The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Revd Kanishka Raffel, has told a gathering at the Great Synagogue, in Sydney, that Sydney Anglicans “abhor anti-Semitism . . . and will not turn away from anti-Semitism in silence”.

Archbishop Raffel was speaking at an event held on Friday to mark Hanukkah and mourn for the victims of the Bondi massacre on 14 December (News, 19 December).

It was intolerable, he said, “that over the last two and more years you have been terrorised in your homes, communities and synagogues . . . that you have to employ security guards for your places of worship, education, and society, as though this was normal or acceptable. It is intolerable that the streets of Sydney have been filled with voices of threat and violence and no one has silenced them.”

Jews deserved to be safe, respected, and protected, he continued, not just because they were Jewish but because they were Australians.

Read it all.

The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Revd Kanishka Raffel, has told a gathering at the Great Synagogue, in Sydney, that #Sydney #Anglicans “abhor anti-Semitism . . . and will not turn away from anti-Semitism in silence”#Antisemitism #bondibeach… https://t.co/NzkO10Kztx

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 22, 2025

The group most incensed by the trial’s outcome are ACNAtoo survivors—women abused by Rivera, who is currently incarcerated for his crimes. They believe the verdict overlooks Bishop Ruch’s failure to exercise due diligence. 

“[We] feel denied and crushed by the verdict that found the bishop not guilty of multiple charges,” their statement read. “It is devastatingly clear that if an abuse victim wants to report abuse in the ACNA, they must now bear the additional burden of ensuring they are not perceived as being ‘captured’ by narratives the ACNA deems illegitimate.” 

They argue the verdict is “rife with easily refutable claims.” 

“This verdict comes 6.5 years after Rivera’s nine-year-old victim initially disclosed her sexual abuse. This girl, now 16, has waited more than a third of her life for closure from a church system and leaders that repeatedly failed her. She could not even participate in the Husch Blackwell investigation because the ACNA refused to commission an investigation that did not jeopardize her criminal case against Rivera.” 

They assert that ACNA has relegated survivors’ stories to the category of propaganda, demonstrating how the province views those it claims to protect.

Read it all.

'Reform theologian and historian Dean Chuck Collins recounts the abuse of his oldest daughter who was emotionally groomed and manipulated starting at age 17, and then sexually abused when she was “of age.”

“If you have been sexually abused, do not bother reporting it to your…

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 22, 2025

Delay to the House of Bishops’ final decision on the next steps in the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process (News, 16 December) has been criticised by campaigners on both sides of the argument.

The national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), Canon John Dunnett, said that the statement issued by Church House on Tuesday “reads like an admission of ‘Groundhog Day’.”

LLF was “eroding the collegiality of the House of Bishops and their ability to lead”, he said, and called for the Bishops to “either halt the project” or reconsider proposals for structural changes to the Church of England.

A form of “delegated episcopal ministry” to provide reassurance to opponents of the changes brought by LLF were rejected by the Bishops at their meeting in October (News, 15 October, 17 October).

Read it all.

The delay to the House of Bishops’ final decision on the next steps in the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process has been criticised by campaigners on both sides of the argument#llf #sexuality #samesexmarriage #churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/8cQdJOMkVf

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 22, 2025

It is not my habit to comment on the contents of sermons in this blog. However, the Dean of St Edmundsbury, The Very Reverend Joe Hawes, used his sermon at St Edmundsbury Cathedral last Sunday to comment on the Living in Love and Faith process[1] and it seemed to me to be important not to let the points he made about this subject go unchallenged.

The Dean makes five points in relation to the LLF process, and I shall consider each of them in turn.

The first point he makes is that he feels able to affirm:

‘… with heartfelt certainty, that although I get it wrong pretty regularly and need to hearken to the Baptist’s cry to repent, who I am in my creation, is essentially what God intended. That I am not an aberration, a mistake on God’s part, but, like all of you, a gift from God, and trying in my life, to be a gift back to God through loving service.’

The question that this statement raises is who the Dean thinks God created him to be. If he means that his creation as a male human being made in the image and likeness of God is willed by God and is ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31), I don’t think that there is anybody in the Church of England, even those who the Dean calls ‘hard line fundamentalists,’ who would disagree with him.

