She was always reticent about her personal opinions about people and policies. She was reluctant even to divulge whether she had a favourite hymn, knowing that she would be condemned ever afterwards to hear it on every occasion.

During the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, in a speech at Lambeth Palace the Queen was explicit about her own view of the role of the Church of England in a multicultural country. ‘The concept of our established church is occasionally misunderstood and I believe commonly underappreciated. Its role is not to defend Anglicanism to the exclusion of other religions. Instead, the church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country.’

The Queen believed that the ‘Defender of the Faith’ should be the friend and protector of all the faiths which make up the national community. She was an assiduous visitor to temples, gurdwaras and mosques. The idea, however, that you could slip the Christian anchorage in favour of a generalised benevolence to all religions was not one she instinctively favoured. To be simply a ‘Defender of Faith’, rather than the Faith, suggests that one occupies an elevated position in which all faiths are seen as more or less adequate local editions of something vaguely lying beyond them all. Spiritual progress and deeper appreciation of other traditions comes from the serious and disciplined choice of a particular way to follow. The Queen was intensely disciplined in every aspect of her life including in its spiritual dimension. Wherever she was, Sunday worship was a priority.

Read it all.

'The Queen was explicit on numerous occasions that her "inspiration and anchor" was Jesus Christ. Her words reflect a firm personal faith nourished by the experience of prayers and Bible-reading with her mother.'

✍️ Richard Chartreshttps://t.co/VkaAqT0IJI

— The Spectator (@spectator) September 15, 2022

How we learn to live with the death of a loved one differs for each of us, but we must all find a way to grieve. As the theologian Tom Wright said, ‘Not to grieve, not to lament, is to slam the door on the same place in the innermost heart from which love itself comes’. We may not know the power of that love until the moment of loss, for as the writer Khalil Gibran wisely observed: ‘Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation’.

When we are bereaved, we need to make opportunities, individually and together, to face and absorb the depth of our loss. Yet we are also invited into the healing love of God which never falters, and which is the deepest and widest perspective of our lives. It is a perspective beautifully expressed by the writer of Deuteronomy who tells us that ‘underneath are the everlasting arms’. Even in the midst of our grief we are enfolded in that all-encompassing love.

As a Christian I believe that death is not the end. That gives me hope even in the worst of times. To speak of hope is not to deny the fear, the loss and the anguish which death brings. Jesus himself stood with Martha and Mary at the tomb of his beloved friend, Lazarus, and wept, wholly undone by his grief. But in that cameo we have the assurance of God’s presence in the world’s pain and a model for our response to human suffering: God is there for us and we are called to be there for others. The words of the prophet Isaiah assure us that the Spirit of the Lord is at work and will bind up the broken-hearted, comfort those who mourn – and give them a garland instead of ashes, and the oil of gladness instead of mourning.

Read it all.

The service of Prayer and Reflection on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be broadcast at 6pm on BBC1.

The Order of Service is available to download below if you would like to follow along. https://t.co/9dxMjFR0Cf pic.twitter.com/kRLbREvzDr

— St Paul's Cathedral (@StPaulsLondon) September 9, 2022

The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, said: “She has been on the throne since before most of us were born and has been a constant source of strength, stability, and inspiration throughout her long reign. She has been the glue which has held this country and the Commonwealth together, and I give heartfelt thanks for her life of selfless service.

“That service was undergirded and enabled by a deep Christian faith, and we now commend her to the God in whom she believed, whose love is stronger than death, as we also pray for members of the Royal Family, particularly our new King.”

The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, described Queen Elizabeth’s death as “a moment of bereavement for the whole nation, and for the Commonwealth”. He continued: “She will remain in our hearts and minds as an exceptional example of public duty and commitment to her high calling, carried out with unswerving faith in God. Let us come together as a nation to mark her death with dignity and pride.”

The Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, said that her “devoted service” had given “stability to the nation throughout this Elizabethan age”. Her “deep, personal Christian faith”, had inspired him and many, he said.

