Her Majesty The Queen will inaugurate the Eighth General Synod of the Church of England in Church House, Westminster on Tuesday, 15 November. The inauguration ceremony will follow the Eucharist in Westminster Abbey, at which the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will preside, and the Revd Professor Frances Young (until her recent retirement, Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology at the University of Birmingham) will preach. Professor Young is the first woman and the first Methodist to preach at the five-yearly inauguration ceremony of the General Synod.

More than a third, 37%, of the elected members of the General Synod are starting their first five-year term. Among issues they will consider in that period are the legislative proposals for the consecration of women as bishops. Other legislative business will include the outworking of the reviews chaired by Professor David McClean on Clergy Terms of Service and by Professor Peter Toyne on the Dioceses and Pastoral Measures, relating to the diocesan and parochial structure of the Church, the legal framework for new initiatives in mission, and the closure of church buildings.

Facing the Challenge of Terrorism

The new Synod will begin its work with a major debate on Facing the Challenge of Terrorism. The debate will be resourced by a report from the Mission and Public Affairs Division, and gives the Synod the opportunity of reflecting on the events in London of 7 July and the Government's response to them, particularly the Terrorism Bill which will be making its way through Parliament in November.

The report (which will be finalised in time for the second Synod circulation on 28 October) recognises that an effective counter-terrorism strategy will require understanding and addressing the underlying causes of terrorism without excusing violence. In considering legislation, it urges political parties to heed the warnings from history over the progressive erosion of fundamental rights. It concludes 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 faith traditions.

The report Countering Terrorism: Power, Violence and Democracy Post 9/11, from a working group of the House of Bishops (released in mid-September), which looks at issues of international order, the situation in the Middle East and the role of the United States of America, is being circulated to provide a wider backdrop, but the debate itself will concentrate on the situation in this country.

Clergy Terms of Service: Property Issues

The Review Group, chaired by Professor David McClean, has addressed the Synod's reservations about proposals to transfer ownership of clergy houses, churches and churchyards to Diocesan Boards of Finance. The Group is producing a report with revised recommendations on the property issues, in order to test the mind of the Synod before embarking on the legislative work in this area. The report will be finalised in time for the second Synod circulation.

Legislative Business

The major item is the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure and related legislation. The items, which come before the Synod for First Consideration, give effect to the recommendations of the Toyne Review of the Pastoral and Dioceses Measures, which were approved by the Synod in February 2004.

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 (at present to be found in the Dioceses Measure 1978), so that the Dioceses Commission can take a proactive role. 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 for regular public worship; and it provides a new legal framework for 'mission initiatives'.

The Admission of Baptised Children to Holy Communion Regulations, which also come before the Synod for First Consideration, will replace the existing Guidelines on this subject, produced by the House of Bishops in 1997, and will take account of the developing practice of admitting children to Holy Communion before Confirmation.

There are also some detailed matters relating to the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003.

Seminar on Episcopacy

This theological seminar on the episcopate is intended to enable Synod members to reflect further on some of the wider theological issues relevant to the debate on women bishops. The Synod will consider the report of the Bishop of Guildford's Group, which will identify the options for taking forward Synod's decision to remove the legal obstacles to the consecration of women as bishops, in February 2006.

Presidential Address

The Archbishop of Canterbury will address the Synod on the Wednesday morning and give his vision for the next quinquennium: the five-year life of the Synod.

The agenda for the Synod provides a representative selection of different types of business over two days. There will be more opportunity for deliberative debate (as distinct from legislative business) at the February Group of Sessions next year.

Further information from:
Steve Jenkins (press office) tel (020) 7898-1326