Tuesday 16 May 2000
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.
Top
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.
Top
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."
Top
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.
Top
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.
Top
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.
Top
Methodist / CoI talks
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.
Top
Synod adopts reduction
plan
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 |