Read it all.

LATEST. Church of England Bishops have paid tribute to the late Queen, describing her as a source of strength to the nation, and giving thanks for the Christian faith that sustained her during her 70-year reign https://t.co/MwTGAfmXik

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) September 9, 2022

The day you gave us, Lord, is ended,
the darkness falls at your request;
to you our morning hymns ascended,
your praise shall sanctify our rest.

Rest eternal grant unto her.
8th September 2022 pic.twitter.com/nMEQZywK8C

— Graham Usher (@bishopnorwich) September 8, 2022

The Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, told a global summit on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) hosted by the UK Government, that there had been some good progress in some areas made since the publication of the review in 2019, but ‘much’ still needed to be done.

“The challenge going forward is to keep up the corporate momentum that has developed around this issue because this is a really, really significant global issue,” he told a panel session of the Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in London today.

“We must not let it sink back into the place that it was before, largely ignored and overlooked.”

Asked what his advice would be to Parliamentarians, Bishop Philip said: “My key message to Parliamentarians would be: understand what the main drivers behind freedom of religion or belief abuses are – we are looking at totalitarian regimes, religious fundamentalism, militant nationalism – these are really serious issues that must be addressed. So please Parliamentarians, make this a bipartisan issue, espouse it across the political spectrum.”

In his remarks during the panel session Bishop Philip welcomed the creation of the UK Freedom of Religion or Belief Public Forum made since the publication of the 2019 report.

Read it all.

Politicians at #FoRBConference have been urged to ‘keep up the momentum’ on tackling abuses of freedom of religion or belief.

Read more on the words of Bishop of Truro, @pmounstephen, at https://t.co/VU303yVRRk.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) July 6, 2022

James, 47, is currently the Mission Enabler for the Diocese of Exeter and has a broad range of urban and rural ministry experience, with a particular focus on youth and pastoral care as well as mission.

He is married to Dr Liz Grier, an academic and musician who is currently training for ordination herself. The couple have two sons, aged 18 and 20.

The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev’d Robert Atwell, said “James Grier brings a combination of energy, life and love for people to his work which will stand him in good stead as the next Bishop of Plymouth. He is a real ‘can do’ person. Born in Plymouth, he knows and loves Devon and will serve its communities with joy.”

James succeeds the Rt Rev’d Nick McKinnel, who is retiring as Bishop of Plymouth after 42 years of ordained ministry.

Read it all.

#DowningStreet has announced today that the Rev’d Prebendary James Grier will be the new #Bishop of #Plymouth in the @CofEDevon @churchofengland pic.twitter.com/8CE5UIPAcn

— Diocese of Exeter (@CofEDevon) July 6, 2022

The Government’s support for persecuted believers is improving, an independent review has concluded.

Five public-law academics undertook to review the implementation of recommendations contained in the report on the persecution of Christians and others around the world produced in 2019 by the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen.

In a statement on Monday, the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, said: “We welcome and accept this expert review on progress and . . . accept their assessment for the need to continue to work to promote and strengthen Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) as a fundamental human right for all.

“Our work on this important human rights issue will never be complete, and we will continue to champion global efforts on FoRB,” she added.

Read it all.

Good evening 🥂 pic.twitter.com/1PRuq6kCP0

— Mårten Björkgren 💙💛 (@MartenBjorkgren) July 5, 2022

Establishing the Standing Commission was a key recommendation of the Implementation and Dialogue Group (IDG), a temporary body which reviewed the arrangements which were originally put in place in 2014, opening the episcopate to women as well as men while ensuring provision for those who, in theological conscience, could not accept their ministry.

More detail was set out in the IDG’s report to General Synod last year.

The Commission, appointed by the House of Bishops, will support dioceses with the monitoring of the implementation of the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests.

