Enabling act: Difference between revisions

The [[Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919]] ([[9 & 10 Geo. 5]]. c. 76) gave a considerable degree of self-government to the [[Church of England]] while retaining overall parliamentary supervision. Before its passing, almost all adjustments to the legal structure of the Church of England had involved getting a specific bill through Parliament.<ref>{{cite dictionary |last1=Cross |first1=F. L. |last2=Livingstone |first2=E. A. |dictionary=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1971 |title=Enabling Act, The}}</ref> It took nine sessions to approve the salary of the [[Archdeacon of Cornwall]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Iremonger |first=F. A. |title=William Temple |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1948 |page=223}}</ref> and of the 217 bills introduced into the House of Commons between 1880 and 1913, only 33 passed into law for lack of parliamentary time, among the casualties being the bills to establish new dioceses.<ref>{{cite book |last=Garbett |first=Cyril |title=The Claims of the Church of England |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |year=1947 |pages=192ff.}}</ref>

The Actact gave the newly established [[Church Assembly]], predecessor of the [[General Synod of the Church of England|General Synod]], power to prepare and present to Parliament measures which could either be approved or rejected, but not modified by either House. Before being voted on, the proposals were examined by an [[Ecclesiastical Committee]] of both Houses which reported on their effects and implications. Once approved in Parliament, the measure became law on receiving royal assent.<ref>{{cite dictionary |first1=F. L. |last1=Cross |first2=E. A. |last2=Livingstone |dictionary=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1971 |title=Church Assembly}}</ref>

The Actact continues to apply today to the [[General Synod of the Church of England]] which, as a result of the Synodical Government Measure 1969, replaced the Church Assembly with the aim of achieving full integration of the laity and eliminating the complications caused by the dual control of the [[Convocations of Canterbury and York]], and the Assembly. All the Assembly's powers passed to the new synod along with many of those of the Convocations.<ref>{{cite dictionary |first1=F. L. |last1=Cross |first2=E. A. |last2=Livingstone |dictionary=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1971 |title=Synodical Government}}</ref>