THE 19th-century French economist Claude-Frédéric Bastiat distinguished between “seen” (obvious and visible consequences of an action or policy) and “unseen” consequences (invisible, and often unintended). The General Synod’s meeting in York last month was heavily finance-focused — and contained warnings of potential unintended consequences.
Significant future spending plans were set out alongside motions to improve clergy stipends and pensions. The First Church Estates Commissioner told the Synod that God’s economy “is not a zero-sum game”, but that risks must be managed rigorously, because “our money has to last until the day before Jesus returns”. In response, the Bishop of Blackburn declared that, unless Jesus hurried up, there wouldn’t be a Church of England left, just “a great big fat bank balance”. He asked: “Should we not, therefore, be risking everything?”
While we stare down the barrel of widespread diocesan deficits, the Church Commissioners continue, impressively, to increase their assets.
Frustrations were palpable: all seemingly agreed on “how hard it has been to secure funding for stipendiary ministry”. Yet, when change was proposed — whether through amendments to the carefully laid-out spending plans, or via Hereford diocesan synod’s motion on funding structures — the risk of unintended consequences loomed large, and votes for change were narrowly lost.
By the time proposals reach the Synod, they will, of course, have been carefully costed. There is no doubting the care, work, and risk analysis that has gone into the preparation. But, if the Synod is warned off making changes to proposals, then what difference does debate make?
The Bishop of Bath & Wells asked us not to “accept more conversation as a substitute for action”, as “it simply lets the same small circle decide.” Yet, with those dangerous unintended consequences on the horizon, more conversation is what the Synod voted for. Consultation and conversation are not bad things, but how can we also ensure that there remains a place in our structures — and our synods and PCCs — for the surprising and unexpected moving of the Spirit?
Managing risk is vital in the modern context. That most modern of magnates Steve Jobs said that “there are downsides to everything; there are unintended consequences to everything.” Yet, with God, all things are possible; and unintended consequences are not necessarily negative — merely “unseen”.
Our Church is complex. Sustaining and funding its ecosystem will be the subject of a continuing conversation. Caution, care, and economic skill will, no doubt, be needed — but so, too, will prophetic voices. In the Synod, as in life more generally, we must ensure that we have room to be radical, to listen to the Spirit, and to embrace the unintended and unseen, if God calls us to.
Rebecca Chapman is a General Synod member for Southwark diocese.
Angela Tilby is away.
Correction: in Angela Tilby’s column last week, Danny Kruger was described as “the Conservative MP for Dorset”. He is in fact the Conservative MP for East Wiltshire. We apologise for the error