The Church of England and safeguarding

On Tuesday, the General Synod debated and voted on two proposed models (labelled 3 and 4) for independent safeguarding in the Church of England. Members approved a motion (amended on a proposal of the Bishop of Blackburn) that endorses “Model 3” first while doing further work on “Model 4”. The approved motion includes:

• setting up an external scrutiny body, which is likely to be on a statutory basis in order to give it “teeth” and so would require legislation;
• transfer of most functions currently delivered by the National Safeguarding Team – except policy development – to an external employer, eventually and after all development, consultation and legislative processes are completed; and
• further work to determine the legal and practical requirements necessary to implement model 4 which would involve the transfer of safeguarding teams in dioceses and cathedrals to the same external employer as the NST.

The original motion from the lead safeguarding bishop, Joanne Grenfell, Bishop of Stepney, endorsed Model 4. Speaking after the debate, she said:

“We have missed the opportunity to say unequivocally to victims and survivors today that we hear their concerns about trust and confidence in the Church. I am committed to working with where we have got to today, continuing to do feasibility around model 4 as well as moving swiftly to set up a statutory body for scrutiny, audits and complaints”.

The Archbishop of York said that he was “disappointed” that the Church was now going to reorganise safeguarding in two stages, “but I fully commit myself to work towards implementing Synod’s decision and making it happen”. And see the letter from the Bishop of Newcastle, below.

Clergy Conduct Measure

On 13 February, the General Synod of the Church of England approved the new Clergy Conduct Measure. If and when it is approved by Parliament, it will replace the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. The new measure introduces a tiered approach to complaints, ensuring that different levels of concern are handled proportionately. For cases of serious misconduct it reintroduces the penalty of deposition from Holy Orders.

In view of the future importance of this Measure, we have added a new heading, Clergy discipline, CDM and CCM, to our general Index, which we will populate with links to new posts on the CCM as they become available. Over time, we will also add links to existing and future links on the CDM.

Gluten-free bread and non-alcoholic wine

Prior to Synod, there was wide media coverage of whether Canon B17 could be amended formally to permit the use of gluten-free bread and non-alcoholic wine in the Eucharist, following one of the 155 Questions of which notice had been given under Standing Orders 112–116. The subsequent confusion led the Church of England to issue a press release entitled, No, we’re not banning ‘gluten-free’ bread or ‘non-alcoholic’ Communion wine.

Later this week, a Guest Post by the Revd Professor Andrew Atherstone, Wheat bread and fermented wine at Holy Communion? The origins of Canon B17, will review the history of Canon B17 and summarize the Convocation debates of the 1940s and 1950s which led to its current framing.

New Golders Green eruv

The new eruv in Golders Green will be operational from this Shabbat, 14-15 February. An eruv is an area enclosed by a wire boundary which makes public spaces private, thereby permitting activities normally forbidden on the Sabbath – such as pushing prams. The project, launched in 2023, will be of benefit to families with young children and those requiring mobility assistance, ensuring that they are able to move more freely on Shabbat.

Designed and constructed under the supervision of Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, the head of the Federation Beth Din, the eruv was made of 31 pairs of 5.5m high metal poles and connecting wires and a total of 22 metal green enclosures.

Quick links

• Bishop of Newcastle: An open letter from Bishop Helen-Ann: on the Synod’s decision on safeguarding.
• Community Security Trust: Antisemitic Incidents 2024: there were 3,528 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2024, the second-highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year.
• DLA Piper, Lexology: A clash of beliefs: The Higgs v Farmor’s School case: a helpful note on the case, with comment.

And finally…

From a speech by the Bishop of Norwich during the Lords Committee stage of the Great British Energy Bill:

“I warn your Lordships that, if you are ever invited to go to a dedication of solar panels on a church roof, just beware. When I went to dedicate the solar panels on the roof of St Peter Mancroft church in the centre of Norwich back in September, a very observant member of the public rang 999, saying that a youth was stealing lead off the roof. When I came down, having dedicated the solar panels, I had to answer to two local police officers who had turned up—it was a great compliment to be called a youth, though.”