches consultation on plans to get to net zero carbon

Press release from the Church of England

Church launches consultation on plans to get to net zero carbon in just nine years as new Synod prepares to meet
28/10/2021

The Church of England is to consult dioceses, cathedrals, national institutions, parishes, schools, and other interested parties on a proposed routemap to achieve net zero carbon by 2030, as papers are published for November’s inaugural meeting of a new General Synod.

The draft routemap, published among today’s General Synod papers, suggests how all parts of the Church of England can make changes together to achieve the ambitious target set by General Synod in 2020 to be net zero carbon 20 years ahead of the Government’s targets.

It includes recommendations for building maintenance, heating and the availability of specialist advice for each setting alongside how the central Church and dioceses can offer support.

The newly elected Synod will be formally inaugurated on Tuesday November 16 at the start of a two-day meeting.

Items on the agenda include a debate on the wealth gap in the UK and discussions about Church matters including the recent review of governance and the development of a new vision and strategy for the Church of England in the 2020s and beyond.

That includes an ambitious goal to double the number of children and young people in churches.

The recent elections attracted a record number of candidates (with 956 standing for the Houses of Clergy and Laity combined) and returned a majority of new members – 60 per cent of those elected.

The meeting at Church House Westminster will be the first full group pf sessions held in person since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Making possible Synod’s ‘ambitious target’ of net-zero by 2030

The draft net zero carbon routemap has been written by a sub-committee of the Church of England’s Environmental Working Group, chaired by the Bishop of Selby, Dr John Thomson, with advice from across the Church and charities.

He said: “God’s creation is in crisis, and there is an urgent call to address this at every level of our global community, to protect creation, including the world’s poorest communities who are being affected the most and soonest by climate change.

“Synod has set an ambitious target, and this represents the next step in building consensus around a workable plan for the whole Church to meet that aim and to make the target possible.

“We recognise this will be challenging and there will be a financial cost, however many adaptations can also be made simply and quickly, such as switching to a green energy provider, filling gaps in windows, and changing lightbulbs, all of which can help to reduce energy costs.

“I encourage individuals and communities to engage with these consultation proposals and to think at every level what can be done to be part of the change we need to live out in response to our Christian calling to safeguard and care for all of God’s creation.”

Global leaders will be meeting in Glasgow to discuss how the world can tackle the climate emergency following increasingly frequent extreme weather events, the IPCC’s “code red for humanity” report, and depleting biodiversity.

The Government has committed to a target of net zero carbon by 2050, with an interim target of a 78 per cent reduction, set in April 2021.

Becky Clark, Director of Churches and Cathedrals for the Archbishops’ Council, said: “This consultation seeks to gather a wide range of views to build consensus on how the Church of England can both reduce its carbon footprint and also model care for creation.

“Buildings are at the heart of this and all involved are aware of the significant challenges, not least to parishes and cathedrals struggling to recover from the pandemic.

“However there are already amazing examples of churches that are at the vanguard of low carbon adaptations, demonstrating that even the highest listed buildings can make vital changes and be part of tackling the climate emergency.”

Anyone can respond to the consultation online before the closing date of 28 February 2022, with responses particularly requested from Dioceses and Cathedrals.

There will be a series of information sessions, open to all, in the autumn of 2021 to discuss the suggestions, and answer questions arising during the consultation period.

More information:

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General Synod Papers – 16&17 November 2021

Papers for next month’s meeting of the Church of England General Synod are now available online. There is a list (with links and a note of the day sheduled for their debate) in numerical order below the fold.

Timetable
GS 2232 Agenda November 2021

Press release

(more…)

10 Comments

Opinion – 23 October 2021

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Are Clergy Teams the future? Some reflections

Miranda Threfall-Holmes Women and the Church How feminists can be nourished by the Bible
[53 minute video]

Madeleine Davies and Pat Ashworth Church Times High turnover in General Synod elections

Theos Room for the Soul
Pete Whitehead examines the importance of last rites and access to clergy for those close to death.

