Synodical Government Measure 1969
The Synodical Government Measure 1969 (No. 2) is a Church of England measure passed by the National Assembly of the Church of England replacing the National Assembly with the General Synod of the Church of England.
Background
editIn 1919, the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919 establishing the National Assembly of the Church of England.[1] After the measure was passed, the previous state of arrangements was referred to as "paralysis" in the Ecclesiastical Law Journal.
Until this measure passed there were "many complications" with having the National Assembly and the convocations side-by-side, and it was deemed that the laity had too little share of power in the National Assembly.[2]
Provisions
editMost of the powers of the Convocations of York and Canterbury were transferred to the General Synod, consisting of:[3]
The measure established deanery synods which would be the lowest rung of the Church's hierarchy. To be eligible to be elected to the House of Laity you need to be elected to a deanery synod first.[4]
Electoral roll
editOriginally, the measure established the voting age as 17.[5] This has since been reduced to 16 through the passage of the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019.
Channel Islands
editAmendments
editIn 1971, the measure was amended by the Synodical Government (Special Majorities) Measure 1971 (No. 1) so that "special majorities" would be required to change the relationship between the Church of England and another church.[5]
In 1974, the measure was amended by the Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 1974 (No. 1) so that the constitutions of the Convocations of York and Canterbury would be required to change the relationship between the Church of England and another church.
In 2003, the measure was amended by the Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 2003 (No. 1) so that there would be a regular review of the arrangements for pastoral supervision.
Legislation passed by the Church must now comply with the Human Rights Act 1998.[7]
Notes
edit- ↑ Section 9(1).
- ↑ Section 9(3)–(4).
- ↑ The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793. See also section 9(2).
References
edit- ↑ "Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 23 December 1919, 1919 c. 76, retrieved 16 September 2024
- ↑ "Synodical Government Measure". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 302. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Lords. 16 June 1969. col. 843–848.
- ↑ "Convocations of Canterbury and York". Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
With the Synodical Government Measure of 1969, most of the powers of the convocations, including the power to legislate by canon, passed into the hands of a general synod composed of members of the houses of bishops, members of the houses of clergy, and a house of laity. Although the convocations continue to meet, their transactions are for the most part formal.
- ↑ "Synodical Government". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- 1 2 "Synodical Government (Special Majorities) Measure 1971". legislation.gov.uk. National Archives. 17 February 1971. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ↑ "The Synodical Government (Channel Islands) Order 1970", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1970/1117
- ↑ Slack, Stephen (5 December 2011). "Synodical Government and the Legislative Process". Ecclesiastical Law Journal. 14 (1): 43–81. doi:10.1017/S0956618X11000755. ISSN 0956-618X.
External links
edit- Text of the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Text of the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.