European Constitution, dialogue between Christian churches, justice, and relations with the third world: these are the key issues that the Anglican General Synod, the decision-making body that presides over the Church of England, founded by Henry VIII in the sixteenth century, will discuss at York from 9 to 13 July. Also on the agenda is domestic violence, on the rise in the UK. Bishops, pastors and laity, who form the Synod’s three “houses”, will encourage dioceses and churches to devise ways of helping the victims of abuse. Also to be discussed will be the report on “Justice in trade. A Christian response to global poverty” commissioned by the “Council for Mission and Public Affairs” and drawn up by the charity “Christian Aid”. The report announces a global week of mobilization on trade from 10 to 16 April 2005, the year in which the UK will host the summit of the G8 and (from July) assume the revolving Presidency of the European Union. The report also makes the point that Christians in the UK are among the groups most actively involved in politics and hence in a privileged position to conduct campaigns on issues of global justice and aid to countries in the developing world.
