29 June 2017: George Carey resigns as requested
See our news item of 22 June for background details. The Guardian (London) reports George Carey's resignation as honorary bishop.

29 June 2017: This day in history
Now Grenada remembers the founding of St Patrick’s church in 1830, on the site of a coastal battery overlooking the sea. It was built in a style described as Caribbean Georgian. The parish website indicates that the congregation has been worshipping with St Mary’s church in Hermitage, since the damage done to the building by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, but that monthly open-air services have begun at the old church. 

28 June 2017: Diocese of Enugu urges its bishop to resign if he is in bad health
Various Nigerian publications including OnPoint have published the same uncredited story that the Diocese of Enugu has asked its bishop to resign if he is too sick to do his job.

27 June 2017: New Primus for Scotland
The Anglican Communion News Service reports the election by the Scottish Episcopal Church of a new Primus. The Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church has elected the Rt Revd Mark Strange, currently Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, as Primus.

25 June 2017: Upcoming C of E synod to address human sexuality
As always, Thinking Anglicans has the most thorough and in-depth coverage of the General Synod of the Church of England, which will meet in York from 7 to 10 July 2017.

23 June 2017: Confessed kidnapper says he is a good person because he is an Anglican
The News Guru (Lagos) quotes arrested and confessed kidnapper Chikwudidume Onuadike, who used the name 'Evans' in his kidnapping business, as saying 'I am not a bad person, you can go and ask about at the Anglican church at Ikosi-Ketu how I have helped so many indigent students pay their school fees, I give money liberally to the widows in the church, paid their house rents and even donated hugely for the renovation of the church and any church project.' The Rt Revd James Odedeji, Bishop of Lagos West, denied those claims in an interview with Vanguard (Lagos). 'We have verified it, and we are very certain that Evans is not a member of any elements of our church. We don’t know him and we have no affiliation with his person.'

22 June 2017: Justin Welby asks George Carey to quit over church abuse report
The Guardian (London) reports that the archbishop of Canterbury has asked his predecessor George Carey to step down as an honorary assistant bishop after a damning independent report found that senior figures in the Church of England colluded over a 20-year period with a disgraced former bishop who sexually abused boys and men. The Church of England has issued a press release quoting Archbishop Welby that the church must learn lessons from that report. Thinking Anglicans has gathered a sample of the extensive press coverage, most of which has been condemnatory. Some of the press coverage quotes Lord Carey as believing that an apology is enough. Update 29 June: George Carey has resigned as honorary assistant bishop in the diocese of Oxford.

22 June 2017: Auctions begin of Kunonga assets
NewsDay (Harare) reports that auctions are beginning of property stolen by disgraced former bishop Nolbert Kunonga, as part of an attempt to recover as much of the stolen wealth as possible.

22 June 2017: Director of next Lambeth Conference appointed
The Anglican Communion News Service has announced the appointment of Phil George as CEO of the 2020 Lambeth Conference. This is excellent evidence that there will actually be a 'next Lambeth Conference'.

19 June 2017: Bishop says church buildings are powerful evangelism tools
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on a study in the Diocese of Worcester revealing that church buildings are powerful for all sorts of reasons: 'They give a sense of stability and also the sense that the Christian faith has inspired people to build these extraordinary buildings.' We at Anglicans Online recently published a reflection on the power of church buildings but didn't evaluate them as tools of evangelism.

18 June 2017: Episcopal Church panel prohibits local bishop from selling Newport Beach church
A panel of officials from the Episcopal Church USA has halted the sale of building that was closed two years ago, according to the Orange County Register (USA). The Rt Revd Jon Bruno, Bishop of Los Angeles, has been been under investigation following the abrupt closing of the congregation of St James the Great, which reopened following the leaving of a large percentage of members to join a 'continuing Anglican' congregation. The chair of the hearing panel said 'someone made what appeared to be a valid claim that the diocese or Bruno may have entered into an agreement to sell the Newport Beach property' while the investigation was ongoing. Bruno is expected to retire early next year.

17 June 2017: Mosque renaming a grand gesture
Gulf News (Abu Dhabi) reports that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed ordered the name of a mosque in the capital to be changed to Mariam Umm Eisa or Mary, Mother of Jesus Mosque. It is just steps away form St Andrew’s church, where Canon Andrew Thompson hailed the renaming as a lovely gesture.