If, however, what the Dean means is that he was created by God to be a gay man then there would be many who would rightly disagree with him. This because, to quote Sean Doherty (who is himself same-sex attracted):

‘God did not create straight women, straight men, gay women and gay men. God created two sexes, with the capacity to relate to one another sexually.’ [2]

This truth is taught in the creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2 and, as Paul notes in Romans 1:26-27, it is also taught by nature in the sense that the observation of human biology teaches us that human beings have bodies that are designed to engage into the kind of ‘one flesh’ sexual union with a member of the opposite sex that has the capacity to produce offspring.

In the light of this truth the Pauline teaching that same-sex sexual attraction and the same-sex sexual activity that results from it are a result of the Fall makes perfect sense. If human beings are created to have sex with members of the opposite sex, it follows that desires and actions that are contrary to this must be seen not as a reflection of God’s original creative intention, but as a result of the distortion of the created order consequent upon demonic and human rebellion against God.

Read it all.

I have just published a new blog post, 'Why the cupboard is bare – a response to the reflections of the Dean of St Edmundsbury'https://t.co/fzxq2YZ4wr

— Martin Davie (@MartinBDavie) December 13, 2025

In this final week of Advent, as I’m trying to focus my heart and mind on the glorious celebration of Christ’s birth, I’m finding my thoughts diverted away from the incarnation to issues concerning the recent verdict and order in the trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch. 

I know many of you are in the same place. I get it. 

There are plenty of questions and concerns about the way the trial was handled, what was and was not included, and what was implied in the order. Those of us in diocesan leadership are attending closely and have already been working on how we might respond. 

That said, while the administrative and canonical challenges of our province are significant, we have to remember that they are not “the main thing.”  

As we come to Christmastide, I am urging you—as your bishop—to set these concerns aside for a brief season….

Read it all.

The Bishop of the #Anglican Diocese of #southcarolina–'There are plenty of questions and concerns about the way the trial was handled, what was and was not included, and what was implied in the order. Those of us in diocesan leadership are attending closely and have already been… pic.twitter.com/mKB4EVKT2F

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 19, 2025

The court also assigned minimal weight to the testimony of two prosecution witnesses, stating they “had not participated in diocesan leadership” and “possessed no firsthand knowledge” of Bishop Ruch’s conduct. 

Speaking with The Living Church, both witnesses disputed this characterization. The first witness served for almost two years on the diocese’s standing committee and two of its subcommittees, and the second witness led in creating a deanery child protection policy, then served on a diocesan task force to create its first protective standards in the aftermath of the Rivera disclosure.

“The [court decision] states again and again that too much of the testimony on the prosecution side was secondhand, based on emotion or opinion rather than on firsthand experience,” the first witness told TLC. “First of all, that’s false, and second of all, it’s really offensive to see misrepresentations of one’s service in the official record.”

“The court’s description of the development of safeguarding in the [Upper Midwest] does not comport with my experience as a Pastor to Children and Families in the diocese for nearly two decades,” the second witness added.

Ruch’s defense witnesses included five bishops, who testified that Ruch acted “in accordance with safeguarding expectations” and did not exhibit “patterns of neglect or inattentiveness.” 

A series of priests, deacons, and laypeople from the diocese also testified, persuading the court with respect to the charge that Ruch habitually promoted abusive ministers – some of whose backgrounds included solicitation of a prostitute and second-degree attempted murder, and some of whom reoffended – was not negligence but “difficult and imperfect work of assisting fallen men and women who sought vocational calling” that Ruch undertook with sincerity.

Read it all.

New for @Livng_Church: The ACNA court's ruling in the matter of Bp Stewart Ruch, its first ever acquittal, followed a decision to set aside two of three independent investigations and to admit additional evidence. https://t.co/YMgjiZQkOH

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) December 19, 2025

‘We are aware that an assessment such as we request raises practical questions and anxiety about what might be revealed. We ask you to remember alongside us that, in the words of our Lord, “there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open” [Luke 8:17]’.

Read it all.

