The debate at General Synod on Wednesday 12^th February may yet come to be seen as a decisive moment in the history of the Church of England and its task of safeguarding.  In the words of Martin Sewell, a lay member from Rochester, the distant sound of a lion’s roar could be heard and the sound of ice cracking.  Winter was ending and Aslan was about to arrive.

What follows in this blog is not a systematic objective analysis of the Synod proceedings but a subjective editing/selecting of some parts of the speeches that were given.  It is offered not only as an informative snapshot for those who were not there or could not watch it online.  It can also be regarded as an aide-memoire for the future, when checks are being made of whether progress towards helping survivors and victims of abuse is on track.  Everyone contributing to the debate last Wednesday emphasised the importance of action rather just words.  The words in the debate that were uttered by both leaders and ordinary Synod members, all need to be remembered and recorded for posterity.  Above all we need to have a sense of the mood of the debate in the future.  This blog piece will be trying as much as possible to use the words actually spoken by the debate contributors.  But, in making a choice of which words to use or summarise, this blog piece may give a biased account of the proceedings.  I am not sure how this can be easily avoided.  My readers who follow this blog will realise that I will be focusing on a perspective supportive of survivors and their interests.  I am unsure if it is even possible to present this kind of material in a totally objective way.

Four bishops and one archbishop spoke in the debate.  I have made a choice only to record the words of two, Philip North, the Bishop of Burnley, and the new lead bishop for safeguarding, Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield.  These two bishops have had a personal and public identification with the cause of survivors’ welfare and the whole topic of safeguarding.  They each appear to have earned the trust of the survivor community, even though there is a recognition that there is still an enormous amount more to do.

Philip North spoke memorably on the importance of seeing the church through the eyes of survivors.  He also embarked on a reflection that I have never heard from the mouth of a bishop, a reflection on power in the Church.  He spoke of the personal power exercised by bishops and the power inherent in the institution.  He also mentioned the ‘faux-humility’ exercised by Peter Ball.  He called for power to become transparent and open so that people can see a greater sense of accountability among those who have power.  He also described survivors ‘as prophets calling us to greater gospel faithfulness’. 

Bishop Gibbs of Huddersfield, as the new lead safeguarding bishop, had a major part in rescuing the amendment put forward by three lay synod members, including Martin Sewell and David Lamming.  His words were to be listened to carefully as clearly his influence in the future will be crucial for the future of safeguarding and the welfare and interests of survivors.  He gave us a hint of the negotiations behind the scenes that had gone on to bring the rescued amendment to the floor of Synod.  That there had been ‘constructive conversations’ in the National Safeguarding Steering Group, a possible euphemism for heated debate, seemed clear.  Clearly the conversation had gone the right way as far as survivors are concerned.  As I pointed out in a previous post, words like apology, action and change appear in the proposed amendment.  There was a real sense that Bishop Gibbs has seized the ‘reins of power’ in this committee in a way that his predecessor had not.  One particular word came through, which other speakers picked up.  The word was redress.  The word picked the other new emphasis that was coming through the debate.  Action and change were a necessary follow-up from mere words of apology. 

Bishop Gibbs seemed to have a real grasp of what the church looks like from the perspective of a survivor.  Safeguarding will always, in the future, reflect that perspective.  The perspective of survivors must also be allowed to shape the way we ‘reshape our shared life in the church’.  In a memorable remark, Bishop Gibbs said that ‘too many of us just don’t get it’. 

Bishop Gibbs’ comments about the financial implications of ‘redress’ are an indication that he has had scored some real victories behind the scenes with those who control the purse-strings of the Church.  He spoke about ‘serious money’ being needed.  Working out how this money will be funded will be complicated, but it will be done, ‘shaped by the righteousness and compassion of God’s kingdom’.  He clearly recognised that such planning would be done and the process will ‘not be led by the-short term and short-sighted financial and reputational interests of the Church’.

In his final remarks, Bishop Gibbs referred to the final IICSA report on the Church of England to be issued later this year.  ‘That will not make comfortable reading’, we were told.  The bishop went on: ‘we need to do more than just respond.  We should be concentrating on making the Church of England into what it should be, a beacon of excellence in safeguarding, recognised as a community that excels in promoting the safety and wellbeing of every single human being and one that acts as a voice for the voiceless and a refuge for the vulnerable.  Now is the time for action and for change.’

