General Synod – 4th to 8th July 2008
(Taken from notes compiled by the Salisbury Diocese representatives)
The Presidential Address
Archbishop John Sentamu spoke with passion, reminding Synod that “the whole story of God’s relationship with human beings is one of ‘appreciative conversation’.” Through these conversations “God encourages his people to change, to renew their thoughts, to turn again to him and away from their own ways”. – building a church that is “Christ-like rather than me-shaped”. He reflected on 5 “building blocks” recorded in Matthew 4-6 and used by Jesus for mission and ministry. 1) The call to the Kingdom of God. 2) The call to change – “we are God’s movement of change”. 3) The call to outreach - “the church is an agent of outreach”, with expectation, commitment, compassion and unassuming ways of working. 4) The call to love - “to those whom we don’t like and who may not like us” and 5) The call to prayer – “without this the building blocks can go wrong”, “no Christian is greater than their prayer life”. “2000 years ago people saw God revealed in Christ. Today people ought to see God revealed in the life of His Body, the church”. “We are designed and wired to act like God. That is our DNA”.
During his address, Archbishop Sentamu shared his grief at the way the GAFCON meetings criticised and scapegoated Archbishop Rowan. He spoke of Rowan’s “gracious magnanimity…attentive listening, interpretative charity…who exemplifies a Christian occupying the seat of St. Augustine”. There was long applause of support of Archbishop Rowan by the Synod.
Women Bishops: Report Of The Women Bishops Legislative Drafting Group (Gs 1685)
This was the second bite at the ‘Women Bishops’ issue – this time a two-hour ‘take note’ debate on the Manchester report. In his opening speech the Bishop of Manchester said this was an opportunity to clear the air and prepare the ground before making hard choices on Monday. The report was unanimously agreed by all those involved in preparing it, who covered all the traditions, but there was no agreement about which option(s) to pursue, which was what Synod would do on Monday. The Bishop outlined the main options and drew attention to the suggested re-drafting of Canon A4 (in the light of problems of interpretation that had been highlighted at the last Synod). The subsequent debate lacked a great deal of sparkle, not least because the ‘big guns’ on either side were clearly keeping their powder until Monday. The take note motion was overwhelmingly carried on a show of hands.
