The nomination period for this year’s elections to General Synod has closed. Dioceses are now required to post candidates’ election addresses on their websites before sending out voting papers. Some of these have already appeared, and the remainder should be available shortly. I am compiling a list of links to all the addresses, which you can find here. I will update this list as more information becomes available. So far as I am aware there is no similar requirement for the special constituencies.
The timetable for the election is:
I am also compiling a list of the members of the new synod here.
Additions and corrections to either list can be emailed to me here.
If you are planning to download any election addresses for future reference I advise you to do so now. Past experience tells me that some dioceses remove the addresses from their website as soon as voting ends.
Update: The election address of each elected candidate must be kept on the diocesan website until the new Synod is dissolved, or the person ceases to be a member if that is earlier.
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0 CommentsWe noted last week that the Prime Minister had stated the Government’s intention to remove the bar on persons professing the Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths from advising the Sovereign on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland. The parliamentary process to do this started yesterday when the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill was given a first reading in the House of Commons.
The text of the bill and a set of explanatory notes have been published. There is also a press release.
Included in the explanatory notes is a statement that “The Government intends to ask Parliament to expedite the parliamentary progress of this Bill.” The progress of the bill through Parliament can be followed here.
Here are some relevant online articles.
[Some of these links have appeared in comments to other posts, but I thought it would be helpful to collect them all here.]
1 CommentIan Paul Psephizo Where have all the clergy gone?
Donald Payne Surviving Church Iwerne in the 1980s
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Colin Coward Unadulterated Love A Brief Very Personal Survey of Global Challenges on the Anniversary of 9/11
131 CommentsThe next Bishop of Warwick is to be Canon Timothy Lomax. Details are in a Government press release, copied below, and on the Coventry diocesan website.
Suffragan Bishop of Warwick: 11 September 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Dr Timothy Michael Lomax, BEd Hons, DipTh, MA, DMin, to the Suffragan See of Warwick, in the Diocese of Coventry.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published: 11 September 2026
This appointment was approved by The King on the advice of the previous Prime Minister.
The King has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Dr Timothy Michael Lomax, BEd Hons, DipTh, MA, DMin, Director of Mission and Ministry and Residentiary Canon of St Albans Cathedral, to the Suffragan See of Warwick, in the Diocese of Coventry, in succession to the Right Reverend John Stroyan, BA, MTheol, BA, following his retirement.
Tim was educated at Nottingham University and Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky, and trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at St Philip Penn Fields, Wolverhampton, in the Diocese of Lichfield and, in 2008, he was ordained priest. From 2010, Tim Lomax served as Vicar at Christ Church, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury.
From 2016, Tim served as Director of Mission, in the Diocese of St Albans and in 2020, he was appointed to his current role as Director of Mission and Ministry, additionally serving as Residentiary Canon of St. Albans Cathedral.
Tim is married to Kate and they have three grown up children.
21 CommentsUpdated to add link to House of Commons library briefing.
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who is a Roman Catholic, today made the written statement below.
Statement made by
Andy Burnham
Prime Minister
Labour
Makerfield Commons
Statement
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention steps the Government is taking regarding Church appointments.
Restrictions set out in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 prevent persons professing the Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths only from advising the Sovereign on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland. I have therefore transferred my constitutional responsibility to advise the Sovereign on Church appointments to the Lord Chancellor.
It is, however, unacceptable for there to be a legislative bar against people of any faith performing all the functions of my office. The Government will therefore introduce a Bill at the earliest possible opportunity to correct this antiquated and archaic anomaly.
Update: There is also this House of Commons library briefing: Historic restrictions on members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths.
48 CommentsFergus Butler-Gallie The Telegraph Being a vicar sometimes feels like rarefied torture. I still love it
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31 CommentsWe reported in April that the Bishop of Salisbury had stepped back from ministry. The Church of England has now issued the following press release.
Clergy Discipline complaints against Bishop of Salisbury
07/09/2026
An investigation into allegations of financial misconduct by the Bishop of Salisbury Stephen Lake has concluded. A disciplinary complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure has now been brought against him.
Subsequent to these allegations, concerns relating to Bishop Stephen’s conduct were raised with the National Safeguarding Team. These have been taken very seriously and responded to according to House of Bishops Code of Practice. A second and separate disciplinary complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure has been brought against Bishop Stephen in relation to these concerns.
Bishop Stephen remains stepped back from ministry.
If this statement causes distress, support is available through the independent Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team in your area or the National Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@churchofengland.org.
Other support services are also available.
36 Commentspress release 3 September: Rosie Slater-Carr appointed Chief Executive of Church Commissioners for England
Rosie Slater-Carr has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the Church Commissioners for England, which supports the Church of England’s mission and ministry across the country.
As Chief Executive, she is responsible for overseeing the Church Commissioners’ £11.6bn endowment fund. The fund contributes about a fifth of the Church’s running costs every year, as well as providing a range of vital services to the Church.
Rosie has been Interim Chief Executive since March, having stepped up from her previous role of Chief Operating Officer (COO)…
…Rosie joined the Church Commissioners as Chief Operating Officer in 2020, having previously worked as Chief Information Officer at the British Red Cross, as IT Director at The Children’s Society, and as a part-time Lecturer in Quantitative Methods and Philosophy of Science at Birkbeck College, University of London. She also worked at IBM and PA Consulting.
She holds a degree in PPE from Oxford and an MSC in Cognitive Science and Informatics.
