Closure of the CA Research Unit
From Mr Philip Johanson
Madam, — It was during my time as Chief Secretary of the Church Army that I appointed George Lings to establish the Sheffield Centre, later known as the Research Unit. The purpose was to research developing initiatives in church-planting and evangelism both within the Church Army and the wider Church.
George built an excellent team for this work, which became a valuable resource to the wider Church, both in the UK and further afield. A significant contribution from the Church Army to the mission of the wider Church.
George produced a series of booklets, Encounters on the Edge, arising out of his research, and these became a useful and important tool for those starting and developing church-planting initiatives. As your report (News, 27 June) points out, in recent years, the work of the centre, until recently led by Dr Tim Ling after George’s retirement, has become an important resource for the Strategic Development Fund work of the Church of England.
It was very sad, therefore, to read that the Church Army is to close down this work. This decision follows on from your report that “A considerable number of jobs at Church Army are at risk” as the agency risks running out of funds (News, 7 March).
We have yet to hear from the trustees why they have allowed this situation to come about without taking earlier action. A letter (14 March) suggested that the situation should have been addressed at least three years ago. The Archbishop of York, who chaired the trustees from 2011 to 2023, and the Bishop of Chelmsford, who currently chairs the trustees, should at least tell the staff and supporters why they allowed the situation to deteriorate to such an extent that there will be very little left of the Church Army. The Bishop of Chelmsford said, “we remain committed to financial integrity, transparency, and mission-driven action.” This needs to be demonstrated.
You reported in March that the chief executive, Matt Barlow, spoke of “returning to our core mission of training and equipping not just commissioned evangelists, but anyone with a sense of calling to mission and evangelism, especially to those facing poverty and distress”. In theory, that sounds fine; but who is going to pay for the training, and who is going to employ these people, once trained? It would appear that the Church Army will not have money to support them, and a growing number of dioceses are reporting large deficits.
It pains me to say it, but is this drip feed of information about projects coming to an end and closing the beginning of the end of Church Army? I hope not.
PHILIP JOHANSON
10 Ditton Lodge
8 Stourwood Avenue
Bournemouth BH6 3PN
Racial-justice funding in the next three years
From the Bishop of Huddersfield and Canon Godfrey Kesari
Madam, — In recent weeks, there has been much discussion on the alarming news that racial-justice funding is to be cut by more than 50 per cent by the Church Commissioners from its current levels, as part of the Triennium Funding Review. You reported (Online news, 11 June) that a spokesperson for Church House, Westminster, said that, in the last triennium, “specific funding was made available to provide a short term ‘boost’ and make a significant change in the area of racial and social justice in the Church”.
It will be yet another mistake to delude ourselves into thinking that we can solve the problems of racial injustice with a short-term boost. The reality is that we cannot solve endemic issues in a short span of three years. Three years is too short a period even to make a start. We cannot hope to bring about a cultural change in the Church and the wider society in three years’ time. The scourge of racism is not amenable to being addressed by short-term thinking. We have to think long-term if we want to realise the Church’s responsibility to exemplify a world free of racism.
There will be no progress without adequately resourcing the Racial Justice Unit. If we are to continue our fight against racism and achieve the goal of its eradication, we should not be hampered by resource crunch. We hope that the decision will be reconsidered and more funding will be made available for the eternally important gospel work of racial justice.
SMITHA HUDDERSFIELD
Chair, Anglican Minority Ethnic Network
GODFREY KESARI
Secretary, Anglican Minority Ethnic Network
c/o The Vicarage, Church Lane
Southwater RH13 9BT
Baroness Casey on the ethnicity of groomers
From Miss Vasantha Gnanadoss
Madam, — The Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker (News, 20 June), is right to have hesitations about aspects of Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation.
Baroness Casey’s recommendations include steps to improve the collection of ethnicity and nationality data for all suspects in child sexual-abuse and criminal exploitation cases. The currently available data make it impossible, Baroness Casey says, to provide any accurate assessment from the nationally collected data.
Despite the seriously incomplete data, Baroness Casey manages to create an impression that persons of Asian background are the main perpetrators of group-based child sexual exploitation. The word Asian occurs 114 times in her report.
When commenting on ethnicity, Baroness Casey relies heavily on data from only three police areas. The Hydrant Programme of the National Police Chiefs’ Council reported last November on a new police dataset: the Complex Organised Child Abuse Dataset (COCAD). Using data from 44 police areas, it was found that 83 per cent of suspects of group-based child sexual exploitation in the year 2023 were white. Baroness Casey makes considerable use of COCAD, but chooses not to refer to this result.
Once again, the incompleteness of the data is noted in the Hydrant report. Until such time as adequate data are available, pronouncements on ethnicity are surely irresponsible.
V. B. K. GNANADOSS
242 Links Road
London SW17 9ER
Resources for disabled theological students
From Mr Jason Content
Madam, — I am writing as an ordinand training for ministry in the Church of England who is also neurodivergent, having been diagnosed with dyslexia later in life. I recently began preparing for theological study and ministerial formation with great enthusiasm and gratitude, only to encounter a discouraging reality that I feel the Church — and the wider public — ought to be more aware of.
Despite government assurances of support through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), I have discovered that many of the tools that neurodivergent students like me rely on — assistive software, higher-spec equipment, and accessible academic resources — are not fully funded, or are not funded at all. The assumption seems to be that basic or outdated tools will suffice. For someone like me, they don’t.
