Blackburn Diocese https://www.blackburn.anglican.org/news/274/letter-from-senior-clergy-reflecting-on-
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Blackburn Initiative
We’ve seen one initiative arise from the senior team in a diocese. The ‘Blackburn Letter’ followed the IICSA reports into the Diocese of Chichester and the Peter Ball case. Sadly the Blackburn initiative was quashed at the time by the Church’s senior leadership despite strong encouragement for debate in Synod.
The entries below are listed in chronological order, to follow the timeline from the first correspondence (top) to last correspondence (bottom).
Senior leaders in Diocese of Blackburn call on church to protect children from sex abuse
Lancashire Telegraph https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/17715255.senior-leaders-diocese-blackburn-call-church-protect-children-sex-abuse/
The Blackburn Letter. A new beginning for the Church?
Surviving Church http://survivingchurch.org/2019/06/18/the-blackburn-letter-a-new-beginning-for-the-church/
Whole Church is ‘called to repentance’ over sexual abuse failures, says Bishop of Blackburn
Christian Today https://www.christiantoday.com/article/whole-church-is-called-to-repentance-over-sexual-abuse-failures-says-bishop-of-blackburn/132655.htm
Child sexual abuse: the Blackburn Pastoral Letter is game-changer for the Church of England
Archbishop Cranmer https://archbishopcranmer.com/child-sexual-abuse-blackburn-pastoral-letter/
Safeguarding not just about box-ticking, say senior clergy in Blackburn
Church Times https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/21-june/news/uk/safeguarding-not-just-about-box-ticking-say-senior-clergy-in-blackburn
Synod should welcome bishops’ safeguarding letter
Church Times https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/28-june/news/uk/synod-should-welcome-bishops-safeguarding-letter
Archbishops will refuse debate on Blackburn letter
Thinking Anglicans www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archbishops-will-refuse-debate-on-blackburn-letter/
Bishop of Burnley calls for Mandatory Reporting
Thinking Anglicans (Includes full transcript of BBC Radio 4 interview with Donna Birrell) www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/bishop-of-burnley-calls-for-mandatory-reporting
The Bishop of Burnley on the need for Safeguarding
BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006dk6