Newsline 28 July 2017

Newsline 28 July 2017

The government is under pressure over its policy of extending faith-based education. Over the weekend Amanda Spielman, Ofsted's chief inspector, criticised plans to allow some faith schools to select all of their students on the basis of their parents' faith. It's important we keep the pressure up to prevent this expansion in religious discrimination. The government wants to set up at least 140 new CofE faiths schools in England over the next five years, including 40 in the next wave of free schools. These changes will entrench the hold which faith groups have over our children's education and, by extension, British society.

Meanwhile free thinkers have been pushing back against the intolerance of Islamists and their apologists. From Saturday to Monday the International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression reportedly witnessed the "largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history" in central London. We are proud to say the NSS took part in the conference. The event provided a stark reminder that we must support the right to speak your mind, and resist the attempts of theocrats and their apologists to police speech. This is one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time. And when we stop exchanging ideas freely, we give up on the chance of accumulating knowledge, understanding the world and improving society. It was in this spirit that we also expressed our support for our honorary associate Richard Dawkins this week, after he was disinvited from an appearance on a California radio station over his views on Islam.

News, Blogs & Opinion

Government plans mass expansion of CofE faith schools across England

News | Thu, 27th Jul 2017

The Department for Education hopes to open at least another 140 Church of England schools in the next five years, according to the Church Times.

And the Church of England's chief education officer, Revd Nigel Genders, has confirmed that 40 new church schools will be opened within the government's next wave of free schools.

"We want to be proactive in opening as many new schools as we can because we know parents love our schools," he said last week.

"We have schools lined up to put into the next phase. We want to do more, and our conversations with the department continue to be encouraging."

Genders said the C of E would bid for "every school where appropriate".

Twelve faith schools were among the 131 new free schools approved in April. The faith-based Oasis Multi Academy Trust also gained the right to open three more.

Last year the government declared that it "values and is committed to" its formal partnerships with the National Society, which promotes and resources almost 5,000 church schools in England and Wales, and the Catholic Church. It added that the government "remains committed to securing the religious character and ethos" of religious schools.

The Church of England claims that its "Church schools are not 'faith schools' for Christians but Christian schools for all and, as such, are committed to serving the needs of the local community."

However, the Church's Education Office says it has a "deeply Christian" vision and "seeks to promote an education that allows children, young people and adults to live out Jesus's promise of 'life in all its fullness'.

In 2012 the church published a review laying out its plans for education. It said church provision "must include a wholehearted commitment to putting faith and spiritual development at the heart of the curriculum and ensuring that a Christian ethos permeates the whole educational experience."

It added that "high-quality religious education and collective worship should continue to make major contributions to the Church school's Christian ethos, to allow pupils to engage seriously with and develop an understanding of the person and teachings of Jesus Christ".

In 2013, the former chair of the Church of England's Board of Education said there was no need to attract children, young people and parents to church "if we embrace our church schools fully."

The National Secular Society is campaigning against the expansion of faith schools and argues that they should eventually be phased out.

Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns director, said: "Despite its somewhat disingenuous claims of being inclusive, it's clear that the Church of England regards schools an opportunity to proselytise and gain access to pupils and parents who wouldn't otherwise go anywhere near a church.

"The way in which such schools portray virtues such as tolerance, reciprocity, generosity and kindness as specifically 'Christian' values is also divisive, dishonest and gives pupils a skewed understanding of ethics.

"Exposing children and young people to this insidious form of evangelism usurps parental rights and stifles children's own ability to think clearly for themselves about religion."

The DfE did not respond to a request to clarify its plans.

Intolerant religion mustn’t dictate England’s education policy

Opinion | Wed, 26th Jul 2017

The government is under fire over proposals to lift the cap on faith-based admissions in faith schools. Stephen Evans says the plans should be abandoned - and religious groups' role in education rolled back.

Following criticism of the government's divisive plans to drop the faith-based admissions cap to faith-based free schools, hopes were raised this week that the plans may be aborted.

This remains to be seen, but a common response I receive when discussing the government's proposals is 'why on earth would they want to do that in the first place?'

The fact the proposals were 'warmly welcomed' by the Catholic Church gives you a clue.