Out of love for the church and concern over the crisis, scandal, and abuse; we call for a fully independent, third-party assessment in the ACNA.
We invite all current or former ACNA clergy and laity to read and sign our open letter: https://t.co/NFEbBmH7p6

— anglicanrenewal (@anglicanrenewal) December 17, 2025

The Rev. William Barto, a canon lawyer who is a priest in the Reformed Episcopal Church, a subjurisdiction of ACNA, said the decision was “sorely lacking” from a legal standpoint. He said it “reads more like a journal of the trial process” rather than a considered judicial decision, noting that half the document is focused on critiquing ACNA’s response to the allegations.

Barto told RNS in an email that the document and the process that led to it “demonstrates unequivocally that the ACNA can no longer leave ecclesial disciplinary matters on the back shelf.” He said the denomination must determine what role tribunals should play in the disciplinary process: “Are they judges or juries? investigations or trials?” he asked. He called for court members to receive further training in canon law….

A spokesperson for the denomination confirmed that there is a planned audit of the [Bishop] Ruch trial proceedings.

Read it all.

NEW from me this evening: ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch found not guilty on all counts. The decision comes more than six years after a 9-year-old child first came forward with sexual abuse allegations against a lay minister in Ruch's diocese. https://t.co/yKckPyrY28

— Kathryn Post (@kathrynmaepost) December 17, 2025

One of those men, Nephtali Matta, works as the “Alpha Coordinator” at Ruch’s flagship church, leading regular discussions on Christianity. But Matta was arrested in Colorado in 2011, charged with attempted second-degree murder of his first wife, and spent nearly 480 days in jail. He later pleaded guilty to felony menacing and was released. He then moved to Illinois, joined Rez in Wheaton and was eventually hired to work part time.

The church’s interim head pastor, Matt Woodley, told The Post this year that he oversaw Matta’s hiring and that Ruch does not hire or oversee non-clergy employees. But the authors of the clergy-and-parishioner presentment have told The Post that the denomination’s bishops — as defined by the church’s own canons — are “administrators of godly discipline and governance” and “overseer[s] of the flock.”

The clergy-and-parishioner presentment also said that Ruch allowed John W. Hays, a registered child sex offender, to attend Rez as a worshiper, even though Hays had pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two boys years earlier. Hays’s presence at Rez became publicly known only when the watchdog group ACNAtoo published a blog item about it on its website.

The court’s ruling did not address Matta or Hays.

Read it all.

THREAD: The ecclesiastical court's acquittal of N. American Anglican Bishop Stewart Ruch bemoans the "narrative capture" of the case and claims that advocacy groups "exerted ongoing and distorting influence" over the investigation. But the verdict does not address many key areas:

— Ian Shapira (@ianshapira) December 17, 2025

Read it all.

The decision in the trial of Bp Stewart Ruch, of ACNA's Diocese of the Upper Midwest, is out: Ruch has been found not guilty on all charges from the presentment. pic.twitter.com/prXLkZCtDf

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) December 16, 2025

Secondly, I wanted to let you know that The Court for the Trial of a Bishop has notified us that it expects to render its verdict and issue a final order in the matter of The Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch III, Bishop of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, by no later than 6:00 pm EST today, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in accordance with the timeframe established by the Court’s Rules of Procedure.

This trial, which began on July 14, 2025, addressed four formal charges related to the exercise of Bishop Ruch’s episcopal duties. These charges involved questions of neglect, abuse of ecclesiastical power, violation of ordination vows, and disobedience to the canons of the Church. For those not familiar with this case, you can find additional background and details on our website. 

It is always grievous when the church causes harm or becomes a source of pain.  We recognize that the Ruch matter, in particular, carries significant spiritual and emotional weight for many across our Province, especially for those whose trust has been tested by these difficult events. We recognize that, whatever the Court decides, its decision is likely to induce a range of emotions.  I encourage you to bring every emotion honestly before the Lord (Psalm 62:8) and, in the fellowship of trusted friends and advisors, to seek the peace and comfort that only Christ can offer.

Read it all.