James Mustard ViaMedia.News Fr Alan Griffin – Unconscious Homophobia?

81 Comments

Anglican bishops in Ghana support anti-gay legislation

Updated 25 October and 26 October

The Telegraph reported last week: Ghana’s parliament to vote on what could be world’s toughest anti-gay laws

From the USA, both the Living Church and Episcopal Café have also reported this story:

The Anglican bishops of Ghana have issued this statement:

We, the House of Bishops representing the Anglican Church, Ghana (Internal Province of Ghana) have thrown our weight behind the anti-gay (LGBTQI+) Bill currently before the House of Parliament, Ghana. Our support is borne out of the belief that LGBTQI+ “is unbiblical and ungodly”.

We see LGBTQI+ as unrighteousness in the sight of God and therefore will do anything within our powers and mandate to ensure that the bill comes into fruition.

We further state that, aside Christianity, the Ghanaian tradition and culture do not permit such act. This is about morality today and that of the future generation yet unborn. We as leaders must leave a legacy everyone will be proud of. Christ- like legacy of hope. It will be recalled that earlier on in the year, (28th February 2021) during the enthronement of His Grace, the Most Reverend Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith as Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana, at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and all Angels, AsanteMampong, His Excellency the President of Ghana in no uncertain terms, condemned this unholy act.

The Anglican Church, Ghana sees this homosexual practice as an act condemned by scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments. Leviticus 20:13 clearly declares that, a male lying with a fellow male is an abomination and punishable by death. Similarly, in the New Testament, Paul speaks of homosexuality as “contrary to sound doctrine” as recorded in 1 Timothy 1:10 ‘for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers–and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine’ It must be noted in our earlier declaration that, the church does not condemn persons of homosexuality tendencies but absolutely condemn the sinful acts and activities that they perform.

We therefore appeal to our members and the public not to embark on any form of harassment, intimidation, hostilities etc. on individuals or groups associated with LGBTQI+ but rather, see them as potential souls to be won for Christ.

We as a church assures that, we will gladly open our counselling and support centres for the needed transformation services required by these persons or groups. We further advocate for intense education on the Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 to avoid acts of emotionalism and sentimentality by our members and the general public.

We will consistently urge our members and the general public to join the church as it prays towards eliminating any impediments towards the realization of the bill. We are hopeful that the House of Parliament will listen to the cry of many Ghanaians who are anxious to see the bill passed. May God continue to bless our beautiful homeland Ghana and free us from all forms of unrighteousness.

Dr Charlie Bell wrote this letter to the editor of the Church Times:

Sir, — This week, the Anglican Church in Ghana urged the government to get on and pass the anti-LGBTQI Bill. The Bill calls for the imprisonment of LGBTQI activists and those who show public displays of affection, for the criminalisation of LGBTQI support groups, the implementation of forms of conversion therapy and forced surgery for intersex people.

We have heard much in the run-up to the delayed Lambeth Conference about walking together as a communion — a communion whose Primates have pledged to work against homophobia.

Not a word has been spoken by any bishop in the Church of England about this looming, Church-sponsored infringement of basic human rights. It is quite scandalous that our pledge of commitment to the Anglican Communion appears to focus on the men in power rather than the most vulnerable in the pews.

Updates

Via Media.News published this by Peter Leonard: Ghana: “Grandma, What Big Teeth You Have….!”

Portsmouth Diocese has published: Senior staff issue statement on our links with Ghana

A statement regarding our links with the Anglican Church in Ghana, and the support of its bishops for a bill being considered by the country’s Parliament:

Our bishop-designate, Bishop Jonathan Frost, our commissary bishop, Bishop Rob Wickham, and the senior staff of the Diocese of Portsmouth said, “As a diocese, we have long-standing, formal links with the Anglican Church in Ghana, which we value. However, we are dismayed to hear that the country’s Anglican bishops have thrown their weight behind the ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values’ Bill.