The changes were lobbied for by the Church, which is stubbornly refusing to open new schools unless it can apply 100% faith selection. The Church says the existing 50% cap prevents the Church from "meeting the demand from Catholic parents for Catholic places". The Church says that to turn Catholic families away on the grounds that they are Catholics would "contravene Canon Law".

But government policy should no more be dictated by canon 'law' than it should be by sharia 'law'. Whether such a canon exists anyway is a matter of some dispute, but it is of course nonsense to suggest that anyone would be 'forced away' because they are Catholic. Unlucky applicants would be turned away due to lack of spaces, following the implementation of a reasonable admissions policy based on criteria other than whether parents have had their child baptised.

Someone else keen to see the cap removed is Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. A spokesman for his office said that the value of Jewish schools lay in providing "a completely immersive Jewish environment - something which is far more challenging if the 50 per cent rule associated with free schools is applied."

Well, precisely. The whole point of the cap is to allow faith schools "to support inclusivity and tolerance" while preventing segregation.

The government says it wants to "ensure young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain". How can it possibly square that with a policy that will allow children to be schooled in a 'completely immersive' religious environment, surrounded by pupils of the same faith and, in many cases, the same ethnic background?

The state has a duty to provide schools. It does not have a duty to provide faith schools. The demand from religious groups for the state to provide education wholly on religious parents' terms is an unreasonable and divisive demand which needs to be resisted.

Rather than facilitating segregation along religious lines under the mantra of 'choice', the government should be straining every sinew to ensure that children of all faiths and none are educated together in inclusive schools.

This requires a bold shift in policy direction. A good start would be to ditch the divisive plans to drop the 50% admissions cap. But the government needs to go beyond that and re-evaluate the wisdom of supporting faith-based education.

It is no longer good enough for the government to point to the church's 'long history of providing education in this country'. The UK's religious landscape has changed dramatically in recent decades, and as we become more diverse as a country we risk becoming more divided. Education policy is the golden opportunity to address this. The cosy relationship between church and state is preventing this opportunity from being grasped.

It is estimated that around 900,000 new school places will be needed in England by 2024. It is a sorry state of affairs that the Government is reliant on the Catholic Church to provide these. The ailing Church of England is of course eager to step up to the plate, but despite all its talk of 'inclusivity', these overtly Christian schools, with their worship and insidious indoctrination, can no longer serve the whole community.

Other solutions need to be found. Perhaps we need to allow local authorities to open schools. Let's look to the model established by Educate Together, an NGO that runs schools that guarantee equality of access and esteem to children "irrespective of their social, cultural or religious background". One thing is clear, the state should no longer look to religion to find the answers to education.

The time has come to strip organised religion of the privilege of being allowed to act as gatekeepers to publicly funded services. Unfair religiously discriminatory admissions arrangements need to be consigned to history and the whole role of religion in modern schooling re-evaluated.

A rethink of the fully segregated faith schools proposal would be a start. But only a start.

This blog was originally published by the Huffington Post.

100% faith-based admissions leads to increased levels of segregation, says schools inspectorate

News | Mon, 24th Jul 2017

The chief inspector of schools Amanda Spielman has criticised Government proposals to allow some faith schools to select all of their pupils on the basis of faith and suggested the plans may be dropped.

Ms Spielman told the Sunday Times "Admission 100% on faith leads to increased levels of segregation within communities" and said she was "uncomfortable with anything that leads to increased segregation."

The chief inspector said she wasn't sure if the Government plans were "still on the cards", leading to reports that they may be dropped.

The National Secular Society has opposed the plans from the outset. In its response to the Government consultation on the plans, the NSS urged the Government to abandon them, arguing that whilst the proposals may create extra capacity in the school system, they would do so by "sacrificing equality and social cohesion".

The Government is facing widespread opposition to the plans, which were drawn up to facilitate an expansion in religiously selective faith schools.

Last week Sir Nick Weller, head of an academy chain in West Yorkshire, said it was "unhealthy" for a city such as Bradford to have two communities living "separate lives" and for children already segregated along ethnic or religious lines to be educated at different schools.

