Dr Charles Reed
Archbishops’ Council Europe Policy explained:
A single Church of England official was behind a pro-EU submission by the Archbishops’ Council to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Christian Voice has discovered.
Dr Charles Reed, described as the Church of England’s Foreign Policy Advisor, has sent out an email distancing the Archbishops from the comments in the submission. They did not make the remarks personally, he said. The submission, says Dr Reed, was prepared by the ‘Europe Bishops’ Panel’. It was then submitted by the ‘Mission and Public Affairs Council’, which is a sub committee of the Archbishops’ Council, direct to the Select Committee. In a subsequent email, Dr Reed clarified that neither Archbishop approved the submission, and he is ‘not aware that either (of the) Archbishops saw the submission’ before it went out in their name.
On his blog, modestly entitled ‘ethical comment’, Dr Reed is rather more bullish about the submission. He says he was encouraged by the opposition it drew in the pages of Eurosceptic publications. He writes:
The first of Dr Reed’s sensible comments was the submission’s second paragraph in which he cast the UK as unequivocally ‘without credibility’ and ‘unreliable’ for exercising a veto last December 2011:
‘At the December 2011 European Council, the United Kingdom found itself not only without allies, but without credibility as a negotiating partner as it opposed measures which were intended to achieve broad policy goals which are fully in line with UK national interest. This exposed the domestic constraints on the British government and left its partners with the impression that it was an unreliable partner. An opportunity to show solidarity with partners was missed. The UK must work to rebuild trust with its EU partners.’
The origin of the ‘Europe Bishops’ Panel’ is a debate in the General Synod in July 2004 which endorsed a report by the Mission and Public Affairs Council and the ‘Council for Christian Unity’ entitled ‘The Church of England and Europe’.
The report set out ‘aims for work at all levels of the Church in the Europe of the new century’ among which were:
‘to work locally, nationally and internationally with other churches to ensure the most effective presentation of the Gospel, to join in debate and action for the future of Europe, the harmony and values of its people, and the building of peace and social justice in this continent and beyond’;
There was ‘particular emphasis upon sustainable development and tackling world poverty.’
The two leading lights of the Europe Bishops’ Panel emerged as the Rt Revd Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St Albans, and the Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Revd Christopher Hill. The latter was also the Chair of the Council for Christian Unity, the CofE’s ecumenical body, at the time of writing. The Panel appointed a secretary to give voice to their views. That secretary was Dr Charles Reed. This is what Dr Reed says about European policy on his blog:
‘For the Church the primary purpose of politics – even European politics – is the promotion of human flourishing and the conditions that are necessary to make this happen. On the whole the Church has over the years held that while it has reservations over certain characteristics of European integration – its democratic deficit etc – our propensity as humans created in the image of God to be creative, productive and responsible and generous beings is enhanced by pooling certain elements of national sovereignty in a common European project.’
So far so pan-European. According to its terms of reference, ‘The Panel is committed both to promoting and shaping an open and transparent Europe close to its citizens and to monitoring the EU institutions in so far as they affect Church life and practice.’
This mandate is interpreted freely. In 2008 the Europe Bishops’ Panel complained to the European Commission that ‘the EU Budget fails to provide sufficiently for the European common good.’ It went on: ‘Faced by the global challenge of climate change, the EU budget should be refocused in support of low carbon growth both within the EU’s border and beyond.’
Also in 2008, the Europe Bishops’ Panel appointed the first Church of England Representative to the European Union, the Revd Dr Gary Wilton. The Panel, at the hand of its secretary, Dr Reed, also sent a submission to a European Union Committee on climate change. Like the submission to the Commons Select Committee, it was sent under the name of the Archbishops’ Council.
Describing the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as ‘the jewel in the crown of the EU’s climate change programme’ the submission argued for more carbon trading and the ‘innovation necessary to achieve a low carbon and sustainable economy’ before going on to discuss which industries and sectors of the economy should be in the scheme and which should not, all from very practical points of view. Climate sceptics will not be impressed.
