General Synod is the governing body of the Church of England. It is a largely elected body with three 'houses' (chambers): Bishops, Clergy and Laity.
Clergy are elected by vote of almost all ordained clergy. The exception is ordained clergy with no permission to officiate. For electoral purposes at least - they're nobody. They have no standing as clergy and cannot vote as laity.
The laity have an electoral college - Deanery Synod members - who alone vote for representatives of the laity on General Synod. In my view this is wholly unacceptable and embodies the marginalisation of the laity. (I've wittered on about this elsewhere.)
(Curiously, at least on a quick look, I couldn't find a general page about Deanery Synods of the CofE official site - only a leaflet (pdf) and the rules.)
Undoubtedly this new Synod is going to be busy. It has to begin the process of dismantling and rebuilding the CofE.
I personally hope it goes for wholesale reform but that's not the Anglican way: look for slow, piecemeal and insufficient change.
Here's some more talking heads:
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