Professor Ted Cantle CBE, founder of the Institute of Community Cohesion Foundation, has been an outspoken critic of the plans, arguing that religious selection in school admissions is "utterly deleterious for integration". Linda Woodhead, Professor of Sociology of Religion at Lancaster, has argued that the Government's changes to faith schools "side with hard-line religion whilst undermining the religious centre ground."

At present, all new academies and free schools with a religious designation can only select 50% of students on the basis of religion. 50% of admissions must be open to pupils from all faith and belief backgrounds. The cap was intended to continue to allow faith schools and "to support inclusivity and tolerance" while preventing segregation.

The Government is now under intense pressure to drop the admissions cap from the Catholic Church and some Jewish groups who are refusing to open new publicly funded schools unless they can apply 100% faith-based selection when oversubscribed.

A Government rethink could potentially jeopardise around 30-40 new Catholic schools planned by the Church, partly to cope with the influx of Catholic families from Poland and other east European countries.

Stephen Evans, National Secular Society campaigns director, said: "The more diverse we become as a country, the more integrated we need to be. Where additional capacity is needed, the Government should commit to opening inclusive secular schools that are equally welcoming to pupils of all backgrounds.

"We can't allow religious organisations to dictate education policy. These unfair and ill-thought out proposals may benefit religious organisations but will undoubtedly have profound and negative implications for our increasingly religiously diverse and secularised society.

"A diverse society need not be a divided one. Any further expansion of religiously selective faith schools would be the antithesis of inclusive education and we again urge the Government to drop these divisive and dangerous plans."

Secularist conference features ‘largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history’

News | Tue, 25th Jul 2017

Organisers of a major conference on free thought say it has brought together "the largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history".

The International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression took place in London from Saturday to Monday. It was organised by secular and ex-Muslim activist Maryam Namazie. It featured over 70 notable speakers from 30 countries and was dubbed 'the Glastonbury of Freethinkers'.

The conference highlighted the voices of a diverse range of people resisting Islamism. It also passed a Declaration of Freethinkers.

A screening of Islam's Non Believers, a film by Deeyah Khan, showed the persecution facing Ex-Muslims. In a public art protest, 99 balloons represented those killed or imprisoned for blasphemy and apostasy. Some attendees got their bodies painted as part of an artistic activism event.

Debates focused on the relation between Islam and Islamism; the threat posed to universal rights by communalism; and the use of the term 'Islamophobia' in imposing de facto blasphemy laws. There was also discussion of the role of art as resistance and promoting secularism as a human right.

The hashtag #IWant2BFree trended on Twitter over the weekend.

Meanwhile the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) honoured ten individuals to mark its tenth anniversary. These included Saudi freethinker Raif Badawi; Gita Sahgal and Yasmin Rehman of the Centre for Secular Space; and Bangladeshi blogger Bonya Ahmed.

The conference noted that 13 Islamic states and territories punish apostasy and blasphemy with death, but added that "a tsunami of freethinking and atheism" is "challenging religious fundamentalism, especially Islamism". It criticised human rights organisations and governments for failing to investigate transnational networks which promote violence; examine religious fundamentalist ideology; or defend freethinkers.

The conference also denounced "racism, xenophobia and far-right extremism".

The Declaration of Freethinkers called for six measures to be taken. The killing of apostates and blasphemers should end. Those in prison for thinking freely should be released. Apostasy and blasphemy laws should be repealed.

It should be clarified that freedom of conscience guarantees the right to freedom of and from religion. The right to offend should be protected. And the right to freedom of conscience should be explicitly embedded in human rights documents.

The conference issued resolutions defending Ismail Mohamed, who was prevented from leaving Egypt to speak at the conference; criticising the no-platforming of Richard Dawkins by KPFA radio station; and calling on Pride in London to affirm CEMB's continued place at its event.

The National Secular Society was one of the event's sponsors.

NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans, who attended the event, said: "This inspiring conference gave a sobering insight into the persecution faced by many of those whose only crime is to think for themselves.

"More importantly it provided grounds to hope that their treatment might change. International solidarity can help to defend free thought and win the battle against theocracy.

"The Declaration of Freethinkers provides a clear statement of reasonable steps. Anyone who cares about the freedom to practice or avoid religion should support their implementation wholeheartedly."