As background to this, it seems that we failed to report the resignation of her predecessor on 30 March this year. John Worth had been in post for less than a year. Here are the relevant press releases
John Worth steps down as Chief Executive of the Church Commissioners
John Worth appointed Chief Executive of Church Commissioners for England
30 CommentsThe Rt Revd Anne Dyer, Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, has announced that she will retire in February 2027 when she reaches the Scottish Episcopal Church’s retirement age of 70. Details are in this press release: Bishop Anne Dyer to retire after nine years in Aberdeen & Orkney.
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177 CommentsPaul Avis Church Times Ask yourself: What can I do for the General Synod?
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107 CommentsAnthony Smith Three years as a (multi-church) vicar
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Global Safeguarding The Crab Effect. Holding Back Safeguarding Progress
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church Speaking Truth to Power in the Church of England
140 CommentsThe Church Times reports: Campaigners call for removal of senior church officers ‘resisting’ safeguarding reforms
THE senior church officers who, according to an INEQE review, are resisting safeguarding reforms, must be “removed from influence”, a group of campaigners have told the Archbishops.
The letter, sent on Sunday and signed by 20 people — including both complainants and respondents in safeguarding cases — calls for an “independent urgent review” of safeguarding in the Church…
The letter described in this article can be read in full here.
45 CommentsAlex Frost Viamedia.News Evolution not Revolution: Creating Change in Working-Class Ministry in the Church of England
Helen King ViaMedia.News Safeguarding: Still Not Trauma-Informed
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church How Senior Clergy and the National Safeguarding Team fail Abuse Survivors who seek help. The Case of Jane Chevous.
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock Review Fatigue: How Many More Warnings Does the Church Need?
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love A very brief history of LGBTQI+ activism in the C of E
78 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Cathedral Statistics 2025, and an accompanying press release which is copied below.
Attendance at Cathedral services rises for fifth year running
31/07/2026
A total of 32,600 people attended weekly services – such as Evensong, Morning and Evening Prayer or Sunday Eucharist – at Church of England cathedrals in 2025. Sunday attendance was up notably among adults, at eight per cent higher than in 2024.
(more…)
It has been announced from 10 Downing Street that the next Bishop of Leeds is to be the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, currently Area Bishop of Bradford in the diocese of Leeds. There is further coverage on the Leeds diocesan website.
11 CommentsAppointment of the Bishop of Leeds: 31 July 2026
This appointment was approved by The King on the advice of the previous Prime Minister.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published: 31 July 2026The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr. Toby Matthew Howarth, Suffragan Bishop of Bradford in the Diocese of Leeds, for election as Bishop of Leeds, in succession to The Right Reverend Nicholas Baines following his retirement.
Background
Toby was educated at Yale University, Birmingham University and the Free University of Amsterdam, and trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St. Augustine, in the Diocese of Derby, and was ordained Priest in 1993. From 1995, Bishop Howarth served as a study partner with Crosslinks and The Netherlands Reformed Mission League in India and, in 2000, he was appointed Evangelist at the Pilgrim Father’s Church in Rotterdam. From 2002, Toby served as Tutor with the Church Mission Society at Crowther Hall, Selly Oak, in the Diocese of Birmingham and was made Vice-Principal in 2003.
In 2004, Bishop Howarth was appointed as Priest-in-Charge, Springfield St. Christopher, additionally serving as Inter-Faith Adviser to the Bishop of Birmingham from 2005. He served as Secretary for Inter-Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Adviser for Inter-Religious Affairs from 2011.
In 2014, Bishop Howarth took up his current role as Bishop of Bradford, and has been serving additionally as Acting Bishop of Leeds since 2025.
The Ineqe Safeguarding Group has released its Second Annual Report covering the Independent Safeguarding Audits of the Church of England.
There is a covering statement from the Lead Auditor, Jim Gamble. This is copied in full below the fold.
The Church Times has published this news article: Church of England safeguarding progress being resisted at high level, says INEQE
The full report can be downloaded from here. Two paragraphs from the Foreword:
…In last year’s annual report, we expressed concern that some areas were delaying the adoption of recommendations, choosing instead to wait for the outcome of the Future of Church Safeguarding Report. We warned then that risk does not pause, meaning safeguarding cannot wait. A year later, only the excuse has changed: auditors now hear that some are waiting for the outcome of the Safeguarding Structures Programme. I wonder what we will hear next year, but our core message remains the same: ignoring evidence-based recommendations invites risk. While it makes sense to wait for decisions on wider structural issues beyond parish and diocesan operational delivery, stalling on the reconfiguration of frontline teams makes no sense. Furthermore, the audit identified no evidence that would justify delaying operationally independent Directors of Safeguarding covering dioceses and cathedrals.
Crucially, the primary inhibitors of progress do not stem from senior clergy, most of whom demonstrate a genuine desire for change. Instead, they are structural and, in certain cases, institutional. They arise from
a small group of influential senior officers at the diocesan level and certain individuals within the national Church. This resistance manifests in unhelpful and frustrating ways, such as a readiness to hide behind exceptionalism, canon law, tradition, and procedural defensiveness. It is evident in the pushback against recommendations designed to secure the operational independence of safeguarding (including the Director of Safeguarding role), in challenges to the scope of the audits, and in unresolved conflicts of interest, specifically, where those advising the Church as an institution are simultaneously expected to provide ‘safeguarding-first’ advice. Though those responsible are few in number, their impact is disproportionately significant, and this must be addressed…
Jonathan Chaplin A defence of ‘Kairos II’ against Ray Gaston – and a call to revisit ‘God’s Unfailing Word’
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55 Comments