You may or may not know this but Church of England churches are not allowed to fly the Union Flag, the Union Jack. We have to fly the cross of St George, the English flag, because we are, of course, the Church of England. I’m not suggesting that police officers would shimmy up flagpoles if the wrong flag is being flown to tear it down, but you’re just not supposed to because being the Church of England and having the cross of St George flying above is what we do and who we are.
So it is a good day, this Feast of St George, for the church to meet in Synod. The General Synod is gathering for a Group of Sessions, just two days, today and tomorrow, to do some of the business that really has to be done. We are still meeting virtually and, as you will remember, those who read this kind of thing, the Synod passed legislation that enabled us to make legal decisions in this distanced, virtual way.
I will shortly be heading along the river from Southwark Cathedral to Church House Westminster to chair some of the debates. As a member of the Panel of Chairs we were asked to indicate if we would be happy to come in to do the task, and being local I am more than happy.
The agenda has already been amended twice in preparation for this Group of Sessions. The first reason was to include an opportunity for the Synod to pay its respects to and bear tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip died after the Business Committee had done its work of putting the agenda together, so an extra item at the beginning was added. Then a very short Presidential Address was added. I don’t know what this is about but I suspect it may be in response to both the recent Panorama programme exposing racism in the CofE and the publication yesterday of the report ‘From Lament to Action’ the work of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce. We shall see.
The rest of the time will be taken up with debates on topics like safeguarding and pensions, clergy discipline and the nomination of Diocesan Bishops, as well as on the subject of international religious freedom.
There are always dragons out there and there are always the vulnerable to be protected. If the CofE has the audacity to live under the banner of St George it needs to take heed of what is said in the Letter to the Ephesians in one of the set readings for this morning.
Our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.12)
Even in the heavenly places evil can be found.
God of hosts, who so kindled the flame of love in the heart of your servant George that he bore witness to the risen Lord by his life and by his death: give us the same faith and power of love that we who rejoice in his triumphs may come to share with him the fullness of the resurrection; through Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Andrew Nunn's reflections from General Synod 
You must be logged in to post a comment.