The Nation now reports that Malango rules out Henderson return:
2 CommentsThe office of the Anglican Archbishop of Central Africa in Zomba has indicated that the decision to order Bishop James Mwenda to return to Zambia does not mean giving a chance for rejected British clergyman Paul Nicholas Henderson to head the Diocese of Lake Malawi.
Provincial Secretary Eston Pembamoyo said Monday Mwenda had to leave the country to allow for neutral discussions between Anglican bishops in Malawi and the laity of the Lake Malawi on the way forward.
Pembamoyo ruled out the possibility of reconsidering the diocese’s first choice, Henderson, who was rejected following allegations that he supported gay activities in the United Kingdom.“Henderson’s case is a closed chapter. There is no way we can start discussing him again,” said Pembamoyo…
ACNS reports that the Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, has written a lengthy reflection on the nature of Anglicanism, and what it means to be an Anglican. The reflection is addressed to his fellow Primates. Here are a few snippets from the early paragraphs:
What does it mean to be Anglican? What is it about Anglicanism that has led so many to conclude that it provides the most productive spiritual soil for living out the Christian faith? What is it that we have, which we dare not lose?
Archbishop Rowan offers his own description of our distinctive Christian inheritance…
It is indeed within the territory encompassed by these strands that I find my own experience and understanding of Christianity. These describe the rich heartlands of Anglicanism — the solid centre, focussed on Jesus Christ, to which we are constantly drawn back by the counterbalancing pull of the other strands, if any one threatens to become disproportionately influential.
These Anglican heartlands are the subject of my reflections — the historic fertile middle ground, which is in danger of being forgotten amid polarising arguments and talk of schism.
The ACNS summary is included below the fold. The full reflection by Archbishop Ndungane is here.
34 CommentsSynod ended its July sessions at 11.20 this morning. As your correspondent leaves the University of York the official report of the morning’s business is not yet available, so for the record here is the motion passed by Synod nem con on a show of hands. The business was entitled “Married Couple’s Tax Allowance”, although the motion was heavily amended to make it more general.
That this Synod, wishing to reaffirm the importance of marriage as central to the stability and health of society and the best context in which to bring up children
(a) reaffirm its own priority of supporting family life (including the work of the Mothers’ Union and FLAME) and encouraging more couples to affirm their commitment and love to each other in marriage; and
(b) call upon Her Majesty’s Government to do the same, in all ways open to it and in particular by removing the considerable financial penalties placed on marriage by the tax and benefit system.
Update The official report of the morning’s business is now available here.
4 CommentsJonathan Petre in the Telegraph has New Church effort on women bishops
Ruth Gledhill in The Times has Synod vote on women clergy is setback for traditionalists
Matthew Davies for Episcopal News Service has a detailed report of the debate in Church of England begins long process toward ordaining women bishops
Michael Brown reporting for the Yorkshire Post concentrates on one single speech in Leading Yorkshire cleric attacks bishops over women’s ordination.
Also, though unrelated to synod, yesterday the Guardian had Bishops warn PM over Trident and the BBC had Bishops say Trident is ‘anti-God’.
3 CommentsThe official report is here. This will be updated following the evening session.
0 CommentsPaul Roberts has written about this morning’s debate here: General Synod – Monday.
Stephen Bates has also written: Going round in circles.
3 CommentsThe two major contributions of the Archbishop of Canterbury to today’s debate on women bishops can be found on his own website:
Speech given moving item 14 on Women in the Episcopate at the Church of England’s General Synod
Closing Speech on item 14 (as amended) on Women in the Episcopate at the Church of England’s General Synod
For audio links go here.
Reactions have already come from Forward in Faith, and from WATCH. The latter is a PDF file, so is reproduced below the fold.
0 CommentsThe Nation has a report by Juliet Chimwaga Mwenda kicked out, heads back home.
0 CommentsAnglican Bishop James Mwenda at the centre of a controversy over the headship of the Diocese of Lake Malawi is going back home in Zambia, the church’s Archbishop Bernard Malango confirmed Sunday.
But Malango could not give further details on the development, saying he would issue a press statement Monday…
The official report of this morning’s business is available here.