Published ahead of the historic vote of the General Synod on women in the episcopate in July 2014, the Declaration sets out five guiding principles under which those in favour of the ordination of women and those who, on theological grounds, cannot fully accept the ordained ministry of women, can both flourish.

Read it all.

LATEST. Twelve people of “varying backgrounds” have been appointed members of the Standing Commission on the House of Bishops’ Declaration and the Five Guiding Principles, it was announced on Friday https://t.co/QRAK7tXbuk

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 4, 2022

A series of changes have been announced to the names of bishops who offer extended episcopal care to parishes that cannot accept the priestly or episcopal ministry of women.
Under these changes, now approved by the Dioceses Commission, the Bishop of Maidstone Rod Thomas’s successor will now be known as the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

Meanwhile the role of the previous Bishop of Ebbsfleet – whose ministry was to traditional catholic parishes – will move to become that of the Bishop of Oswestry in the Diocese of Lichfield.

Bishop Rod, who will retire in October, has had a special national ministry since 2015 providing a voice in the College of Bishops and advocacy for those who cannot, on the grounds of complementarian evangelical theology, accept the priestly or episcopal ministry of women.

The future Bishop of Ebbsfleet, who will take on this responsibility when Bishop Rod retires, will live either in London or the M4 corridor for ease of travel and will minister nationally to complementarian evangelical parishes.

The combined effect of these changes means that the See of Maidstone will become vacant and could potentially revert to local use within the Diocese of Canterbury in the future.

Read it all.

Bishops of Maidstone, Ebbsfleet and Oswestry: A series of changes have been announced to the names of bishops who offer extended episcopal care to parishes that cannot accept the priestly or episcopal ministry of women https://t.co/SGe1P9xudg pic.twitter.com/oDNvKRvJOW

— Canterbury Diocese (@CanterburyDio) June 30, 2022

10 Downing Street has announced today that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of the Right Reverend Doctor Eleanor Sanderson as Suffragan Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York, following the retirement of the Right Reverend Alison White.

Dr Eleanor Sanderson has been Assistant Bishop of Wellington in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia since 2017.

The Bishop of Hull is one of three Suffragan Bishops supporting and extending the ministry of the Archbishop of York in the Diocese of York, and has a particular responsibility for the Archdeaconry of the East Riding, encompassing the City of Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, and part of the North Yorkshire coast including Scarborough and as far north as Ravenscar.

Ellie’s ministry to date has been within the Diocese of Wellington; she was ordained in 2005 and was Vicar of the Parish of St Alban’s, Eastbourne, Chaplain to Wellesley College, and the Diocesan Canon Theologian prior to her appointment as Assistant Bishop. She additionally served in a wide range of roles in academic and not-for-profit development organisations. In the Diocese of Wellington, she has led intentional discipleship programmes which resource Christians to go deeper in their relationship with God and equip them to build up mission and discipleship with others.

Read it all.

Delighted Eleanor Sanderson is the new Bishop of Hull @DioceseOfYork @churchofengland #LivingChristsStory Ellie’s feet are firmly on the ground&her eyes on Jesus. Her wisdom & experience will be a great asset to those served in the East Riding #Yorkshire https://t.co/6PTaNtAYFV pic.twitter.com/nBzPVp94r0

— Stephen Cottrell (@CottrellStephen) June 29, 2022

Dr. Rosemarie Mallett, a leading figure in the Church of England made history this morning to become the first black female Bishop of Croydon.

The widely admired Dr Mallett was consecrated as the new Bishop of the south London diocese in a special ceremony at Southwark Cathedral this morning.

She becomes the second Bishop of Croydon of Barbadian heritage – the first being the Rt Revd Wilfred Wood who served as Bishop from 1985 to 2003 and only the second black female Bishop in the Church of England following the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin’s appointment as Bishop of Dover in 2019.

In May this year the Queen approved Dr Mallett’s appointment as Bishop. Dr Mallet, who was ordained a priest in 2005, previously served as Archdeacon of Croydon. The new Bishop succeeds the Rt Revd Jonathan Clark who left the Diocese in March.

