THE
P RTAL
February 2019
Our Window
on the CofE
Page 11
Anglican
News
The Revd Fr Paul Benfield
Gender Issues
Last month I wrote about the pastoral guidance
issued by the House of Bishops concerning welcoming
transgender people by using the service of affirmation
of baptismal vows. The Bishop of Blackburn had chaired
the committee which produced the guidance. He
welcomed the guidance when it was published, but later
signed a letter from the Church of England Evangelical
Council calling for its withdrawal or revision. Bishop
Henderson later apologised to the CEEC for the
confusion and anxiety caused by the matter.
bishops considered the life of their global communions.
They explored similarities and differences between
the structures of their churches. The bishops also
discussed how they might work together to address
issues of national importance, including the UK’s
relationship with the EU, recognising the unique role
the Church plays as an instrument of reconciliation
and peace in society.
Incumbents’ Annual Returns
When I was an incumbent January always brought
the chore of completing the statistics for mission
Meanwhile William Nye, Secretary to the House for the previous calendar year. This required
of Bishops, issued a statement which included the simple questions such as number of attendees and
following; “The pastoral guidance is not intended as communicants at Christmas and Easter and numbers
a restatement or a new statement on matters relating on a ‘usual Sunday’. More difficult were how to answer
to gender. The guidance makes no change to the questions about ‘fresh expressions’ and similar
Church’s teaching. Next year the Church of England unfamiliar terminology.
will publish a major new set of teaching and learning
resources on identity, relationships, marriage and
If one held a coffee morning at which a prayer for
sexuality, “Living in Love and Faith”. Transgender will the nation was said how should that be recorded? Even
be among the matters covered in those resources. The more difficult were questions which required one to
pastoral guidance does not pre-empt the work of the assess the age of members of the congregation. I am
“Living in Love and Faith” process.”
surprised that safeguarding people encourage clergy
(or others completing the form) to attempt to assess
This matter will run on and I predict questions on whether attendees are under 16 or over 16!
it at the usual Question Time when General Synod in
London meets from 20th to 23rd February. In addition Registrars’ Annual Returns
to the regular question time (when members may ask
Having ceased to be an incumbent I thought such
questions of any body answerable to Synod) there is returns would be a thing of the past, but I was wrong!
also to be an hour and a half given to the “Living in Registrars are required to complete all sorts of returns.
Faith and Love” process. The Bishops of Coventry and There is a self-interest in completing the return about
Newcastle and the Pastoral Advisory Group will give a legal work done as this is used by the Fees Advisory
presentation followed by questions.
Commission in fixing the annual retainer for each
diocesan registrar for the following year. I can also
RC and CofE relations
see the need for the Clergy Discipline Commission
There was a meeting of 27 Anglican and 27 Roman to have a return about discipline cases in each diocese
Catholic bishops at Leicester from January 16th to 17th. and how they were disposed of.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishops Welby and
Sentamu were present throughout. Dr Paula Gooder
I was not expecting, however, to have to complete
and Professor Paul Murray, members of the Anglican a return for Historic England (officially the Historic
Roman Catholic International Commission, led the Buildings and Monuments Commission for England)
bishops in reflection on its latest document ‘Walking concerning faculties issued by the Consistory Court.
Together on the Way’.
Questions include how many faculties for WCs
have been granted, how many coffee bars have been
The press release said that drawing on their rich authorised and how many faculties for the removal of
experience of walking together as fellow pilgrims, the more than four pews have been granted.