Affirming Catholicism Newsletter October 2015 Simon and Jude (28 October) Almighty God, Who Built Your Church Upon the Foundati

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Affirming Catholicism Newsletter October 2015

Simon and Jude (28 October) Almighty God, who built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the chief cornerstone: so join us together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

William Tyndale (6 October) Translator of the Scriptures, Reformation Martyr, 1536 Lord, give to your people grace to hear and keep your word that, after the example of your servant William Tyndale, we may not only profess your gospel but also be ready to suffer and die for it, to the honour of your name; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

***** Watchword for October 2015 (from the Herrnhuter Losungen)

Job said to his wife: “Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” Job 2:10 The biblical "Watchwords" of the Herrnhut Brethren (Moravian Church) have been published every year since 1731.

***** Gospel Imprint: “Baptism”

“At a baptism service in the Church of England, the priest begins by telling us that baptism means: being washed; ‘dying’ and ‘rising’; being clothed with Christ; receiving a new dignity. All of these are important parts of what it means to begin to live the Christian life. …” You can find the rest of the leaflet at: http://www.gospelimprint.com/GI-documents/Leaflets/25-03.15- Baptism.pdf.

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Please print it out and make it widely available! Try making a selection of these leaflets available in your church. Gospel Imprint is the fresh voice in Anglicanism sharing free resources with all Christians who are seeking to learn, worship and witness to the generosity of the Kingdom of God. It is supported by Affirming Catholicism and the Society of Catholic Priests.

***** The sacrament of reconciliation and the seal of the confessional We would welcome thoughts on the proposal to change Canon Law relating to the seal of the confessional. We would particularly value feedback on the following questions:  What is your practice in respect of confession?  Do you operate any boundaries with regards to confidentiality? Are there occasions when these boundaries have led you to encourage a penitent to inform relevant authorities, or to do so yourself?  Are there circumstances in which you would not give absolution? If so, what? Do you offer conditional absolution? Forward in Faith have issued a response. They suggest that  the obligation of non-disclosure is part of the nature of the Sacrament: it was not created by the Canon. Amending or repealing the Canon would therefore not remove it.  the necessity for or desirability of such a change has not been made clear.  this change would be not only undesirable but counterproductive, and would discourage people who have committed criminal offences from making their confession, reducing the likelihood of a priest being in a position to counsel them to report themselves to the police.  many priests receive little or no training for the important ministry of reconciliation, which both the 1662 and Common Worship Ordinals identify as a fundamental aspect of priestly ministry. Such training should emphasize that, where a serious crime is confessed, absolution should be withheld until the penitent has reported him- or herself to the Police. (See more at: http://forwardinfaith.com/fullposts.php?id=219#sthash.00l2JFNF.dpuf). We would add that much more thought needs to be given to the situation that arises when the penitent is not the perpetrator but is a witness or victim, and quite likely a child or vulnerable adult, who does not wish to report the abuse to the police. Would you agree with these points as the basis for a submission by Affirming Catholicism? Any responses (preserving confidentiality) will help to inform Affirming Catholicism’s response to the consultation process which must be submitted on 2 November. Please respond to [email protected] by 1 November.

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General Synod elections – Affirming Catholics in Synod Affirming Catholicism was pleased to see many candidates standing in the General Synod Elections who were either members of AffCath or sympathetic to its aims. A good number of these were elected, and we currently have over 50 people on

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General Synod who support ACiS, ensuring the Affirming Catholic voice will be heard in all houses of the new Synod. Among those re-elected were the Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett (Southwark), Chair of Affirming Catholicism; the Revd Dr Hannah Cleugh (Universities), Director, Diocesan Groups; and Canon Robert Hammond (Chelmsford), ACiS Convenor. Several long-standing ACiS members did not stand for re-election after many years on Synod; these included Mrs Mary Johnston, previous ACiS Convenor. Sadly some were not re-elected, notably the Revd Canon Perran Gay (Truro). Perran has made a huge contribution to ACiS, the Synod and the national Church through his work on the Liturgical Commission. We thank him for his Synodical service but are pleased he is remaining as an Aff Cath Director. The inaugural meeting of General Synod will take place from 23 to 25 November. It will consist mainly of information sessions, on themes including the Reform and Renewal programme; a motion relating to “the migrant crisis” (which we would submit might better be described as a refugee crisis); business related to the fees due to ecclesiastical judges and other legal officers; research into “public perceptions of Jesus”; and consideration of a report from the Church Buildings Review Group. The full agenda can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2355050/timetable__final_version_.pdf. For more information on ACiS or, if you are a General Synod Member to join or register your interest, please contact [email protected].

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Congratulations… … to the Revd Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, Rector of St George’s Jesmond and Member of the Affirming Catholicism Board, who is to be the next Bishop of Grantham … and to the Venerable Christine Hardman, former Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich, and long-standing supporter of Affirming Catholics in Synod, who is to be the next Bishop of Newcastle. Nick will be consecrated at Southwark cathedral at 11:00 on Thursday 19 November. Christine will be consecrated at York Minster at 11:00 on Monday 30 November (St Andrew’s Day). … and to the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Lord Bishop of Gloucester, who was sworn into the House of Lords on Monday 26 October (you can watch the ceremony and hear the cheers – here http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/26/rachel- treweek-bishop-woman-house-of-lords-clapping_n_8390142.html).