NSS expresses support for 'deplatformed' Richard Dawkins

News | Tue, 25th Jul 2017

The National Secular Society has expressed its support for Richard Dawkins after a radio station cancelled one of his speeches because of his criticisms of Islam.

Professor Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and honorary associate of the NSS, was due to address an event hosted by KPFA Radio in California next month. He was expected to discuss his new book Science in the Soul. But last week the station announced that it had cancelled the event because of his "abusive speech against Islam".

"We had booked this event based entirely on his excellent new book on science," KPFA wrote in an email to ticket holders. "We didn't know he had offended and hurt so many people.

"While KPFA emphatically supports serious free speech, we do not support abusive speech."

KPFA, which is funded by supporters, describes itself as a "progressive talk radio and music radio station". Reports suggested listeners had complained over previous statements which Dawkins had made, including a 2013 tweet which said "Islam is the greatest force for evil in the world today".

In a response on his foundation's website, Professor Dawkins called the station's justification for its decision "truly astonishing". He also denied using "abusive speech".

"I have called Islamism 'vile' but surely you understand that Islamism is not the same as Islam.

"I have criticised the ridiculous pseudoscientific claims made by Islamic apologists, and the opposition of Islamic 'scholars' to evolution and other scientific truths.

"I have strongly condemned the misogyny, homophobia, and violence of Islamism, of which Muslims — particularly Muslim women — are the prime victims. I have criticised the murdering of apostates for no crime other than their disbelief. I make no apologies for denouncing those oppressive cruelties, and I will continue to do so.

"I would seriously like to hear what examples of my 'abusive speech' you had in mind. When you fail to discover any, I presume you will issue a public apology."

KPFA then said in a tweet that it was exercising "its free speech right not to participate with anyone who uses hateful language against a community already under attack".

In a statement, the NSS said: "KPFA Radio has sided with religious fundamentalists who wish to hide from criticism. It has justified its decision by making a false distinction between 'serious free speech' and 'abusive speech'.

"The station has provided no evidence of 'hateful speech' against Muslims. Professor Dawkins has consistently made his opposition to anti-Muslim bigotry and discrimination very clear.

"Healthy societies require free and open debate, including – and arguably particularly – when those discussions offend religious sensitivities. Decisions such as these have a chilling effect on free speech by discouraging people from speaking out about some of the most important issues of our time."

Vast majority of Welsh councils no longer hold prayers during meetings

News | Sun, 23rd Jul 2017

Councils across Wales no longer hold prayers as part of their official business after the National Secular Society won a court battle over the practice.

NSS analysis of new research from the BBC has revealed that almost none of Wales's local authorities now holds official prayers during meetings.

Eighteen of the 22 unitary authorities in Wales did not hold prayers as part of council business. Only one, Denbighshire, said it did so regularly. 13 others regularly hold prayers separate from council business. In theory this means atheists or those of other faiths do not have to attend, but in at least two cases there appears to be no meaningful separation between the prayers and official business.

Vale of Glamorgan recently re-introduced Christian prayers at the request of a new mayor after her predecessor, had 'humanist blessings'.

The National Secular Society said councils "shouldn't be clubs for Christians" but the Church in Wales said prayer or reflection "could be hugely beneficial" and provide an opportunity to "ask for God's guidance on our decisions".

The BBC obtained its information under the Freedom of Information Act.

In 2012 the High Court ruled that the prayers said at Bideford Town Council were not lawful, as there was no statutory power to hold them under the Local Government Act 1972. The judge said prayers could only be said where councillors had not been formally summoned to attend.

The ruling came after an atheist councillor complained about the practice and the NSS initiated a judicial review of it. It was seen as a test case which could affect local councils across England and Wales.

In 2015 the government changed the law in England. The Local Government (Religious etc. Observances) Act made provision for the inclusion of prayers, "other religious observance" or "observance connected with a religious or philosophical belief" at local authority meetings. But (except for a few cross border authorities) the Act does not apply in Wales.

The NSS has campaigned for prayers to be clearly separated from official Council business in order to protect equality and freedom of and from religion.

Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns director,said: "It's clear that the vast majority of Welsh councils have either scrapped prayers altogether or removed them from the body of their meetings. These arrangements, which we campaigned for, allow councillors and members of staff who do not wish to participate in prayers to avoid them without having to excuse themselves.