Rosie Harper spoke a little later.  She asked the perennial questions which are on the lips of every survivor.  ‘What has really changed?  Can the bishops be held accountable for implementing their promises?’  The patronising answer she had received was ‘along the lines of trust me I’m a bishop’.  There had been changes but what had not changed was the way ‘survivors feel about the church response’.  In Rosie’s words, survivors ‘are still waiting for genuine Christian and human interaction’.  They know ……’that they are still spoken about as difficult or persistent and vexatious or tricky or damaged and they wait.  They wait for apologies. They wait for fair and just restitution, they wait for proper pastoral care’.  This theme of waiting underlies much of what Rosie went on to say.  She spoke of a Iwerne survivor who had been waiting seven years for some kind of response from the Church. She concluded her remarks with a plea to the House of Bishops to put the Archbishop’s promise to put survivors ‘at the centre of what we do’ and make it a reality.  She looked for accountability in those who have responsibility for putting things right.  There needs to be ‘consequences for failure in this area.’  

Some powerful words from Martin Sewell followed.  He was a co-author of the amendment, which was now before Synod in its revised form.  In Martin’s words: ‘Last week Bp Jonathan acted decisively encouraging his colleagues in accepting that the initial motion (before the amendment was added) was in no way good enough; it was not a proper response to the Peter Ball story.   Anger and frustration is widespread not only among survivors but in the church itself.’  Martin went on to speak about the word ‘redress’. ‘For victims it means hope.  It means binding up the wounds of victims beyond what the lawyers advise.  It means actively nurturing victims back to as much wholeness as possible in a host of ways, even if they (the survivors) never can forgive us.  Christ requires nothing less; ask the Good Samaritan for details.  Don’t ask the Levites and don’t ask the reputation management consultants.’  He continued: ‘Don’t let any of us professing Christians here dare to think about letting them down again.  Bp Jonathan told us yesterday at the safeguarding fringe meeting that he has talked to his colleagues and he has assured that they know that restorative justice will be costly.  To their great credit they have accepted that this is the right thing to do’.  Martin’s final words covered the theme of love in action, linking them to Archbishop Justin’s words on the topic.  Such love is costly in every sense of the word.   In an allusion to the mythical kingdom of Narnia, Martin ended with these words: ‘My friends the ice is cracking, come with us on this journey of penitence and hope.’

The presentation of Susie Leaf indicated a degree of personal experience of a bullying abusive scenario, not fully spelt out.  Evidently the memory of these experiences had been in part triggered by the publicity over Jonathan Fletcher last year.  Her response to her own and other people’s experience of bullying and abuse was to encourage listening to victims, speak up as much as one can and prevent secrecy.  She stressed the importance of all Christians in taking responsibility to remove this evil.  Susie kept the attention of her listeners and every word seemed to echo deep personal connection, both with an experience of abuse and with those she was in touch with among survivors/victims.

Julie Conalty, an Archdeacon in the Rochester diocese, gave us the sense of someone firmly connected to the topic of safeguarding.  She was also in touch with both the survivors and the efforts to help them.  She had realised that rather than bemoaning the issues of support and settlements to survivors, it was up to her to take action and use her position within the structure to help to make changes.  She was in the position to ask awkward questions both of church lawyers and insurance companies.  If such individuals were not delivering ethical behaviour in their dealing with survivors, then it was up to the Church to consider changing and moving their custom elsewhere.   The Church was committed to ‘do justly and act mercifully’ and it was always right to ask awkward questions of others when these principles are being betrayed.  Her final words were as follows.  ‘Survivors are watching and wanting to help us but we must not hold out hope and disappoint them we must go back to our dioceses and do something’.

Peter Adams signalled how he welcomed the motion and the amendment.  He gave us the story of Robert who had been abused as a cathedral chorister sixty years ago.  Peter’s encounters with other abuse victims had given a clear sense of what was involved in a lifelong impact exposure to trauma and PTSD.   Such trauma affects people in different ways.  Some get to live a relatively normal life. For others, ‘the depression in dark times comes upon them unexpectedly.  Too often, others find it hard to keep down a job decades after their abuse. Almost all tell of how life gets harder and even more so when they are not believed again and again.’ Paul concluded with these words: ‘ ‘We need to learn from our survivors suffering from trauma and PTSD.  Those who have been deeply wounded need appropriate redress.  Child sexual abuse can have a trauma that impacts individuals for the rest of their lives. Nothing we will do will change that but today we can lay a foundation for a response to make that journey easier.’

Debbie Buggs drew the attention of Synod to a poster which was being hung from the gallery but invisible to those of us watching at home.  It stated simply the contrast between the cost of £23.5 million which had been spent on the new library at Lambeth Palace and the allocation of £0 to the cause of supporting survivors.

John Spence, a senior member of Archbishop’s Council, left us with a few words suggesting that real change is on its way.  ’Let us be very clear, this is not about affordability; this is about justice. Justice cannot have a value according to the finances of this or that.  Whatever we are told is required by those responsible is required for redress, those funds will be found.’