Council is over (nearly)

As Council comes to an end it strikes me that we are at our best when Council is able to discuss issues together; the progress made in the ministerial list and our understanding of ministry is a good example of this. The new process will be much more coherent theologically and straightforward organisationally.

Council is less good when handling issues where there is some angst and uncertainty; particularly those which involve human sexuality or which impinge on our own situations (eg: the strategy discussion). The danger is we handle the emotional tension by scapegoating groups of people. We don’t do this too explicitly of course but how groups of people process things which stir an emotional response is worth being attentive to.

Overall I think Council has made good progress on a number of issues, though the question of where the centres of leadership, influence and responsibility lie within the Union that I mentioned on Monday remains.