"Local councils shouldn't be clubs for Christians and unless acts of worship are properly separated from official business, the religious freedom of non-Christians will not be adequately respected.

"Where the formal separation is tokenistic or unclear, and where any Councils are failing in their legal obligations, we will be writing to urge them to ensure that their meetings are both lawful and equally welcoming to all sections of society. Everyone has the right to manifest their religion, but that shouldn't extend to allowing believers to impose acts of worship on those that do not share their faith."

Church of England’s links with insurer undermines justice for survivors of clergy abuse

Opinion | Wed, 26th Jul 2017

Anglican abuse victims believe the Church's close links with its insurer results in lower settlements to victims. NSS executive director Keith Porteous Wood thinks they've got a point, and offers solutions to put things right.

An insurance company connected with the Church of England has been accused by abuse survivors of having unreasonably resisted financial settlements because it has too close an association with the Church itself.

Teresa Cooper and Gilo (surname withheld at his request) made the case powerfully on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on Friday 21 July (recording starts 14 minutes in).

The painstaking and revealing research carried out by these survivors demonstrates why the close relationship between the CofE and Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) will tend to suppress the level of settlements and makes the already difficult process of obtaining compensation for victims even harder. The Church of England founded EIG and remains affiliated to it.

The Anglican Church receives massive grants - a dividend in all but name - from EIG through the charity Allchurches Trust. For the period 2014-2020 this is likely to amount to around £100 million, according to the research of these survivors.

Another concern is the numerous bishops and cathedral deans and head teachers of schools with abuse problems that have been directors on EIG's board. They sit in a non-executive capacity despite being experts neither on insurance nor, as far as we are aware, on any other corporate area. The question is: why are they there and what effect does their presence have on payouts to abuse victims?

EIG failed in the TV programme to justify the CofE cleric's presence on its board. It claimed it was "normal business practice because the Church of England was one of its major customers". This ruse fails closer examination. It is not normal practice for companies to invite representatives of major customers (perhaps in competition with each other) onto their boards, if for no other reason than that those so invited would become privy to commercial secrets and sensitive intelligence that could then be used to the detriment of the supplier or competitor. Clearly there has to be another reason. Let us not forget the massive grant; the Church of England certainly has a vested interest – the smaller the abuse settlements are, the greater the grant they will receive.

Insuring against abuse claims – which, I maintain, the Church does not need to do – enables it to distance itself from the potentially manipulative business of these sensitive settlements being negotiated behind someone else's closed doors.

Facing such confrontations would be difficult for anyone, but in my experience most victims are vulnerable and damaged because of the abuse they have suffered. The inevitable confrontation with lawyers representing insurance companies compounds that abuse.

Victims may have to pursue justice – including compensation - alone and without support. Rather than help the victims through this ordeal, the Church of England has been accused in a BBC report by a survivor of withdrawing emotional support for the abused.

The Bishop of Buckingham, Alan Wilson, was refreshingly open on the Victoria Derbyshire programme. He agreed that legal and pastoral roles were in conflict over the settling of survivors' claims and the Church should be concentrating on the latter.

Gilo's shocking case made headlines last year – Church of England figures ignored 'sadistic' abuse of 15-year-old boy by senior priest for 40 years and 'I told so many bishops': survivor tells of system that protected priest.

As if that were not bad enough, Gilo told me that as soon as mention of legal and settlement process was made, lawyers acting on behalf of the insurer instructed Bishop Paul Butler and the Church to cut all contact with him, including emotional support or pastoral care. Gilo blames the close Church-insurer link, as does international child safeguarding expert Ian Elliott, who prepared a highly critical review of this case. Mr Elliott told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that he is convinced that there is a conflict between the insurer's advice and the responsibilities of the Church.

Teresa Cooper has spent her whole adult life campaigning bravely and relentlessly for truth and justice for the Church of England abuse victims. She has done so despite being repeatedly ignored by the Church. She has faced cover-ups and dishonest denials by a bishop and the Church as well as the county's social services department – which was run by a vicar.