16 June 2017: Funeral details and tributes for Geoffrey Rowell
The Diocese in Europe has posted funeral details for Geoffrey Rowell, former Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, and has gathered some tributes. Every formal obituary that we have been able to find is behind a paywall.

13 June 2017: Sydney church to ban yoga classes because of ties to Buddhism
Yahoo News Australia reports that the Erskineville Anglican Church in the Diocese of Sydney has banned yoga classes (by instruction from the bishop) because 'Church officials believe some of the chants used in yoga may lead to "spiritual confusion".'

13 June 2017: Christchurch citizenry believe future of the cathedral is too important to be left to the church
The Press (NZ) reports the results of a survey taken by the Diocese of Christchurch, which revealed that 59% of the respondents believe that decisions about the future of the diocesan cathedral are too important to be left to the church.

12 June 2017: New bishop for Guatemala
The Diocese of Massachusetts has announced that one of its clergy, the Revd Silvestre Romero, currently rector of St. Peter’s-San Pedro Church in Salem, has been elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Guatemala.

11 June 2017: Obituary: Geoffrey Rowell
The Diocese in Europe has announced the death of its former bishop, Geoffrey Rowell. The obituaries will appear over the coming week; we will link to them here next week.

8 June 2017: GAFCON announces 'missionary bishop' to the UK
In response to the vote by the Scottish Episcopal Church, the conservative organization GAFCON announced the identity of its promised 'missionary bishop' for the UK. Christian Today (London) has details.

8 June 2017: Scottish Episcopal Church votes to allow same-sex marriage
The Scotsman (Edinburgh) reports the result of a vote at the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church in favour of allowing its clergy to preside over same-sex weddings. Christians from any Anglican Church can ask to be married in Scotland. That newspaper's Leader comment is headlined 'Churches take the only viable option on gay marriage'. The US Episcopal News Service reported the response of the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion. Dozens of newspapers around the world had something to say about this event.

3 June 2017: Uganda Martyrs commemoration largely uneventful
There were fears of violence and significant police preparation, but this year's annual memorial service at Namugongo was calm and non-violent. The Monitor reports the non-exciting details, and a reflection in the Malaysia Herald notes that the 45 martyrs were 'just ordinary people'.

1 June 2017: Church of England wins ExxonMobil climate change battle
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that a motion by the Church Commissioners and the New York State Comptroller was tabled at the annual meeting of ExxonMobil, which would require the company to provide annual reports showing how the business will be affected by global efforts to reduce climate change. A similar motion last year failed to pass, but this year's resolution was supported by 62.3% of the shareholders, despite opposition from the Board of Directors. The company has a long history of supporting climate change denial.

31 May 2017: The great turkey pot pie heist
The parishioners at St James church in Ingersoll, Ontario make turkey pot pies, which they sell to support local charities. The National Post reported that someone stole 200 of them, valued at a thousand dollars, from the church's freezer. The thief was found, but not the pies. Heartfm reports that the community has responded by bringing together volunteers and ingredients to make new pies.

30 May 2017: Anglicans and Roman Catholics agree on ecclesiology
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the latest communiqué from ARCIC, the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission, in which a joint statement on ecclesiology was signed.

26 May 2017: New Primate for Church of Pakistan
The Daily Times (Lahore) reports the election of the Rt Revd Humphrey Sarfaraz Peters as the next Primate of the Church of Pakistan. The Church of Pakistan is the union of Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans and has 8 dioceses.

26 May 2017: English cathedrals respond to 'critical threat' status
The Church Times (London) reports that many churches and cathedrals are responding to the national terror threat level declared this week because of the Manchester bombing. As an example, it notes that Birmingham Cathedral would be closed for 24 hours.

25 May 2017: NZ mayor urges Government to buy and restore Cathedral if deal falls through
The Press (NZ) reports that Christchurch Mayor Lianne Daniel wants the New Zealand Government to buy and repair the Christ Church Cathedral if the Anglicans reject a restoration deal. Elsewhere it reports significant pro-restoration PR spending by a private trust.

25 May 2017: Kunonga henchmen disown him in Zimbabwe
The Herald (Harare) reports that the four men who served as thugs for disgraced former bishop Nolbert Kunonga are working hard to distance themselves from him, perhaps in part because they were included in the judgement against him. The Zimbabwe Supreme Court upheld a prior High Court decision ordering Kunonga and his allies to repay $427,892 that they stole from the Diocese of Harare, plus interest and court costs.