“We are seeking urgent conversations with our colleagues in Ghana to ask why – not least in the light of the communique signed by all Anglican Primates in 2016, in which they pledged to reject criminal sanctions against members of the LGBT+ community, and to challenge homophobia.

“We strongly oppose the bill currently being considered by the Ghanaian Parliament, which proposes imprisonment of members of the LGBT+ community for being who they are, and to criminalise those who wish to support them. We believe this to be a fundamental violation of people’s human rights, which we believe will lead to state-sponsored violence that will threaten the lives of those in the LGBT+ community and their friends. As Christians, we also believe this stigmatises people in a way that does not affirm the value of each person as a unique individual, created in God’s image.

“We are committed to our relationship with our Anglican brothers and sisters in Ghana, and there is much mutual respect. Our close relationship prompts us to challenge each other as fellow disciples of Jesus Christ, sharpening each other’s thinking and speaking up against injustice in our respective countries.”

Statement made by:

  • The Rt Rev Jonathan Frost, Dean of York and Bishop-designate of Portsmouth
  • The Rt Rev Rob Wickham, commissary bishop for the Diocese of Portsmouth
  • The Very Rev Anthony Cane, Dean of Portsmouth
  • The Ven Peter Leonard, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight
  • The Ven Jenny Rowley, Archdeacon of Portsdown
  • Canon Will Hughes, acting Archdeacon of the Meon
  • The Rev Allie Kerr, associate Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight
  • Victoria James, Diocesan Secretary
  • The Rev Max Cross, chairman of Portsmouth’s Inter-Diocesan West Africa Link (IDWAL) committee

The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued this: Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement on Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, said today:

“I am gravely concerned by the draft anti-LGBTQ+ Bill due to be debated by the Ghanaian parliament. I will be speaking with the Archbishop of Ghana in the coming days to discuss the Anglican Church of Ghana’s response to the Bill.

“The majority of Anglicans within the global Anglican Communion are committed to upholding both the traditional teaching on marriage as laid out in the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution I:10, and the rights of every person, regardless of sexual orientation, before the law. In Resolution I:10, the Anglican Communion also made a commitment “to assure [LGBTQ+ people] that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ.” Meanwhile on numerous occasions the Primates of the Anglican Communion have stated their opposition to the criminalisation of same-sex attracted people: most recently, and unanimously, in the communiqué of the 2016 Primates’ Meeting.

“I remind our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Church of Ghana of these commitments.

“We are a global family of churches, but the mission of the church is the same in every culture and country: to demonstrate, through its actions and words, God’s offer of unconditional love to every human being through Jesus Christ.”

Notes: 

1. The 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution I.10: https://www.anglicancommunion.org/resources/document-library/lambeth-conference/1998/section-i-called-to-full-humanity/section-i10-human-sexuality 

2. The 2016 Primates’ Meeting Communiqué: https://www.anglicannews.org/features/2016/01/communique-from-the-primates-meeting-2016.aspx

75 Comments

Meeting of the House of Bishops, 19 & 20 October 2021

Press release from the Church of England

Meeting of the House of Bishops, 19 & 20 October 2021
20/10/2021

The first in-person meeting of the House of Bishops since March 2020 was held over a two-day period (October 19 & 20) in York.

The Bishop of Manchester opened the meeting following opening prayers.

Two safeguarding items were presented for consideration and discussion.

The first item updated the House regarding changes in safeguarding governance, with the creation of the Independent Safeguarding Board and the recent appointment of the Board’s Chair and a Survivor Advocate. The House noted the progress made to date.

The second item concerned House of Bishops Safeguarding Guidance on Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults that has been revised and presented to the House for approval.

The House heard introductory remarks by the Church’s lead safeguarding bishop, and a presentation on Spiritual Abuse from Dr Lisa Oakley who previously led the Spiritual Abuse Task and Finish Group. This was followed by discussion.

