The Church of England’s General Synod is due to meet at York University from Friday 7 July to Tuesday 11 July; the outline of business and related papers are here. A number of legislative issues have been scheduled for debate, some for first consideration and other for final approval [1].
These include: the replacement of the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) with a new Clergy Conduct Measure (CCM); changes to the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules (FJR) in relation to contested heritage; a review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure (MPM); and the “catch all” of matters that do not merit separate, free-standing legislation, the Miscellaneous Provisions Measure. Other important debates will be on safeguarding and climate change issues.
Miscellaneous Provisions Measure
The draft Miscellaneous Provisions Measure makes legislative provision for a range of matters that do not merit separate, free-standing legislation [2]. These will be discussed on Saturday 6 July. GS 2272B and GS 2273B are for Final Drafting and Final Approval;
- CofE (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure (GS 2272B)
- CofE (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure Explanatory Note (GS 2272X3)
- Amending Canon 43 (GS 2273B)
- Amending Canon 43 Petition (GS 2273C)
- Amending Canon 43 Explanatory Note (GS 2273X3)
- Steering Committee Report Misc PM and AC 43 (GS 2272-2273)
Safeguarding
Also scheduled for Saturday 6 July. For enactment,
on Sunday 9 July, there will be a debate on safeguarding including a presentation on the Independent Safeguarding Board,
and on Tuesday 11 June, Safeguarding Practice Reviews Code of Practice (GS 2295), For approval.
On Monday 10 July, there will be the first consideration of the Clergy Conduct Measure which will replace the Clergy Discipline Measure. Following approval, Synod members may table amendments to any provision in the draft Measure for consideration by the Revision Committee and then by Synod in February 2024.
Church Representation Rules
Also on Monday 10 June, Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution is for approval
Mission and Pastoral Measure
The draft proposals for the revision of the revision of the Mission and Pastoral Measure will also be debated on 10 June, and if the proposals are approved, draft legislation will be prepared for first consideration in 2024.
Faculty Jurisdiction Rules
The Faculty Jurisdiction (Amendment) Rules 2023 are for approval and will be debated on Tuesday 11 June. These amendments to the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules in their present form will come into force on 1st January 2024.
- Faculty Jurisdiction (Amendment) Rules 2023 (1) (GS 2310)
- Faculty Jurisdiction (Am) Rules – Explanatory Notes (1) (GS 2310X)
Reduction of Marriage Fees
Debate on Tuesday 11 June. Papers associated with Diocesan Synod Motion are:
Notes
[1] The procedural stages of legislation – first consideration; revision; final drafting and final approval – are described here and in diagrammatic form here. The current status of these considerations is given in the outline of business and the agenda for the July 2023 Synod.
[2] Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure, (GS 2272B)
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The draft proposed Clergy Conduct Measure (to replace the existing CDM) seems largely sensible and to be welcomed. There might be possible doubt, and clarification would be highly desirable, in relation to any future disciplinary action against the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. It is now openly accepted by the Diocese of Oxford, and reiterated in Dominic Grieve’s Christ Church Governance Review, that the Dean (not the Bishop of Oxford) is the Ordinary of Christ Church Cathedral and the Crown is the Visitor. The Governance Review does not contemplate that changing. The effect of the Dean being the Ordinary equates to the position of the diocesan bishop in all other Church of England cathedrals.
It is submitted that section 16 of the draft CCM should reflect this fact by inclusion of the following additional subsection, (existing subsection 8 being re numbered as necessary):
“A complaint against the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford must be made to the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
This would not preclude the Archbishop’s delegating that function under the new CCM, but it is submitted as a logical and tidier enactment reflecting the Dean’s special status.