25 May 2017: Beautiful de-consecrated Ontario church building offered for $1 CDN
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports the offering of St Jude in Brantford, Ontario, closed for several years, for a (Canadian) dollar. The church is a few years shy of its 150th birthday and is a national heritage site, 'a prime example of the 1930s-era Arts-and-Crafts decor style'.

21 May 2017: Australian bishop given standing ovation at service of thanks for whistle blowing
The Newcastle Herald (New South Wales) reports that the Rt Revd Greg Thompson, retiring Bishop of Newcastle, received 'thunderous applause' at a service held to thank him for exposing and stopping the rampant child sexual abuse that had been plaguing the Diocese of Newcastle for decades. Bishop Thompson was systematically vilified by friends and colleagues of the abusers, but had the courage to stand up to them. Please note that there are two Dioceses of Newcastle in the Anglican Communion, one in Australia and one in England.

21 May 2017: Diocese of Christchurch announces deadline for cathedral decision
Taonga News (NZ) reports that the Diocese of Christchurch has announced it will make a decision on Christchurch's cathedral in the square at its synod in September this year.

18 May 2017: New Primate for Jerusalem and the Middle East
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports that Archbishop Suheil Dawani of the Diocese of Jerusalem has been elected as the next Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

18 May 2017: Church of England stats: 'Nones’ numerous but a committed Anglican core is flourishing
The Church Times reports on the latest data about British church attendance. More people list 'none' as their religion, those who do attend church seem more committed. The Christian Post notes the survey's recording the proportion of those who say they are Church of England worshippers has risen from a low of 16.3 percent in 2009 to 17.1 percent in 2015.

16 May 2017: New Primate for Philippines
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports that the Rt Revd Joel A Pachao has been elected as the 6th prime bishop of The Episcopal Church in the Philippines. Note that although the US Episcopal Church calls itself 'The Episcopal Church' and favours the abbreviation 'TEC', the Episcopal Church in the Philippines is not part of the US church.

15 May 2015: Worley will not serve as bishop of Caledonia, rules Canada House of Bishops
In April the synod of the Diocese of Caledonia in northern British Columbia elected the Revd Jake Worley as bishop. But Mr Worley’s past concerned some of the members of the provincial house of bishops. Born and raised in the United States, he had planted a church in New Mexico as a missionary of the province of Rwanda, and served in the Anglican Mission in America. The Anglican Journal reports that this activity, in the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Church and without the permission of that church, was considered to be contrary to the discipline of the Anglican Church of Canada. After reviewing his past actions and meeting with him, the majority of the house declined to approve the election. Thinking Anglicans provides some background. The Living Church talked to Fr Worley afterwards about his feelings on the rejection.

13 May 2017: Bermuda celebrates Black Anglicans
The Royal Gazette (Bermuda) reports on the efforts of the Rooted in Faith Committee, under the direction of the Rt Revd Nicholas Dill to highlight the work of Black Anglicans. They have previously brought the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin to lecture and are now holding an evensong in celebrating the ministry of the Revd William C. Trott, likely the first Bermudan ordained priest. The committee is also working with individual congregations to explore works in the individual congregations.

11 Month 2017: Archbishop Welby Visits Middle East
The BBC and Guardian, among many other outlets, report on the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to Israel and Palestine. Aside from meetings with refugees from Syria, Israeli PM Netanyahu, and an unannounced visit to Gaza after previous criticism that his previous trip to the region did not highlight the plight of Palestinian Christian, the Most Revd Justin Welby also took time out to play sweeper in a friendly game of football between Muslim, Jewish, and Christian children in Jaffa. The score, for those who are curious, was 0-0.

10 May 2017: Joel Pachao elected Episcopal Church in the Philippines prime bishop
The Episcopal News Service (USA) reports the Rt Revd Joel A. Pachao was elected the 6th prime bishop of The Episcopal Church in the Philippines. Panchao currently serves as bishop of the Diocese of North Central Philippines, based in Baguio City in Benguet Province.

9 May 2017: Primate announced for Sudan
The Anglican News Service reports the Archbishop of the Internal Province of Sudan and Bishop of Khartoum, the Most Revd Ezekiel Kumir Kondo, has been appointed as the Primate of the newly created separate Province of Sudan.

9 May 2017: Former Bishop Heather Cook denied early parole
According to Associated Press, Heather Cook, former suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Maryland who was sentenced to seven years in prison after killing a bicyclist during drink driving crash in 2014, was denied early parole. The Chair of the Maryland Parole Commission claimed the descision was based in part that Cook 'took no responsibility for her actions' and 'displayed no remorse'.