The House noted its thanks to the National Safeguarding Steering Group and the National Safeguarding Team for their work and affirmed the need for clear guidance on spiritual abuse. It was agreed that the paper should come back to the House in December with the NSSG further addressing points raised and bringing a full implementation plan.

The Bishop of Birmingham then took the Chair for the remainder of the first day.

The Bishop of Lichfield gave an update on behalf of the working group concerning Holy Communion and the Reception of the Elements. The House agreed that there should be further discussion of this issue, while confirming that it did not wish to propose a change to canon law in this area.

The following morning (Wednesday 20 October) the Bishop of Blackburn was in the Chair as the meeting began with a discussion on governance matters.

The Bishop to the Archbishops gave an update on the consultation process arising from the document ‘Bishops and their Ministry: fit for a new context” which sets out plans for consultations on culture and structures for bishops and their ministries. The House noted the progress in plans for further consultation.

The Bishop of Leeds then spoke to the Governance Review Group Report which was published last month and generally well received. The House agreed to strongly support the report and its introduction to the General Synod.

The House then turned its attention to the Mission and Pastoral Measure Review Consultation Exercise and was addressed by the Head of Pastoral and Closed Churches. The Mission and Pastoral measure seeks to simplify some of the current complex legislation on pastoral reorganisation. The House endorsed the proposals for the review of the Measure and encouraged the Church Commissioners to sponsor legislation through the Synod.

The Bishop of London, accompanied by the Chief Enabling Officer of Living in Love and Faith (LLF), then introduced group conversations in relation to the work of LLF. The aim was to strengthen relationships and provide a strong foundation in the House when bishops are later called upon to discern together a way forward for the Church in relation to questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage.

The House then considered a paper from the Episcopal Refence Group of the Faith and Order Commission on the implications for Local Ecumenical Partnerships of decisions on marriage by other denominations. The House agreed to further work to be done on this.

The Bishop of Guildford then took the Chair and invited the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich to speak to the paper on Resourcing Ministerial Formation in his capacity as Chair of the Ministry Council. The House agreed to endorse the approach as set out in the paper.

The meeting closed in prayer.

(The meeting was held at a hotel in York given that social distancing and health and safety requirements meant that it was not feasible for the meeting to take place at Bishopthorpe)

15 Comments

Opinion – 20 October 2021

Mark Ireland ViaMedia.News Now is Not The Time to Cut Clergy Posts!

Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The Struggle to find Safeguarding Justice in the C of E.

Peter Ould Psephizo What will the new General Synod look like?

Victor Lee Austin The Living Church The Parish as a School of Friendship

66 Comments

General Synod – November 2021

The first group of sessions of the 2021-2026 General Synod of the Church of England will be held in London on 16-17 November 2021. There will also be an induction day on 15 November. The outline timetable is available here and is copied below. Papers for the inaugural group of sessions will be published on Thursday 28 October.

GENERAL SYNOD: NOVEMBER 2021 TIMETABLE

Tuesday 16 November

10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Inauguration, including Abbey Service

2.45 pm – 7.00 pm
Welcomes and introductions
Welcome to First Church Estates Commissioner
Presidential Address
Report by the Business Committee
Generosity and Diocesan Finances
Question Time *5.30 pm – 7.00 pm

Wednesday 17 November

09.00 am – 12.30 pm
Opening worship
Loyal Address
Special Agenda IV: Leeds DSM: Wealth Gap
2022 Budget and Apportionment
Special Agenda I: Act of Synod for Vacancy in See Amendment Regulations 2021 – For approval
Appointment of AC Member

2.00 pm – 4.30 pm
Vision and Strategy
Report by the Governance Review Group
Farewells
Prorogation

Meetings of the House of Laity 4.45pm – 6pm

* not later than
Please note that all timings are indicative unless marked with an asterisk Deadline for receipt of questions: 1200 hrs Thursday 4th November

20 Comments

Dean of Norwich to retire

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Jane Hedges, has announced that she will retire in May 2022.

9 Comments