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Reports from Gregg Ryan SYNOD WORK CONTINUES IN BELFAST The General Synod of the Church of Ireland continues to meet in Belfast today. The agenda will include debate on issues including the cancellation of world debt and the Theological College. The General Synod will spend most of the morning deliberating on the Report of the Representative Church Body and the Pensions Board that deals with matters financial. These reports give an annual account of central church stewardship of resources including important statistical information and new regulations adopted by the Representative Body relating to the part-time deployment in stipendiary ministry. This follows on from changes to the canons authorised by General Synod last year. The morning's business concludes with the consideration of the Report of the Christian Stewardship Committee which highlights the work of this important service based in Belfast led by the Stewardship Co-ordinator, Mr Murray Hunter. Following lunch, General Synod will look at a variety of issues starting with the Report on the Commission on Ministry. Debate on the Role of the Church Committee Report may focus on the Church's attitude to surrogacy, Abortion and the recent Reform of the House of Lords in London. After hearing the Reports on the Ministry of Healing, Council for Mission and the Council for the Church Overseas, the Synod will end the day considering the Report of the Liturgical Advisory Committee which includes several resolutions relating to the New Prayer Book. COMMISSION ON MINISTRY LOOKS AT PASTORAL BREAKDOWN The Report of the Commission on Ministry sets out a comprehensive view of the Commission's activities over the past twelve months. The Committee set up three sub groups looking at the appointment and tenure of office of stipendiary clergy, the part-time deployment of stipendiary clergy and the perceived needs and expectations of Ministry across the Church of Ireland. The Commission was asked last year to consider the matter of freehold and it reported that the perceived concept of clergy freehold is not immutable but can be and has been changed by General Synod. The report also considered the difficulties arising from a breakdown in pastoral relationship between clergy and parish. In proposing the report, Canon Joe Condell (Limerick and Killaloe) said: "The commission is recommending that, having exhausted all avenues at diocesan level, it may be necessary for the Bishop of a diocese to refer the situation to another body who will have a certain expertise in dealing with situations of conflict and pastoral breakdown." A white paper has been included in the Report and the Commission hopes to bring legislation on this matter before Synod next year. The report also published details of a survey of auxiliary clergy. This survey highlighted the differences in perceived roles amongst those surveyed on their role and their acceptance within the ordained ministry of the Church. The Commission has called for a careful evaluation of the role of auxiliary clergy. In seconding the report, Mr Roy Palmer of Armagh Diocese described the consultation process carried out at parochial level to "examine the life, witness and mission of the Church of Ireland, in order to see how ministry may be shaped or re-shaped to meet future needs and opportunities." The Report notes the significant involvement of lay persons in a parish's pastoral and administrative life and felt strongly that there had to be a shared vision for the parish. The Report also sees the need for in service training for clergy and the re-assessment of the leadership function of the clergy and their need for new skills if the laity are to be trained in their new roles for the parish. REPRESENTATIVE CHURCH BODY MAINTAINS CAREFUL STEWARDSHIP The Report of the Representative Church Body of the Church of Ireland praised the staff for their careful stewardship of Church resources. In proposing the Report, Mr Fred Rankin of the Diocese of Down and Dromore noted that the level of investments had risen during 1999 due to the excellent work of the Investments Committee chaired by Mr Richard Hewat and supported by Mr Philip Talbot. The Report also dealt with financing the training of ordinands and the running of the Theological College which currently cost in excess of £600,000 per annum, approximately £19,000 per ordinand. It also reflected on the need to solve the difficulties raised by providing proper accommodation for married students at the Theological College. The Report also praised those involved in the extensive renovations of Church House, Rathmines which was reopened last September and has provided vastly improved facilities which Mr Rankin described as " fitting surroundings for the Church of Ireland to move forward into the new Millennium." A new Policy and co-ordination committee has been formed to bring the work of Standing Committee and the Representative Church Body together. Its membership includes members of both bodies. Other issues that were raised by the report included recognition of the part-time stipendary ministry and the establishment of a full time chaplaincy at University College Dublin. Mr Rankin concluded his proposal speech by paying tribute to Liz Gibson-Harries who had taken early retirement from her role as Press Officer to the Church of Ireland, a post she held for the past thirteen years. "Liz made many friends throughout the length and breadth of Ireland, both within the Church and the media. With her go the best wishes