Women bishops
Two extensive debates on the subject of women and the episcopate formed a significant part of the agenda of the recent group of sessions of the General Synod, held in York. In the first debate, Synod decided that admitting women to the episcopate in the Church of England is theologically justified. In the second, Synod agreed that a legislative drafting group be established, with a view to preparing a range of specific options for enabling women to be consecrated as bishops whilst maintaining the highest possible degree of unity within the Church and remaining committed to the principle that all ordained ministers in the Church be recognised as such by the whole Church. These options will then be considered by the House of Bishops before a further debate in Synod, ahead of draft legislation on the issue.
Audio of first debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0608a.wax
Audio of first segment of second debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0616.wax
Audio of second segment of second debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0616a.wax
Resources for Reflection on the subject of Women Bishops in the Church of England: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
agendas/gsmisc827.rtf

Faithful Cities
Synod studied the report of the Commission on Urban Life and Faith, Faithful Cities, which argues that, for a just and equitable society to flourish, the gap between the poor and the very wealthy must be reduced. The report highlights the positive influence of faith groups, who are often the only organisations working at a local level to build community cohesion and offer social services beyond a basic statutory level. Synod spent an afternoon discussing the report in small groups before a wider debate that committed the Church to taking forward the recommendations of the Commission.
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0618.wax
Download or order the report: http://www.culf.org/

Further education
An ambitious programme of growth in the provision of chaplaincies in Further Education colleges was set before Synod, providing a major opportunity for the Church to engage, alongside ecumenical and multi-faith partners, with more young people. Synod approved the plans, which will increase pressure on Government to extend the entitlement to provision for spiritual and moral development to all students in these institutions.
Read the report: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
agendas/gs1628.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0603.wax

Legislation
The most substantial piece of legislative business before Synod was the Revision Stage of the draft Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure. The Measure aims to improve the Church’s structures and processes in a way that will enable it to further its mission. In particular, it develops the process for diocesan re-organisation, so that the Dioceses Commission can take a more proactive role; it helps to simplify, devolve and make more flexible the procedures for pastoral re-organisation; and it provides a new legal framework for ‘mission initiatives’. The Measure will now be referred back to a committee to consider whether any final drafting changes are required before it is brought back to the Synod for final approval.
Audio of first segment of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0609.wax
Audio of second segment of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0609a.wax

Weddings
The Synod approved a draft measure that aims to make it easier for people to get married in a church to which they are connected, by relaxing current rules that stipulate that people have a right to be married only in the church of the parish where they live or are entered on the church electoral roll. The Measure will now be considered by a revision committee before further discussion at a future group of sessions.
Read the draft Measure (PDF): http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
agendas/gs1616.pdf
Explanatory paper accompanying Measure: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
agendas/gs1616x.rtf
Audio of debate: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0610.wax

Other business
The Archbishops each made keynote speeches to the Synod: the Archbishop of York’s Presidential Address focused on the concept of ‘gracious magnanimity’ – the distinction between ‘justice’ and what is ‘morally right’ – while the Archbishop of Canterbury made a Presidential Statement to the Synod on the situation within the Anglican Communion.
Archbishop of Canterbury - Anglican Communion: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/
releases/060707.htm
Listen to the address: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0604.wax
Archbishop of York - ‘More than justice’: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/gsjul06presad.html
Listen to the address: http://217.207.180.12/synod/Jul0605.wax

There were also debates on issues of concern about the wider world – on the issue of carbon dioxide emissions, and on promoting greater support for marriage, including calling on Government to remove the financial burdens placed on married couples. The Synod briefly discussed the current situation regarding Christian education programmes within prisons. There were also presentations on pensions and on clergy terms of service, and on the recent World Council of Churches Assembly in Brazil. Background papers for each debate, alongside links to an audio archive of each session, are available at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
agendas/july2006.html