#ACNA update from Bp Julian Dobbs–'Secondly, I wanted to let you know that The Court for the Trial of a Bishop has notified us that it expects to render its verdict and issue a final order in the matter of The Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch III, Bishop of the Diocese of the Upper… pic.twitter.com/MlbaRed2zy

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 16, 2025

 “Where among our bishops, are those with the courage to act from love?” the Dean of Bristol, the Very Revd Mandy Ford, asked on Sunday, as the House of Bishops prepares to finalise decisions on the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process.

She joined the Dean of St Edmundsbury, the Very Revd Joe Hawes, who — alongside organisations campaigning for greater inclusivity for LGBTQ+ people — last week called on the Bishops to change their minds (News, 11 December).

On Tuesday, the Bishops are due to confirm decisions announced in October, which would effectively forestall the introduction of stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples and maintain the current ban on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages (News, 17 October).

Read it all.

Temperature rises ahead of Bishops’ formal vote to put the brakes on same-sex marriage https://t.co/Wjh3LQN2up

— Simon Sarmiento (@simonsarmiento) December 15, 2025

Sydney’s Anglican Archbishop Kanishka Raffel calls on Sydney to embrace our Jewish neighbours in love, friendship and support and to reject antisemitism, violence and hatred.

Archbishop Raffel says this is the way of Jesus.

Minister of Bondi Anglican Martin Morgan says they sheltered people in the church last night, who were terrified, running for their lives.

In a The Pastor’s Heart special, Archbishop Raffel is joined by minister of Bondi Anglican Church Martin Morgan and Messianic Jew Ben Pakula (also an Anglican Minister) in praying for those family and friends and the Bondi community, impacted by the gunman opening fire – leaving 16 dead including a 10 year old girl.

Listen to it all.

“How many women have shed tears over the way their sexuality has been misused by others? God will hold us accountable for dishonoring the image of others,” Archbishop Kanishka Raffel of Sydney preaches at #gafcon23. pic.twitter.com/J6ZMu3rM0r

— Jeff Walton (@jeffreyhwalton) April 20, 2023

The speed of the board’s work, which by canon involves investigating by “hear[ing] the accusations and such proof as the accusers may produce,” suggests that the formal complaint and its affidavits could have been sufficient to establish probable cause. The standing committee of Wood’s Diocese of the Carolinas had suggested that the board use an outside firm to conduct a fuller investigation, but the board appeared to reach its conclusion on its own.

With the board’s indictment, Archbishop Wood will face a prosecutor of Bishop Dobbs’ choice and will be tried before the denomination’s Court for the Trial of a Bishop. The court consists of two adult members, two priests, and three bishops. Its senior-most bishop, who serves as its president, is the Rt. Rev. David Bryan, who has served as suffragan in the Diocese of the Carolinas since 2016.

While the next procedural steps toward trial are clear, its timeline is not. Speaking at a provincial Q&A session on December 12, Bill Nelson, the denomination’s chancellor, emphasized that the court could only hear one case at a time, and would not be able to turn to the Wood matter until the conclusion of the trial of the Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch (Diocese of the Upper Midwest). A verdict in that matter is due December 16.

“I can’t tell you any further right now what the court’s timetable will be, but … the Wood matter will be the next matter to be considered. And we will just post updates on timing as they become available,” Nelson said. In the Ruch matter, 13 months elapsed between the Board of Inquiry’s indictment and the court’s first scheduling order, and 15 more will have passed by the time of the verdict.

Read it all.

Wood has been canonically indicted on charges of violation of ordination vows, conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, and sexual immorality. #Anglican #ACNA #news
https://t.co/6nctiH3q9c

— The Living Church (@Livng_Church) December 15, 2025

O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Guten Morgen!
Ich wünsche euch nach einer kalten Nacht einen sonnigen Tag!
Moritzburg, teileise gefroren, das Wassergeflügel kann noch planschen. pic.twitter.com/llQLcIZ3kU

— Bettina (@c17791ef97be4cc) December 15, 2025

A complaint against the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, was “not taken forward or appropriately followed up”, Lambeth Palace said in a statement on Thursday.

The claim related to the diocese of London’s and Bishop Mullally’s handling of an abuse allegation, Premier Christian News reported on Monday. The complainant, referred to as Survivor N, filed the complaint in March 2020.