of this Synod", he said. In seconding the Report the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Venerable Gordon Linney, also paid tribute to the contributions of Canon Barry Deane and Professor David Spearman to the work of the Representative Church Body. "Each, in his own way has shown a special devotion to the Church of Ireland and practical concern for the clergy and clergy widows and it is right that this should be recognised and acknowledged. we will miss them but we wish them well for the future." CHURCH IDENTIFIES POLITICAL ISSUES The Role of the Church report has set out to identify some issues that have affected the political situation on the island of Ireland and the role of the Church of Ireland in these matters. The report recognises that the ongoing political situation has demanded and consumed much time in the ongoing life of the Church, particularly in the North. In proposing the report, Dr Ken Milne, Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, called for an awareness of the Committees and Commissions that are at work in the Church as well as an understanding of what proposals are in the legislative programme of governments. Mr Milne also raised the serious situation surrounding the issue of asylum seekers which appeared to have caught many organisations unaware. "In particular, the general population had not, until it was almost too late to avert serious understandings, been made aware of the international obligations that determine government policy. Nor, until the eleventh hour, was sufficient care taken to prepare communities for the reception and assimilation of people from abroad" he said. He concluded on the work of the Role of the Church Committee that if they did no more than alert General Synod of the struggles that exist and lie ahead, then their Report was worthwhile. Theological College - Primate hits at anonymous critics by Greg Ryan A mainly anonymous campaign conducted through a website which is highly critical of the training offered to ordinands in the Church of Ireland Theological College has been roundly condemned at the General Synod. The website is supported by 'Reform', an ultra conservative evangelical grouping in Northern Ireland and has published material which includes exhortations to prayer for the conversion or replacement of the staff at the Theological College in Dublin. They have especially targeted the Principal, Revd Professor. John Bartlett, and the vice-principal, Revd Dr. Billy Marshall. A Theological College Council was established in November last, led by the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Dr. Richard Clarke, to address all aspects of life and training at the College. The 'Reform' group has not availed of this forum to air its concerns. The Primate, Dr. Eames, hit out strongly against the campaign. "We all welcome healthy, informed and sincere discussion on training. None of us and not least our staff at the College believes that we are perfect in every aspect of training. But I have to say there is no place in a Christian church for anonymous, ill-informed criticism which denigrates individuals in terms which would be unacceptable even in secular matters. Nothing is to be gained from such attitudes and they bring shame on those who are responsible," he said. "I want to acknowledge the work of the Principal and staff at the College. It has been a privilege to know and support Professor John Bartlett (College Principal) over the years and those who have passed through our College do not need to be reminded of his faithful ministry to students and their families." "We all have our pet theories on selection and training but too often those theories emphasise the critical and negative rather than the positive. Yes, we must continually examine the ways we offer training, but no, we must not indulge in attitudes which ignore the positive and worthwhile." Revd. Norman Jardine, Down Diocese, called for an end to the bitterness which had arisen over recent months and described the issue as 'a sore that needed lancing'. He appealed for an end to dissension including the use of the Internet for attacks upon people who were unable to respond to them. "There is a need for the war to be over and decommissioning of words to be settled once and for all", he said. Bishop Clarke appealed to all concerned to keep politics out of the issue and said the purpose of the College Council was to act openly for the good of the whole church and the college. General Synod accepted by a vote of 166 to 164 a motion in the names of Canon Philip Patterson of Down Diocese and Dean David Chillingworth of Dromore to seek legal opinion on the accountability of the college to the House of Bishops, the relationship of the college to General Synod and the role of the Representative Church Body as trustee owner of the college. Concept of freehold no longer applicable By Greg Ryan The perceived concept of 'freehold' as it applies to the Church of Ireland is not immutable but can and has in the past been changed by General Synod, a Commission on Ministry has reported to the synod which on Tuesday adopted recommendations which will provide for the removal of clergy regarded as unsuitable for ministry. Proposing the report, Canon Joe Condell of Limerick and Killaloe Diocese said the commission had looked at situations where there was a breakdown in the pastoral relationship between clergy and the parish where they served. He said attention was more and more being focussed "on how much clergy are paid, what they do for what they are