***** Anglican Communion news: In January 2016,the Primates of the Anglican Communion will meet to reflect and pray together concerning the future of the Anglican Communion. At this meeting, the structures of the Anglican Communion will be considered, and the next Lambeth Conference discussed (http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/09/16/archbishop-of- canterbury-calls-for-primates-gathering-2/). Archbishop emeritus David Moxon, of the Anglican Centre in Rome, has written a brief but useful paper on the future of the Anglican communion. Moxon identifies the first three sections of the Anglican Covenant (Our Inheritance of Faith, The life we share with others, our Anglican vocation, and Our Unity and common life), together

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with the results of the Bible in the Life of the Church project, as key to finding a way forward. He concludes: “It can be seen that the Anglican Communion has an openness to diversity while seeking a sense of coherence about the basis of global unity at the fundamental level. It remains to be seen whether this ethos is able to hold the Communion together into the future. There is every indication that the overwhelming majority of Anglicans will recognise themselves in these realities, appreciate their imperfections, yet be prepared to live with them, work within then, and use them to progress the Kingdom of God in our world, as we all labour for the consummation of that kingdom on earth, together.” The rest of the text can be found here: http://www.anglicancentreinrome.org/Publisher/File.aspx?ID=149667. We note that after their meeting in Cairo, attended also by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the global south primates (except the Archbishop of Nigeria, who was not present at their meeting) have committed to take part in the Primates’ Meeting.

***** Remembering William Tyndale: As part of a series on the Anglican poetic tradition, Charlotte Methuen was invited to preach on William Tyndale at Glasgow University’s Scottish Episcopal Chaplaincy on 6 October. Here is an extract from her sermon: “I can’t help thinking that William Tyndale would have been astonished to find himself at the head of a list of writers from the Anglican Poetic Tradition. Tyndale after all was never an Anglican: having lived for several years in exile, he was executed in Antwerp on 6 October 1536, just two years after the Act of Supremacy removed the English church from papal authority, and thirteen years before the first Book of Common Prayer would be promulgated in 1549. Tyndale was never an Anglican, and he was also not a poet. But he was a Bible translator, and one who gave to the English language many of the rhythms and phrases which would inspire generations of Anglican thinkers, whether preachers, poets, or theologians (or a combination of all three). … Why did Tyndale translate? In his Pathway into the Holy Scripture, and expanded version of the Prologue to his 1525 Cologne New Testament, which he published separately in around 1536, he wrote in a very Lutheran-sounding way of his joy at discovering the gospel. ‘Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word, and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings that maketh a man’s heart glad and maketh him sing, dance and leap for joy.’ He believed that giving people access to God’s Word, in their own language, would lead them to that joy.” https://cmethuen.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/william-tyndale-6-october-2015/

***** RIP Ken Leech Many will already be aware that Kenneth Leech, an inspirational priest and worker for social justice, died on 12 September 2015. He was the author of many books, including Soul Friend (1977), Silence and ministry (1987), The Eye of the Storm: Spiritual Resources for the Pursuit of Justice (1992), Through our long exile: contextual theology and the urban experience (2001), Race: changing society and

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the churches (2005) and many others. An anthology of his writings has also been published: Prayer and Prophecy: The Essential Kenneth Leech (2009). “So there is a movement from the soul to God, from God to the soul, and from the soul to society and the world. The contemplative life can never be one of self-indulgent absorption, even of a purely personal absorption in and enjoyment of God. Rather there must be an active expression of the inward union and love in relation to the world.” (Kenneth Leech) For appreciations of his life and ministry, see (amongst others) Paul Oestreicher’s obituary in The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/22/the- rev-ken-leech, and Carl McColman’s blog: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlmccolman/2015/09/in-memoriam-kenneth- leech/.

***** Forthcoming events:

In London:

Anglican Catholic Future National Festival 2015 November 7, 2015 10:30 am, cost £15.00 St Peter, Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AL

Anglican Catholic Future Vocations Day December 5, 2015, 10:00 am, cost £10.00 St Matthew, Westminster, London SW1P 2BU Book for these events and more here: http://anglicancatholicfuture.org/events/

In the Diocese of Peterborough:

“The Interfaith Dimension in a Catholic Understanding” Revd Dr Stuart Mousir-Harrison (Chaplain of University College, Northampton): Saturday 21st November 10:30am University Building, Northampton a donation of £2 person is requested.

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Support for diocesan events: Would you like to organise an event locally but can’t afford to bring a speaker in? Affirming Catholicism can offer grants of up to £500 to help fund your event. Expressions of interest to the Board at [email protected].

***** Donations and gift aid We welcome donations to support the work of Affirming Catholicism. You can send a cheque to Mark Perrett, Affirming Catholicism Administrator, St Mary’s Church Office, Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 9ES, or make an online donation by registering here: http://www.affirmingcatholicism.org.uk/pages/default.asp?sID=0&mode=donation.

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***** We hope you enjoy Affirming Catholicism’s newsletter. Do tell us what you think, and let us know of forthcoming events that you would like publicised by writing to: [email protected].

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updates including the Annual Review; your financial contribution will help us to do more and to do it even better; and you will be one more voice calling for a generous and open Catholic future for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

***** If you would like to know more about what Affirming Catholicism does, look at our Annual Review which is available here: http://www.affirmingcatholicism.org.uk/pages/default.asp?id=15.

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