First Woman, First Methodist to Preach at Church of England General Synod

The Eighth General Synod of the Church of England will be a landmark with the first woman and first Methodist ever to preach at the opening service of the five-yearly gathering Tuesday at Church House.

|TOP|The Rev. Professor Frances M Young will deliver her sermon at the Eucharist service, presided by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

Rev. Young said: “I feel immensely privileged and honoured to be invited. John and Charles Wesley remained Anglican priests throughout their lives, and the lessons for the occasion included Romans 8, one of John Wesley’s favourite texts.

“So I have a sense that I have been given some licence to start with Wesley, and see if some of his key themes have any wisdom for the Anglican Synod and Methodist Conference now,” she said.

Dr. Young, a former Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology at the University of Birmingham, and OBE award winner for her services to theology in 1998, will also join in the General Synod seminar on episcopacy, intended to enable Synod members to reflect on points in the debate on women bishops.

|AD|Members at the Synod will debate the report of the Bishop of Guildford’s Group which outlines possible courses of action following Synod’s decision to remove legal obstacles to the consecration of women as bishops.

Delegates at the Synod will also begin a major debate on Facing the Challenge of Terrorism, resourced by a report from the Mission and Public Affairs Division. The debate will touch on the July 7 terrorist attacks in London and the Government response, particularly the Terrorism Bill to be debated in Parliament next month.

The report advises politicians and churches look more closely and with greater understanding at the underlying causes of terrorism and in a way that does not excuse violence.

It also warns political parties not to erode fundamental rights in their counter-terrorist strategies and asks Church members to promote greater understanding, reconciliation and respect within their local communities, particularly mixed faith communities.

A report produced by the Review Group, chaired by Professor David McClean, on the proposal to hand over ownership of clergy houses, churches and churchyards to Diocesan Boards of Finance, will also be finalised in time for the second Synod circulation, although no vote will be taken on the issue.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will address the Synod on Wednesday morning where he will present his vision for the Church of England in the next five years.