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Farming, broadcasting and new Church services highlight Synod agenda

14 February 2000

Major debates on the crisis in farming and on religious broadcasting are among the highlights of a short but busy meeting of General Synod later this month. The session will take place in London, at Church House, Westminster, from 28 February to 1 March.

The meeting will also consider final approval of the remaining liturgical business to be included in the Church's new service books, Common Worship, due to be published in the autumn. These include the Eucharistic Prayers and the Nicene Creed, on both of which there has been much discussion and reflection by the House of Bishops. Items of legislative business include the revision stage of the Clergy Discipline Measure.

The crisis in farming
The Synod will have opportunity to reflect on the current crisis in agriculture and its effect on the wider rural community. A report from the Board of Mission, The Farming Crisis, focuses on the main issues and particularly the plight of some farmers and their families. It also takes account of recent discussions in the House of Bishops and the statement calling for action by Government and in parishes which the House issued in January. Representatives of farming and countryside organisations are expected to be present to hear the debate.

Religious broadcasting
A Private Member's Motion by Mr Nigel Holmes (Carlisle) will provide a valuable opportunity for Synod to consider the coverage of religion in the broadcast media and, in particular, the changes to BBC religious output. The motion has attracted the highest number of signatures for any private member's motion for at least a decade. There will be an amendment from one of the Lincoln representatives, seeking to enlarge the scope of the motion in line with the recent Lincoln Diocesan Synod motion on the subject.

Common Worship
This will be the last time Synod considers various items of liturgical business before their inclusion in Common Worship, to be published in the autumn. These include the Marriage Service, the Service of Wholeness and Healing, the Eucharistic Prayers and the Nicene Creed. On the first day of the Synod, there will be a third revision stage of the new eighth Eucharistic Prayer (H) after which the House of Bishops will bring a final text to the Synod for approval on the last morning of the meeting.

The House has reflected on the debates on the Nicene Creed at the Synod in July and November and now brings a contemporary language translation of the Creed to Synod for final approval. This translates the phrase in the Creed much debated on previous occasions as "from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary". The House believes that this is both an accurate translation and one around which a clear majority in Synod will be able to unite.

Legislation
The main item of interest among legislation to be considered is the revision stage of the Clergy Discipline Measure, which proposes a streamlining of disciplinary procedures for the clergy. There is also the revision stage of the draft Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure, concerned mainly with appointments to parochial church councils and diocesan bodies. The size and constitution of the General Synod will be the subject of a further report from the Follow-up Group, chaired by the Archdeacon of Tonbridge, expected early in the life of the new Synod to be elected this autumn.

Other items include short debates on the report of the Archbishops' Council (focusing on the Council's communications strategy), the review of constitutions of Boards and Councils, and the process for appointments to the Archbishops' Council, as well as the resumed debate on the 2001 Preview of Expenditure.

Taken together, the agenda offers the prospect of two major debates focusing on the Church's engagement with the world, as well as the historic final approval of key elements of the Church's new Common Worship service books, giving the green light for publication.