York
An independent ombudsman (city attorney) will have the power to take decisions in case the victims of abuses are not satisfied by the way in which the Church of England answers their denunciations. It was decided by the general Anglican Synod meeting at the York University until Tuesday 10 July. Through a majority vote, the body leading the English Church has also approved a report by the “National Safeguarding Steering Group”, the management committee in charge of proposing policies in delicate questions such as abuses; such committee decided that a more rigorous and independent examination of the proceedings of the Church has to be supported with commitment to the survived, as well as stricter procedures to select and rule clergy. For the first time, the assembly (including the three chambers of bishops, clergy and laymen) heard also the testimony of a victim, a woman asking for a “radical reorientation of the Church”. “Over the years, the Church and its leaders haven’t seen what happened in front of their eyes, and didn’t regard the theme of protection as important”, said bishop of Bath and Wells Peter Hancock (in charge of this sector) to the Synod; Anglican Primate Justin Welby pointed out “the importance for the Church to take on its own responsibilities, however entrusting the matter of abuses to an independent body”.
Moreover, the General Synod of the Church of England decided to withdraw its investments from the companies not showing everyone to be energetically fighting Earth overheating. The so-called “Goddard Amendment” was actually approved with 347 votes (and 4 against); the bodies in charge of investments for the English Church, the National Investment Bodies, are asked to disinvest starting from 2020, completing fund withdrawal in 2023.
