INTRODUCTION
The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's church in Edinburgh from 6 to 8 June. In his opening charge to Synod, the Primus, the Most Revd Mark Strange, encouraged Synod members to listen to the voice of God and respond to the command ‘this is the way, walk in it’. The Scottish Episcopal Church needed to be able to respond to a society crying out for reconciliation, fairness and hope but could only do so if, inside the Church, such values marked the way in which members treated one another.
ALTERATIONS TO CANONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Changes to the Church's Code of Canons require a two-year process, comprising a first reading at General Synod, followed by consideration of the proposed change by diocesan synods and then a second reading by the General Synod the following year. At first reading stage, the change requires a simple majority in the separate houses of bishops, clergy and laity. At second reading stage, a two-thirds majority in each house is needed. In 2019, there were no Canons for first reading but amendments to two Canons received a second reading.
Canon 35 (Of the Structure, Furniture and Monuments of Churches, and the Due Care Thereof) sets out a process for obtaining consent to alterations to church buildings (as ‘faculties’ as such do not feature in the Scottish Episcopal Church). Second reading approval was given to a change to include church curtilages within the scope of the Canon, since there had been some doubt as to that previously. The inclusion of curtilages will be subject to a number of ‘minor works’ exceptions to the requirement to obtain consent. Opportunity was also taken to alter the scope of the requirement under the Canon to advertise proposed changes. Following a request made by the Scottish Civic Trust, proposed changes to church buildings will no longer need to be notified to that trust, to the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland or to local civic or amenity societies affiliated to the Scottish Civic Trust.
In relation to Canon 52 (Of the General Synod), a second reading was given to a proposal to dissolve the Information and Communication Board (which is one of the General Synod boards). The underlying rationale, set within a broader communications strategy, was to address the perception that communication was limited to a single board, when in fact it was a role for all boards.
CLERGY PERSONNEL MATTERS
At General Synod 2018, the Personnel Committee had encountered some resistance in relation to the proposed introduction of certain personnel policies, and motions for their approval were in the event withdrawn. In 2019, the committee returned to Synod with simplified proposals, the effect of which was that, broadly speaking, stipendiary clergy were to be entitled to maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave for a similar period and, subject to the same conditions, as employees.
After its experience in 2018, the committee had also undertaken an extensive clergy well-being survey. A report on the survey was provided to Synod 2019. Much of the ensuing debate focused on issues of bullying or harassment experienced by clergy, as well as broader issues of ‘work/life balance’.
ETHICAL INVESTMENT
The General Synod's ethical investment policy currently applies to segregated investments held on behalf of the Synod but not to investments held through pooled funds. The provincial Investment Committee sought Synod's agreement, pending the preparation of a revised ethical investment policy, to transfer all or part of its segregated investments into appropriate pooled funds. This proposal met with resistance in the form of a counter motion under Rule 10 of the Synod's Rules of order, brought by a group of Synod members. The Rule 10 motion, which was passed, called for the existing ethical investment policy to be updated so as to divest fully from fossil fuels and for the list of current ethical restrictions to be extended so that they applied not just to segregated but also to pooled funds. The motion also called for the formation of an ethical investment advisory group ‘to develop a strategy to enable the Scottish Episcopal Church to completely disinvest from unethical sources of revenue’.
SAFEGUARDING
In the preceding year, a safeguarding audit had been undertaken with congregations across the province. A report on that audit exercise was brought to Synod, making a number of recommendations, including a call for a strategic assessment of the leadership and governance of safeguarding, for the updating of safeguarding policies and for a review of safeguarding training. An implementation group has been established to take forward the report's recommendations.
ECUMENICAL MATTERS
The Synod received an interim report on the Scottish Episcopal Church's joint initiative with the Church of Scotland, known as ‘Our Common Calling’. It approved and adopted a statement of ecumenical policy for the Scottish Episcopal Church and welcomed a personal statement comprising a commitment to mission which had been signed by the Primus, the Chair of the Methodist Synod in Scotland and the Moderator of the United Reformed Church National Synod of Scotland.
INTERFAITH MATTERS
Synod was addressed by Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, the Director-General and Chief Imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society. He commended the level of acceptance of diversity which he experienced in Scotland but stressed the need for different faith communities to stand alongside one another when any one of them came under threat or attack. The Synod approved a motion emphasising the importance of congregations engaging with other faith communities in their neighbourhoods.
CHURCH IN SOCIETY
The Synod received a paper about the new challenges, to both animals and humans, brought about by developments in genome editing. It voiced concern in relation to the potential consequences of certain applications of new genome technologies and instructed the Church in Society Committee to engage with appropriate national and international bodies on such matters.
In the context of deep societal divisions on matters such as Brexit and Scottish independence, Synod held a session at which members engaged in discussion in table groups and considered the potential role that local churches could play in healing and reconciliation.
MISSION AND MINISTRY
The Synod watched video presentations of individuals speaking about their personal faith journeys and their understanding of discipleship. Synod members responded in table groups by considering how effective churches were currently being in nurturing new disciples and how that could be developed. Significant attention was also given to the ministry of lay readers, with two lay readers speaking about the diverse ways in which their respective ministries were exercised. The Institute Council presented a report on the experience of the first year of delivering ‘mixed-mode training’ for ordinands.
STRATEGIC AND FINANCIAL MATTERS
Future budgets were given consideration in the general context of various strategic initiatives. In 2018, the level of provincial quota had been frozen at the previous year's level. In 2019, the Standing Committee's proposal that it be frozen at the same level once again was approved, notwithstanding future budgets indicating deficits. Experience in recent years has been that actual financial returns have been better than expected and that some level of deficit budgeting is therefore reasonable.
OTHER MATTERS
A preliminary report was made on behalf of a working group reviewing Canon 4 (Of the Election of Bishops to Vacant Sees). It is expected that its work will feature for fuller discussion at General Synod 2020. Synod also received reports from those who had represented the Scottish Episcopal Church at the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Hong Kong, which had taken place a few weeks prior to the Synod, and at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women session in New York earlier in the year. The Synod also welcomed a number of younger church members who spoke of their experience as young people in the life of the Church.
