Diocese of Coventry DS 14/08 Coventry Diocesan Synod Minutes – 12 May 2014 Minutes of the meeting of the Coventry Diocesan Synod held at the Blue Coat School. The Bishop of Coventry took the chair. 1 Welcome and opening worship Bishop Christopher introduced Dr Julie Roberts, the Headteacher, who welcomed the Synod to Blue Coat School. Fr Paul Messam, the school chaplain, led the opening worship, with music provided by members of the School Choir. 2 Welcomes, apologies and notices Bishop Christopher thanked Dr Roberts and the choir for their welcome to the school and welcomed the members of Synod to the meeting. Bishop Christopher also welcomed some guests to the Synod. Two members of the Bishop’s Advisory Commission, the Revd Stuart Allen and Fr Kit Dunkley, were present for the item on women in the episcopate and Bishop Christopher thanked them for coming. He also welcomed several clergy who had recently arrived in the Diocese: the Revd Imogen Nay, Rector of St Andrew’s Rugby; the Revd Ricarda Witcombe, Chaplain of the George Elliot Hospital in Nuneaton, the Revd Hannah Woodall, Vicar of St Paul’s Foleshill and the Revd Adrian Guthrie, Rector of Alcester, Arrow with Weethley, Coughton with Sambourne, Haselor and Kinwarton with Great Alne. Finally he welcomed Jet Jones, the newly appointed Transforming Communities Together Officer. The apologies received from members of the Houses of Clergy and Laity were noted. 3 Minutes The minutes of the meeting on 9 November 2013 were approved. Mr Graham Wright, Chair of the House of Laity, took the chair. 4 Presidential address Bishop Christopher addressed the Synod, referring to 1 Corinthians 12:26: “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.” He said that Christian identity is about being in Christ, with Christ and with those who Christ is with. He reminded the Synod that the global church is the body of Christ and that what happens to any member of it affects every other. There had recently been more attention, both from the UK parliament and abroad, on the persecution of Christians. Bishop Christopher said it was an example of the providence of God that Coventry Diocese is linked with two churches experiencing great suffering: the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Diocese of Kaduna in Nigeria and said that we are committed to supporting them and other persecuted Christians. Bishop Christopher said that this connectedness and interdependence underlies the debate about women in the episcopate. In Coventry Diocese there is overwhelming support for women being bishops and the five principles of the House of Bishops’ declaration seek to achieve this. At the same time, the principles also express the commitment of the church to provide pastoral and sacramental ministry for those who are unable to receive the ministry of women priests and bishops, recognising that as a theological position expressed with integrity, within the spectrum of belief and practice of the church. Bishop Christopher said that this is seeking to express Paul’s words in Corinthians, that we cannot say to our brothers and sisters in Christ “I have no need of you”. 1 of 6 Bishop Christopher referred to Paul’s words in Ephesians 4, where he exhorts the church to bear with one another in love, so that the church may grow up in to the full measure of the stature of Christ. Bishop Christopher said that this is the calling of the Church, to grow up into Christ in every way. He finished by referring to Gloria Vaughan, who had been ordained priest last Petertide and who sadly had now died. He said that, while her ministry as a priest had been sadly cut short, the manner in which she had given herself wholly over to God as she had approached the end of her life had been a wonderful example of priestly calling – to exemplify Christian identity and the character of the Church. Bishop Christopher finished by leading the Synod in a time of quiet prayer and reflection, followed by the Lord’s prayer. 5 Reference of draft legislation for the consecration of women to the episcopate Graham Wright asked the Synod for permission to suspend Standing Order 66, to permit the vote to be taken by secret ballot rather than a show of hands and this was given. He explained that Ruth Walker would give an overview of the legislative package being proposed, to be followed by Kit Dunkley, Katrina Scott and Stewart Allen, who would share their different perspectives on the proposed new arrangements, after which he would invite members of the Synod to speak. The journey so far and the package of proposals Ruth Walker gave the Diocesan Synod an overview of the process which had led to this point and the different parts of the new proposals. The failure of the previous legislation in 2012 had been followed by considerable negotiations and discussion about the way forward, which had led to a new set of proposals being considered by General Synod in July 2013. These proposals had been developed through a process which had involved people with a wide range of opinions. In February the General Synod had decided to refer to Dioceses the draft legislation which had emerged from this process. Ruth explained that the task of the Diocesan Synod was to vote on two elements of the package, the Measure and the Amending Canon. The draft Measure would allow necessary authority for making a canon which would allow women to be Bishops and it would repeal the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993. The Measure would also make an amendment to the Equality Act 2010. Alongside this, the draft Amending Canon would provide for the admission of women to the episcopate; would redraft other canons so that there are no longer separate canons for the ordination of women; and would impose a duty on the House of Bishops to make regulations proscribing a procedure for the resolution of disputes arising from the arrangements providing for the consecration of women bishops. Alongside the draft Measure and Amending Canon are two more elements: the House of Bishops’ Declaration and the Mandatory Disputes Resolution Procedure. The draft House of Bishop’s Declaration sets out five guiding principles which underlie the process which has been followed and which are at the heart of the new legislation. The Declaration also sets out arrangements to provide for those whose theological convictions mean that they cannot accept the ministry of ordained women. The Mandatory Disputes Resolution Procedure set out how disputes arising from these arrangements would be resolved. An Independent Reviewer would be appointed to consider disputes. While they would not be able to impose penalties, they would be able to conduct reviews and publish critical reports. If the new legislation is approved, the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod 1993 would be rescinded. Ruth said that the Provincial Episcopal Visitor Sees would remain, however, and that resolutions made by parishes under the old arrangements would continue to stand for two years, to give parishes time to respond. 2 of 6 Ruth explained that 38 Diocesan Synods had already voted on the legislation and all had voted in favour. The proposals would move to the next stage, a review by the House of Bishops. In July, General Synod would vote on whether to approve the legislation, at which point a two-thirds majority would be required in each house. If approved, the legislation would need to be approved by parliament before being promulged at the General Synod in November 2014, after which women bishops could be appointed. Perspective from Fr Kit Dunkley Fr Kit Dunkley shared his views on the journey to this point and the new proposals, saying that the church has had to learn hard lessons about how to meet change and make decisions. He thought that, while the legislation considered in 2012 had been a fudge, the new package of proposals was a compromise, which is how the church should handle disagreement. As other issues which would need the same level of charity and mutual respect would come up soon, Kit said that these lessons must be remembered. He spoke about the provision for the interests of traditionalist catholics in the new arrangements. The 1993 Act of Synod had been morally binding but not legally enforceable and had not contained a mechanism for resolving disputes or addressing grievances. By contrast the new arrangements included regulations for resolving disputes, which could not be changed without the approval of a two-thirds majority in each house of General Synod. The Act of Synod had not mentioned the Provincial Episcopal Visitor Sees, while the Declaration states that they will form an integral part of the new dispensation and that existing resolutions will remain in force for two years. Additionally, the provision for those unable to receive the ministry of women bishops would not be open to challenge under the Equality Act. Kit noted that groups had previously formed to campaign for the Act of Synod to be rescinded and that there was already pressure from some of those to reduce the level of provision in the new arrangements. He finished by saying that it was too early at present to say how the General Synod will vote. Perspective from the Revd Canon Katrina Scott The Revd Canon Katrina Scott spoke, explaining that while she felt passionately that women should be able to be Bishops, she was not speaking to argue in favour of that, but rather to explain why she sees the new package of proposals as the best route forward.