MONDAY
THE FINAL VOTE ON WOMEN BISHOPS PASSED.
Update: Audio of the Women Bishops Debate and vote is now available:
Starts in Morning Session here from 1hr:43mins:00secs in.
Continues in the Afternoon Session here
The first vote on the Measure passed with a 2/3 majority in all 3 houses
Bishops: In favour 37; Against 2; Abstained 1
Clergy: In favour 162; Against 25; Abstained 4
Laity: In favour 152; Against 45; Abstained 5
The second vote on the Amending Canon passed with a 2/3 majority in all 3 houses
Bishops: In favour 37; Against 2; Abstained 1
Clergy: In favour 164; Against 24; Abstained 3
Laity: In favour 153; Against 40; Abstained 8
Consequential motions including Rescinding the Act of Synod of 1993 [which provided legal alternative provision for parishes] have passed on a show of hands
There is a Media Release: Church of England to have women bishops
SYNOD IS NOW OVER
Click on the link below for all of the links to each day’s updates and resources.
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Synod debates when in session may be listened to below.
Friday: The Debate on Woman Bishops has had its first day of consideration with debate to ‘Take Note’ of the Report of the Business Committee on the returns from the dioceses. This Item 501 has passed, and Synod will proceed to consider the documentation in detail – if you can call it that – the so-called ‘Revision Stage’ although conducted at break neck speed.
Item 502: The Report of Standing Committee on amendments to the Canon has been considered, and again it is a take note debate. It has been passed. the House of Bishops will consider the matter on Saturday. It is an arcane and complicated process.
Synod has considered Safeguarding, Items 519/520
Answers to Questions [which have been given below] were broadcast
This post will be updated from time to time
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Press release about Agenda
Daily Agenda and Timetable and Brief Agenda and Papers
Live Video Feed when in session or listen here [In accordance with the system established for the first time last year, it looks as if audio recordings of debates will not be available to listen to again, only those selected speeches the CofE Media office approve of and decide to upload – UPDATE: the Media Office is now uploading media files shortly after debates]
Twitter: #synod and it may be worth following: @CofEgensyn, @C_of_E if interested
Tuesday July 15th
Tuesday Morning
Report of Tuesday Morning Business – Synod and Convocation elections and representation, Ecclesiastical Property, Retirements of Bishops of Blackburn and Oxford, Proroguing of Synod
Audio [Awaited]
Monday July 14th
Monday Evening
Report of Monday Evening Business – Retired clergy, Audit Committee
Audio
PR: New arrangements for housing retired clergy announced
Monday Afternoon
Report of Monday Afternoon Business – Women bishops debate and vote, Magna Carta
Audio – starts with continuation of Women Bishops Debate and Final Vote, then debate on Magna Carta
Press Release on Women Bishops Result
Monday Morning
Audio – Starts with Armed Forces: Women Bishops final debate starts at 1hr:43mins:00secs in
Report of Earlier Monday Morning Business – Armed Forces
Report GS 1960
Sunday July 13th
Sunday Afternoon
Report of Sunday Afternoon Business – Churches Conservation Trust, Archbishops’ Council Report, Novel Texts for Baptism, Clergy Clothing, Credit Unions
Audio
Sunday Evening
Report of Sunday Evening Business – Financial, Archbishops Council’s Budget and Church Commissioners’ Report
Audio
Saturday July 12
Saturday Morning
Report of Saturday Morning Business – Archbishop of York’s Presidential Address, Standing Orders, Domestic Legislation
Audio
– Women Bishops: The House of Bishops having consider the draft legislation Synod apparently reviewed in the review stage on Friday where some numbering was changed; and the Convocations of the two Provinces of York and Canterbury declining to meet to consider the legislation. the legislation was sent back to be debated and voted on on Monday in this form:
Draft Measure
Draft Amending Canon
Saturday Afternoon
The Uncommon Good – Jim Wallis Talk etc
Audio
Report of Saturday Afternoon Business – The Common Good
Audio
Saturday Evening
Report of Saturday Evening Business – Vestments
Audio
Friday July 11
Transcript of Women Bishops Legislation debate
Audio Women Bishops from 1hr:19mins:40secs in until 1hr:53mins:27secs in
Report of Friday Afternoon and Evening Business
– Worship and Introductions
– Progress of Measures and Statutory Instruments
– Business Committee Report [GS 1949]
– Appointments to the Archbishops Council GS1950]
LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
501 Draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure (GS 1925B) and Draft Amending Canon No. 33 (GS 1926B)
”“ Report by the Business Committee on the Article 8 Reference (GS 1951)
-502 Draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure (GS 1925B) and Draft Amending Canon No. 33 (GS 1926B)
”“ Draft Measure and Draft Amending Canon for Final Drafting (GS 1925-6Z)
519-20 Draft Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure (GS 1952) and Draft Amending Canon No. 34 (GS 1953)
”“ Draft Measure and Draft Amending Canon for First Consideration
Evening Worship
8:30 pm to 10 pm Questions
Update: Questions are here A recording of the answers is awaited.
Interesting, a debate chaired by a woman with reports from a committee chaired by a woman on women bishops. A lot of activist women speaking for the debate and telling those opposed to abstain and all the different ways they can not vote, including the introducer of the debate suggesting that if people find difficulty in abstaining they do not need to even go that far but simply not to press the button and so have no action registered officially by them, and for that to be counted like an abstention.