0 CommentsHaving voted in favour of the principle of having women bishops on Saturday, Synod today spent all morning debating the process for bringing this about. Several amendments, three of which were accepted, were proposed to the original motion. The motion refers to Canon A4, and the text of this is given below the motion and result of the final vote. Details of the original motion and the amendments are below the fold.
The motion as put to Synod (with text added by amendments shown in bold) was.
That this Synod, endorsing Resolution 111.2 of the Lambeth Conference 1998 “that those who dissent from, as well as those who assent to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate are both loyal Anglicans” and believing that the implications of admitting women to the episcopate will best be discerned by continuing to explore in detail the practical and legislative arrangements:
(a) invite dioceses, deaneries and parishes to continue serious debate and reflection on the theological, practical, ecumenical and missiological aspects of the issue;
(b) invite the Archbishops’ Council, in consultation with the Standing Committee of the House of Bishops and the Appointments Committee, to secure the early appointment of a legislative drafting group, which will aim to include a significant representation of women in the spirit of Resolution 13/31 of the Anglican Consultative Council passed in July 2005, charged with:
(i) preparing the draft measure and amending canon necessary to remove the legal obstacles to the consecration of women to the office of bishop;
(ii) preparing a draft of possible additional legal provision consistent with Canon A4 to establish arrangements that would seek to maintain the highest possible degree of communion with those conscientiously unable to receive the ministry of women bishops;
(iii) submitting the results of its work to the House of Bishops for consideration and submission to Synod; and
(c) instruct the Business Committee to make time available, before first consideration of the draft legislation, for the Synod to consider, in the light of any views expressed by the House of Bishops, the arrangements proposed in the drafting group’s report.
The motion, as amended, was carried on a show of hands.
Canon A4
A 4 Of the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons
The Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, annexed to The Book of Common Prayer and commonly known as the Ordinal, is not repugnant to the Word of God; and those who are so made, ordained, or consecrated bishops, priests, or deacons, according to the said Ordinal, are lawfully made, ordained, or consecrated, and ought to be accounted, both by themselves and others, to be truly bishops, priests, or deacons.
7 CommentsA letter appears in the Independent newspaper this morning. You can read it here, but the format makes it difficult. The text is therefore reproduced below. The newspaper does not list all the signatories, so they are listed in full below.
Sir: We write to add our voice to the public debate on the issue of the maintenance and renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons programme demanded by the House of Commons Defence Committee. We urge MPs seriously to consider our views when they come to a formal debate in the House and take part in any subsequent vote.
Whatever our various views on conventional warfare, we all agree that Just War arguments rule out the use of nuclear weapons and such weapons challenge the very core of Judeo-Christian Faith where humanity is given responsibility for the stewardship of God’s creation. But there are also practical, moral and economic objections to the basic concept of having a deterrent.
Practical because a deterrent is only effective if a potential enemy knows for certain it will be used. But the use of nuclear weapons would not be an option for us, as that would be nothing less than the mass murder of thousands if not tens of thousands of innocent civilians. The resultant fall-out from a tactical or battlefield weapon could not be confined to a particular area.
Moral because it is morally corrupting to threaten the use of weapons of mass destruction even when there is no real intention of using them.
Economic because the use of limited resources on WMDs diverts those resources from education, health and aid to those who are the poorest and most in need.
Humanity has the power to make or mar this planet. Current concern over global warming and the environment, as well as poverty and debt among the world’s most vulnerable people, demonstrate the need to re-engage with the task of caring for the world and its people.
Human dignity and freedom are foundation values for all people. Humanity has a right to live in dignity and freedom without fear. Trident and other nuclear arsenals threaten long-term and fatal damage to the global environment and its peoples. As such their end is evil and both possession and use profoundly anti-God acts.
Nuclear weapons are a direct denial of the Christian concept of peace and reconciliation, which are social and economic as well as physical and spiritual. The Christian Gospel is one of hope, enabling humanity to live in harmony with itself and nature and leading to prosperity and community life marked by joy.
