General Synod – February
2006
Motions, votes, background documents
and audio of the debates are all available on the web at www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/feb2006.html
Women bishops
Three sessions on the issue of women bishops began with a
presentation on the ecumenical responses to the ‘Rochester
Report’, Women Bishops in the Church of England?,
followed by contributions from ecumenical representatives
and questions from Synod members. Synod then reflected on
the ‘Guildford’ Report from the House of
Bishops’ Women Bishops Group, including the possible
option of ‘Transferred Episcopal Arrangements’
(‘TEA’) before voting to take note of the
report.
Finally,
the Archbishop of Canterbury led a wider debate on the
issue and Synod called for further work on the basis of
the ‘TEA’ proposals, which are intended to meet
the essential needs of those who could not accept that
women should be bishops, while avoiding the creation of
any new jurisdiction, diocese or province within the
Church. The House of Bishops will now produce a statement
of the theological, ecumenical and canonical implications
of pursuing that route for discussion in July.
Ethical investment
A report from the Ethical Investment Advisory Group
highlighted the impact the Group aims to make on
corporate behaviour through constructive engagement. A
follow-on motion was carried, urging Church investment
bodies to monitor the activities of companies in which
they invest, including Caterpillar Inc, specifically with
regard to the situation in Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Rural
issues
With 10,000 churches at the heart of communities, the
Church of England has one of the most extensive networks
in rural England. A major agenda item focused on their
contribution to rural community development, commending
the workbook Seeds in Holy Ground and calling on
dioceses and government to ensure rural churches are
adequately resourced.
The Church’s built heritage
The Bishop of London led a debate on the maintenance of
the built heritage by urging a “campaigning spirit
sufficient to rouse the sleeping giant that is the Church
of England to see the many opportunities our buildings
offer… We want a network of 10,000 activists who are
prepared… to present our case for the cash to help
the community achieve some of its most cherished goals”.
Synod supported the recommendations of the report Building
Faith in our Future and carried a motion calling on
Government to increase financial support for the care,
maintenance and repair of church buildings, and to
continue the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme beyond
March 2008.
Bicentenary
of the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Synod endorsed plans co-ordinated by the Churches
Together in England ‘set all free’ campaign to
mark the Bicentenary of the Act, in March 2007, invited
churches to consider ways of applying pressure to end
modern slavery and aligned the Church of England with the
‘Stop the Traffik’ campaign. The motion carried
asserts that the Church, “recognising the damage
done to those who are the heirs of those who were
enslaved, offer[s] an apology to them”.
Reader
Ministry
Synod endorsed the work of the Church of England’s
10,000 Readers as ‘crucial to the mission of the
Church’ and requested the Archbishops’ Council
to ‘consider how this nationally-accredited office
should be developed, and Readers more fully and
effectively deployed, in the light of the welcome recent
introduction of a great variety of patterns of voluntary
local ministry, both lay and ordained’.
Other
topics
A report on conversations between the Church of England
and the Baptist Union of Great Britain pointing the way
to closer practical collaboration was commended. Regulations
on admitting baptised children to Holy Communion,
designed to replace existing guidelines, were given final
approval. Synod asked for further work to be done
on the implications of patenting of genetic sequences of
the human genome.
Synod also
affirmed the importance of healthcare chaplaincy as a
necessary part of wholeness and healing, encouraged
healthcare chaplains and volunteers in their work and
requested Government, NHS Trusts and other healthcare
bodies to ensure the continuing provision of resources
for spiritual care.
Summary of General
Synod – February 2006 - Links
Women bishops
1)
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gsmisc807.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0602.wax
2)
Report to General Synod: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1605.rtf
Note by the Archbishops:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1605a.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0606.wax
3)
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0616.wax
Ethical investment
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1604.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0605.wax
Rural issues
Accompanying report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1606.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0607.wax
The Church’s
built heritage
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1610.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0617.wax
Bicentenary
of the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Southwark
Diocese background briefing http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gsmisc808.rtf
Audio of
debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0614.wax
Other topics
debated included:
Relations with
the Baptist Union
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gsmisc801.pdf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0608.wax
Legislative
business – admitting baptised children to Holy
Communion
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1596a.rtf
Audio of main debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0610.wax
Reader Ministry
Background note: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gsmisc812a.rtf
Note from Ministry Division:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gsmisc812b.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0611.wax
Health Care
Chaplaincies
Report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/gs1609.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/session0615.wax
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