Staff writer Francis Martin spent all of last week in the press gallery of Church House, Westminster, reporting on the latest meeting of the General Synod. He reports back to the editor, Sarah Meyrick, about some of the most significant debates and votes, including on the future of safeguarding and proposed changes to the Crown Nominations Commission.

Francis was also out and about talking to Synod members. Watch a video of some of the interviews here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/14-february/audio-video/video/watch-church-times-reports-from-the-general-synod-in-london

Read coverage of the Synod on our website: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/topics/general-synod

Synod digest will be published next week (28 February issue)

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In 2023, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York asked Professor Alexis Jay to develop proposals for a fully independent structure to provide scrutiny of safeguarding in the Church of England. Her report, published the following year, concluded that not only scrutiny, but operational safeguarding, should be independent, necessitating the creation of two separate charities.

But while there is widespread demand for action to prevent further failings, opinion on taking up Professor Jay’s recommendations remains divided.

Next week, members of the General Synod will gather again to discuss the way forward. The task before them is a weighty one, with the debate taking place against a backdrop of widespread horror at the Church’s record to date.

On Wednesday (5 February), the Church Times hosted a webinar to discuss the right way forward, in response to Professor Jay’s recommendations. This podcast features contributions from the panel below. A video of the full webinar, including the panel’s discussion and responses to questions, will be available soon.

Panel

Jane Chevous, co-founder, Survivors Voices

Colin Perkins, diocesan safeguarding adviser, diocese of Chichester

David Greenwood, Switalskis Solicitors

Jim Gamble, INEQE Safeguarding Group

Chaired by Madeleine Davies of the Church Times

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The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, was in Jerusalem last week when the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal was agreed.

Shortly after returning from the Holy Land, she spoke to Francis Martin about the reaction to the deal on the ground; the prospects for long-term peace in the region; and more widely about the visit, which included meeting Layan Nasir, a young Anglican woman from Birzeit who was released in December, after eight months in “administrative detention”.

“As a Christian and as a person of prayer, I have to continue to hope that people of peace, people who want to see reconciliation, people who believe in justice, will find a will and a way to work together eventually to lead to a peaceful solution,” she said.

The interview was recorded on Sunday (19 January).

Picture: Dr Francis-Dehqani with the Archbishop in Jerusalem, Dr Hosam Naoum. Credit: Diocese of Chelmsford

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This week’s podcast brings a sermon preached by Barbara Brown Taylor at the 2024 Festival of Preaching in Cambridge last September (Features, 20 September 2024).

She considers how the Church can bear witness to good news “in a world so full of the other kind”, such as global warfare and climate change, political divisions and churches closing, the loneliness epidemic, and systemic racism.

Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest and best-stelling author, whose books include Holy Envy (Books, 14 June 2019) and Always a Guest (Books, 18 December 2020).

The Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature runs from Friday 28 February to Sunday 2 March. For more details and to book tickets, visit https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk

Photo credit: Tom Perkins

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On the podcast this week, Sarah Meyrick introduces an exciting new era for the Church Times, including fresh content and contributors, and the return to a news front-page, reflecting our proud heritage as an independent newspaper.

She tells Associate Editor Ed Thornton more about the thinking behind the changes.

Limited-time digital subscription offer: £10 for 2 Months Digital edition PLUS 2 month free app subscription to Reflections for Daily Prayer: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/subscribe

On the podcast this week, a panel of experts discuss the question: Does the future have a Church?

In an increasingly unstable and dark world, will people return to or at least reconsider belief, or are we continuing to hear the ‘melancholy, long, withdrawing roar’ of faith?

The discussion was recorded in London on 26 November at the 2024 Theos Annual Lecture.

The panelists were:

Daisy Scalchi, Head of Religion and Ethics, BBC Television

Justin Brierley, broadcaster, author, and speaker

Madeleine Davies, senior writer for the Church Times

Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England

Mary Harrington, writer and author of Feminism Against Progress

The discussion was chaired by Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos. The director of Theos, Chine McDonald, introduced and closed the event.

https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk

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On this episode of the podcast, the Revd Michael Coren is intereviewed about his memoir, Heaping Coals: From media firebrand to Anglican Priest.

The book charts how he went from an English working-class family to become a high-profile Roman Catholic media personality in Canada, and how he ended up being ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Canada.

An extract from the book was published in the 29 November edition of the Church Times: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2024/29-november/features/features/michael-coren-media-firebrand-to-anglican-priest

Heaping Coals is published by Dundurn at £10.99 (Church Times Bookshop £9.89)

Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

On this edition of the podcast, Ian Collins is interviewed about his book Blythe Spirit: The remarkable life of Ronald Blythe.

Ronald Blythe, who died, aged 100, in January last year was best known for his 1969 account of village life, Akenfield, and to Church Times readers as the author of the weekly “Word from Wormingford” column, which ran for 24 years from 1993. Collins was a close friend of Blythe's for more than three decades.

Interview by the Revd Malcolm Doney, a writer, broadcaster, and Anglican priest, who lives in Suffolk.

Blythe Spirit is published by John Murray £25 (Church Times Bookshop £20). https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781399819060/blythe-spirit/?vc=CT229

Read a review by Paul Handley here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2024/29-november/books-arts/book-reviews/book-review-blythe-spirit-the-remarkable-life-of-ronald-blythe-by-ian-collins

Ian Collins will be speaking at the Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature, which takes place from 28 February to 2 March in Winchester. Find out more about the programme and buy tickets at https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk

Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

This week, the editor, Sarah Meyrick, is joined by senior writer Madeleine Davies and news reporter Francis Martin to discuss a momentous and turbulent week for the Church of England: the publication of the Makin review into the abuse carried out by John Smyth, which resulted, five days later, in the Archbishop of Canterbury announcing his resignation.

They talk about the findings of the Makin review, the significance of the Archbishop's announcement and what it will mean for safeguarding in the Church, how people are responding in parishes and wider society, and what happens next. The discussion also touches on what the legacy of Archbishop Welby's archiepiscopate might be.

Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

Photo credit: Alamy

On the podcast this week, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, talks about his new book, Praying By Heart: The Lord’s Prayer for everyone.

The book takes readers through the Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase, exploring its meaning and significance for us today. The prayer, he writes, is a “declaration of intent”, which should come with a health warning — ‘don’t say this prayer if you are not prepared to be changed.”

An extract from the book is published in this week’s Church Times.

Praying By Heart is published by Hodder & Stoughton at £14.99 (Church Times Bookshop £11.99); 978-1-3998-0530-8. https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781399805308/praying-by-heart-the-lords-prayer-for-everyone?vc=CT508

Archbishop Cottrell will be talking about the book at the next Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature, which takes place in Winchester from 28 February to 2 March. Find out more and book tickets at https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk

Picture credit: Ravage Productions

Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader