The Archbishop of York has stepped into his inherited duties from the Archbishop of Canterbury by writing a 1,300-word letter about his priorities. Those priorities include creating stronger policies of safeguarding against sexual abuse; strengthening clergy well-being; clarifying the duties of the Archbishop of Canterbury; tending to the church’s response to its Living in Love and Faith proposals; and teaching about the Lord’s Prayer.
“There is still more to do in order for us to become a safer and more accountable church, and for our processes to be trusted,” Archbishop Stephen Cottrell wrote in a letter issued on January 6. “Whether it is my decisions that are called into question or anyone’s within the church, our safeguarding practices must be subject to independent oversight and scrutiny. Consequently, the House of Bishops, the Archbishops’ Council and the other relevant National Church Institutions are committed to leading this change and are working with the lead bishop for safeguarding and others on several key initiatives.”
He wrote that those initiatives include:
- Bringing forward new proposals on independent safeguarding to the General Synod in February. This would include models for independent oversight, scrutiny, audit, and complaints, as well as for day-to-day operational safeguarding.
- Seeking final approval in February for new clergy conduct measures that will strengthen the Church’s disciplinary provisions.
- Ensuring the Church’s National Safeguarding Team continues its work alongside Safe Spaces to provide support for anyone wishing to raise safeguarding concerns, while also managing the process for addressing issues raised in recent reports.
- Reviewing the recommendations of recent reviews through the National Safeguarding Steering Group and implementing them with guidance from the independently chaired National Safeguarding Panel.
- Finalizing the provisions of the forthcoming Redress Scheme so as to express in tangible ways the Church’s heartfelt sorrow and shame for the abuse survivors have suffered.
The archbishop is brief on the point of clergy wellness, combining the topic with his remarks on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s multiple roles:
There are other things to consider this year. We must attend to issues around clergy wellbeing and do all that we can to increase the stipend level. It may also be the time to look again at clergy terms of service to increase accountability (including that of bishops) and possibly ask the question as to whether clergy should become employees. Moreover, as we remember Archbishop Justin’s ministry and his decision to step down as an acknowledgement of the institutional and collective failings of the Church he served so steadfastly, we need to reflect deeply on what we expect from an Archbishop of Canterbury. It is at least four jobs wrapped into one. Spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Spiritual Head of the Church of England. Primate of the Province of Canterbury. Diocesan Bishop.
Regarding Living in Love and Faith, the archbishop presses for building on its blessings for same-sex couples, while also being mindful of clergy and parishes that do not believe these blessings are orthodox:
We also face decisions about Living in Love and Faith (LLF). I believe we should focus again on the things we have in common, whatever our theological conviction on these issues. In this respect, I am convinced we are united in our desire to ensure that all our churches are places of welcome for everyone regardless of difference, but we also live with profound disagreement about how that welcome should be expressed towards same sex-couples. Prayers of Love and Faith have become one option. They are now commended for use in existing services. Many same-sex couples in faithful, stable relationships have benefited from this, something I welcome.
Later this year, we will consider introducing bespoke services. With this must go provision for those who cannot support these developments. We must, therefore, properly honor the conscience and theological conviction of clergy, lay ministers, and churches who can’t use the services and then develop our practice of delegated episcopal ministry for these ministers and communities. In this way we will have that symmetry of provision I have always believed necessary. But since the Makin Review itself warns how tribalism can endanger accountability and make oversight more difficult, we must not do this in a way that further breaks the Body of Christ.
His thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer are the clearest and most straightforward statements in the document: “I will continue the work I have been called to in the North of England, particularly getting on the road to teach about the way of discipleship Jesus offers us in the prayer he taught us. The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer of Jesus, is the prayer that takes us right to the heart of God. It teaches us how to live, as well as how to pray. At the moment, we need this more than ever.”
Douglas LeBlanc is the Associate Editor for Book Reviews and writes about Christianity and culture. He and his wife, Monica, attend St. John’s Parish Church on Johns Island, South Carolina.