AOCM - Structure and Funding of Ordination Training Working Party's Interim Report

Proposed changes to the Structures and Funding of Ordination Training

For several years now, a commission chaired by Bishop John Hind has been reviewing the structures and funding of ordination training within the Church of England. The result is what has been known as the Hind Report, or the SFOT report. In its final published form, the title is Formation for Ministry within a Learning Church.

The report contains 15 formal proposals, along with their rationale. These proposals were debated by the General Synod in July 2003, with a view to Synod voting to recommending their implementation. General Synod made some significant amendments and approved the proposals.

The full report, along with an official summary, can be downloaded as Microsoft Word documents from the Ministry Division website. Click here to view the report.

Since that General Synod vote, a number of "Task Groups" were set up to oversee the implementation of different aspects of the proposals: Dividing the country into regions, considerations of curriculum etc. There was also a new Task Group set up to look into alternative ways of funding Continuing Ministerial Education. The proposal of the Hind Report, that 75 students needing family maintenance were compelled to train non-residentially or to defer, was considered inappropriate.

At AOCM Conferences, a number of concerns about the proposals were expressed. I consultated with the various college and course AOCM Reps. I asked for the views of the students they represent on the proposals. Collating the responses I received, I produced a paper on behalf of AOCM. This paper aims to do three things.

Summarise the report and the proposals. Some people have said that even the official summary of the Hind Report makes difficult reading. I therefore included a brief summary of our own to help people understand what is being proposed.
Highlight the strengths of the Report, as perceived by the present student body.
Categorise and explain the various concerns held across the whole of AOCM.

In doing this, I have sought to be as fair as possible - both to the Report and to the student views that have been expressed to me. The AOCM Response to the Hind Report was mailed to all members of General Synod on June 24th, 2003. It is available here to read.

Since then, a year has passed. Synod of July 2004 was the deadline given for a number of the Task Groups to report back. The regions (9 of them) are now decided. The debate continues to be over how the changes to Continued Ministerial Education are to be funded. Prior to the July 2004 sitting of Synod, the House of Bishops rejected the suggestions made by the Alternative Sources of Funding group. As I understand things, Synod categorically restated its rejection of anyone being made to train non-residentially (unless it was most appropriate for them formationally). The search for alternative funding goes on.

James Oakley
16h August 2004

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