In theory, any remaining needs should be met through the generosity of theological institutions and diocesan budgets. But in practice, these bodies are already strapped for cash and under enormous pressure. The universities and dioceses should not be left to fill a gap that rightly belongs to the Government — especially as that gap appears to be widening.
In light of the Government’s current plans to reform welfare spending, there is growing concern that student support, including DSA provision, may be subject to further cuts. One DSA adviser recently indicated that reductions in support were very likely this year — putting further strain on neurodivergent students and the already stretched institutions supporting us.
The specific resources I need to begin training on equal footing total £2816.12. These include:
- book packages that support text-to-speech reading for accessible theological study;
- Grammarly Premium, which functions like an interpreter for me: without it, I’m often misunderstood, and people mistakenly think I am rude or abrupt;
- a higher-spec laptop, as the DSA-provided machines are simply not up to the task. Students are restricted to using a single approved supplier and are not permitted to buy elsewhere — even if the same machine is available cheaper. Many end up paying significantly more to upgrade, or replacing the laptop themselves;
- a basic dictaphone, since relying on mobile-phone mics for lecture recordings (as suggested by DSA) is entirely impractical.
I am saying this not to name and shame, but to highlight a growing injustice that could deter gifted and called individuals from entering ministry — particularly those from working-class or neurodiverse backgrounds. I would be grateful to hear of any grant-giving bodies, organisations, or initiatives that support ordinands with learning differences.
JASON CONTENT
24 Hillboro Rise, Kinver
Stourbridge DY7 6BS
Time to exit the CCJ
From the Rt Revd Michael Doe
Madam, — As the Board of Deputies of British Jews continues to punish any of its members who make public criticism of Israel’s conduct of the Gaza War, surely the time has come for the Christian churches to distance ourselves from the Board and the Chief Rabbinate by suspending our membership of the Council of Christians and Jews.
The Church of England was slow to oppose publicly what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been doing, and the General Synod is still being prevented from discussing the motion first proposed by the diocese of Carlisle in 2021; but the House of Bishops statement in May did finally denounce as a grave sin the death, suffering, and destruction being inflicted on Gaza. It praised those Jews who are courageously pressing the Israeli Government to end the war.
We need to stand with these “righteous Jews” who continue to support the State of Israel but who condemn what the IDF are doing in their name. We Christians need to be clear that we will never forget the Holocaust, but that does not excuse the holocaust that Israel is inflicting on the people of Gaza.
We should remind our Jewish brothers and sisters that in Germany in the 1930s the silence of many in the leadership of the Churches is now rightly seen as complicity.
MICHAEL DOE
405 West Carriage House
London SE18 6GA
Independent reviewers’ tendency to be ‘wrong’
From Mr Andrew Graystone
Madam, — “Makin was wrong”, says Bishop Welby (News, 27 June), casting doubt on the findings of a five-year review of the Church’s response to John Smyth QC. In the same way, presumably Professor Alexis Jay was wrong, the barrister Sarah Wilkinson was wrong, Dame Jasvinder Sanghera was wrong, Dame Moira Gibb was wrong, Police Commander Peter Spindler was wrong. and the nationally recognised safeguarding consultants Ian Elliott and Steve Reeves were both wrong.
How unlucky the Church was, during Archbishop Welby’s tenure, with its choice of independent experts to scrutinise its safeguarding failures! Unless, of course, there is some other explanation.
ANDREW GRAYSTONE
17 Rushford Avenue
Manchester M19 2HG
Pneumatological pronoun decision proves popular
From the Revd Michael Hampson
Madam, — The Revd Dr Cally Hammond’s momentarily confusing criticism (Letter, 20 June) of her own piece about the Trinity Sunday Gospel (Sunday’s Readings, 13 June) omits to mention one feature of the traditional translations of John 16.13-15.
The Greek for spirit (pneuma) has neutral gender. The NIV translation makes it male (11 times in three verses); the “inclusive-language” NRSV likewise (seven times in three verses). The newly published lectionary translation at ssra.uk (Sunday Scriptures for Reading Aloud) avoids using third-person pronouns for the Holy Spirit at all. You wouldn’t actually notice unless it was pointed out.
I pointed it out a few weeks ago in a guest blog at WATCH (Women and the Church). Ever since, I have been busy handling a sudden rush of sales, and a second print run — before there has even been a book launch.
MICHAEL HAMPSON
Station House, Arkholme
Carnforth LA6 1AZ
Research on ordinations
From the Revd Christopher West
Madam, — Considering the recent discussions surrounding the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, ecclesiological questions have surfaced with renewed urgency. Conversations on who is and is not visible and the coherence of the Anglican Communion have come to the fore, and this is a moment to reflect on our shared experiences as a Church.
As part of this reflection, I invite your readers to contribute to a short online survey for a Ph.D. study at the University of Aberdeen. The study aims to explore and understand the experiences of those who have attended a Church of Ireland ordination service — whether or not they attend church regularly.
Open to anyone aged 18 and above, the survey offers an opportunity to reflect on the integrity of these services, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their capacity for fostering unity and coherence in the church community. There is also an option to participate in a follow-up interview via Microsoft Teams for those who wish to share more insights.
All responses will be treated as strictly confidential, ensuring a safe space for individuals to share their unique perspectives. If you are interested in contributing to this timely research, please contact me by email: c.west.24@abdn.ac.uk.
CHRISTOPHER WEST
18 Ashgrove, Markethill
Armagh BT60 1PZ
The Editor reserves the right to edit letters
