General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Rev’d Andrew Burrell MA, MSc - Standing for General Synod
House of Clergy – Seeking to Represent the Diocese of Carlisle

Core Convictions

I hold two core convictions that shape my understanding
of the Church and would guide my contribution if elected
to General Synod. If elected to General Synod, I would
seek to apply these convictions to shape how I listen,
speak, discern and serve.

A broad and generous Church
I passionately believe in the breadth of the Church of
England. I see that breadth as a strength, not a weakness:
a sign to the world that the Church can hold together
many ways of understanding, worshipping God, and living
out God’s love. For me, this reflects the spirit of 1
Corinthians 12, where Paul describes the many parts of
the one body.

A life shaped by love
The second conviction is the call to love the Lord our God
with every fibre of our being, and to love our neighbour as
ourselves, following the model of Christ’s love for us.

Key Priorities

 Working towards how the Church can respond to
the world with love, reflecting the ultimate and
foundational image of God present across
humanity – demonstrating how we are called to
journey together
 Supporting how the Church can function faithfully
and sustainably in rural communities, especially
where several communities are held together
within one benefice
 In my role as a Priest I work to ensuring that the
church better understands and supports the
concept of cure of souls – from leading Occasional
Offices to youth work and beyond
 To better understand how the church can respond
to and influence the huge technological advances
we face

Current Roles - In the Diocese of Carlisle

• Priest-in-Charge - Heart of Eden
Benefice.
• Anglican Chaplain to Appleby Horse
Fair.
• Serve on the Bishop’s working group
considering the future shape of the
diocese in regard to the LGBTQ+
community.
• Member Diocesan Racial Justice Group
• Member of Inclusive Church
• Deanery & Diocesan Synod
• Director for Restore
• Treasurer to Cumbria Engaging
Theology
• Treasurer for the Carlisle Chapter of
Society of Catholic Priests

Unity, Diversity and Rural Ministry

Unity without uniformity
I am saddened when the Church affirms that each person is made
uniquely in the image of God, yet then acts as though everyone must
conform. Even to the extreme of pushing groups out of God’s out of
Church.

Unity is not the same as uniformity. Unity enables us to stand together while honouring our differences;
uniformity demands that everyone think, speak and act alike. As the Church, we are called to challenge
the world’s assumptions and dismantle the barriers people build around gender, neurodiversity and
essentially what it means to be fully human. Always seeking the image of God within one another.

The witness of rural churches
Rural churches offer a distinctive model of what it means to live as the Church and to serve small
communities faithfully. As both a priest and someone who grew up in the rural community where I now
minister, I understand deeply the continuing importance of the Church in rural life. This role of the local
church must always have at its heart the unity that God calls us to in the Church’s Mission

That calling requires us both to honour the traditions that give communities their shape and identity,
and yet to encourage the transformation needed for the Church to remain faithful, to the Love of God.

Experience and Formation

My experience of the Church is broad from a rural
Cumbrian Church to large London churches. Deeply
Passionate about working ecumenically, as an
Anglican and Roman Catholic with many
demonisations. I am rooted in Word and Sacrament,
both fundamental to my understanding of Church.

My journey began in the Church of England at the
age of ten, when I joined my local choir in Applby.
Then, as a young person I served on a PCC, Deanery
Synod, and represented the Church of England for
an international pre-Lambeth youth conference.

At twenty-five, I became a Roman Catholic driven by
the spiritual and sacramental side of the Roman
Cathcolic Church. I explored a vocation to
priesthood, before recognising that this was not
where God was calling me. Four years ago, I was
ordained a priest in the Anglican Church.
Professional, Academic and Personal
Background

Alongside ministry, I bring professional and
academic experience from retail and
international banking, with 21 years working
internationally for a US corporation, mainly in
data analytics.

For 1 year I lived in France in a L’Arche
community, which helped shape my
understanding of Christian community,
vulnerability and shared life.

I hold an MA in Theology of Religion from
Heythrop College, University of London, and an
MSc in Digital Transformation from the University
of Hull.

Outside formal ministry, I enjoy walking with my
dogs, swimming and cycling, and I value the
grounding that comes from everyday life,
friendship and community.

I want my Synod participation to focus on the Church as a journey: towards God’s kingdom, through
change and challenge, and together in God’s loving presence in a world that urgently needs it.

Old Covenant

God making us in God’s image.
Gen1:26
God promising to offer the
covenant to the world through his
chosen people. Gen 22:17
God’s desire to bring light
(understanding and kindness) to
the world. Isaiah 42:16

New Covenant

Showing us how to love. 13:34-
1.

That love is the core of who we
are and how we act 1 John 4:16
That we are to go out into the
world to take God’s love out to
the world. Matt 28:19

benefice,catholic,inclusive,inclusive church,justice,lgbtq,mission,neurodiversity,pcc,racial justice,roman catholic,rural communities,sacrament,sacramental,witness,youth,youth work