Commissions

PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONS OF THE GENERAL SYNOD

Clergy Discipline Commission

The Clergy Discipline Commission is constituted under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. Under that Measure the Commission is required to give general advice to disciplinary tribunals, the courts of the Vicars-General, bishops and archbishops as to the penalties which are appropriate in particular circumstances; issue codes of practice and general policy guidance to persons exercising functions in connection with clergy discipline; and make annually to the General Synod through the House of Bishops a report on the exercise of its functions during the previous year.

Under the 2003 Measure the Commission is also required to compile and maintain 'provincial panels' of persons available for appointment as members of a disciplinary tribunal or a Vicar-General's Court for the purposes of dealing with cases under it and to formulate guidance for the purposes of the 2003 Measure generally and to promulgate it in a Code of Practice approved by the Dean of the Arches and the General Synod.

The Commission monitors the exercise of discipline and highlights and encourages best practice.

Chair and President of Tribunals Sir John Mummery (Rt Hon Lord Justice Mummery)

Deputy Chair and Deputy President of Tribunals His Honour Judge John Bullimore

Members
Niall Blackie
Ven Annette Cooper
Revd Canon Cynthia Dowdle
Vasantha Gnanadoss
Ven Alan Hawker
Rt Revd Christopher Hill (Bishop of Guildford)
Rt Revd Michael Hill (Bishop of Bristol)
James Humphery
Michael Sayers
Revd Canon Michael Webb

Secretary Sarah Clemenson
Legal Office, Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1371
email: sarah.clemenson@c-of-e.org.uk

Crown Nominations Commission

The Commission ( then called the Crown Appointments Commission) was established by the General Synod in February 1977. Its function is to consider vacancies in diocesan bishoprics in the Provinces of Canterbury and York, and candidates for appointments to them. At each meeting the Chair is taken by the Archbishop in whose Province the vacancy has arisen. Following the Government Green paper "The Governance of Britain" (2007) the Commission identifies two candidates suitable for appointment. Their names are submitted to the Prime Minister by the appropriate Archbishop or, in the case of the Archbishopric of Canterbury or York, by the chair of the Commission. The names submitted are given in an order of preference decided upon by the Commission and the Prime Minister will submit the first name to  Her Majesty the Queen for approval.

Members

Ex officio

Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury)
Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu (Archbishop of York)

Elected Members

Three members of the House of Clergy

Very Revd Colin Slee
Canon Peter Spiers
Canon Glyn Webster

Three members of the House of Laity

Aiden Hargreaves-Smith
Professor Glynn Harrison
Mary Johnston

Six members of the Vacancy-in-See Committee of the diocese whose bishopric is to become, or has become, vacant

Ex officio non-voting members

Paul Britton (The Prime Minister's Appointments Secretary)
Caroline Boddington (Archbishops' Secretary for Appointments)
Office The Wash House, Lambeth Palace, London SE1 7JU
020 7898 1876/7
email:caroline.boddington@c-of-e.org.uk

Dioceses Commission

A Dioceses Commission was set up in 1978 under the Dioceses Measure 1978. In 2008 it was replaced by a new body of the same name, established under the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007. Part II of that Measure makes provision for such matters as the reorganization of diocesan boundaries, the creation and revival of suffragan sees, and the delegation of episcopal functions by diocesan bishops to suffragan and assistant bishops.

More information about the duties of the Commission, its membership and the current programme of work may be found from the link on the right of this page or by clicking here.

Members

Dr Priscilla Chadwick (Chair)
Ven Richard Seed (Vice-Chair)
Revd Jonathan Alderton-Ford
Professor Michael Clarke
Lucinda Herklots
Revd Dame Sarah Mullally
Professor Hilary Russell
Rt Revd Nigel Stock (Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich)
Michael Streeter
Revd Canon Martin Warner

Secretary Dr Colin Podmore
Assistant Secretary Jo Winn-Smith
Office Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1385
email:colin.podmore@c-of-e.org.uk

Doctrine Commission

The functions of the Doctrine Commission are to consider and advise the House of Bishops of the General Synod upon doctrinal questions referred to it by the House as well as to make suggestions to that House as to what in its judgment are doctrinal issues of concern to the Church of England. Its report, Being Human, was published in July 2003. It sets out a Christian understanding of personhood illustrated with reference to power, money, sex and time.

Secretary Vacant
Office c/o Jonathan Neil-Smith, Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1373
email: jonathan.neil-smith@c-of-e.org.uk

Fees Advisory Commission

The Fees Advisory Commission is constituted under Part II of the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 1986, as amended by the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2000 and other legislation. It makes recommendations as to certain fees to be paid to ecclesiastical judges, legal officers and others, and embodies those recommendations in Orders which are laid before the General Synod for approval. If approved, the Orders take effect unless annulled by either House of Parliament, and are published as Statutory Instruments.

