Archbishops' Council
Encyclopedia
The Archbishops' Council is a part of the governance structures of the Church of England
. Its headquarters are at Church House, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3AZ.
The Council was created in 1999 to provide a central executive body to co-ordinate and lead the work of the Church. This was a partial implementation of the recommendations of the report "Working Together as One Body" produced by the Rt Revd Michael Turnbull
(then Bishop of Durham) in 1994.
And its objects as:
in 1998. It has its own legal identity and is, in addition, a charity
.
The Council is made up of:
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are the joint Presidents of the Council, but the Archbishop of Canterbury normally chairs its meetings.
The Council is one of the "National Church Institutions", the others being the Church Commissioners, the Church of England Pensions Board and the General Synod.
In 2006, the Council employed about 250 staff. The senior posts include:
In 2006, the Council had a budget of approximately £61 million, principally derived from the Church Commissioners (about £32 million) and contributions from each of the diocese
s (£24.5 million).
Spending in that year included grants to the dioceses (£31 million), training clergy (both funding for colleges and allowances for individuals in residential training - £10 million), grants to organisation such as Churches Together
, the Church Urban Fund
and the World Council of Churches
(£2.2 million), and housing assistance for retired clergy (£2.8 million).
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Its headquarters are at Church House, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3AZ.
The Council was created in 1999 to provide a central executive body to co-ordinate and lead the work of the Church. This was a partial implementation of the recommendations of the report "Working Together as One Body" produced by the Rt Revd Michael Turnbull
Michael Turnbull
Anthony Michael Arnold Turnbull was the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England from 1994 until 2003.Turnbull was born in Wombwell, South Yorkshire. He was a student at Keble College, Oxford, graduating in 1958. He prepared for ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall and St John's College, University...
(then Bishop of Durham) in 1994.
Objectives and Objects
The Council describes its objectives as:- enhancing the Church's mission by:
- promoting spiritual and numerical growth,
- enabling and supporting the worshipping Church and encouraging and promoting new ways of being Church, and
- engaging with issues of social justice and environmental stewardship
- sustaining and advance the Church's work in education, lifelong learning and discipleship;
- enabling the Church to select, train and resource the right people, both ordained and lay, to carry out public ministry and encouraging lay people in their vocation to the world; and
- encouraging the maintenance and development of the inherited fabric of Church buildings for worship and service to the community.
And its objects as:
- giving a clear strategic sense of direction to the national work of the Church of England, within an overall vision set by the House of Bishops and informed by an understanding of the Church's opportunities, needs and resources;
- encouraging and resourcing the Church in parishes and dioceses;
- promoting close collaborative working between the Church's national bodies, including through the management of a number of common services (Communications, Human Resources, IT etc);
- supporting the Archbishops with their diverse ministries and responsibilities; and engaging confidently with Government and other bodies.
Legal Status and Membership
The Arhcbishops' Council was established by the National Institutions Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of EnglandGeneral Synod of the Church of England
The General Synod is the deliberative and legislative body of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church of England that had started in the 1850s.- Church Assembly: 1919...
in 1998. It has its own legal identity and is, in addition, a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
.
The Council is made up of:
- the Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, - the Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, - the ProlocutorProlocutorA prolocutor is one who speaks for others ; specifically the chairman of the lower house of convocation in the two provinces of the Church of England, who presides in that house and acts as representative and spokesman in the upper house...
s of the ConvocationConvocation of the English ClergyThe Convocation of the English Clergy is a synodical assembly of the Church of England consisting of bishops and clergy.- Background and introduction :...
s of Canterbury and York, - the chairman and vice-chairman of the House of Laity of the General Synod,
- two bishops elected by the House of Bishops of the General Synod,
- two members of the clergyClergyClergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
elected by the House of Clergy of the General Synod, - two lay people elected by the House of Laity,
- one of the Church Estates CommissionersChurch CommissionersThe Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
, - up to six other people jointly appointed by the two Archbishops, with the consent of the General Synod. These appointees have a non-executive role and currently include:
- Philip Fletcher (Chair, Ofwat),
- Mark Russell (Chief Executive, Church ArmyChurch ArmyChurch Army is an evangelistic Church of England organisation operating in many parts of the Anglican Communion.-History:Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Revd Wilson Carlile , who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and...
), - Andrew Britton (former Director, National Institute of Economic and Social Research),
- Mary ChapmanMary ChapmanMary Chapman has been the Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute in the UK since 1998.-References:*...
(former Chief Executive, Chartered Management InstituteChartered Management InstituteThe Chartered Management Institute is a professional institution for managers, based in the United Kingdom.In addition to supporting its members, the organisation encourages management development, carries out research, produces a wide variety of publications on management interests, and publishes...
), - Revd Dr Rosalyn Murphy (priest-in-charge, St Thomas's, BlackpoolBlackpoolBlackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
), - and one vacancy (since 30 June 2011)
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are the joint Presidents of the Council, but the Archbishop of Canterbury normally chairs its meetings.
The Council is one of the "National Church Institutions", the others being the Church Commissioners, the Church of England Pensions Board and the General Synod.
Committees and Staff
The work of the Council is assisted by a number of committees:- Mission and Public Affairs Council (including the Hospital Chaplaincies Council)
- Board of Education
- Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns
- Council for Christian Unity
- Council for the Care of Churches
- Committees of the Ministry Division
- Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People
- Deployment, Recruitment and Conditions of Service Committee
- Theological Education and Training Committee
- Vocation, Recruitment and Selection Committee
- Finance Committee
- AuditAuditThe general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
Committee
In 2006, the Council employed about 250 staff. The senior posts include:
- Secretary-General to the Council and the General Synod
- Chief Education Officer
- Director of Mission & Public Affairs
- Head of Cathedral and Church Buildings
- Director of Ministry
- Director of Human Resources
- Head of Legal Office and Chief Legal Adviser to the General Synod
- Clerk to the Synod and Director of Central Secretariat
Finances
The members of the Council are also members and directors of the Central Board of Finance of the Church of England. Technically, the Board of Finance is a separate legal entity, however all major decisions are taken by members of the Council in their capacity as the directors of the Board.In 2006, the Council had a budget of approximately £61 million, principally derived from the Church Commissioners (about £32 million) and contributions from each of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s (£24.5 million).
Spending in that year included grants to the dioceses (£31 million), training clergy (both funding for colleges and allowances for individuals in residential training - £10 million), grants to organisation such as Churches Together
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland is an ecumenical organisation. The members include most of the major churches in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It was formerly known as the Council of Churches of Britain and Ireland...
, the Church Urban Fund
Church Urban Fund
The Church Urban Fund is a charitable organisation set up by the Church of England in 1987 designed to assist in deprived and impoverished areas of the country...
and the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
(£2.2 million), and housing assistance for retired clergy (£2.8 million).