8 May 2017: Jesmond Vicar warns against trying to discipline curate ordained bishop by breakaway Church
The Church Times (UK) reports of the ordination of the Revd Jonathan Pryke to 'bishop in the church of God' by the Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA), a breakaway group, on 2 May. Pryke serves as curate of Jesmond Parish Church in Newcastle. Thinking Anglicans(UK) has a more thorough report, including statements from GAFCON and EMiE.

5 May 2017: Jordan assures ABC it will protect Christians
The Church Times (London) reports that the Kingdom of Jordan has told the Archbishop of Canterbury it will continue its efforts to retain and protect Christians in that country and the Middle East.

5 May 2017: Igloo cathedral finishes paying off its debt
The Anglican Communion News Service reports that the Diocese of the Arctic has finally paid off the debt accrued in the rebuilding of its cathedral, which was destroyed by arson a dozen years ago. During the decade of fundraising there were many gloomy moments when diocesan staff almost lost hope that they would ever raise enough money. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation also reported this joyous event.

4 May 2017: Most C of E bishops afraid to back gay clergy
The Guardian (London) tells us a London vicar has resigned his post in despair because 'bishops are being cowed by a small group of "super-conservative puritans" who believe homosexuality is a sin, leaving most bishops too scared to speak out.

4 May 2017: New bishop for Sodor and Man
The UK government has announced the nomination of the Ven Peter Eagles as next bishop of Sodor and Man. He appears to be the only candidate, so he will probably be elected.

2 May 2017: ABC visits refugees in Jordan
The Associated Press reported a recent visit by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to refugees in Jordan. The Middle East is home to the oldest Christian communities in the world, but many have fled in recent years to escape war and Islamic extremism. Archbishop Welby later spoke in Jerusalem about his experiences visiting refugees.

1 May 2017: New bishop for Indianapolis
The US Episcopal News Service reports on the consecration of the Rt Revd Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows as 11th Bishop of Indianapolis. The US-ENS published a companion article describing the aspects in which this consecration is history-making.

30 April 2017: Zimbabwe tightening the screws on ex-bishop Kunonga
The Zimbabwe Daily (Harare) reports the Church of the Province of Central Africa has instructed its lawyers, following the Supreme Court ruling last month, to recover everything that ex-communicated bishop Dr Nolbert Kunonga stole from the Diocese of Harare.

27 April 2017: New bishop for Llandaff
Thinking Anglicans reports that June Osborne, Dean of Salisbury, has been appointed the next Bishop of Llandaff. Here is the press release from the Church in Wales. Ruth Gledhill reports in depth for Christian Today.

25 April 2017: Casting aspersions on asparagus
The Telegraph (London) reports the kerfuffle that ensued when the Precentor of Worcester Cathedral was criticized for a ceremony to bless the asparagus crop. Asparagus is an economically important crop in that diocese, and the blessing of crops and livestock has been a custom for centuries. The annual asparagus festival begins on St George's day, and St George appeared in the procession at the service, along with Gus (asparaGus), dressed to represent the vegetable itself. Evidently some traditionalists felt that the blessing was inappropriate. The Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow, the Very Revd Kelvin Holdsworth, has outlined the possible consequences for the wider Anglican communion. The complaints seem to be in the same style as a Washington Post story about a mother who was asked to leave a church in Virginia because she was nursing her baby.

25 April 2017: Iraqi refugee becomes Anglican priest in Canada
Fr Ayoob Shawat Adwar was ordained as a Chaldean priest in Mosul. He followed his family to Surrey, British Columbia when he was granted refugee status, and soon led a group of Chaldeans who had been given permission to worship in the Church of the Epiphany. The Anglican Communion News Service reports that Anglicans and Chaldeans began attending each other’s services and learning more about one another. That led to his being received by Bishop Melissa Skelton as an Anglican priest. He is thought to be the first Chaldean priest to be received as a member of the Anglican clergy.

23 April 2017: Half of England's Anglican cathedrals could close amid funding crisis
The Telegraph (London) reports that half of the Anglican cathedrals in England could be forced to close unless there are radical changes in their budgets and funding models. In a related story, Christian Today reports that staff of the fortress-like and impoverished Guildford Cathedral insist will not close. The writer notes that Westminster Abbey charges £20 for entry, though we note that the last time we went to visit (13 March), we annoyingly weren't allowed inside because the building was in use for some religious ceremony. As an interesting counterpoint, the Guardian (London) points out that by Church of England policy, church weddings are public events even if the people being married are celebrities. This in reference to the upcoming wedding of Pippa Middleton in that same venue.

