The Guardian reports that the Church of England is considering "radical and realistic" recommendations to axe bishops and dioceses as a way of avoiding "wasteful duplication" and saving money.
A 120-page report, published today by the Dioceses Commission, proposed that there should be just one diocese serving Anglicans in West and North Yorkshire, instead of the current three, and that lower-paid junior bishops should replace higher-paid senior ones. It also suggested the diocesan bishops of Bradford, Ripon and Leeds, and Wakefield be compensated "for loss of office".
The report said the new "decentralised" diocese would be split into five areas, each with its own area bishop and council, to achieve a "strong element of devolution". It claimed that area bishops would be "closer in every sense to their clergy and people than it has been possible for the diocesan bishops to be".
Dr Priscilla Chadwick, who chaired the review, said the report was "mission-led and not finance-driven", though she said money would be saved through the cutbacks and mergers.
"We have asked which structures will best enable the Church of England to relate to the communities of Yorkshire, which will be most intelligible to non-churchgoers, which would eliminate wasteful duplication, and which are likely to prove resilient and sustainable into the medium term," she said.
The report identified several areas where spending would be reduced if the proposals were accepted: the number of senior bishops, and their associated housing, stipends, staff support and operating costs.
The commission spoke to about 250 people in Yorkshire, including clergy, laity and councillors, and is now open for consultation. The feedback will determine whether the commission prepares a "draft reorganisation scheme" in June.
The earliest any scheme would be considered by the Church of England's governing body would be 2013.
See also:
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=105295
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8192654/
The full report is available at www.diocom.org/Yorkshire.
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