Read it all.

Church leader makes history as the first black female Bishop of Croydonhttps://t.co/oK58XeW6gE

— The Voice Newspaper (@TheVoiceNews) June 24, 2022

A new bishop says parishioners cheered after they were surprised with a gift of £10 each at his inauguration.

Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Revd Stephen Lake, said it was the first time he had seen a congregation “burst out in applause”.

He said the money, given by two anonymous donators, was to show people can make the most of what they have been given.

Bishop Lake said: “It was a great start to a new ministry.”

He added: “They [the congregation] were given the £10 because we were living out the gospel, read out in the service. Taken from Luke, The Parable of the Talents, also known as The Parable of the Pound.

Read it all.

Bishop Lake said: "It's about making the most of what you've been given."https://t.co/Ua17iMI6e8

— BBC West (@BBCBristol) June 22, 2022

He said Jersey and Guernsey will be treated as equals players.

Bishop Stephen [Lake] said: “The two deans will be sat around the table with my senior team as equal players, and in that sense I am absolutely only going to be looking forward in this relationship.

“I look forward to coming over, and not just to the important but sometimes slightly grand occasions, but also being able to just be with the parish at an important time.”

Read it all.

Channel Islands will be equal players, says Bishop of Salisbury https://t.co/XknKlgvtl3

— BBC Jersey (@BBCJersey) June 20, 2022

The Government’s “offshoring” policy, under which the first people are due to be deported to Rwanda as early as Tuesday, “should shame us as a nation”, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and 23 other bishops, have said.

The policy was included in the Nationality and Borders Act, which came into law in April despite objections and attempted amendments from bishops and other peers (News, 29 April). It was explicitly criticised by Archbishop Welby in his Easter sermon (News, 27 April), and reportedly by the Prince of Wales last week, who is said to have called it “appalling” in a private conversation.

Last week, campaigners failed to win an injunction against the policy in the High Court, which ruled that it was in the “public interest” for the Government to carry it out. An appeal on Monday was rejected for the same reason. A full hearing on whether the policy is lawful is due to take place next month.

In a letter due to be published in The Times on Tuesday, the full complement of bishops who sit in the House of Lords have written: “Whether or not the first deportation flight leaves Britain today for Rwanda, this policy should shame us as a nation.” The letter continues: “The shame is our own, because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, fairness and justice, as we have for centuries.”

Read it all (registration or subscription).

BREAKING: The entire senior leadership of the Church of England (every bishop in the House of Lords) has joined to decry the Rwanda scheme as "an immoral policy that shames Britain" in letter to @TheTimes https://t.co/HUIciprbGu

— Kaya Burgess (@kayaburgess) June 13, 2022

{the] Revd Canon Arun Arora will take up the role of Bishop for the Leeds Episcopal Area after five years as Vicar of St Nicholas Church in the heart of Durham City. The appointment is a return to Yorkshire, where he served his curacy at St Mark’s Church in Harrogate.

“It is a joy and a privilege to be called to be Bishop of Kirkstall and to join the work that God is doing in Leeds. It is a particular delight to be returning to the Diocese where I was ordained and served my curacy, where my wife and I first lived and where our daughter was born,” said Canon Arora.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Arun added: “I am a city boy at heart and am excited at the thought of serving an increasingly confident and growing church in this vibrant city. I’m looking forward to working with the churches of Leeds and civic, commercial, educational and cultural partners in a common cause to bless the city and its people.”

Read it all.

Welcome to the next Bishop of Kirkstall in the ⁦@LeedsCofE⁩ – Arun Arora. pic.twitter.com/QhDVAzSGqP

— Nick Baines (@nickbaines) May 27, 2022

Prior to joining our Diocese in 2020, Rob ministered in Cumbria for 15 years, so this is a return to a county he knows extremely well and where he had served all his ordained ministry before moving to the North East.

