Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Charity Commission asked to investigate parsonage transfers

http://www.evangelicals.org/news.asp?id=805

[EV News] 22 Jan 2008--The Dean of Christ Church Oxford has written to the Charity Commission asking them to investigate the current proposals to all parsonages from local to Diocesan ownership. Christ Church is one of the many Oxford and Cambridge colleges and the letter has the backing of a number of other patronage bodies and individual patrons.

Most parsonages are currently owned by the incumbent who hold the property in trust for the parish for the duration of his incumbency. Therefore the parsonage, along with the Church and graveyard are locally owned on behalf of the parish. The new Ecclesiastical Offices Measure being considered by General Synod in February proposes that part of the conditions of office should be the provision of a house and that the Diocesan Parsonages Board should therefore become the owner of all the parsonages. As the Dean, Christopher Lewis, points out this will involve the transfer of four billion pounds worth of assets which were generally given by local people for the ministry of their local Church. In view of this the Commission are being asked to investigate whether the legislation if it is approved amounts to a breach of trust.

Related article:
http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/index.php/2008/01/22/anglican-layity-in-revolt-over-coe-bid-to-grab-4-billion-of-vicarage-assets-from-parishes/#more-2740
Anglican laity in revolt over CoE bid to grab £4 billion of vicarage assets from parishes - Anglican Mainstream

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