It is clear from hearing her speak what a huge toll the dreadful abuse she suffered as a vulnerable youngster has exacted on her, ruining many aspects of her life. Teresa was a resident in the CofE's Kendall House home for girls in Gravesend, Kent. According to this BBC report girls, some as young as 11, "were routinely drugged, locked up and physically, emotionally and sexually abused"for decades. Some, including Ms Cooper, went "on to have children with birth defects after being forcibly given cocktails of drugs" - in her case reportedly over a thousand times.

Teresa struggled for decades to raise public awareness about Kendall House. It was not until 2007 that she was summoned to a meeting with the Church. She was required to give an account of her abuse alone and without support, having to face three men including a representative of the insurer Ecclesiastical and the then Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali. She says he "proceeded to discredit and undermine my story directly in front of the insurer. In effect, he called me a liar and said there were no drugs used at Kendall House, which was astonishing". Drugs were rampant there, as the Kendall House review later made clear.

Predictably, no compensation was forthcoming. Probably assisted by an appearance on the Today programme in 2009, she agreed an out-of-court settlement in 2010 with the Church of England - 25 years after leaving Kendall House. Despite everything she had suffered, and the Church's disgraceful record of dealing with it, including wanton cruelty, the Church characteristically refused to accept liability even for this open and shut case.

Teresa continues her search for justice. Just this month she unearthed archive footage at the British Library providing further corroborative evidence of the abusive regime at Kendall House, and reported by the BBC.

The Rev. Nicolas Stacey was an innovative Director of Social Services for Kent County Council from 1974-1985. He said, presumably referring to the services in Kent for which he was responsible, which didn't include the Church-run Kendall House: "Nobody was to go to the police about accusations against staff without my approval". He never reported staff to the police, "because I never felt that we had a serious case". ... It was "incredible the way times have changed - I could never begin to do that now". ... [It's] "terribly sad if you're sexually orientated towards children, you know". In 2005, the Rev Nicholas Stacey was awarded the Cross of St Augustine, given personally by the Archbishop of Canterbury "for outstanding service within the Church of England".

The author of the Kendall House review contacted Teresa after the BBC report describing the revelations about Stacey as "appalling".

Dr Nazir-Ali was on the Archbishops' Council and champion of traditional Christianity in Britain, but did not see fit to even mention Kendall House to his successor as Bishop of Rochester, who to his credit commissioned the Review into Kendall House which describes its own findings as "harrowing".

The most shocking aspect of the recently released independent review on historic abuse by jailed ex-bishop Peter Ball was the demonstration of the established Church's power to prevail upon all arms of the justice system to collude in shielding what they even then knew to be a renegade bishop from trial for twenty years, which also led to a suicide. It provides page upon page of evidence which shows that in so many cases the more senior the cleric, the worse their record appears to be on shielding abusers and resisting the claims of their victims. It admits that "The Church [of England], at its most senior levels and over many years, supported [perpetrator Ball who had been abusing for over forty years before being imprisoned] unwisely and displayed little care for his victims". … "The failure to pass six of the letters to police … must give rise to a perception of deliberate concealment." Richard Scorer, a specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, who represents a number of Ball's victims, added: "It's clear that senior figures concealed very serious allegations against Ball - the institution colluded with an abuser."

One of Ball's victims, Rev Graham Sawyer, told the media last year he refused to participate in the review because the "bullying and silencing" he experienced as a result of his disclosures was not included in the [review's] remit. Whether it was or not, this crucial issue was barely touched on in the review, despite representations specifically about bullying and silencing which the National Secular Society made to the chair at the outset. I have seen both a lengthy account of that bullying of Graham Sawyer over decades and seen it in action quite recently. And I know he is not alone in being bullied in this way.

And that review was just about one, albeit especially high profile, abuser with probably over a hundred victims, most of whom were abused numerous times. Let us not forget that there are many more, including a number in the pipeline.

I acknowledge and welcome new administrative structures that have been set up and more resources have been devoted to combating abuse. They are essential, but will be largely ineffective unless the culture at all levels is supportive and there is determination from the top to drive this through without fear or favour.

If only that were the case.