Speaking about his move, Rob said: “It has come as something of a surprise to be appointed to this post back in Cumbria where I have spent most of my ordained ministry. I have loved being part of Newcastle Diocese and it has been such a blessing to get to know different people and parishes over the past couple of years. It all started on Zoom, of course, but more recently it has been a great joy to get out and about across the Diocese and to be part of the community at the cathedral.

“I’m grateful for the kindness, warmth, humour and deep faith of those I’ve worked with, and for such great colleagues. Over the past couple of years, we have re-shaped the Mission and Ministry Team and I am excited to see the many different ways in which they are already serving local parishes and supporting different ministries.

“As I return to Cumbria, I want to say a huge thank you. It has been a privilege to be part of this diocese, and you will all remain very much in my prayers as you seek to serve your communities and share the love and hope of God with them.”

Read it all.

We are extremely pleased to share that #DowningStreet has announced that the Revd Canon Rob Saner-Haigh, Residentiary Canon Director of Mission & Ministry in @NclDiocese, is to become the next Bishop of #Penrith in the @CarlisleDiocese 👏.
More 👉 https://t.co/eEe9UN6Qga pic.twitter.com/6VHRvKbMik

— Church of England in the Diocese of Newcastle (@NclDiocese) May 27, 2022

Speaking on the closing day of the National Cathedrals Conference, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell praised the ‘precious and important’ contribution of the cathedrals, emphasising their role of service and teaching to their communities.

He said cathedrals had a mission to show the ‘heart of Jesus’ in world of “so much hurt and so much confusion and so much uncertainty.” The heart of Christian teaching and mission is to open the heart of Jesus to everyone, he told the conference.

“Our primary vocation is to be the place that serves and teaches… to be the Church which is aligned with that which is basic and obvious to our Christian faith, which is to show the heart of Jesus to others both from our teaching and preaching and evangelising and through the service that we offer,” he said.

In his speech, the Archbishop urged cathedrals to see themselves as a ‘work in progress’ and to continue asking the ‘hard missional questions’ about how to transmit the Christian faith in a changing world.

Read it all.

Archbishop @CottrellStephen has encouraged cathedrals to continue to ask the ‘hard missional questions’ about how to transmit the good news of Jesus Christ in a world suffering from confusion and uncertainty.

Read more at https://t.co/lZzP7o3r41.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) May 19, 2022

Bishops in the House of Lords continued to challenge the Government’s response to the cost-of-living and climate crises this week, as debates on the Queen’s Speech of last week (News, 13 May) entered a fourth day.

On Monday, debate focused on economic development, energy, and the environment. The Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Rt Revd Martin Seeley, said: “The climate crisis is the multiplying factor for all the other crises we face.”

In his maiden speech, Bishop Seeley dedicated much of his time to environmental issues. “Global temperature rises will dramatically increase the global refugee crisis and food shortages, and the geopolitical impact will continue to be magnified,” he said.

“We must pursue the determined course set at COP26, where we take actions —challenging actions — now, for the sake of the long term.”

The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, who is the C of E’s lead bishop on the environment, wrote of the agreement at COP26 that “progress was made . . . but not enough” (Comment, 18 November 2021).

Read it all.

LATEST. Bishops in the House of Lords continued to challenge the Government’s response to the cost-of-living and climate crises this week, as debates on the Queen’s Speech of last week entered a fourth day https://t.co/I3VAziyRmB

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) May 19, 2022

Addressing the National Cathedrals Conference in Newcastle, Graham Usher, who is Bishop of Norwich, said that cathedrals can show the way in making changes for achieving Net Zero carbon across the whole Church by 2030, with a route map due for a vote at General Synod in July.

Cathedrals have an impressive track record within the heritage sector, with Gloucester Cathedral becoming the first Grade 1 listed building to install photovoltaic panels in 2016.

