THE General Synod meets next week at a time of soul-searching for the Church of England. That much is obvious. It is the first group of sessions since the publication of the Makin report and the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. A stream of negative stories has followed in the media — only to be amplified on social media — and churchgoers are feeling bruised by some of the painful reports that they have read, not all of them wholly accurate. The Synod is not, of course, the Church. None the less, this first gathering under the unexpected sole presidency of the Archbishop of York is bound to feel charged. And the agenda is a heavy one — dominated, unsurprisingly, by safeguarding, but also including debates on weighty subjects such as clergy discipline and finances. The Synod will be asked to approve some of the very reforms in governance, HR process, and policy which have been designed to prevent the terrible abuses that are currently causing the Church so much pain.

The Synod will have its work cut out. Last year, a report by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Rt Revd Martin Seeley, and Professor Veronica Hope Hailey revealed the depths of distrust within the Church (News, 12 July 2024). Their report referred to breaches of trust in relation to abuse and racism; a culture of fragmentation and animosity; and the perception of a remote episcopate. The problem was said to be partly about the failure of the C of E to carve out a distinctive new place in 21st-century society. The Church, however, is by no means the only institution to be experiencing this. The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer shows plummeting levels of trust in institutions globally. The latest British Social Attitudes survey suggests that the public have never been more critical of how Britain is governed. The challenges faced by the country in the past few years have significantly undermined trust and confidence in politicians and the political system.

This lack of trust is, none the less, a huge problem for the Church. Trust matters most of all during times of uncertainty, such as the one that we are living through. Once lost, it is hard to regain. Deep institutional change is needed. Some of this is about ensuring that the right processes are in place, and the building blocks for these are already well developed. The Synod will be asked to make important decisions that could bring about lasting reform. Almost as important — as far as rebuilding trust is concerned — is the spirit in which debates are conducted. Many of those arriving in Church House next week will carry a great deal of pain and anger. They will bring with them strong conscientious convictions. All this needs to be expressed and heard. Yet it is to be hoped that respect and courtesy will be maintained. There is no place for self-righteousness. Perhaps it is useful to remember St Paul’s injunction to the Ephesians: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”