The statement from Lambeth Palace said that, “due to administrative errors and an incorrect assumption about the individual’s wishes, the complaint was not taken forward or appropriately followed up.”

Bishop Mullally, who is now the Archbishop-elect of Canterbury (News, 3 October), said in a separate statement that Survivor N had been “let down by the processes of the Church of England.

“While his abuse allegations against a member of clergy were fully dealt with by the Diocese of London, it is clear that a different complaint he subsequently made against me personally in 2020 was not properly dealt with.”

Read it all.

A complaint against the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, was “not taken forward or appropriately followed up”, Lambeth Palace said in a statement on Thursday#churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/1i96m3OSl7

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 11, 2025

MEMORANDUM
December 12, 2025
RE: Presentment of Archbishop Steve Wood

Members of the Anglican Church of North America:

Concerning the Presentment of Archbishop Steve Wood, in accordance with the standards established in and required by Title IV, Canon 4, Section 6, and following other pertinent Canons, the Board of Inquiry finds that there is probable cause to present Archbishop Wood for trial for violation of Canon 2 of this Title and has duly recorded its vote and judgment that the following three charges should be considered in the trial:

• Violation of Ordination Vows (Canon IV.2.1.3);
• Conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power (Canon IV.2.1.4); and
• Sexual Immorality (Canon IV.2.1.6).

This letter shall serve as our public declaration of the same. 

In Christ,
Chairman, the Board of Inquiry

ACNA NEWS: Abp. Steve Wood will go to trial. The Board of Inquiry has found probable cause to present him on charges of violation of ordination vows, conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, and sexual immorality. pic.twitter.com/I5wt4JbNdM

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) December 12, 2025

Bishop David Bryan Steps Down as Assisting Bishop of the ADOSC

Following the recent developments in the Provincial Office, Bishop David Bryan has been named Acting Bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas and, as a result, has resigned as Assisting Bishop for the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. Bishop Edgar had invited Bishop Bryan, with whom he had had a 30+ year relationship as friends and colleagues, to serve on our staff beginning in January of this year. “I’m sad about this on behalf of our diocese,” wrote Bishop Edgar in a note accepting Bishop Bryan’s resignation. “We will pray for you and the Diocese of the Carolinas. I’m grateful for you and your service to us in the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, and for our friendship over the years.” Bishop Mark Lawrence, our Bishop Emeritus, will continue assisting with visitations, and, along with Bishop Edgar, will cover those scheduled for 2026.

Read it all.

The crisis facing the ACNA is fundamentally a crisis of integrity, stemming directly from this unwillingness to speak plainly. For the Church, confession is not merely an institutional duty; it is the covenantal key to healing.

Our tradition holds that true restoration is rooted in specific, humbling admission. The Apostle James lays out the standard for the community of faith:

“Therefore, confess your sins one to another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16, ESV)

The Failure to Confess for Healing

By substituting abstract spiritual language for concrete admissions, the bishops prevent the very healing they pray for. Healing—for the wounded, the Province, and the College itself—requires a clear definition of the injury and the sin. A nebulous confession attempts to bypass the painful process of public truth-telling.

The College’s statement reads like a carefully worded legal brief designed to limit exposure, rather than a pastoral lament seeking forgiveness. This is where the corporate double speak does its deepest damage. By using generalized terms, the bishops are engaging in semantic evasion—a classic tactic of risk management—that seeks to confess only what is legally or institutionally unavoidable. We see a leadership that is prioritizing image control over truth-telling, sacrificing its spiritual integrity for the sake of its organizational stability.

Read it all.

Has the ACNA College of Bishops' effort at confession been undermined by its method of communication? Fr. Randall Graf writes "we needed specific admissions of procedural failures, suppressed information, or concrete acts of omission." https://t.co/kh66Y1hW5z

— Jeff Walton (@jeffreyhwalton) December 10, 2025

The next Suffragan Bishop of Grimsby, in Lincoln diocese, is to be the Ven. Jean Burgess, the Archdeacon of Bournemouth since 2023, Downing Street announced on Wednesday.

She succeeds Dr David Court, who retired in July, having served since 2014 (News, 14 February).