The submission is on the website of the Climate Justice Fund, a joint Tear Fund and Church of England enterprise set up in September 2009 following a General Synod resolution passed in 2008. The Fund is setting up projects to help African communities adapt to drought, and campaigning on climate change. The man in charge of it is Dr Charles Reed, now described on its website as the ‘International Development Secretary for the Archbishops’ Council’.
There may not be any reliance placed on scripture in reports from the Europe Bishops’ Panel, but they refer ‘to the integrity of God’s creation, the vocation of humanity to actively steward and care for creation, and the awareness that climate change is already impacting disproportionately on many of the world’s poorest communities.’
In 2010, this time in the name of the Archbishops’ Council, the House of Bishops’ Europe Panel (which appears to be the same thing as the Europe Bishops’ Panel) sent a submission to the European Commission on ‘EU 2020: a new strategy to make the EU a smarter, greener social market.’ They complained that the EU strategy was too materialistic. ‘The EU 2020 vision would be made easier if the vision for an economically efficient and innovative market economy is (sic) supplemented more clearly by policies for solidarity that extend across national borders to assist the most disadvantaged’, it said.
Dr Charles Reed describes himself as the Church of England’s Foreign Policy Advisor and as the International Development Secretary for the Archbishops’ Council. He is referred to in the Church of England’s Seven-Year Plan on Climate Change and the Environment as the Church’s International Policy Advisor, and elsewhere as being from the Church’s Mission and Public Affairs Council, which is a division of the Archbishops’ Council.
Dr Reed is a House of Lords staff member for the Bishop of Wakefield, where he becomes the Archbishops’ Council’s Parliamentary Adviser on Foreign Affairs. He is the Secretary of the Europe Bishops’ Panel, he writes their submissions, and via them, he establishes the position of the Archbishops’ Council, which the Archbishops themselves do not approve, and may not even see. Dr Reed also represents the Church of England on the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches.
Dr Charles Reed is in all but name the Church of England’s Foreign Secretary, but hardly anyone knows of him. He keeps in the background and lets others take the glory – or the blame – for what he writes. There will be different opinions on the various positions he brings the church to adopt, but no-one can doubt that Dr Reed wields considerable power and influence in our national church.
Join Christian Voice today and stand up for righteousness in the land:
11 comments
Skip to comment form ↓
Jackie Holden
3 July 2012 at 10:41 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Very interesting indeed. This morning I was remembering where the Lord says: I will make you the Head not the tail. I looked at some references to tail and it was speaking about demonic powers in the tail, and there was a reference to this in Revelation. The other say as I was listening to Max Mclean on-line reading from Psalms, there was a reference to the tails being liars, and the Lord reveals what happens to liars. I found this incredibly comforting, as I have encountered liars in my time, and they have lied about me. I felt so loved and cherished by the Lord as I heard Him say of His men of God: I hath made you the head. He hath made you the head Stephen, and in you He is well pleased. I bless you in Jesus name. Amen.
Roy Searle
3 July 2012 at 20:17 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
So it appears that Dr Charles Reed is Church of England’s Foreign Policy Advisor, Secretary of Europe Bishops’ Panel, International Development Secretary for the Archbishops’ Council, House of Lords staff member for the Bishop of Wakefield, he represents the Church of England on the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches and is the Church of England’s International Policy Advisor.
I wonder if he has any spare time left to acquaint himself with the views of ordinary Church of England members.
Rev Dieter Quick
3 July 2012 at 21:06 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
As I see it, there is a good measure of reason in the stance the Archbishops take, that sadly is missing in Europe-hostile camps. As a Christian who came to live in Britain a few years ago, I continue to be astonished and utterly bemused at the hositility and unhelpfulness of British contributions in the face of severe challenges European politicians and peoples are facing.
Mark W
4 July 2012 at 03:20 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Dieter hi,
I think one of the main problems that some (myself included) but not all British people have with the EU is a real lack of democracy and a natural skepticism towards the European project, but especially the Euro – the introduction of which was carried out utilizing guile and deception, the Greek government having contracted Goldman Sachs to lie (in a clever way of course) about their suitability for Eurozone membership.