At the Gleneagles summit a year ago the G8 pledged to “Make Poverty History” and to end the debt burden on the world’s poorest countries. The costs involved in the maintenance and replacement of Trident could be used to address pressing environmental concerns, the causes of terrorism, poverty and debt, and enable humanity and dignity to be the right of all, and would go a long way towards helping Make Poverty History.
RT REVD PETER PRICE, BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS;
RT REVD COLIN BENNETTS, BISHOP OF COVENTRY
RT REVD MICHAEL HILL, BISHOP OF BRISTOL
RT REVD RICHARD LEWIS, BISHOP OF EDMUNSBURY AND IPSWICH
RT REVD JOHN SAXBEE, BISHOP OF LINCOLN
RT REVD TIMOTHY STEVENS, BISHOP OF LEICESTER
RT REVD JACK NICHOLLS, BISHOP OF SHEFFIELD
RT REV DR DAVID JAMES, BISHOP OF BRADFORD
AND 12 SUFFRAGAN BISHOPS
The suffragans are:
Stephen Lowe, Hulme
Stephen Cottrell, Reading
David Hawkins, Barking
Peter Broadbent, Willesden
James Langstaff, Lynn
David Rossdale, Grimsby
Ian Brackley, Dorking
James Bell, Knaresborough
Michael Lewis, Middleton
Graham Cray, Maidstone
Nicholas Baines, Croydon
Richard Inwood, Bedford
Michael Brown in the Yorkshire Post has Synod vote paves way for women bishops.
Stephen Bates in the Guardian reported that Terrorists are blasphemous, says archbishop.
Jonathan Petre in the Telegraph has Church accused of £100m asset stripping.
Robert Pigott at the BBC says Challenges continue over women bishops
4 CommentsThe official report is here.
Ruth Gledhill’s blog entry is here.
4 CommentsGeneral Synod members are invited to the Sung Eucharist at York Minster on the Sunday morning of its meeting at York, and most go. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached this sermon at the service this morning.
UPDATE
BBC report on the Archbishop’s sermon
1 CommentSunday Times Christopher Morgan Church rebels plan £1bn property grab
TRADITIONALISTS in the Church of England are preparing for a possible breakaway over women bishops by taking legal advice on whether they could claim property worth more than £1 billion…
Sunday Telegraph Jonathan Wynne-Jones Women can be bishops, Synod rules
Observer Jamie Doward Synod backs plans for women bishops and Peter Stanford Women on a mission to storm the gates of Rome
Independent Women bishops could be here by 2012, says C of E
Update BBC Sunday radio programme has a report by Trevor Barnes from General Synod. Go here and then go 5 minutes forward. Various synod personalities are interviewed about the state of the Anglican Communion, as well as women bishops in England (about 7 minutes).
5 CommentsThe presidential address given to the General Synod yesterday by the Archbishop of York has been published by Episcopal News Service.
Sunday afternoon UPDATE The text is now also online at the Church of England website.
3 CommentsThe official report of the afternoon and evening’s business can be found here.
3 CommentsReuters Church of England votes to make women bishops
Press Association Synod ‘backs idea’ of women bishops and also Fight bombers with love: Archbishop (this refers to part of the Presidential Address by Archbishop Sentamu)
BBC Church backs female bishops move and Head to head: Women bishops
And also Call for love to fight terrorism
Paul Roberts has written up this morning’s events on his blog here. Ruth Gledhill has General Synod Day Two.
ENS has Sentamu calls for ‘gracious magnanimity,’ comments on Convention and also Women bishops approved in principle at Church of England’s Synod and Synod’s structures contrast with Convention’s. And later, Synod affirms women bishops; debate draws mixed reactions.
Associated Press Church of England: appointing women bishops ‘theologically justified’
4 CommentsTheo Hobson has written Sowing the seeds of change on commentisfree.
Michael Bordeaux writes in The Times about The religious maelstrom of modern Russia.
Also Jonathan Sacks writes that Bonds of friendship will prevail over those who seek to divide us.
Richard Frith writes in the Guardian about the Mission to Seafarers.
16 CommentsInformation about and audio files of Saturday morning’s business can be found on the Church of England website: General Synod – Summary of Business Conducted on Saturday 8th July am.
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