Synod in York

Church of England General Synod

July 9th, 2010 Posted in Church of England, General Synod |

General Synod starts today [Friday] in York at 3:45 pm and continues until 1 pm on Tuesday 13th July. (Hat Tip: Pageantmaster at Titusonenine for the links)

The Agenda is here

General information and links to other resources including the live audio links and other materials [top right] are here

More materials including hopefully audio podcasts should be posted once sessions start on this page. The programme for today may also be found on this page.

Women Bishops: This debate starts on Saturday after a Presidential Address by the ABY [host] and is in two parts:

1. a 'take note' debate on the report of the revision committee. This only permits an up or down debate on whether or not to accept it. No debate on amending it or more general issues to do with women bishops are permitted.

2. a line by line debate on the legislation in the Measure and amending Canon. This is quite complicated and there are a great many amendments, including those by the ABC and ABY to provide for 'Coordinate Bishops' which seem to be flying bishops, but at the discretion of the diocesan who still remains as a woman bishop, or one who has ordained women.

The materials relating to this debate are:

1. The Measure and Amending Canon – Draft Bishops and Priests [Consecration and Ordination of Women] Measure and Draft amending Canon

2. Notice Paper 5 containing the proposed amendments to the above

3. Revision Committee Report including illustrative Code of Practice [142 pages and includes the draft measure and amending canon]

In addition the background to this with a detailed examination of the historical role of bishops and the arguments over extending the episcopacy to women was contained in the Rochester Report chaired by +Michael Nazir-Ali [302 pages]

The Church Times also has an explanation of the grouping of amendments