THE
P RTAL
May 2016
Page 11
Anglican
News
A Window on
the C of E
The Revd Paul Benfield keeps us up to date
with events in the Church of England
A
s part of the Reform and Renewal agenda, the Archbishops’ Council set up a Simplification Group
to investigate what could be done to simplify some of the complex procedures which, it is said, encumber
the life, work and mission of the Church of England. One of the fruits of this group is a draft measure which
is snappily called the ‘Draft Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure. It came before Synod for First
Consideration in February.
After First Consideration members are given 30
days in which to submit proposals for amendment or
clarification of the Measure and these will be considered
by the Revision Committee at a meeting in May. Many
of the changes are very sensible and are seeking to
simplify procedures. However, some are more radical.
At present if an incumbent priest is dispossessed
from his office because of pastoral re-organisation he
is entitled to compensation which is, basically, stipend,
housing and pension contributions until the normal
retirement age (now 68). If he unreasonably refuses
to accept a similar appointment then compensation
payments cease, but since no two appointments are
the same in terms of location, churchmanship, local
schools, housing and so on, it would be difficult for a
diocesan board of finance to use this get-out.
clergy to the team. Even worse is the proposal that
a bishop, by a new vehicle called a pastoral order, can
abolish the office of team vicar without any of the rights
of appeal by parishioners or patrons to the Church
Commissioners or Privy Council. Team vicars will
become expendable staff who can be got rid of with
minimal consultation and little compensation.
For centuries the archbishops have had the right
to appoint a priest to livings where there has been a
lapse. Under current legislation this happens if a living
which has not been suspended has been vacant for
more than nine months. It is now proposed that this
right should transfer to the diocesan bishop.
This would cut out the role of the archbishop as
mediator where the parish, patron and bishop are in
disagreement. It seems to do away with one of the
After a consultation with ‘the dioceses’ (presumably many checks and balances and place more power in
diocesan secretaries), but no consultation with clergy, the hands of the diocesan bishop. It is perhaps another
it was decided to reduce this compensation to a example of the growing centralisation of the Church
maximum of six months housing and a maximum of of England.
21 months stipend (if the priest has worked for 21 years
in ordained ministry). This has aroused considerable
concern and will have to be considered carefully by the
Virtue is its own reward,
Revision Committee, which can modify or abandon the
and brings with it the
proposal. Ultimately it is likely to be fought out on the
floor of