Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018

2018 No. 6

A Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of England to make provision about ecumenical relations.

[20th December 2018]

1 Extension of power to make provision by Canon

(1) In section 1 of the Church of England (Ecumenical Relations) Measure 1988 (joint worship with other Churches), the existing text of which becomes subsection (1), at the end insert—

“(2) It shall be lawful for the General Synod to make provision by Canon for enabling a member of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity but which is not otherwise a Church to which this Measure applies—

(a) to read Holy Scripture at a Church of England service;

(b) to lead the Intercessions at Holy Communion according to the use of the Church of England;

(c) to lead prayers at a Church of England service other than Holy Communion.

(3) It shall be lawful for the General Synod to make provision by Canon for enabling a member of the Salvation Army to preach at a Church of England service.

(4) In subsections (2) and (3), “Church of England service” means a service held in accordance with the forms of service and practice of the Church of England.”

(2) In section 2 of that Measure (the title to which becomes “Provision by Canon for participation in local ecumenical co-operative schemes”)—

(a) for “local ecumenical project”, in each place it appears, substitute “local ecumenical co-operative scheme”,

(b) for “that project”, in each place it appears, substitute “that scheme”,

(c) for “the project” substitute “the scheme”, and

(d) in subsection (2), for “section 47 of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007” substitute “section 80 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011”.

(3) In section 4 of that Measure (overseas clergy)—

(a) for “an United Church” substitute “a Church in communion with the Church of England”,

(b) for “that United Church” substitute “the Church in communion with the Church of England”, and

(c) omit the second sentence (which defines “United Church”).

(4) In section 6 of that Measure (interpretation), for subsection (1) substitute—

“(1) In this Measure “local ecumenical co-operative scheme” means a scheme under which Churches of different denominations agree, in relation to a specified area or institution, to co-operate in matters affecting the mission of, or worship in, those Churches or their ministry, congregational life or buildings.”

(5) In section 80 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 (mission initiatives), in subsection (5), for paragraph (a) substitute—

“(a) for participation in a local ecumenical co-operative scheme,”.

(6) In subsection (8) of that section and in subsection (3) of section 82 of that Measure (supplementary provision), for “local ecumenical project” substitute “local ecumenical co-operative scheme”.

(7) For subsection (9) of section 82 of that Measure substitute—

“(9) In section 80—

• “ecumenical co-operation” means co-operation in matters affecting the mission of, or worship in, the Churches concerned or their ministry, congregational life or buildings, and

• “local ecumenical co-operative scheme” has the same meaning as in the Church of England (Ecumenical Relations) Measure 1988.”

(8) In section 83 of that Measure (review of duration of mission initiatives etc.), in subsection (8)—

(a) for “a local ecumenical project” substitute “a local ecumenical co-operative scheme”, and

(b) for “the ecumenical project” substitute “the scheme”.

2 Power of bishop to give temporary designation

(1) After section 5 of the Church of England (Ecumenical Relations) Measure 1988 (the title to which becomes “Churches to which Measure applies: designation by Archbishops”), insert—

“5A Churches to which Measure applies: designation by bishop

(1) This Measure applies to any Church which is designated by the bishop of a diocese as a Church to which this Measure applies.

(2) A designation under this section—

(a) has effect only in the diocese of the bishop who gave the designation, and

(b) expires at the end of such period not exceeding seven years as the designation specifies, unless it is renewed or revoked.

(3) The bishop of a diocese in which a designation under this section has effect may renew or revoke the designation.

(4) A designation renewed under this section expires at the end of such period not exceeding seven years as the renewed designation specifies beginning with the date on which it was renewed (or last renewed), unless it is renewed again or revoked.

(5) The bishop of a diocese may not give or renew a designation under this section unless at the time the designation is given or renewed—

(a) the Church concerned subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and administers the Sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion, and

(b) the bishop is satisfied that the Church—

(i) does not promote any doctrine which is contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England in any essential matter, and

(ii) meets such conditions relating to the ordering of its life or to its relations with other Churches as are included in the Code of Practice under section 5B.

(6) The bishop of a diocese must revoke a designation given or renewed under this section if subsection (5)(a) or (b) ceases to be the case in relation to the Church to which the designation applies.

(7) A bishop’s functions under this section may be delegated (whether by an instrument under section 13 or 14 of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007 or otherwise) only to a suffragan or assistant bishop who is authorised to discharge functions of the bishop—

(a) in a particular area of the diocese,

(b) during a vacancy in the diocesan see, or

(c) during the diocesan bishop’s absence from the diocese.”

(2) In section 6 of that Measure (interpretation), for subsection (2) substitute—

“(2) In this Measure “appropriate authority” means—

(a) in relation to a Church to which this Measure applies by virtue of section 5, such authority as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York designate in relation to that Church;

(b) in relation to a Church to which this Measure applies by virtue of section 5A, such authority as the bishop who designated the Church under that section designates in relation to it.”

3 Code of Practice

After section 5A of the Church of England (Ecumenical Relations) Measure 1988 (inserted by section 2 above) insert—

“5B Code of Practice

(1) The House of Bishops shall issue a Code of Practice on co-operation by the Church of England with other Churches.

(2) The House of Bishops may revise or replace the Code; and, where it does so, it shall issue the Code as revised or replaced.

(3) A clerk in Holy Orders, deaconess, lay worker or reader of the Church of England shall, in exercising a function under this Measure or under provision made by Canon in reliance on this Measure, have regard to the Code.

(4) Provision made by Canon in reliance on this Measure may be made by reference to the Code.

(5) The Code—

(a) may make different provision for different cases;

(b) may make provision which applies generally or for specified cases or subject to specified exceptions;

(c) may make provision which confers a discretion on a person;

(d) may make provision by reference to guidance issued by any person.

(6) The Code (including as revised or replaced) shall be laid before the General Synod and shall not come into force unless it is approved by the General Synod.

(7) If the Business Committee of the General Synod decides that the Code does not need to be debated, it is to be treated as approved for the purposes of subsection (6) unless a member of the Synod gives notice under its Standing Orders that the member wishes the Code to be debated.”

4 Short title, commencement and extent

(1) This Measure may be cited as the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018.

(2) This section comes into force on the day on which this Measure is passed.

(3) The preceding provisions of this Measure come into force on such day as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York may by order jointly appoint; and different days may be appointed for different purposes.

(4) The Archbishops of Canterbury and York may by order jointly make transitional, transitory or saving provision in connection with the commencement of a provision of this Measure.

(5) The power to make an order under subsection (3) or (4) is exercisable by statutory instrument; and the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 applies as if the order had been made by a Minister of the Crown and as if this Measure were an Act of Parliament.

(6) This Measure extends to—

(a) the whole of the province of Canterbury, except the Channel Islands (as to which, see subsection (7)), and

(b) the whole of the province of York, except the Isle of Man (as to which, see subsection (8)).

(7) This Measure may be applied to the Channel Islands, or either of them, in accordance with the Channel Islands (Church Legislation) Measures 1931 and 1957; and a reference in this section to the Channel Islands or either of them has the same meaning as a reference in those Measures to the Islands or either of them.

(8) If an Act of Tynwald or an instrument made under an Act of Tynwald so provides, the provisions of this Measure extend to the Isle of Man subject to such exceptions, adaptations or modifications as are specified in the Act or instrument.