What is General Synod?
General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It shapes and approves laws that affect the whole of the Church of England. It agrees new forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance, and approves the annual budget for the work of the Church at national level.
Who are General Synod members?
General Synod members are a mixture of bishops, clergy and lay people. Clergy means vicars, and lay people means anyone who is not a vicar.
How are General Synod members chosen?
All diocesan bishops are automatically members of General Synod and some suffragan bishops are elected to General Synod as well. Diocesan bishops are the lead bishop in each diocese. They are supported by suffragan bishops.
Clergy and lay members of General Synod are elected.
What do General Synod members do?
Members speak in debates, propose and vote on motions, serve on committees and review legislation.
Members speak and vote from their own viewpoints and report back to their diocese about key discussions and outcomes that have happened at General Synod.
You can get a sense of what happens by watching previous General Synod meeting recordings.
To give you an idea of the kind of issues that General Synod handles, here are some key topics that have been debated, amended and approved by General Synod in the past five years:
- changes to the Church’s safeguarding structure
- agreement of key milestones for how the Church can reach Net Zero Carbon
- regulations enabling improvements to clergy pensions benefits
- update to how clergy discipline and complaints are handled
- setting parochial fees
- backing a diocesan motion to encourage sustainable church flowers
- establishing a day of prayer for the global persecuted church
- introduction of Prayers of Love and Faith, enabling clergy to offer blessings for same-sex couples within regular services
- modernising how Church funds are ethically invested and enhancing accountability in financial stewardship.
Results of the General Synod Election 2026 for the Diocese of London
Full results – House of Clergy
Your representatives and their election statements