I think too that the British feel more than a little short changed as we were originally taken into the EEC with no referendum (this was only given AFTERWARDS – by which time there was natural traction towards our continued membership.)
As regards, as you say, “I continue to be astonished and utterly bemused at the hositility and unhelpfulness of British contributions” one thing I should point out to you is that the UK is the 2nd biggest financial contributor towards the EU – that’s some ‘contribution’ wouldn’t you say??
On a real funny note I did a quick search on your name and so I’m sort of guessing that you are the Music man at Christchurch – Harwood? I looked at the front page of your churches website and lo and behold by Gods providence the verse of the day is
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.”
This was exactly the verse I was going to quote, you see Dieter this is where the church seems to get it wrong. You can have all the cross border cooperation in the World, all the political union, all the sharing of resources etc etc but if you have a large chunk of unrighteous you will not have a healthy, happy, contented, caring, loving, peaceful society.
From an economic perspective only, as Stephen has so brilliantly pointed out in his book Britain in Sin, unrighteous is a REALLY REALLY REALLY expensive thing.
Imagine just for one second that you in an instantly removed the following from the UK;
Crime
Illegitimacy
Marital breakdown
Child desertion
etc
Economically, the UK would be out of debt, free of the deficit, a place where no one need worry about their property, their children’s safety, their well being etc.
The problem I have with Europhiles is the same as I have with people who put their faith in the UK’s government. That’s that the State cannot bring about righteousness, only The Lord Jesus can, the state can punish wrongdoing (which it doesn’t) and restrain evil – ‘put not your trust in princes’ said the psalmist.
Amen to that I hope everyone on here can say
God bless
Mark
Paul
6 July 2012 at 21:04 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Amen to that.
…Liked your other comments, by the way: “the salivating conformists at CofE HQ” are indeed a curious assortment of chocolate teapots.
Paul
4 July 2012 at 11:42 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
“I continue to be astonished and utterly bemused at the hositility and unhelpfulness of British contributions in the face of severe challenges European politicians and peoples are facing.”
Could you perhaps provide examples? How is one helpful to a European politician? By endorsing the EU?
Do you understand why people here might have good reason to be “Europe-hostile”, or do you view it simply as xenophobic ignorance?
Rob Hudson
3 July 2012 at 21:06 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I too received the same reply from Dr Reed. I intend to do further research on his stance, position and influence. I’m sad to say that I now expect the C of E to support such things as psuedo-scientific ‘climate change’ and the E.U.
Jackie Holden
4 July 2012 at 00:16 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning: afterward you shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Isaiah 1:26. Amen Lord! I believe Britain is a prodigal and Ezekiel 16 describes us. The end of the chapter is awesome…the prodigal turns back to the Lord and He receives her with open arms.
Mark W
4 July 2012 at 02:55 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Well I looked at the article by Charles Reed’s name and to be honest its the usual waffle that can be expected of the salivating conformists at CofE HQ
The amazing thing is that Charles Reed seems to think hes so important that he can post a chunk on his blog titled – get the sick bag ready – “My 7 point plan for stopping another Houla (the place in Syria where the massacre occured)”
http://ethicalcomment.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/being-foreign-secretary-for-the-day-preventing-another-houla/
At the end of his ‘plan’ he asks “Let me know what you think about my 7 Point Plan. Alternatively, let me know what you would do if you were Foreign Secretary for a day.”
Needless to say only one person has left any comment on his ’7 point plan’, so rather than joining in I took a quick look on Alexa to find his blog languishing at 4,833,258 on the world wide web.
The egos of some of these people amaze me
Mark W
4 July 2012 at 04:05 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
PS
I posted this on Charles site
http://ethicalcomment.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/europe-and-its-crisis-of-legitimacy/#comment-633
If it doesn’t get censored (ops I mean moderated) you can read it.
Marcia Simpson-James
8 July 2012 at 09:09 (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Who is this Chris Reed? Where does he come from, and who ‘picked’ him? ‘What’ is this person? He gives the impression of being a person who deals with smoke and mirrors. He seems not to identify with God or Christianity, but power and “glamour”.