23 April 2017: Lambeth Palace to get its first new building in centuries
The Guardian (London) reports that a new library at Lambeth Palace will house the biggest collection of religious works outside the Vatican after planning permission was granted for the first new building at the historic site for 200 years.

23 April 2017 Death of Rachel Boulding, Deputy Editor of the Church Times
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has confirmed (via Twitter) the death of Rachel Boulding, liturgist, book author and editor. The SPCK and Church House Publishing liturgy editor had influence far beyond the Church of England. We expect next week's Church Times to have a detailed report on her life and works.

21 April 2017 Anglican University to open in South Sudan
The Church Times reports that the first Anglican University in South Sudan is being planned, under the direction of Dr Eeva John, director of pastoral studies at Ridley Hill, Cambridge, who chairs the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan University Partnership. It is expected to open within the next two years. Currently only three of the five state universities in South Sudan are functioning, and the Anglican colleges are facing issues as well amid the nation's crisis. Dr John hopes the university will be 'a place in which the next generation escapes warring factions and prepares to build a peaceful nation.'

21 April 2017: Bishops defend immigration
The Living Church reports that 14 bishops of the US Episcopal Church have filed an amici curiae brief which opposes their president's order restricting immigration. The order was filed in the 9th circuit court, in San Francisco. This follows a February lawsuit by the Diocese of Olympia over the issue of whether this order impedes the diocese's religious freedom, as several participants in their resettlement programme were banned from entering the United States.

18 April 2017: Obituary: Frederick Borsch, bishop who worked to empower minorities
The New York Times has published the obituary of the Rt Revd Frederick H Borsch, once Bishop of Los Angeles.

18 April 2017 Kenya Bishop stops politicians from addressing mourners
According to AllAfrica.com, Bishop Robert Magina of Nambale (Kenya) warned politicians not to make the burial of the mother of an MP part of their campaign. Several politicians, including a candidate for governor, tried to speak, but the bishop pulled away the microphone.

17 April 2017: Tolerance in action
The Living Church tells how the Anglican church in Abu Dhabi is working to become a beacon of hospitality. On Fridays, the main day off in the emirate, St Andrew's Church is packed with worshippers from sunrise to evening. Some are Anglicans, and many are members of the more than forty guest congregations that use the church. It is in a fairly affluent area, and Urban Christian News reports that a new church — All Saints — is being built in the Musaffah industrial district, where foreign workers will find it easier to attend. The church is two-thirds complete. It will accommodate 4200 people, and will include a centre for dialogue with people of other faiths, especially Muslims.

16 April 2017: Builders stumble across tomb of 5 former archbishops of Canterbury
The Mail (London) reports the accidental discovery of a hidden vault in Lambeth containing 30 lead coffins, 5 of which belonged to 17th- and 18th-century archbishops of Canterbury. The discovery was made by workers refurbishing a museum.

15 April 2017: Anglican cemetery in Diocese of Cape Town deconsecrated; graves to be moved
The Independent Online (South Africa) reports that the Diocese of Cape Town held a deconsecration ceremony for a 150-year-old cemetery in Athlone in order to exhume the remains to make way for future developments on the site.

13 April 2017: Abandoned Anglican church in Russia to become concert hall
RBTH (Moscow) reports that the former Anglican church building on St Petersburg's English Embankment is to be renovated and repurposed as a concert hall. The congregation, part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe, still calls itself The Anglican Church in St Petersburg, but meets in a Lutheran facility.

12 April 2017: England's largest parish church to be reclassified as minster
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the upcoming ceremony (12 May 2017) in which England's largest parish church (Holy Trinity, Hull) will become Hull Minster. The church was created by King Stephen in 1295.

12 April 2017: You can't be Christian if you don't believe in the resurrection
The Telegraph quotes a former chaplain to the Queen, the Revd Dr Gavin Ashenden: 'Those people who neither believe in the Resurrection nor go anywhere near a church cannot be "Christians".'

11 April 2017: Alabama churches will be permitted to have their own police forces
The Guardian (London) reports that the Senate of the US state of Alabama has voted to allow a church to form its own police force. Briarwood Presbyterian Church has said it needs its own police force to keep its school and congregation safe.