Gilo "attempted to alert Justin Welby on 17 occasions, both in writing and by telephone, but was persistently ignored, causing further pain and trauma". His is not an isolated case. Some examples of those highlighted last year include: Senior Anglican clergy (including Archbishop of York) accused of failing to act on rape allegations; Church of England clergyman found guilty of historical sex offences (known about by the then Bishop of Durham); and Ex-Archbishop quits over CofE child sex allegations. According to a press report last year "The police are considering an investigation into the former Archbishop of York" in connection with this.

The police involvement was likely to have been prompted by a formal investigation by Judge Sally Cahill, QC, which contained devastating criticisms of the former Archbishop of York. The current Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, has personally refused the National Secular Society's formal request to place the Cahill report online.

Similarly, the Church will release only the conclusions and recommendations of Elliott's review of Gilo's case, rather than the body of the review.

Sadly, but as we predicted, the Ball review (the official title being "The Independent Peter Ball Review") complacently concludes, despite copious evidence to the contrary, that "We have no doubt that the Church has a new and genuine commitment to meeting its responsibilities towards the victims of abuse."

Bishop Alan Wilson also warned against such all-too-convenient "that was then and this now" claims. He agreed that the Church continues to be "silencing and self-preserving", that there remains a "culture of deference and of protecting the institution".

It was striking from the Ball report that the only protection for the vulnerable (particularly the young man who committed suicide) came from brave and caring junior clergy and domestic staff, and they risked their livelihoods doing so, as the many determined to protect Ball appeared to be prepared to go to any lengths. Readers of this blog or of the Ball review could be forgiven for concluding that the higher clerics are in the hierarchy, the worse their record on abuse; and regrettably there is much evidence to support such a contention. Perhaps it is partly because they feel nothing is more important than protecting the institution. An essential ingredient is that they have the power, and believe they have the power to get away with it. That was the inescapable lesson from Ball. Sadly, I have seen nothing to suggest that such a culture has been expunged, or is even starting to be to any meaningful extent. And that is why abuse being dealt with independently is likely to be so much fairer on victims - and why this needs to be done as soon as possible.

We know from lawyers and what is already in the public domain that the standard response to abuse being uncovered is episcopal handwringing and meaningless apologies in the media. Dr Wilson generously acknowledges this. A confidential House of Bishops document rather gave the game away about the apologies. The Telegraph reported less than a year ago that the Church of England warned bishops not to apologise too fully to sex abuse victims: "Because of the possibility that statements of regret might have the unintended effect of accepting legal liability for the abuse it is important that they are approved in advance by lawyers, as well as by diocesan communications officers (and, if relevant, insurers). ... With careful drafting it should be possible to express them in terms which effectively apologise for what has happened whilst at the same time avoiding any concession of legal liability for it."

Few have become more frustrated at this double speak than Rev Graham Sawyer, a key Ball victim. He told the Church of England Newspaper in 2015, that the [then head of safeguarding] 'Bishop of Durham is out of his depth, and should step aside'. …There is a 'fundamental bankruptcy' in the Church's handling of survivor responses … the people at the highest levels of the Church are more concerned with 'saving face.' "At the moment there is no credibility at the higher levels of the Church of England," he said.

While the Church is in PR mode issuing its legally-manicured apologies, the insurers are busy accusing the victims of being liars and refusing to pay up. The result is a double win for the Church, and further humiliation and financial loss for victims. The Church looks good for apologising and, as Teresa and Gilo's research demonstrates, the Church itself benefits significantly from every penny saved from reducing or refusing compensation, however well-deserved and desperately needed it may have been.

Another well-worn tactic is episcopal (and sometimes archiepiscopal) amnesia. I have lost count of the number of times senior clerics have denied or claimed to have forgotten receiving victims' letters or phone calls of complaint. It has happened often enough to consider whether it might be an occupational ailment. Receiving an account of such horror would become indelibly etched in most people's memories. Can all these victims be making it up?

The most spectacular example I have come across occurred when in 1993 the then bishop Peter Ball was scandalously allowed by the establishment to get away with a caution. As is now admitted, and was certainly known by numerous bishops and the law, there was plenty of evidence to convict him of numerous offences. It was a brave 19-year-old Scots-born victim of Ball who told the Daily Mail (9 March 1993) "… the way Dr Carey had dealt with the incident was 'disgusting'. He said: 'I honestly can't believe the statement from the Archbishop. He's so important a man but he has forgotten the whole offence. I'm very surprised he has said that.'"