Archdeacon Burgess was born in Derby and became a Christian as a teenager through her parish church. She is a former nurse and holds a master’s degree in theology and pastoral studies from Nottingham University. She took the East Midlands Ministry training course, and was ordained priest in 2004.

She served her title at St George and St Mary, Gresley, and a second curacy at St Alkmund and St Werburgh, Derby, of which she became incumbent in 2013. She also served as Derby Diocesan Dean of Women’s Ministry, and in 2016, was appointed an honorary canon of Derby Cathedral.

Read it all.

New Bishop of Grimsby announced https://t.co/hJOKLYdB1k I am pleased to hear of this appointment & look forward to working with Bishop-elect Jean in due course. May God bless her.

— Bishop Patrick (@BishopPMcKinney) December 10, 2025

The House of Bishops will make a final decision on the future of standalone same-sex blessings when it meets again on December 16 but Bishop Philip Mounstephen said the theological and legal advice made clear that any changes will need to be “done properly according to the norms of our governance”.

Addressing a recent meeting of the Winchester Diocesan Synod, Bishop Philip Mounstephen said that questions over how such changes could be made without changing the official doctrine of the Church of England – which upholds marriage between a man and woman – proved to be “the game changer”. 

He said the theological and legal advice had brought the House of Bishops “face to face with the sheer constitutional difficulty of making such changes”.

Read it all.

The Bishop of Winchester has defended the recent decision of the House of Bishops to pause plans to introduce standalone same-sex blessing services https://t.co/OD99QBXeo5 #anglican #bishops #anthropology #parishministry #ethics #21stc #pastoralpractice #doctrine

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 8, 2025

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

Or watch the video here:

A Gathering Marked by Prayer, Repentance, and Reflection

We assembled in a moment that demanded humility and seriousness. Throughout our time together, we prayed the Offices and portions of the Litany, allowing the reading of the Scriptures and the rhythms of prayer to shape our conversations, anchor our reflections, and keep the cross of Christ before us.

As we reflected on our shared episcopal ministry, including the many ways God has borne fruit through it, we acknowledged areas where we have not fully met the high calling entrusted to us. We recognized moments of weakness in our relationships with one another, instances where our courage has flagged, and occasions when we lacked attentiveness or care for the flock committed to us. In humility, we sought forgiveness from the Lord and from one another. We also recognize that, at times, these weaknesses have fallen short of the expectations the Province rightly has for its leaders. In a spirit of honest repentance, we express sorrow for the hurt that these shortcomings have caused, and we ask the clergy and people of the Anglican Church in North America to forgive us where we have not lived up to the sacred trust placed in us.

Matters Requiring Honest Assessment

During our meeting, we heard from those bishops who had prior awareness of the presentment that was later filed against Archbishop Steve Wood. This required us to engage in forthright conversation about the responsibilities of episcopal oversight, the need to speak truthfully among ourselves, and the necessity of guarding the integrity of our common life. We did not pass over these matters lightly. The discussion was undertaken with seriousness, candor, and a commitment to rebuild confidence where it has been shaken.

We acknowledged that there is a lack of clarity in certain areas of our disciplinary canons. This lack of clarity has contributed to confusion and frustration within the Province. We noted with gratitude that the proposed canonical revisions presently before the Church begin to address these ambiguities and strengthen our accountability to one another and to the people of God. It was clear throughout our deliberations that there is a significant deficit of trust toward the College of Bishops. We received this soberly. We recognize that trust cannot be demanded, and we will endeavor to grow in grace so that, by God’s help, we may become increasingly trustworthy.

Read it all.

Back in November, Bp Chip Edgar of ACNA's Diocese of South Carolina wrote: "I’ve asked the College for a unified, public apology for these disparaging statements." The public will need to decide whether this bishops' statement today fits the bill. https://t.co/BwyKbo04lt pic.twitter.com/AVMFkrRDXI

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) December 6, 2025

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever.
Amen.

Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 8
‘Winter Farmyard’
Artist: Ronald Lampitt pic.twitter.com/wLtcfmFnDN

— Helen Day (@LBFlyawayhome) December 8, 2025

The Clergy Discipline Commission has expressed disappointment at bishops’ infrequent use of conciliation in disciplinary cases, in an annual report that also warns that their “lack of attention” has resulted in a “greatly diminished” pool of tribunal members, the Provincial Panel.

