Press releases from January 1st 2020 - December 31st 2021.

The Church Commissioners for England today reiterated support for the climate-related shareholder resolution, filed against the board of ExxonMobil, and calls on Exxon not to block the resolution going to a vote in 2020. 

Timetable for informal virtual meeting of General Synod members published.

General Synod voted unanimously today to endorse the Church’s response to the five recommendations from IICSA and urged its national safeguarding steering group to work towards a more fully survivor-centred approach to safeguarding, including arrangements for redress for survivors.

The Archbishops’ Council has voted unanimously that a proposal on interim independent oversight of the National Safeguarding Team is to be put in place before February Synod (2021) to pave the way for full independent oversight, by February Synod 2022. Both the Archbishops’ Council and the House of Bishops have already endorsed the principle of independence for the Church’s safeguarding work.

The Church of England has clarified the scope and definition of net-zero following General Synod’s pledge to achieve net-zero by 2030.

Work is underway in all 42 dioceses on the Church of England's Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2) with a key focus on listening to survivors who want to come forward. The Church was criticised for not including their voices in the original PCR 2007/8 as shown in an independent scrutiny report, published in 2018.

The House has now reverted to a schedule of monthly meetings with this meeting being the meeting for November.

The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, has welcomed guidance from the Government permitting outdoor singing for places of worship in all tiers in England from 2nd December.  

Teachers and school support staff will be hailed as ‘unsung heroes’ for their work to help children and families during the pandemic, in the Church of England’s weekly online service marking the start of the academic year.