Many others have followed suit with green adaptations including solar panels, replaced light fittings, draft exclusion and in some places re-designed precincts to give greater access to green space and a chance for biodiversity to thrive.

The host venue, Newcastle Cathedral, was praised for the installation of an air source heat pump as part of a major recent renovation.

Read it all.

Cathedrals can light the way to Net Zero. @bishopnorwich speaking at @NCCMay2022 says England's ancient cathedrals could be in the 'vanguard' of technological development needed for the green revolution – just as they were when they were built.https://t.co/VAa13dEVVe

— Church of England Environment Programme (@CofEEnvironment) May 18, 2022

The revival of the suffragan see of Oswestry in the diocese of Lichfield is being considered by the Archbishop of Canterbury to provide alternative episcopal oversight in the Province of Canterbury.

The suggestion comes after the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Revd Jonathan Goodall, resigned in September to become a Roman Catholic (News, 10 September 2021). Bishop Goodall had, since 2013, been one of three Provincial Episcopal Visitors — a “flying bishop” — supporting traditionalist congregations in the Church of England that are unable to accept the ministry of women as priests or bishops.

To fulfil this ministry, he served as an honorary assistant bishop in ten dioceses in the Canterbury Province. The Bishop of Richborough, the Rt Revd Norman Banks, also provides episcopal oversight in the Province.

A statement from House of Bishops on Thursday of last week said that a consultation on Bishop Goodall’s successor had resulted in “a number of calls to consider relocating the post to be rooted in an individual diocese and diocesan college of bishops. . .

“A suggestion from the Archbishop of Canterbury to revive the suffragan see of Oswestry in the diocese of Lichfield is currently being explored.”

Read it all.

“No decisions have been taken. Initial consultations are currently under way within the diocese of Lichfield with the Society, and in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Any proposal would be considered by the Dioceses Commission this summer”https://t.co/mKcCL5Um1z

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) May 17, 2022

As the first substantive item, the House turned its attention to Governance reform. The House noted the update from the National Church Governance Project Board and the Board’s plan to establish the Episcopal Reference Group which will help shape how bishops and the Church of England National Services (CENS) will work together within the new governance model.

The House was then given an update on Racial Justice by the Archbishops’ Adviser on Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns with the House taking note of progress made to date.

The House was then informed of agreed spending plans on behalf the Triennium Funding Working Group which outlined details and spending plans that will be made public. Plans include a significant increase in funding for the next three years to support God’s mission and ministry across the country, supporting local parishes and growing many more new worshipping communities to serve the whole nation. The Church Commissioners for England intend to distribute £1.2 billion between 2023 and 2025, up 30% from £930 million in the current three-year period, and plan to maintain this level of funding in the subsequent six years.

Read it all.

Join in with us and thousands of others praying these words today.

Access a spoken version of today's prayer at https://t.co/Rn4jDVCRSG. pic.twitter.com/954vlxwM3y

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) May 13, 2022

Bishop of Durham calls for the end of the Two Child Limit with Private Members Bill

Today, a Private Members’ Bill which would abolish the two child limit to Universal Credit was drawn from the ballot, to be introduced in the coming session by the Bishop of Durham. For the last five years, support provided by the child element of Universal Credit has been limited to the first two children. The Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill would remove the restriction introduced in 2016 and reinstate entitlement of support for all children and qualifying young people.

The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Paul Butler said about the bill: “There is a huge amount of evidence that says that the two child limit is pushing larger families into poverty. There were significant concerns about this raised at the time the limit was introduced, and they have proved true five years later.

Read it all.

We pray for the Right Reverend Paul Butler as he becomes Bishop of Durham Designate. pic.twitter.com/r6Gq4ijN5P

— Durham Cathedral (@durhamcathedral) September 12, 2013

From there:

Following the resignation of the former Bishop of Ebbsfleet, Jonathan Goodall, in September last year, a consultation on the way forward for the see has received a number of calls to consider relocating the post to be rooted in an individual diocese and diocesan college of bishops.
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet – one of the Church of England’s three ‘Provincial Episcopal Visitors’, who minister to traditional catholic parishes – has been responsible primarily for churches in the western half of the Church of England’s Province of Canterbury.