The Commission’s annual report for 2024, included among the General Synod papers for next February, says that bishops infrequently used their power to refer complaints for alternative dispute resolution through conciliation, although there are “a great many people throughout the church with expertise in conciliation and it was a shame that this formal mechanism was being underutilised”.

In 2024, there were three complaints referred to conciliation — four per cent of the total. All were unsuccessful and then had to be determined by the bishop.

The report also notes that the Provincial Panel (the clergy and laity eligible to sit on a disciplinary tribunal) were “greatly diminished” in 2024, owing to “the lack of attention given by some diocesan bishops to renewing the terms of those members representing their diocese on the Panel, and delays in appointing replacement members when a panel member indicated they were no longer available to sit.”

Read it all.

The Clergy Discipline Commission has expressed disappointment at bishops’ infrequent use of conciliation in disciplinary cases #clergydiscipline #bishops https://t.co/rJBAYl75Rs

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 5, 2025

The retiring Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, has used his valedictory speech in the House of Lords to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in Sudan, which was, he said, “so dire that ‘urgent’ does not do justice to the need for action”.

During a debate on the topic last week, Bishop Baines, who has been one of the Lords Spiritual since 2014, described Sudan as “a country I love, where I have friends, and which I have visited a number of times”.

Its “suffering”, he said, was “almost unbearable, the worst humanitarian catastrophe on the planet. . . Whatever the causes of and motivations behind the current conflict, it is civilians — women, children, young men, and vulnerable ethnic groups — who are being targeted and abused in the most inhumane ways.”

He offered some scale of the conflict. “It is estimated that up to 150,000 people have died, and 13 million have been displaced, 9.6 million internally and 4.3 million in exile. Some 25 to 30 million people are hungry, malnourished, or severely malnourished. Save the Children estimates that 16 million children are in need of aid. . . Access to aid is frequently blocked, and funding is inadequate to the need.”

Read it all.

The retiring Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, has used his valedictory speech in the #HouseofLords to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in #Sudan, which was, he said, “so dire that ‘urgent’ does not do justice to the need for action”… https://t.co/IHsY5yMW33

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 3, 2025

Orthodox Anglicans have accused bishops in the Church in Wales of “misleading” statements as it moves towards making same-sex blessings permanent. 

Bishops in the Church in Wales have published a ‘road map’ for the future of same-sex blessings following a four-year trial and a six-month consultation with clergy and parishioners.

During the trial period, same-sex couples in a civil partnership or marriage were allowed to come to Church in Wales churches with friends and family to receive a blessing.

The bishops said that the Church is reaching the point “where it must take major decisions on these matters”. 

In a pastoral letter to Church in Wales members, the bishops said that “most” responses to the consultation were “in favour of the view that the time is right to offer equal marriage to traditional and same sex couples”.

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Church in Wales 'road map' for same-sex blessings is 'distressing' https://t.co/0eujIwhx2e

— Christian Today (@ChristianToday) December 3, 2025

The Church of England has launched what it describes as its “biggest-ever” Advent and Christmas campaign, which focuses on the theme “The Joy of Christmas”.

Announced on Monday, the campaign features a new children’s storybook, The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas, written by Jonathan Maltz and Christopher Poch, with artwork by Jago Illustration.

The Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Revd Sam Corley, said of the book: “There’s a lot of talk — and quite a bit of singing — about joy at Christmas. . . If you feel like joining the grumpy owl in our story and shutting yourself away, then the message of Christmas is for you.”

The campaign is designed to help “people pause, reflect and celebrate wherever they are”, with the help of specially commissioned reflections and meditations. Among them is Twelve Joys of Christmas, written by the Dean of Salisbury, the Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, which explores the meaning of joy in everyday traditions. He also wrote O Come Emmanuel, a new set of Advent meditations based on the ancient “O” antiphons (News, 7 November).

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The Church of England has launched what it describes as its “biggest-ever” #Advent and #Christmas campaign, which focuses on the theme “The Joy of Christmas”.https://t.co/cXyKKVbNyO

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 1, 2025