Media Centre News List

Faith leaders' G8 letter to Prime Minister

28 June 2005

Senior religious leaders from three faiths – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – have come together to publicly urge the Prime Minister to press for radical commitments on behalf of the world’s poorest people when he chairs the annual meeting of the world’s richest nations in Scotland next month.

New National Stewardship and Resources Officer Appointed

20 June 2005

The Church of England’s new National Stewardship and Resources Officer is to be Dr John Preston. Dr Preston will take up his new post at the beginning of September.

Archbishop of York announced

17 June 2005

Downing Street has this morning announced the approval of The Queen for the appointment of the Rt Revd Dr John Sentamu, currently Bishop of Birmingham, to succeed the Rt Revd Dr David Hope as the next Archbishop of York.

Key debates on women bishops and new ordination services at General Synod in York

16 June 2005

Agenda also looks at churches in multi Faith neighbourhoods, assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia, and strategic financial issues, including the future of the Church Urban Fund. http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/july05.html

Bishop responds to Times article

10 June 2005

Sir, You misrepresent the financial difficulties facing the Church of England (report, June 8), which is not considering a cut of 3000 clergy. In fact last year we recommended 566 new candidates to train for the ministry.

Church welcomes RE ‘golden hullos’

09 June 2005

The Church of England today warmly welcomed a package of reforms from the Teacher Training Agency that includes larger bursaries and ‘golden hullos’ for PGCE students in Religious Education (RE), as a recognised shortage subject.

Numbers recommended to train as clergy continue to rise

09 June 2005

A total of 564 men and women were recommended to train as future clergy in the Church of England in 2004; the highest number in six years. The figure represents an increase of more than 10 percent over the 505 recommended in 2003. It has only twice been exceeded in the last 20 years: in 1986 and 1998. The recommendations include 284 men and 280 women.

Methodists and Anglicans receive first report on Covenant

03 June 2005

The first report on the practical and theological applications of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant has been published. This first report from the Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) will be presented this summer to the annual Conference of The Methodist Church and the Church of England’s General Synod.

Churches lay down a challenge to Government in Statement on White Papers on Education and Skills 2005

31 May 2005

Churches and other faith communities, in their first joint statement on post-school education and signalling a new commitment to 14-19 students and the Further Education sector, have questioned the lack of breadth in recent government proposals for vocational education, highlighting the lack of attention to students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.