A reduction in the number of dioceses, and reforms to the shape of episcopal ministry, are part of the “significant change” to which “God is calling” the Church of England, a paper produced by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of London suggests.
In the confidential paper, presented to the College of Bishops in September and seen by the Church Times this week, the three authors write of their conviction that “God is calling us to embrace significant change.” This will entail being prepared to “surrender much that we have held dear, but which we now believe may well now be hindering our mission. . .
“We believe that there will need to be significant changes to how dioceses are structured, the number and nature of them as well as serious consideration being given to the behaviours and ways of working of bishops as we move beyond the events of 2020 and 2021.”
Entitled A consultation document: Bishops and their ministry fit for a new context, the paper draws on a “listening exercise” conducted by a task group commissioned by the Archbishops and the Bishop of London.
Read it all (registration).
In the confidential paper, presented to the College of Bishops in September and seen by the Church Times this week, the three authors write of their conviction that “God is calling us to embrace significant change” https://t.co/Vl3NKET17B
— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 11, 2022