Following the initial consultation, a suggestion from the Archbishop of Canterbury to revive the suffragan See of Oswestry in the Diocese of Lichfield is currently being explored.

The proposal would involve a future Bishop of Oswestry living in the diocese and ministering to traditional catholic parishes in that and other dioceses of the West Midlands and South West of England.

No decisions have been taken. Initial consultations are currently underway within the Diocese of Lichfield, with The Society and in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Any proposal would then be considered by the Dioceses Commission this summer.

Please also see the statement from The Society’s Council of Bishops in response to this there.

Three clergy from UK Minority Ethnic/Global Majority Heritage backgrounds have been elected to serve on the House of Bishops as part of action towards making the leadership of the Church of England more representative, it was announced today.

[The] Revd Canon Arun Arora, co-chair of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce, Revd Canon Dr Chigor Chike, Chair of the Anglican Minority Ethnic Network and Revd Shemil Mathew, Vice Dean of Emmanuel Theological College, have been elected to serve as ‘participant observers’ at the House of Bishops.

Their election brings the number of people from UKME/GMH backgrounds on the House of Bishops to 11, with eight bishops – one diocesan and seven suffragans – either members or participant observers.

Under the scheme approved earlier this year by a Committee of the House, at least 10 UKME/GMH people will take part in meetings of the House – either as existing members or “participant observers”.

Read it all.

Some encouraging news…https://t.co/N9cHHxNN1R

— AnglicanProject (@AnglicanProject) May 10, 2022

The Church of England on Sunday apologized for anti-Jewish laws that were passed 800 years ago and eventually led to the expulsion of Jews from the kingdom for hundreds of years.

A special service held at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford was attended by Britain’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and representatives of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to mark the Synod of Oxford, passed in 1222.

The synod forbade social interactions between Jews and Christians, placed a specific tithe on Jews, and required them to wear an identifying badge. They were also banned from some professions and from building new synagogues. The decrees were followed by more anti-Jewish laws, and eventually the mass expulsion of England’s 3,000 Jews of the time in 1290.

Read it all.

Enacted in 1222, the Synod of Oxford placed restrictions on England's Jewish population.

It led to violence and persecution, culminating in the 1290 expulsion of thousands of Jews.

We thank @ChurchofEngland for apologizing for this historic injustice.https://t.co/cBRW5qlIxy

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) May 9, 2022

Currently Archdeacon of Croydon, Dr Mallett was born in Barbados and grew up in the UK.

She trained for ministry at the South East Institute of Theological Education (SEITE) and served her curacy at Christ Church, Brixton Road. She was ordained Priest in 2005.

Dr Mallett was educated at Sussex and Warwick Universities and before ordination was a research sociologist and academic specialising in international development and ethno cultural mental health.

Read it all.

Downing Street announces the Venerable Dr Rosemarie Mallett as the new Bishop of Croydon. Read more here: https://t.co/JAMBo0v5rO

— Southwark Diocese (@SouthwarkCofE) May 3, 2022

Brought up in rural Staffordshire, Bishop Michael attended a small Church of England primary school and a rural church. Bishop Michael was ordained in 1999 and until his appointment as Director of Mission in the Diocese of Oxford in 2010, he combined his scientific work 50:50 with work in Christian ministry as a missioner and theological educator.

The Rt Revd Dr Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans “I am delighted to receive the news that Michael Beasley is to be the new Bishop of Bath and Wells. Michael has served with distinction as Suffragan Bishop of Hertford in this diocese since mid-2015, and he will leave an impressive and long-lasting legacy here.”

Bishop Michael and Lizzie have two young children. In his spare time, he enjoys tending his garden and his bees.