paid and to whom are they answerable? "The people who are paying the piper, namely the people in the pew are beginning to call the tune of those whom they pay namely the clergy. What are we paying for? What do they do? Do we get value for money? "Although the Commission has determined that 'freehold' doe not exist within the Church of Ireland, clergy have a certain security of tenure which may prevent a solution of pastoral problems where they arise," he said. In such circumstances, the Commission recommended a pastoral approach by establishing provincial mediation panels to deal with breakdowns in the relationship between pastor and parish as a last resort. "It is recommended that the panel members should receive expert training in the area of conflict resolution and the Commission has determined that in the event that the panel makes a recommendation or observation that a rector or curate is not suited for ministry that a financial severance package would need to be in place to enable that person, if they so wished, find an alternative way of earning a living, the voluntary acceptance of which would preclude them moving back into any form of stipendiary ministry within the Church of Ireland," Canon Condell said. He said the proposed panels were not seen as panaceas for all ills and were not an exercise in apportioning blame or determining fault. "This is a serious effort on behalf of the Commission to find some solution to problems which will not go away." The report presented to Synod noted that 'freehold' was abolished in Ireland under the Irish Church Act of 1869 at the time of disestablishment and affected all clergy instituted to incumbencies following the Act coming into effect in 1871. In 1941, Counsel's opinion to general synod stated: "The position of an Incumbent may at present be described as 'a freehold office' in the sense that his right to the benefice is a right which will last for his life, unless sooner determined by the Court or by resignation, so long as Chapter IV of the Constitution (of the C of I) remains unaltered and unamended." The relevant chapter contains the limited provisions under which clergy may be removed from office. By Greg Ryan Talks between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland have produced one of the most encouraging signs in Irish ecumenism for many years, the C of I Primate, Dr. Eames, told General Synod on Monday. Dr. Eames told synod there had been several joint projects at parochial level between the two churches in different parts of the country and conversations had now reached the stage where clear statements could be made for the benefit of members of both denominations. “We have examined doctrine and church practice in detail. Now we take the warm friendship already enjoyed, a definite stage further. This is surely a most welcome development.” The Primate said there was no question of either denomination being asked to surrender “deeply held practical principles” but instead the emphasis was on partnership. By Greg Ryan A report which could reduce the C of I General Synod by half its current numbers of both clergy and laity, and provide for more regular meetings at times which would attract wider participation by a younger generation of working people, was adopted by synod on Monday. The House of Laity would fall in number from 648 to 375 while Clergy representation would also be reduced from the current 216 to 125 under the proposal headed by Canon Philip Patterson of Down Diocese. He told synod that numbers had remained unchanged since synod came into existence 130 years ago during which time the church had undergone seismic change and he argued that the synod should reflect the reality of the church as it was in present times. Current representation at synod was according to the deployment of clergy in 1870 and the reduced synod would have a representation of 20 per cent of clergy and a 2:1 ratio of lay people. Every diocese would be represented by at least three clerics. This arrangement would be subject to review every third triennium. The seconder, Mr. Denzil Auchmuty said that examination of the 1999 synod demonstrated that only 19 per cent of the attendance participated in debates while over the past three years almost one third of members were absent. Dr. Ian Ellis, Dromore Diocese, argued that the participation issue could hardly be valid. "How do you create better participation by creating a vastly smaller synod?" He said participation was not just about speaking at synod, it was also about meeting people, listening to what was being said, voting and praying. Rev. Kevin Dalton of Dublin Diocese expressed the fear that the recommendations could pass power in the C of I to a very small number of people. The Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven. Gordon Linney, pointed to the effectiveness of smaller synods in England and Wales while Rev. Ted Woods of Dublin Diocese stressed the deep psychological importance of representation at the synod of people in sparsely populated areas. He called for a minimum of six clergy representatives from each diocese. The Bishop of Cork, Right Reverend Paul Colton, who chaired the working group which produced the report, asked the synod to express its mind on the issue once and for all. "Don't string us out. Don't send us off to do more thinking. We have no more thinking to do. We believe this is the beginning of a process, so please help us by being clear-cut." The report was adopted by 203 votes to 150. Top |
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