What a sad pass we have come to when members and leaders of the Church’s legislative body are advising people not to vote if they disagree. Is this what they are going to tell people in the country to do? Not to vote in Parliamentary Elections, not to vote in council elections, not to vote in national referenda? Will they tell the Scots not to vote in the independence referendum in mid-September? Are only those who agree with them to be allowed to vote? In many countries, including Australia as I understand it, voting is a duty required of people, and indeed there are criminal sanctions for not doing so. Yet in the Church of England, the liberal dictatorship are intimidating conservatives into not voting. What a bunch of worthless bums.
There was one speaker who spoke about 4 dioceses including Guildford where the remarkable point was made that in the latest vote no more people voted in favour of the proposed move to women bishops than previously, and yet the previous votes against just were not there – those people had just disengaged and not turned up. The speaker made a plea for them to be listened to and welcomed, not ignored. It all rather speaks for itself.
It was very sad listening to conservative speakers, including a lady from Exeter pleading and excusing herself for an inability for theological conviction to vote in favour.
Pathetic. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.
I thought it was also interesting that of the ecumenical guests, Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Church and the representative of the Roman Catholic Church both sent their apologies.
Looks like that love-in Welby and his circle are trumpeting with such excitement with the Vatican has limits and they are not going to attend the event where the CofE separates itself further from the majority of the world’s Christians and the conservative Christians are crucified.
Now the ever breezy Bishop of Willesden is at it, recommending what he terms ‘Principled Abstention’.
How extraordinary that these ladies whose great grandmothers fought so hard for the right to vote, and whose grandparents fought in two world wars for the freedom to continue a free people with democratic rights against tyranny and dictatorship, and now this bishop are asking people not to freely vote with their consciences.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, what have we come to? Is this the future of the CofE? In sacrificing democratic freedoms and privileges to win a battle, only by doing so to lose the war?
Jeremiah 6
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’
Bishop Broadbent writes:
It is outrageous. Can you imagine them treating the Catholic Church like this? They wouldn’t dare.
Such action could only happen with the agreement of the government who manage parliamentary business. Archbishop Welby’s school fellow is almost certainly going to be out of office next year – they share much in common.
We have discovered why we have not had an Etonian Prime Minister for half a century. Notwithstanding an apparently self-effacing charm, in reality they know they are right, and having made up their mind, they will follow that through, even to betraying their own voters and constituents, even in extreme cases to treason. David Cameron with gay marriages, Justin Welby with his facilitated conversations which they are driving through. It is a severe and dangerous failing.
On reflection over the last 24 hours I have put my finger on what worried me most about the pressure on conservatives to not vote, to abstain, to not use their finger to press a voting button. It is this – I have seen it happen before.
It was just such appeals and bullying as I saw taking place in TEC in reports from House of Bishops meetings and Conventions a few years ago. Conservatives were pressurised, told not to vote, to abstain, to let the majority get their own way.
They were subjected to group ‘facilitated conversations’ with preprepared materials, enacted scenarios, Delphi Technique facilitators, just as Welby has brought into Synod. Those who would not play along were isolated, shunned, told that they were out of touch with the church and society, that they should take the broad road everyone else was on, or at least not to stand in the way. So they did, a few brave souls stood out, but many acquiesced.
Over time many of the conservative bishops and delegates retired early, threw in the towel, left The Episcopal Church, were deposed by The Episcopal Church. Their vacant sees and parishes were taken over by the liberals.
From a situation in Plano, Texas where there was a sizeable group of conservative bishops, now a handful remain, and many of them have retired in the last few years or will shortly.
Now we see the same going on in Synod. CofE – welcome to your future. The Episcopal Church welcomes you.
It is utterly astonishing that the CofE HOB has been even considering undoing 40+ years of relative independence (delegated authority).
To open that door bodes terribly poorly for the future of the church (Parliamentary act allowing the local option on same sex marriages, anyone?). Hey, remember you heard it here first – it’s not a threat. Just a political reality….
BTW anyone who follows FiF Uk, will have noticed the gentle slide to compliance. The unworthy critiques of former leaders who bore the heat of the day and the kites being flown suggesting a change in stance on same sex relationships, have been terribly sorrowful to see.
Thanks to PM and driver8 for chiming in here. When two Brits post such withering critiques, you know how bad it really is.
Thanks also to #4, for the apt citation from Jer. 6. I’ll just add that another familiar excerpt from that chapter is also relevant here. The leaders of the CoE seem to be cryng “Peace, peace” (let’s have peace), “when there is no peace.” Nor can there be any, when mutually exclusive worldviews and value systems are in conflict.
Finally, the biblical text that came to my mind while reading all this disturbing stuff about General Synod is that most unAnglican sounding text from the end of the Sermon on the Mount:
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the easy is easy that leads to…
well, what? Peace? Harmony? Stability? Inclusivity?
No, it leads to destruction.
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.”
And that’s why, inevitably and sadly, there are few who take it.
(Matt. 7:13-14, adapted).
David Handy+
P.S. My beloved mother died on July 10, 2005, and I buried her nine years ago today. Somehow, I feel as if I’m burying part of the Mother Church today.
David Handy+