Stephen Platten: We Anglicans should ditch the stereotypes and embrace our role at the heart of Big Society

The Church of England is as much a focus for stereotypes as any other organisation. Whether it’s “Say one for me, father”, or ‘“Pardon my French, guv”, we’re a good target for such phrases.

This weekend we meet in York for our General Synod. Will that encourage or discourage more stereotypes? My guess is that it’ll reinforce many people’s expectations.

Just last week, there was a flurry of interest in the media about an advisory note from the Church’s legal experts on whether we could appoint gay bishops. Doubtless there’ll be more discussion about that.

Then also, on the edges of the Synod, a woman bishop from New Zealand will address a fringe group on whether and when we are going to have women ordained as bishops here in England.

The common perception, especially with regard to the discussions in the General Synod, is that we’re obsessed with gay clergy, women bishops and other internal matters.

Just for good measure, here in Yorkshire, we’re discussing whether we should reorganise the dioceses. So, the Church of England is mainly concerned with talking to itself – contemplating its own navel.

But is that really how it is? Is there anything else going on? Is anyone looking outwards at all? Well, just last week the Archbishop of Canterbury was working with others to help Christian people in Jerusalem and in Palestine: they were working to press the authorities for a more just society.

A couple of weeks earlier, the Archbishop had commented on politics in our own country, and the nature of the coalition’s cuts. It wasn’t popular with all, but then politicians aren’t keen on the Church engaging with such issues.

In London, St Martin-in-the-Fields has recently completed an enormous project enabling it to support the most vulnerable people within the capital. Nearer home, St George’s Crypt in Leeds does similar work, as does the Breakfast Project at Sheffield Cathedral.

In our own diocese, Halifax Minster continues to work tirelessly with the local MP to mitigate the effects of the Lloyds Bank/HBOS debacle. Also in Halifax, St Augustine’s work with asylum seekers has attracted national awards.

Every month, I host a breakfast in four of the biggest towns of our diocese – in Barnsley, in Halifax, in Huddersfield and in Wakefield. Invited to this are the key community leaders in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Each time there is a brief input, either from a member of the group or from a key public figure: we’ve heard peers, vice-chancellors, novelists, the Chief Constable, business people and pressure group leaders. From these breakfasts, over the past eight years, many initiatives have resulted. The breakfasts are a key element in “networking” and building stronger and healthier communities. Across the country, there are countless examples of parish churches working in the community, often alongside statutory agencies, and frequently with local government.

What do we call this extraordinary phenomenon? How about the Big Society?

The Church of England is at the heart of the Big Society but it’s not too good at blazing it abroad. The opportunities now are myriad.

Its part in this Big Society is enhanced by its enormous investment in education. The Church of England kick-started universal education.

Since 1902, it has been partner in the “dual system” with the state – and our schools are community schools, not sectarian: they are Big Society schools.

The Church serves communities by providing education for all. It does so with a distinctively Christian ethos but welcomes all. Changes in the air at this very moment could allow the Church of England to become the biggest single sponsor for education throughout this country. The Church should do this and do so with generosity.

Three years ago now, I attended the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, also an “established Church”. I did so as the Church of England’s observer. I was moved and impressed.

We had a three-hour presentation and debate on military chaplaincy. We heard from chaplains who’d risked their lives in Afghanistan. This debate happens every year. We heard of the engagement of the Church with people living with dementia and other chronic illnesses – in the Church’s own residential homes. We hear of prophetic work in Scottish cities. All these things were aired and debated.

We managed to persuade the General Synod to allow one presentation on our own military chaplains just over a year ago, but there’s far too little space or focus on these issues, which are debated each year by our sister Church north of the border.

Let’s shift our focus from gay bishops, women bishops, internal re-organisation and legal fees and embrace the Big Society which we already serve so valiantly. The current opportunities are enormous – especially in education. Let’s embrace them – it will mean the God of Jesus Christ transforming our world. There would be no bigger society than that!

* Stephen Platten is Bishop of Wakefield. He is writing ahead of the Church of England’s General Synod, which begins in York today.