What's the first test for General Synod?

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"What is likely to be the first real test of the General Synod when it meets in a few weeks, in November?" That was the just one of the direct questions put to two of the Directors of the orthodox grouping, The Alliance, when they appeared on an Australian podcast, 'The Pastor's Heart', earlier this week.

Revd Dominic Steele, the host of the podcast, is a former radio journalist, who is now the Senior Minister at Village Church, Annandale, Sydney. This time the hearts in question belonged to the Revd John Dunnett, the National Director of the Church of England's Evangelical Council and the Revd Vaughan Roberts, the Rector of St Ebbe's Oxford.

The title of the podcast was - "Will God save the Church of England?" - and in the light of the recent elections both interviewees were cautiously optimistic.

Dunnett was heartened by the voting patterns in a number of dioceses, ".. I think what we can say is that we have strengthened the position of orthodoxy on the Synod... we won't know exactly how much we've strengthened it until we have the first important, as it were, dividing vote."

While Roberts dismissed those who had said that The Alliance was, "purely a marriage of convenience," and asserted that the results show that, "The Alliance is real - that there's a real partnership - and it's deepening - and it is also supported right across the nation."

There may be truth in both these claims, but what was not said was that the liberal grouping, 'Together for the Church of England', have said very similar things about their own results.

Both Roberts and Dunnett were quite candid about the state of the Church of England. Vaughan said it was "a mess", and in an "unsustainable limbo state," caused by the fact the Prayers of Love and Faith allows for, "the blessing of sin", so "a significant red line's already been crossed". John Dunnett was even more frustrated,"... to be blunt, we've had a number of bishops who have reassured us that they are theologically orthodox, but I'm left thinking, 'I don't quite understand what you mean by that given the way you voted in previous votes'."

The interview went on the consider how The Alliance leadership saw the future. They seem to be agreed on the principle of breaking spiritual fellowship with those who commend sin, while recognising that people's, "conscience and context," may lead to different actions. Thus, they advocate for individuals and churches taking advantage of whatever aspects of the "de facto parallel province," suit them, while continuing to argue for "a more fixed and permanent arrangement".

Two important matters arise from this, which will have implications for orthodox folk in the Church of England.

The first is that, while Dominic Steele seemed enamoured by irregular ordinations at St Helen's, Bishopsgate, both of the others appeared to see at least some of the problems with this pathway. Yet, at the same time, John Dunnett said that the Church of England Evangelical Council is exploring what other,"irregular but lawful," actions they may take. This suggests that the next five years may be marked by a complete breakdown of order from both the orthodox and liberal wings of the church, which could have serious consequences for the future of a healthy Anglican church. Once clergy become accustomed to ignoring their bishops, in favour of an unofficial 'spiritual overseer', the task of restoring appropriate canonical relationships in the future becomes much harder.

Second, neither Dunnett nor Roberts were willing to set out what kind of 'settlement' The Alliance would accept. The clearest comments came from Vaughan Roberts, who said that in the long term it would be impossible to work with, "... suffragan bishops, who are orthodox, under liberal [diocesan] bishops, because that models a system which implies a partnership that we we can't accept." Still, neither mentioned the possibility of a permanent third province, which may be because they have recognised the intractable difficulties involved in such a plan. This suggests they are working on some kind of 'non-geographic extra-diocesan' solution on the table - perhaps akin to that put forward by this blog three years ago.

After about 27 minutes, Dominic Steele posed his question - What is likely to be the first real test of the General Synod when it meets in a few weeks, in November?"

To which Vaughan Roberts gave a rather woolly answer, focusing on votes that may or may not happen in the coming years. This missed the mark by some way.

It may be that Roberts was being discreet, but he gave the impression that the leadership of The Alliance have not given any thought to the Service of Holy Communion, at Westminster Abbey, on the 17th November, which marks its inaugeration.

It is difficult to think of a more obvious sign of spiritual fellowship than the sharing of the bread and wine. The very bishops who they claim to have no spiritual fellowship with will be presiding or present at Westminster Abbey. There will be many in the congregation who are unrepentantly campaigning to tear the doctrine of the Church of England away from its biblical foundations. This will be an 'open table'.

The orthodox members therefore have a choice to make.

Some may chose not to attend the service at all. But for those who take their seat, the question is whether they will they remain in it during the administration of Holy Communion? Or will they stand to receive the bread and wine alongside those they know to be living in sustained open disobedience?

It should not be their choice to make. The bishops of the Church of England should have carried out appropriate discipline, in accordance with Canon B16, which is there for two reasons:

"...first to ensure that there is no appearance of communion between the thoroughly repentant and those in grave and open sin, when no such communion can actually exist, and secondly to encourage any in such sin to repent. Failing to uphold the Canon therefore both excludes the repentant from the Lord’s table, and shows a lack of true compassion for the unrepentant."

Those who choose to remain seated will be in august company. This, after all, was the costly decision taken by the bishops of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, at the Lambeth Conference. Dr Martin Davie has set out their reasoning in this blog.

Those who choose to take communion, should recognise that it will be understood as a visible sign of "walking together" and may undermine any future requests for alternative episcopal oversight.

So, in answer to Dominic Steele's question: the first real test, and probably most important test, for the orthodox members of General Synod will take place in Westminster Abbey at approximately 11.30am on the 17th November 2026.

Set an alarm now to pray for them then.