INTRODUCTION
The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh from 9 to 11 June 2016. In his charge to Synod, the Primus, the Most Revd David Chillingworth, reflected on the injunction of St Paul to ‘please God, who tests our hearts’. As the Synod prepared to consider canonical change in relation to marriage, he asked how the Church was to continue to express the love and unity to which it was called by God. During the preceding year, deep pain in relationships had been experienced both in the Anglican Communion and with the Church of Scotland and Church of England – and there was a need to explore whether the Scottish Episcopal Church itself might have contributed to that distress and to shape a response that ‘pleased God, who tests our hearts'. In the light of the (then) forthcoming referendum on the European Union, the Primus suggested that it was not the wish of many in Scotland to use national borders to protect economic privilege. If the referendum took the UK out of the European Union, it could have profound effects on the unfolding story of the new Scotland and of the UK as a whole.
REPORTS ON THE MEETINGS OF THE PRIMATES AND ANGLICAN CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL
Synod received reports from the Primus of the Primates' meeting in January 2016 and from Alistair Dinnie of the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in April 2016 (ACC-16). In the light of the decision of the primates to ‘walk together’ but also to apply ‘consequences’ to The Episcopal Church (of the USA) in relation to the latter's decisions regarding marriage, the Primus confirmed that the Scottish Episcopal Church could expect to be subject to similar consequences were it to take similar action. He regretted the adoption of a sanctions-based approach to the internal discipline of the Anglican Communion when proposals for an Anglican Covenant had already been rejected by many.
Mr Dinnie reported positively on the meeting of ACC-16; the Synod then formally took note of the meeting of the Anglican Primates and of its communiqué, expressing support for the commitment to walk together.
ALTERATION TO CANON ON MARRIAGE
General Synod 2015 had instructed the Faith and Order Board to present a revised version of the Church's Canon on marriage (Canon 31) to the 2016 Synod. The instruction had been for a new Canon which would delete the doctrinal definition of marriage (expressed to be a lifelong union between one man and one woman) from the existing Canon and for the new Canon to contain a conscience clause so that no cleric would be required to solemnise any marriage against his or her conscience. The effect of the alteration would be to allow those clergy who wished to do so to solemnise marriages between people of the same sex.
A Canon was brought forward for first reading in the form which had been requested. It also set out that clergy would be authorised to solemnise same-sex marriages by the ‘nominating’ procedure provided for in the Scottish legislation (rather than by way of a ‘blanket’ authorisation enabling all clergy to solemnise such marriages).
Synod approved a first reading. At first reading stage, a simple majority only in each House of Synod is required. The voting was by ballot (House of Bishops: 5 in favour, 2 against; House of Clergy 43 in favour, 19 against; House of Laity 49 in favour, 12 against, 3 abstentions). Following discussion in diocesan synods, the Canon will return to General Synod 2017 for a second (final) reading, in accordance with the Church's usual process for canonical change.
Ancillary to the debate on same-sex marriage, in the light of the fact that much of the Church's theology is contained in liturgy and that the change to Canon 31 would remove any doctrinal statement on marriage from the Canons, a first reading was given to a Canon on liturgical change so that changes to authorised liturgies would in future require a two-year process for approval, effectively mirroring the existing process for canonical change.
OTHER CANONICAL CHANGES
The Synod gave a second reading to changes to various canons lowering from 18 to 16 the age of eligibility for membership of General Synod, for service on church vestries and for election as a congregational lay representative. It also gave a first reading to an alteration which would make a congregational alternate lay representative a member of the church vestry ex officio.
GROWTH IN COMMUNION, PARTNERSHIP IN MISSION, INCLUDING COLUMBA DECLARATION
The joint report of the Church of England and Church of Scotland, ‘Growth in communion, partnership in mission’ had been published early in 2016.
The Synod took note of the Faith and Order Board's response to the report. While publication of the report had raised some anxieties among members of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Synod's Inter-Church Relations Committee suggested that there was no actual threat to the Church. It also suggested that the best response was to put fresh energy into the Scottish Episcopal Church's own relationship with the Church of Scotland and it was reported that a new conversation with that church would start later in 2016. The Primus said that the joint report provided the potential for multi-layered engagement between churches in the British Isles and suggested that the Scottish Episcopal Church should respond wholeheartedly to the invitation to join the new contact group being established as part of the arrangement.
CHURCH IN SOCIETY MATTERS
Synod received presentations on work in Scotland with refugees through the vehicle of the new Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees. Congregations were urged to seek ways of supporting work with refugees locally and a range of possibilities was suggested.
The Church in Society Committee also brought to Synod concerns about the level of poverty in Scotland. Synod reaffirmed its support for the minimum wage to be set at the level of the real living wage and called on relevant public authorities to ensure the adequacy of benefit levels and their humane and efficient administration in order to reduce the need for food banks and other support services.
In relation to climate change, Synod urged all parts of the Church to play an active part in finding means of reducing consumption of fossil fuels and called on the Scottish and UK governments to increase financial and other incentives for energy saving and for renewable energy implementation in the domestic sector. Synod also agreed an instruction to the Church in Society and Investment Committees, jointly, to bring forward proposals regarding investment in the exploration, production and burning of fossil fuels.
The Church in Society Committee also presented a motion calling on HM Government to cancel the renewal programme for the Trident weapons system. After a lengthy debate, the motion fell, with a significant number of Synod members abstaining.
MISSION
The Mission Board presented a video montage, giving examples of ‘inspiring mission’ in a number of congregational settings. In small groups, Synod members reflected on the presentations and considered how the provincial Mission Board could resource mission locally.
COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
In a short session from the College of Bishops, consideration was given to the place of confirmation in the life of the Church. The importance of confirmation was affirmed and it was acknowledged that, as president of the rites of initiation, the bishop was in a position to encourage multiple avenues of entry: baptism, confirmation, admission to communion, and so forth. Owing to the variety, distinctions between such avenues could be blurred and they had not always been accompanied by adequate preparation. There was now an opportunity to bring a lively twenty-first-century catechism back into the preparation for confirmation.
ARMY CHAPLAINCY
Synod received a moving presentation from the Deputy Assistant Chaplain General in Scotland. Members of Synod were invited to consider whether God might be calling them to serve as military chaplains, and churches were encouraged to pray for the work of chaplains and to care for those returning from conflict zones.
GRANTS
The Synod approved proposals to alter the Digest of Resolutions to allow the Council of the Scottish Episcopal Institute, with the agreement of the Standing Committee, to formulate a new policy for grants to support curacies.
Synod also agreed that there should be a new building grants fund (to replace a former system of different kinds of building grants), to be administered by the provincial Administration Board. In the light of that change, and of the agreement of Synod the previous year to the adoption of a block grant system for mission and ministry support, the Synod agreed to dissolve the Finance Committee.Footnote 6
YOUTH AND THE UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
On the final morning of Synod, the provincial Youth Committee, including a number of younger church members, gave a presentation, providing insights into the annual church youth week at Glenalmond College in Perthshire. Ms Rachael Fraser, herself a former attender at the youth week, provided a lively report on her attendance as the Scottish Episcopal Church's representative at the session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York earlier in 2016.
