Can the PLF process be rescued?
Andrew Goddard writes: The recent announcement from the House of Bishops (discussed here by me and here by Ian Paul) is raising the question as to how it relates to the last Synod motion on PLF passed back in July 2024. At least one Diocesan Synod is being asked to call on the bishops to “proceed at pace in facilitating implementation of all aspects of the Living in Love and Faith motion passed by the General Synod at its July 2024 Group of Sessions, including by revising the Pastoral Guidance to remove restrictions on the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith in standalone services”. It is, therefore worth looking at what such a request amounts to, what has happened since the motion was carried, and why proceeding as planned is no longer likely to happen (I offered a similar analysis in relation to implementation of the original February 2023 motion two years ago).
The Context of July 2024
The motion in July 2024 arose after the previous Synod in February 2024 had found agreement across its divisions that it would be better to “move to next business” rather than vote on the proposals before it. That decision was made in the context of
The formal commendation in December 2023 of prayers for use in regular services but with Pastoral Guidance making clear their use in standalone services would require the use of canon B 2.
The November 2023 Synod asking (by a majority of just one in the House of Laity) for consideration to be given to introducing such services experimentally.
The appointment in November 2023 of new episcopal leadership of the process replacing the Bishop of London with the Bishops of Leicester and Newcastle, followed by the swift and sudden resignation of the Bishop of Newcastle on 1st February 2024.
Following the February 2023 Synod, the July proposals arose out of:
