The Church of England Synod meeting in November unanimously endorsed the Jubilee 2000 campaign. This is a campaign to persuade the world's banks and governments to remit the unpayable debts of 40 of the world's poorest countries in recognition of the millennium. The campaign was launched by a group of Christians who work closely with the British agencies Christian Aid, CAFOD, and Tear Fund.

Earlier in the month the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, joined forces with the Archbishop of Central Africa to urge Western nations to lift the burden of Mozambique's debt. Mozambique, after Rwanda, is the poorest country in the world. Dr Carey said that the episcopal appeal should not be seen as "softening the ground" for a move towards remitting all Third World debt in the year 2000. "Mozambique's problem is now," he said.

The Synod also discussed a wide-ranging agenda. It took note of a report on clergy disciple entitled Under Authority and gave qualified approval to its recommendations and asked for draft legislation. The report commends a tribunal system to replace the 900-year old consistory courts for clergy discipline. The tribunals would deal with nearly all disciplinary complaints against clergy and would probably operate behind closed doors. Most speakers during the debate agreed that the existing system was costly to the Church. The Synod however voted in favour of an amendment removing questions of theology from the tribunal's sphere of competence.

Following the Synod meeting it may be possible to admit many more children to communion before confirmation as soon as the House of Bishops has ratified its guidelines on the subject, and individual diocesan bishops have made it general policy in their dioceses. The same will apply to unconfirmed adults but all must be baptised first. The tradition of baptism, confirmation, communion will remain the norm in the Church of England, and the intention is that all Church members will eventually be baptised and confirmed but the guidelines allow for baptised children and adults to receive communion before confirmation. This has been recommended because of the appropriateness of families sharing the sacrament together.

Approval of the Porvoo Agreement was given in at Act of Synod. The Primates of all the Churches, who were to sign the agreement later at a service in Westminster Abbey, sat in on the debate as guests. Under the agreement, the Anglican Churches in Britain and Ireland and the Lutheran Churches in the Nordic and Baltic countries of Europe, have agreed to interchangeable ministries and full Eucharistic communion.

The Synod was addressed by Bishop James Ottley, the Anglican Observer at the United Nations. Bishop Ottley spoke of the work of the Anglican UN office and spoke about its particular concern for the banning of anti-personnel landmines.