Evidence submitted by Revd John Masding,
The Council of the English Clergy Association
The Council of the English Clergy Association
met last week and I regret that we were unable to give a view
or comment earlier during the public discussion about the role
of the Lord Chancellor. We take, in fact, the position propounded
in his published oral evidence by Lord Mackay of Clashfern.
So far as the ecclesiastical remit is concerned,
and patronage of livings in particular, we would take the view
that the Livings for which the Lord Chancellor has been responsible
should, if and when the Office is done away with, be dealt with
by the Prime Minister in the same way as other Crown Livings.
Should that option not be preferred by Her Majesty's Government,
then we should like to see the Livings in the hands of the Universities
of Oxford and Cambridge or of the existing private Patronage Societies.
We do not think the Livings should go to the Bishops, or Archbishops,
as their share is now already very large indeed, and variety in
diocesan Church life is somewhat compromised thereby. As a final
resort, we would suggest Livings, were the Patronage disposed
of, go in each case to a Patronage Board made up of a representative
of the Patron of each and every contiguous Living, except the
Bishop, or the nearest Living in non-episcopal hands. This sounds
complicated, but could be made to work satisfactorily enough.
Our over-riding principle is the maintenance of a proper breadth
of diversity in the Church of England.
Perhaps I should say that the English Clergy
Association was founded in 1938, and so we are not entirely without
accumulated experience in Church politics.
John Masding
The Council of the English Clergy Association
17 November 2003
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