General Synod - Definition and Overview

The General Synod is the governing body of the Church of England, a church within the Anglican Communion. It was instituted in 1970 and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church of England that had started in the 1850s.

The General Synod is unique in that it is the only body to which Parliament had delegated the power to pass Measures, which become part of English law. The Church Assembly, the predecessor of the General Synod, was in 1919 given the power to pass legislation on any matter to do with the Church of England; if Parliament accepts the Measures, then they become law – if MPs or members of the House of Lords are not happy with a Measure then they can reject it, but not amend it.

General Synod is elected every five years by a system of Proportional representation and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

It is divided into the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity. All diocesan bishops are members of the House of Bishops ex-officio; in addition, nine suffragan bishops are elected by all suffragan bishops. Membership of the House of Clergy is by election through the House of Clergy in each Diocesan Synod. Membership of the House of Laity is by election through the House of Laity in each Deanery Synod. There are 574 General Synod members in total.

There are two synodical sessions per year (4-5 days each), one in Church House, Westminster, the other at the University of York.

General Synod deals with three main areas:

• Central church business
• Relations with other churches
• Public issues

General Synods of other churches within the Anglican Communion

• Anglican Church of Australia
• Anglican Church of Canada
• Church of Ireland
• Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
• Scottish Episcopal Church
• Episcopal Church (United States of America)

External Links

• Queen's Speech at inauguration of seventh General Synod (http://www.etoile.co.uk/Speech/Inaug7thSynod2000.html)
• Church of England's General Synod website (http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/)
• List of current members (http://www.peter-owen.myby.co.uk/articles/gsmembers.html)
• Ely Diocese's General Synod Leaflet (http://www.ely.anglican.org/ministry/leaflets/gensynod.html)