Chair His Honour Judge Andrew Rutherford

Members

Timothy Allen
Andrew Britton
Aiden Hargreaves-Smith
Geoffrey Tattersall QC
Timothy Walker

Secretary Sarah Clemenson
Legal Office, Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1371
email: sarah.clemenson@c-of-e.org.uk

Legal Advisory Commission

The Legal Advisory Commission gives advice on legal matters of general interest to the Church which are referred to it by the Archbishops' Council and its Divisions, Boards, Councils and Commissions, by the General Synod and its Houses and Commissions, by the Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board, and by diocesan clerical and lay office holders. The Commission cannot accept requests for advice from private individuals or secular bodies. In addition, the Commission cannot normally give opinions on contentious matters, but it may be able to do so (depending on the circumstances) if the facts are agreed by all parties to the dispute, all parties join in referring the matter to the Commission for an opinion and it is not (and is not expected to become) the subject-matter of proceedings in the courts.

The opinions of the Commission and its predecessor, the Legal Board, on matters of general interest are published by Church House Publishing in a loose-leaf form under the title Legal Opinions Concerning the Church of England. Copies can be obtained from Christian bookshops, including Church House Bookshop. A new edition was published in 2007.

Chair Chancellor Rupert Bursell

Vice-Chair Revd Canon John Rees

Members

Peter Beesley
Chancellor Timothy Briden
Rt Worshipful Dr Sheila Cameron QC
Owen Carew-Jones
David Cheetham
Chancellor Thomas Coningsby
Very Revd Nicholas Coulton
Lesley Farrall
Revd Canon David Felix
Ian Garden
Chancellor Charles George QC
Sir Anthony Hammond QC
Rt Revd Christopher Hill (Bishop of Guildford)
Chancellor Mark Hill
Jacqueline Humphreys
Ven Trevor Jones
Lionel Lennox
Jane Lowdon
Professor David McClean QC
Sir John Mummery
Ted Nugee
Ven Richard Seed
Stephen Slack
Chancellor David Turner

Secretary Revd Judith Egar
Legal Office, Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1722
Fax: 020 7898 1718/1721
email: judith.egar@c-of-e.org.uk

Legal Aid Commission

The Legal Aid Commission operates under the Church of England (Legal Aid) Measure 1994, and administers the Legal Aid Fund which was originally set up under the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963 and is continued by the 1994 Measure.

Legal aid under the 1994 Measure may be granted, subject to various conditions, for certain types of proceedings before Ecclesiastical Courts and tribunals; details of eligibility for legal aid and the Commission's procedures, together with an application form for legal aid, are obtainable from the Secretary, on request.

Chair Richard Bowman

Members

Ven Christine Allsopp
Revd Moira Astin
Barry Barnes
Revd Paul Benfield
Revd Geoffrey Harbord
Jacqueline Humphreys
Rt Revd Richard Inwood (Bishop of Bedford)
Ven Clive Mansell
Anne Toms
John Underwood

Secretary Revd Judith Egar
Legal Office, Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1722
Fax: 020 7898 1718/1721
email: judith.egar@c-of-e.org.uk

Liturgical Commission

In response to resolutions by the Convocations in October 1954, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York appointed a standing Liturgical Commission 'to consider questions of a liturgical character submitted to them from time to time by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and to report thereon to the Archbishops'. In 1971 the Commission became a permanent Commission of the General Synod. Its functions are:

1. to prepare forms of service at the request of the House of Bishops for submission to that House in the first instance;
2. to advise on the experimental use of forms of service and the development of liturgy;
3. to exchange information and advice on liturgical matters with other Churches both in the Anglican Communion and elsewhere;
4. to promote the development and understanding of liturgy and its use in the Church.

Members

Chair Rt Revd Stephen Platten (Bishop of Wakefield)
Vice-Chair Rt Revd Robert Paterson (Bishop of Sodor and Man)
Vice-Chair Dana Delap
Gill Ambrose
Revd Jonathan Baker
Revd Dr Anders Bergquist
Revd Dr Paul Bradshaw
Revd Canon Peter Craig-Wild
Revd Canon Dr Anne Dawtry
Very Revd Rogers Govender (Dean of Manchester)
Revd Rhiannon Jones
Revd Canon Dr David Kennedy
Revd Timothy Lomax
Revd Canon Dr Graham Kings (Bishop of Sherborne)
Revd Dr Timothy Stratford
Revd Paul Thomas
Revd Canon Carl Turner
Revd Gary Waddington

Secretary The Revd Peter Moger
Office Church House, Great Smith St, London SW1P 3AZ
020 7898 1365
email:peter.moger@c-of-e.org.uk

feedback | contact us | links | site map | copyright & disclaimer | privacy | site help
Supported by Ecclesiastical Insurance Group
Site developed by ILRT