8(1)A Measure [F1or Canon] providing for permanent changes in the Services of Baptism or Holy Communion or in the Ordinal, or a scheme for a constitutional union or a permanent and substantial change of relationship between the Church of England and another Christian body [F2being a body a substantial number of whose members reside in Great Britain], shall not be finally approved by the General Synod unless, at a stage determined by the Archbishops, the Measure [F1or Canon] or scheme, or the substance of the proposals embodied therein, has been approved by a majority of the dioceses at meetings of their Diocesan Synods F3....E
[F4(1A)If the Archbishops consider that this article should apply to a scheme which affects the Church of England and another Christian body but does not fall within paragraph (1) of this Article, they may direct that this Article shall apply to that scheme, and where such a direction is given this article shall apply accordingly.]
[F5(1B)The General Synod may by resolution provide that final approval of any such scheme as aforesaid, being a scheme specified in the resolution, shall require the assent of such special majorities of the members present and voting as may be specified in the resolution, and the resolution may specify a special majority of each House or of the whole Synod or of both, and in the latter case the majorities may be different.]
[F6(1C)A motion for the final approval of a Measure providing for permanent changes in any such Service or in the Ordinal shall not be deemed to be carried unless it receives the assent of a majority in each House of the General Synod of not less than two-thirds of those present and voting.]
(2)Any question whether this Article applies to any Measure [F1or canon] or scheme, or whether its requirements have been complied with, shall be conclusively determined by the Archbishops, the Prolocutors of the Lower Houses of the Convocations and [F7the Chair and Vice-Chair] of the House of Laity of the General Synod.
Textual Amendments
F1Words inserted by Church of England (Worship and Doctrine) Measure 1974 (No. 3, SIF 21:7), Sch. 1, para. 3
F2Words inserted by Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 1974 (No. 1, SIF 21:1), s. 2(1)
F3Words in Sch. 2 Art. 8(1) repealed (1.7.2013) by Diocese in Europe Measure 2013 (No. 1), ss. 2(2)(a), 3(2); 2013 No. 3, art. 3
F4Article 8(1A) inserted by Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 1974 (No. 1, SIF 21:1), s. 2(2)
F5Article 8(1B) inserted by Synodical Government (Special Majorities) Measure 1971 (No. 1, SIF 21:1), s. 1(1) as Article 8(1A) and renumbered Article 8(1B) by Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 1974 (No. 1, SIF 21:1), s. 2(3)
F6Article 8(1C) inserted by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1978 (No. 3, SIF 21:8), s. 1
F7Words in Sch. 2 Art. 8(2) substituted (16.3.2020) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020 (No. 1), ss. 14(2), 16(2) (with s. 16(8))
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Article 8 amended by Diocese in Europe Measure 1980 (No. 2, SIF 21:1), s. 3(2)