THE P RTAL
February 2015
UK Pages - page 15
Synod Agenda Anglican
News
The Revd Paul Benfield keeps us
up to date with the workings
of the CofE General Synod
On the
third Saturday in January a large envelope dropped through my letterbox. It had a familiar
look about it and, sure enough, it was the first distribution of papers for the February sessions of the
General Synod.
As I am writing this the next day I have not had
time to digest everything, but thought readers might
appreciate some idea of what is planned. Because
Synod met in November in order to complete the
enactment of the women bishops legislation, the
Business Committee has decided that we shall meet
for only three days this month.
able to consider only one of the reports as groups on
these will be meeting simultaneously. I wait to see how
satisfactory this method of working is, and whether
it helps or hinders the main debates in full synod on
Wednesday afternoon.
The Simplification Group identifies changes to
legislation which are needed to streamline processes
and to tackle redundant paperwork. Many of these are
sensible, though in some cases checks and balances
seem to have been removed.
There is some important legislative business with the
revision stage of the Draft Safeguarding and Clergy
Discipline Measure and some other less significant
legislative matters. There is consideration of alternative
baptism texts, which were highly criticised last time checks and balances
It proposes that the current level of compensation
they came before Synod, being described by the Bishop
paid to clergy who are dispossessed of their living
of Willesden as ‘baptism lite’.
by pastoral reorganisation should be drastically
those who take their own life
reduced. At present compensation is paid for loss
I have not read the report of the Revision Committee of future stipend, pension and housing until the
yet and so don’t know how much the proposed rite has normal retirement age, but it is proposed that this
been altered, but I think this may be a lively debate. should be changed to one month’s stipend for every
There is a motion calling for a change in canon law to year of ecclesiastical service since ordination (up to
allow the normal funeral rite to be used for those who a maximum of 21 months) and providing suitable
have taken their own life.
housing for a period of six months only.
I suspect that many clergy use the normal rite
anyhow, but it will be good to have the debate and to
see if canon law needs bringing into line with pastoral
practice. It will be interesting to see whether the debate
enters into a discussion of assisted dying.
reform and renewal
keep praying
Synod now has a continuous praying presence
going on in the chapel at Church House throughout
its meetings, but it would be good to know that some
former Anglicans were also praying for us!
‘
If we insist on being as
sure as is conceivable ...
The agenda is dominated by ‘A programme for reform
and renewal’ which will occupy us from 5.40pm on the
Tuesday until 7.00pm on Wednesday. The archbishops
set up four task groups a year ago and their reports
have now been published. The four task groups are on
the discernment and nurture of those called to posts
of wider responsibility; on resourcing ministerial
education; on the future deployment of our resources
more generally and on simplification.
... we must be content to
creep along the ground,
and never soar.
We will consider their contents in small groups on
Wednesday morning, but each synod member will be
Bl John Henry Newman
contents page
’