His appointment follows the retirement of the Rt Revd Peter Hancock, who stood down as Bishop of Bath and Wells in May 2021 due to ill health.

Read it all.

Downing Street has announced today (10am, 28 April 2022) that the Rt Revd Michael Beasley will be the next Bishop of Bath and Wells. Read the full announcement. #NewBish https://t.co/B9lqJgsAeK pic.twitter.com/eu2V33hDoA

— Diocese of Bath & Wells (@BathWells) April 28, 2022

In this resurrection the world knows fully and finally that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God: an absolutely unique person in the whole of the human story. We have remembered in Holy Week and on Good Friday his death on the cross for the sins of the whole world – so that we might be forgiven. We recognise that God is at work in Christ to love and redeem the world and that the power of the resurrection is able to transform every life, every place and, ultimately, the whole of creation.

This is a moment and a season to travel deeper into Easter joy – perhaps deeper than we have ever journeyed in our lives before – because the need in the world is so great.

St. Luke tells the story of the resurrection in a particular way across the final chapter of the gospel. Luke’s account is framed in a single day, the day of resurrection.

We begin at the empty tomb in the early morning. The women come and meet the angels who give them the glorious news of resurrection. We continue through the middle of the day with the two disciples walking to Emmaus and the risen Christ draws near, an unseen stranger, recognised as hearts are set on fire and eyes opened in the breaking of the bread. In the evening, the disciples gather in the upper room and Jesus appears with them and leads them out to the Bethany and blesses them.

This great good news is hard to take in. This is how Luke describes the response of the disciples in the Upper Room when he shows them his hands and his feet: “While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering…” (Luke 24.41). Big truths need time.

Read it all.

#HappyEaster everyone!

Christ is risen as he said,
He is risen indeed! #Alleluia!#Easter#ChristIsRisen #AlleluiaAlleluiaAlleluia! #LordJesusChrist pic.twitter.com/Q5iwQW0BGX

— PrayeroftheChurch (@Neddamred) April 16, 2022

The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, has criticised the Government’s Spring Statement for not doing enough to alleviate pressures on the poor, and said that the Church was “reaching the limit” as to what it could do to cover the shortfall.

Dr Inge was speaking in a debate on the Spring Statement in the Grand Committee of the House of Lords on Thursday.

“While it is clear that the measures announced in the Spring Statement and previously by the Chancellor on energy prices and other measures will help lower-income families, it is far from clear that they will compensate for price inflation,” he said. “The fact is that they most likely will not. It is also the case that, while the increase in prices is universal, the support offered by these measures is not, and there will be vulnerable groups who will not feel their impact.”

Dr Inge said that the Church had been “very active in seeking to alleviate poverty and everything associated with it since the crash of over ten years ago”, but it needed more support from the Government.

Read it all.

Church ‘reaching the limit’ on what it can do to alleviate poverty, says Bishop of Worcester https://t.co/OHl6fYLCSO

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) April 5, 2022

The Bishop of Birkenhead, Julie Conalty, has been appointed a deputy lead bishop for safeguarding with a focus on survivor engagement. She takes over from the Bishop of Southampton, Debbie Sellin.

Bishop Julie said: “It is a huge privilege to take on this role and to work for and alongside survivors. I won’t always get it right, but I am committed to the making the Church of England safer and to creating a better safeguarding culture. When meeting and speaking with individual survivors of Church-context abuse, I am often struck by how much grace is shown to me and I have found their insight and challenge to be invaluable. We, the Church, need to listen more and to respond with equal grace – only then will we make the changes that are needed.”

Read it all.

New deputy lead bishop for safeguarding in the Church of England. ⁦@JulieConalty⁩ who is Bishop of Birkenhead. Good appointment of a survivor focussed Bishop. She will have her work cut out though https://t.co/4SvZNirSnc

— Richard Scorer (@Richard_Scorer) April 5, 2022