Viewing all items in Resource Category: News

The Church of England’s Dioceses Commission has shared the themes which emerged from a recent consultation looking at bishops and their ministries. It is part of a series of ‘listening exercises’ exploring how the Church of England can best serve the nation in the 2020s and beyond, and also make best use of resources. Recommendations...

 – Bishop Nick responds to newspaper survey The Church has a duty to challenge popular culture but also to listen and be challenged by it, the Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines, has said. He was speaking as a recent survey in The Times newspaper highlighted views among some clergy on a range of questions. The findings were...

The number of students taking Religious Studies (RS) at A-level has decreased by 3.5 per cent in England, and by 24 per cent in Wales. This is despite an overall increase in the total number of students taking A-levels. 14,690 students took an RS A-level in England in 2023, compared with 15,216 last year. In...

Church of England announces £13 million of grants Children must not wait until 18 to learn about racial justice General Synod backs regional wedding fees trial following debate General Synod calls on Church and Government to move faster on climate emergency New safeguarding practice review policy approved  Parish ‘at very heart’ of God’s mission, General...

Awards of nearly £13 million have been made for dioceses to help churches reach more children, young people and families, from toddler groups to apprentice youth ministers. These come as the latest round of grants for mission from the Church of England. The grants from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board of the Archbishops’...

Nigel Genders, The Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, has responded to recent reports around teaching resources for Racial Justice. He said: “Contrary to the reports, there is no single approach to addressing racial justice in Church of England schools. “Decisions on the best resources for different age groups and contexts are taken by each...

The General Synod has recently backed a regional trial to offer Church of England weddings free of all statutory fees. The decision followed a debate brought by Blackburn Diocesan Synod. The Archbishops’ Council has been asked to report on the impact of the trial on the number of weddings conducted, the pastoral and missional contacts...

The General Synod has recently backed the parish as key to the spreading of the message of the Christian faith, in a debate where the local church was described as ‘at the very heart’ of God’s mission. Members were told that the parish system is central to the Church of England’s Vision for growth, in...

The Church of England’s General Synod has recently called for renewed action from the Church and Government to tackle the impact and causes of climate change. A motion brought by the Diocese of Oxford called on all parts of the Church to review policies and procedures in order to give due priority to creation care. ...

A new comprehensive policy on safeguarding practice reviews has been approved by General Synod. This was the first safeguarding code of practice to come to General Synod since the new Code of Practice Measure was approved in 2021. Introducing the new policy, Bishop Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, said: “The vital, underlying...

General Synod has recently approved the recommendations of the National Church Governance Project Board. The Governance Project Board’s recommendations include reducing the number of National Church Institutions (NCIs) from seven to four trustee bodies, and the creation of a new NCI, Church of England National Services (CENS). CENS would, through a transitional process, replace the...

Concentrated drafting work to prepare new pastoral guidance and other material needed for the Prayers of Love and Faith to come into use, is now underway. General Synod members recently spent time scrutinising the work which has taken place since the landmark debate in February that welcomed proposals to enable same-sex couples to come to...