THE “prophetically uncomfortable” voices of young people must turn into a robust a part of the General Synod’s future deliberations, members agreed on Thursday.
Before being carried, the motion to commit the Church to becoming “younger and more diverse” was amended to specifically include under-18s in addition to young adults.
The important motion, moved by Kenson Li, who was co-opted on to the Synod three years ago, asked the Synod to request “not less than three and as much as five young adults” as representatives of a gaggle of as much as 200 young adults from across the dioceses to succeed the Church of England Youth Council, which was disbanded in 2019, owing partially to lack of funding (News, 18 February 2022).
An amendment from Clare Williams (Norwich) went further to “ensuring that links are made with the opportunities provided for the voices of lively disciples who’re under 18 to be heard in a way that feeds into Synod”.
Introducing the important motion, Mr Li said that the common age of Synod members was currently 58, “with only five of us under the age of 30, and one under 25. Sixty-five are of their seventies.” In contrast, the common age of MPs was 51, “with as many under 30 as above 70”.
He expressed a robust desire for inclusivity and variety within the choice of the 200 young people. “We need you,” he said. “We wish to hear your voice. We wish to be challenged concerning the assumptions we make in your absence.” Mr Li is because of be ordained in June, and can start his curacy at Manchester Cathedral. Synod had shaped his vocation, he said. He had found it “a spot of grace, where Christian discernment is public and held accountable”.
The Revd Millie Cork (Leeds) joined the Synod in 2015, on the age of 23 — was she now the youngest clergy member, she wondered. “As a fully-fledged, democratically elected lay member, my voice was heard,” she said. “If we wish to take young people seriously, we wish to offer them the ability of the vote.”
While she was very grateful to all those that had helped her to grasp the system, “the culture of this place for young people is just not great,” she said. “I hope we will actually make General Synod less of an unfriendly beast. Let’s demystify it.”
The Bishop of Portsmouth, Dr Jonathan Frost, alluded to this, too: the proposal would enable young adults to be supported, properly safeguarded, and “capable of express their views and navigate the complex processes of Synod”.
Geoff Crawford/Church TimesClare Williams (Norwich) moves her amendment
An amendment from Clive Scowen (London), which sought to specify three representatives relatively than “not less than three and as much as five”, on the grounds that “we will have them here directly”, was lost. The general feeling was that the supply would enable this anyway, and that the five may very well be worked towards.
Moving her amendment, Ms Williams said that she wished to forestall the Synod from “offering tokenistic ways of including young adults”. She wanted these proposals joined with those arrange for the under-18s: “If we put the groundwork in before 18, we’ll see them naturally. Be careful to not perpetuate the narrative that your voice won’t be heard until you’re 18,” she said.
This had Mr Li’s approval. “We do wish to ensure a pathway for under-18s to progress,” he said, and called for bishops and dioceses to take into consideration who those under-18s is likely to be.
Resuming a debate on the important motion, as amended, Jennifer Fellows (Gloucester) said that she had come to the Synod, aged 28, out of “a passionate love for the Church of England”, and that the experience had made her “deeply probe” her theology. She wanted the voice of young adults to be “one which challenges us in our seats. Young people don’t speak or want be forced to talk with one voice. Can we assure a system of equity that ensures all have their voices heard — not only those that come to mind? I would like not simply to welcome, but see, a widespread cultural change that permits [that to happen].”
Mary Bucknall (Deaf Anglicans Together) asked the Synod: “In eager about ways of responding to 18 to 25s, don’t forget deaf children and young people among the many group of 200. I would like to share a priority that deaf children are falling behind in access to Religious Education in addition to other subjects. They have to access it through BSL, interpreted videos, transcripts, and podcasts. . . We have to have younger deaf people as Synod representatives as a matter of urgency. Otherwise, a complete generation of young deaf people might be lost to the Church.”
Dr Gracy Crane (Oxford) said that there was a necessity for deliberately targeted intervention to make all this occur, querying the accessibility of the “pages of dense text” that Synod members received. “When you do get young adults, unbox them,” she said. “Get to know them for who they’re.”
The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, told the Synod that, to permit for the following generation to be present, others may need to step aside. Mr Li hoped that the Church of England could be younger and more diverse “before my very own youth runs out”.
The motion was carried by a show of hands.
