Report on General Synod – November 2005

Archbishop urges Synod to be examples of unity

The Queen inaugurated the Eighth General Synod of the Church of England and spoke of the unique place that the Christian Church has to feed the nation’s hunger for “that which endures and gives meaning”.

In response, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, warmly thanked Her Majesty whilst urging Synod to be examples of unity and praying that Synod be led by a “vocabulary of trust, kindness, joy, simplicity, love, justice, compassion and faithfulness”.

Facing the Challenge of Terrorism

The first major debate of the new Synod was based on a report from the Mission and Public Affairs Council, and gave the Synod the opportunity of reflecting on the events in London of July 7 and the Government’s response to them.

Reports in the press were misleading when they claimed that the Church ‘supported the police’s shoot-to-kill policy’, said the Bishop of Southwark, who introduced the debate. Instead, the report recognised that an effective counter-terrorism strategy could include lethal force as a last resort, but that any such response must be based on reliable intelligence.

The motion that was carried unanimously urged political parties to heed the warnings from history over the progressive erosion of fundamental rights when considering new legislation. It concluded with a call to members of the Church of England to promote greater understanding, reconciliation and respect within their local communities, especially where there are significant numbers from other faiths.

Episcopacy in the Church of England

A special seminar took place on the theme of the episcopate, designed to help Synod members reflect further on some of the wider theological issues relevant to the future debate on women bishops.

A panel of speakers comprising the Bishop of Rochester (the Rt Revd Michael Nazir-Ali), Professor Anthony Thiselton (Southwell and Nottingham), the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe (the Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey Rowell) and the Reverend Professor Frances Young spoke about their research on the theme and took questions from members.

The Synod will consider the report of the Bishop of Guildford’s Group, which will identify options for taking forward Synod’s decision to remove the legal obstacles to the consecration of women as bishops, in February.

Presidential Address

The Archbishop of Canterbury moved that a Loyal Address be presented to The Queen, before delivering his Presidential Address.

Dr Williams gave his vision for the next quinquennium (the five-year life of the Synod) and described the role of Synod as “part of our Church’s way of discerning God’s purpose for us … to try and find for the Church of England a sense of its mission that is strong and deep rooted enough to be owned by the whole of our community and owned as part of the work and witness of the entire worldwide church.”

Legislative Business

The major item discussed by Synod was the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure and related legislation. These items, which came before the Synod for First Consideration, implement the recommendations of the Toyne Review of the Pastoral and Dioceses Measures.

The general aim of the draft legislation is to improve the Church’s structures and processes in a way that will enable it to further its mission, in the broadest sense. In particular, it develops the process for diocesan reorganisation, so that the Dioceses Commission can take an active role in the creation or dissolution of dioceses. It also helps to simplify, devolve and make more flexible the procedures in the Pastoral Measure 1983 for reorganisation at parish level and the closure of churches or parts of churches for regular public worship; and it provides a new legal framework for ‘mission initiatives’ such as new church plants and experimental initiatives as recommended in ‘Mission-shaped Church’.

The Admission of Baptised Children to Holy Communion Regulations, which also came before the Synod for First Consideration, are intended to replace the existing Guidelines on this subject produced by the House of Bishops in 1997. The new legislation takes account of the developing practice of admitting children to Holy Communion before Confirmation, and gives parishes flexibility to decide what is appropriate locally.

Other legislation approved included rules for appeals under the the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003, which is expected to come fully into force on January 1, 2006.

Clergy Terms of Service: Property Issues

After lunch, Synod heard how the Implementation Group, chaired by Professor David McClean, had addressed the Synod’s reservations about proposals to transfer ownership of clergy houses, churches and churchyards to Diocesan Boards of Finance.

The Group produced a report with revised recommendations on the property issues, which were accepted by the Synod after a Division by Houses. The proposals involved vesting parsonages in Diocesan Parsonage Boards, ring-fenced in trust arrangements, whilst leaving churches and churchyards vested in the incumbent. The Group will embark on drafting the detailed legislative provisions required to put these proposals, and common tenure generally, in place.

Farewells

The Secretary General gave a farewell tribute to Ingrid Slaughter, Assistant Legal Adviser to the Synod, and the Archbishop of Canterbury gave a farewell tribute to the Bishop of Oxford, who will retire in June, covering the breadth of impact that the Rt Revd Richard Harries has had on the Church – and the nation.

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