York General Synod - Mon10Jul2006

Monday

The morning was taken up with a debate on the process following the acceptance on Saturday that Synod affirmed the majority view of the House of Bishops regarding the consecration of Women to the Episcopate. The motion before synod asked for further theological refection in dioceses, deaneries and parishes and the setting up of a drafting committee to explore how this could be achieved at the same time making provisions for those that are opposed.

Synod made two amendments the motion. The first to include reference to the Lambeth Conference resolution of 1988 which affirms that proponents and opponents would be treated as loyal Anglicans and secondly to Canon A4 which states a Bishop is a Bishop without reference to gender. The drafting committee have an impossible task and are unlikely to report back to Synod before February 2008.

Baroness Kathleen Richardson presented the report Faithful Cities: A call for celebration, vision and justice (about ‘enriching urban life’) from the ecumenical Commission on Urban Life. Synod welcomed its emphasis on the role of faith communities in encouraging social cohesion, on its drawing attention to the inequalities regarding health, education, housing and income, and for its plea for a renewal of church commitment to urban ministry and mission. Endorsing the report Synod underlined the importance of the transforming power of the Gospel in individual and society’s lives which is the unique contribution of the churches.

In the evening David McLean gave an update from the Clergy Terms and Conditions of Service Implementation group on the move towards Common Tenure and the safeguards around capability procedures, tribunals, property rights etc.