That was the first public warning sign that all was not as it should be. It took many more brave victims another 20 years to ensure justice was done. If only that cri de coeur had been listened to. History will decide whether it was the victim or Dr Carey who was telling the truth. And we may not have long to wait.

Julie MacFarlane was a victim of Anglican abuse as a youngster and later went on to become a professor of law in Canada. She wrote an excellent article in the Church Times, cataloguing the numerous illegitimate obstacles used to obstruct settlements. All-too-predictably she was "strongly discouraged - to put it mildly - from publishing" it. The concerns voiced by Gilo and Teresa – and Alan Wilson too – are given added weight by the following passage:

"It also points to a complete disconnection between the public sentiments of the Archbishop, on whose behalf the letter is written, and the actions of the litigators acting for the Church's insurers. In reality, an institutional client like the Church negotiates a policy and claims protocol with its insurer, and can ultimately control the management of claims and disputes. The problem is that the Church appears to have signed away all responsibility for relations with survivors when it agreed to the terms of its insurance policy."

Professor Macfarlane eventually received compensation, and she seemed pleased with the guiding principles that this case led EIG to adopt. These principles may be a step forward and they were welcomed by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. However, actions speak louder than words. Abuse lawyers tell me that every case continues to be fought tooth and nail, and the conflicts of interest through the massive grants and board representation at EIG persist.

The BBC programme also gave a revealing glimpse of EIG's corporate culture; presumably the "guiding principles" don't apply to TV interviews. The company's compliance director showed the company's true colours by rubbishing Ian Elliott's abuse review, despite the Church having accepted it without qualification. The thought of a victim being subjected to such tactics was chilling. And we saw the bishop charged with enforcing the Church's safeguarding procedures also wince when told of EIG's reaction.

The Rev Graham Sawyer told the media when the Ball report was released: "The Church continues to use highly aggressive legal firms to bully, frighten and discredit victims." And that was just a month ago. It does raise a disturbing question about whether the lawyers that EIG commission to interview abuse victims are enthusiastically embracing the guiding principles.

I am therefore not convinced that these new guidelines will have the claimed effect. Neither are Gilo, Teresa, or doubtless most other victims.

By any measure, the CofE has shown itself unable for decades to act with trustworthiness over abuse. It should no longer be left to mark its own homework. Bishop Alan Wilson added his voice to the growing calls, strengthened by the Ball report, for the CofE to hand over its handling of abuse accusations to an independent body. He did not mince his words: "Without an independent safeguarding authority ... I don't see how we are going to shift this mess."

He also called for mandatory reporting so that those aware of abuse in organisations but failing to report it, would be committing a criminal offence. I agree this is essential. Would it be too much to expect the Church to use its considerable clout, not to mention the Bishops' Bench, to make this vital legislative change?

I entirely agree with Dr Wilson on an independent body too, but would go one step further. I think that the settlement of claims should also be handled by an independent body.

Ian Elliott concluded similarly on the Ball report for it failing to address the critical problem of "monitoring a deviant or incompetent bishop who seeks to hide their bad practice. I recommended that there needed to be critical, independent oversight and scrutiny of the safeguarding work undertaken in dioceses."

Let's face it: the real purpose of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group is to do the Church's dirty work behind closed doors while the bishops mouth meaningless apologies to the press. It is time for the established Church to stop this charade. There is no need for an insurance company; in the medium term, premiums will broadly equal claims - and the Church is awash with money. The Church commissioners have over £6 billion of assets (as shown on page 47), and there are billions in the dioceses and cathedrals too. Compared with such sums, the level of abuse settlements is small change.

It would be an improvement if the Church settled its own claims, recouping from the insurance company any contribution they were prepared to make. Even better would be if the Church arranged some kind of settlement with the insurance company allowing the insurer to be relieved of any involvement with child abuse claims.

The ideal solution, however, would be for the completely independent body to administer both the complaints and claims. And that would be the ideal solution even without the shameless and appalling history alluded to above. So I appeal to the Church, for once, to do the right thing by its victims. And to do so urgently.

This story was updated on 17 August 2017.