Key debates on women bishops, clergy terms of service legislation, climate change, church tourism, ecumenical relations, reader ministry and parochial fees

Major debates concerning the Church’s ministry, relationships with other Churches, and wider society will be on the agenda at the General Synod when it meets at York University from the afternoon of Friday July 4 to lunchtime on Tuesday July 8. The Synod will be debating a considerable amount of legislative business including the final approval debate on the major clergy terms of service legislation.

Women bishops will be a major component of the agenda, and the Synod will be asked to consider a framework for taking this forward. There will be debates on Anglican-Orthodox relations and the implementation of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant. Debates concerning Church and society will address issues of climate change and human security; and faith, work and economic life.

Women bishops

There will be three separate components to the Synod’s consideration of women bishops: first, an introduction by the Bishop of Manchester (Chair of the Women Bishops Legislative Drafting Group), followed by group work; a debate to take note of the Manchester Group’s Report; and a substantial debate on a motion from the House of Bishops which will provide a framework and a starting point for considering what the next steps should be. The Synod has already endorsed the principle of having women bishops in the Church of England. But before legislation can be introduced the Synod has to decide what arrangements if any it should provide for those who wish to remain in the Church of England but cannot, on grounds of conviction, accept this development.

Legislative business

The Measure which will provide the framework for new clergy terms of service returns to the Synod for final approval. This will enable the introduction of a new form of tenure reflecting current good practice in the field of human resources. Other items of legislation among the 11 at this Synod include matters relating to Church Crown Appointments, following on from the Synod debates in July 2007 and February 2008.

Ecumenical Relations

The Synod will have the opportunity of considering the Church of England’s relations with the Methodist Church (in the light of its Covenant relationship) and the Orthodox Church.

A Covenant between the Church of England and the Methodist Church was agreed by the General Synod and the Methodist Conference in 2003. The two bodies set up a Joint Implementation Commission and, after two interim reports, the Commission is now reporting with the fruits of its five years’ work. The report addresses some substantial faith and order questions, including the issue of pastoral oversight and episcopacy in both Churches; and it contains much material on good practice and practical implementation.

The Synod will also be considering The Church of the Triune God, which is the result of seventeen years’ work by the International Commission for the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue. The Archbishops have invited the Co-Chairman of the Commission and leading Orthodox theologian, Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon to address the Synod before the Archbishop of Canterbury introduces the debate. The Synod will be invited to welcome the theological agreement reflected in the statement, whilst encouraging the continuation of dialogue on those areas on which agreement has not yet been achieved.

Church and Society

The Mission and Public Affairs Council is bringing to the Synod a debate on the issue of climate change and human security, which is an urgent and pressing concern for the world today. The report from the Council observes that, as new scientific evidence emerges as to the nature of the world’s changing climate, it has become increasingly apparent that climate change is not just an environmental problem, but also a pressing concern for human security. The report’s recommendations seek to develop an integrated and holistic response to climate change through a programme of practical action.

The debate on the Diocesan Synod Motion from St Albans, entitled Faith, work and economic life, gives the Synod an opportunity to recognise the importance of Christian values within economic life, and to examine the engagement of the Church with the economic sector, including the role of chaplains in places of work.

Heritage issues

A Private Member’s Motion from Mr Roy Thompson (York) asks the Synod to support the aims of the Sacred Britain strategy of the Church Tourism Association, and to urge dioceses to form church tourism groups (or appoint diocesan tourism officers); to develop a dialogue with heritage and funding bodies; and to establish ecumenical church tourism networks with cathedrals and greater churches.

The Synod will also be asked to approve the Church Commissioners’ funding contribution to the Churches Conservation Trust for the triennium 2009 to 2112. The Trust is jointly funded by the Church and the Government.

Reader Ministry

The Synod will consider the report of the review group chaired by the Bishop of Carlisle (Chair of the Central Readers’ Council) set up following the Synod debate on Reader Ministry in February 2006. The report explores the challenges and opportunities facing reader ministry and offers recommendations to the Church at local, diocesan and national level.

Parochial Fees

This debate provides the opportunity for a broad-based debate on the proposals in the report Four Funerals and a Wedding, which was produced by a review group set up by the Deployment, Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee and chaired by the Bishop of Lynn. The report proposes amendments to legislation and offers guidelines on other matters relating to fees, including the setting of fees levels by the Archbishops’ Council. (The Synod adjourned debate on draft fees legislation in February as members indicated in debate that they wanted to consider this report first).

Anglican Governance

The Synod will debate another Diocesan Synod Motion, from Guildford, which seeks to increase understanding of the governance of the Church of England within the Anglican Communion, and asks the House of Bishops to prepare a report which looks at the relationships between discussions, recommendations and decisions made by various bodies of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England.

Other business

The Archbishop of York will give a Presidential Address on the Saturday afternoon.

The Synod will be asked to agree the Archbishops’ Council’s annual budget, and to consider the annual reports of the Council and the Council’s Audit Committee. The Church Commissioners annual report will be the subject of a presentation and question and answer session.

A report from the Standing Orders Committee proposes some adjustments to the Synod’s procedures.

Communicating Synod

Parishioners can keep in touch with the General Synod while it meets. Background papers and other information will be posted on the Church of England website (www.cofe.anglican,org) ahead of the General Synod sessions. Audio files of debates, along with updates on the days’ proceedings will be posted during the sessions.