Continuing Education Fund
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official7274
- Date
- 1998 November 2-6
- Source
- House of Bishops. Minutes
- Type
- Resolution 07-11-98
- Mover
- Bishop Hannen
- Seconder
- Bishop Cruickshank
- Prologue
- Archbishop Crawley spoke to the House of Bishops about two issues related to the General Synod Continuing Education Fund. The first point was about the definition used by General Synod for "sabbatical", and the second point was about priests using money from their continuing education funds for church computers.
- I) Sabbatical
- Archbishop Crawley said that his difficulty with the General Synod definition of a sabbatical was its inflexibility in what qualifies as one. The current definition says that a sabbatical is 8 consecutive weeks (off) or study in a D.Min program. He said that the clergy of the Diocese of Kootenay have asked him to request more flexibility in what would qualify as a sabbatical because taking 8 weeks away from the parish is an unrealistic expectation for many parish priests. (Many parishes cannot afford to hire an interim priest for that duration.)
- Archbishop Crawley asked his colleagues whether they would be prepared to pass a motion requesting the General Synod Continuing Education Committee to look at broadening their definition for a sabbatical leave.
- Text of motion
- In the light of current educational opportunities, the National House of Bishops requests the Continuing Education Committee of General Synod to examine ways in which the continuing education policy can be more flexible in its definition of a sabbatical leave. CARRIED #07-11-98
- Notes
- II) Computers
- In the past, many parish priests used their continuing education funds to purchase books, and then they started to buy personal computers with it. However, Archbishop Crawley said that he has recently discovered that some parishes are using their priest's continuing education funds to subsidize computers for the parish. Archbishop Crawley expressed his feeling that in this age, computers are actually necessary tools of business. He asked whether others (in the House) shared his position. Discussion followed. Bishop Hutchison said that the Diocese of Montreal had other means of funding for priests wanting assistance to get hardware.
- Archbishop Peers offered that "sabbatical" implies "rest" which might be a reason for the duration listed in the General Synod Continuing Education Fund's definition. Other words suggested as possible alternatives were "long term study" or "degrees". The Primate requested that Bishop Hannen and Bishop Lawrence work on possible wording which could be proposed with the request to the General Synod Continuing Education Committee.
- Subjects
- Sabbatical leave - Anglican Church of Canada
- Sabbaticals - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada - Bishops - Education (Continuing education)
- Anglican Church of Canada - Clergy - Education (Continuing education)
- Continuing education - Anglican Church of Canada