Church of England

The Anglican Communion has deep differences over homosexuality – but a process of dialogue, known as ‘via media,’ has helped hold contradictory beliefs together

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

In the past six months, hundreds of congregations voted to leave the United Methodist Church over same-sex marriage and whether LGBTQ+ people should be clergy.

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In the past six months, hundreds of congregations voted to leave the United Methodist Church over same-sex marriage and whether LGBTQ+ people should be clergy.
With over 80 million believers in 160 countries, the Anglican Communion has been grappling with LGBTQ+ issues since the 1970s.
It is a long-standing process for navigating disputes called the “via media,” or middle way, which has thus far succeeded in holding together people with contradictory beliefs.

Controversies in the Anglican Communion

For decades, diverging points of view over homosexuality and rumors of schism have both confused and polarized believers in the global Anglican Communion.
This is part of a larger struggle within the Anglican Communion to renegotiate imbalances of power and authority left over from the colonial era of the British Empire.
In the 21st century, these churches still have most of the money in the Anglican Communion, but congregational numbers are dwindling.
That is the orthodox Anglican position.” Views like these carry great weight in the Anglican Communion, even today.

But they remain within the Anglican Communion.
The Episcopal Church in the U.S. has ordained openly gay bishops – most controversially Gene Robinson, former Bishop of New Hampshire, in 2003.
In 2016, the primates – the most senior leaders of the Anglican Communion – voted to suspend the Episcopal Church from decision-making on Anglican governance and policy for three years.

The via media

Despite such heated conflicts, the Anglican Communion holds together through the via media.
Via media was first mentioned by English reformers who broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.
It is this Church of England that eventually spread globally with the British Empire to become the Anglican Communion.
In the 19th century, via media became a way of thinking about internal, rather than external, challenges, such as resolving debates over how to interpret scripture.

Holding together

It is this understanding of via media, I argue, that is holding the Anglican Communion together thus far.
Instead, it seeks to include people with deeply held but contrary beliefs within the same church through common worship and life.
The Church of England, for example, made plans for negotiations between people holding differing viewpoints before the Synod meets again in July 2024.

Lisa McClain is affiliated with her local Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Idaho. She is a professor of Gender Studies and a member of the international think tank The Inclusion Crowd as a gender expert.

What a new plan to save the UK’s churches says about their purpose in society

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Wednesday, February 7, 2024

The National Churches Trust has launched a campaign to save the UK’s historic churches.

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The National Churches Trust has launched a campaign to save the UK’s historic churches.
Church communities and other heritage organisations have lauded this push to highlight the significance of places of worship within British heritage.

The state of the UK’s churches

It lists 4,871 historic buildings and sites in England at risk from disrepair or inappropriate changes.
Cadw, the Welsh government’s historic environment service, reports that 10% of listed places of worship in Wales are vulnerable.
Many churches are at risk of closure due to structural problems far beyond the capacity of local congregations to fix.
Unlike some European countries, the UK government does not provide regular funding to churches for repairs.

Between 1995 and 2017, the National Lottery Heritage Fund granted £970 million to places of worship across the UK.
It is currently distributing a further £1.9 million through the National Churches Trust.
Research has shown this can be a way to bring life back to under-used churches, particularly rural ones.

What is a church for?

However, expanding the use of a church can also be incompatible with the religious beliefs of the faith community to which it belongs.
For such groups, the sacred nature of their places of worship must be maintained.
Under Roman Catholic Canon Law, the entire church building is considered sacred due to the presence of the Blessed Sacrament within it.

Further, historic churches would not exist today without the continuing faith and practice of worshipping communities.
Other countries recognise people’s rituals, beliefs and traditions as part of what Unesco defines as “intangible cultural heritage”.
Church buildings should be prized – and protected – for the vibrant living traditions of Britain’s diverse religious communities, as well as what they tell us about our past.

The research for this article is funded by the British Academy through the Innovation Fellowship scheme. It is a formal research partnership with the Catholic Bishop's Conference of England and Wales. The project maintains research integrity and standards via University of Reading research processes.

Collective for Equality aims at Shaping a Unified Vision for Workplace Gender Equality Advocacy

Retrieved on:

Monday, December 18, 2023

Male, Environment, Woman, Organization, Workplace, Church of England, Nursing

Collective for Equality (CofE) embodies a profound commitment to inclusivity, going beyond gender-specific boundaries to engage a diverse spectrum of professionals and organizations dedicated to advancing workplace equality.

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Collective for Equality (CofE) embodies a profound commitment to inclusivity, going beyond gender-specific boundaries to engage a diverse spectrum of professionals and organizations dedicated to advancing workplace equality.
"At Collective for Equality, our vision is rooted in the belief that progress stems from unity," remarked Vishwesh Iyer, Founder at Collective for Equality.
Collective for Equality is poised to become a pivotal hub for collaborative endeavours, uniting individuals and organizations committed to propelling workplace equality.
The transition from Women Icons Network to Collective for Equality signifies more than a mere rebrand?it's a declaration of a collective commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and a unified vision for realizing workplace gender equality.

KNOT Offshore Partners LP Announces Appointment of New CEO/CFO

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Friday, August 4, 2023

Energy, Other Energy, Oil, Gas, Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers, University of Oxford, UBS, The Crane Group Companies, Mathematics, KNOT, Partnership, NYSE, KNOP, Church of England, Management, Security (finance)

Mr. Lowe will join the Partnership from Telford Offshore, a provider of accommodation, construction and pipelay in the global offshore energy services industry.

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Mr. Lowe will join the Partnership from Telford Offshore, a provider of accommodation, construction and pipelay in the global offshore energy services industry.
He has served as the Group Company Secretary of Telford Offshore since its formation in 2018, having provided consultancy services to its predecessor since 2015.
He worked from 2011 to 2015 for the debt capital markets group of Pareto Securities, and from 1994 to 2010 for the equity capital markets group of UBS.
Mr. Lowe holds a degree in Mathematics from Oxford University and is an experienced charity trustee with interests in national level sport and the local Church of England.

How King Charles's coronation will reflect his desire to be defender of all faiths

Retrieved on:

Friday, May 5, 2023

For decades, royal observers have speculated about the shape the coronation might take in an age of greater devolution, religious pluralism and increased secularisation.

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For decades, royal observers have speculated about the shape the coronation might take in an age of greater devolution, religious pluralism and increased secularisation.
Contrary to some proposals for its reform or even its replacement by a civil ceremony, the new coronation liturgy remains a Church of England service.
This piece is part of our coverage of King Charles III’s coronation.
The first coronation of a British monarch since 1953 comes at a time of reckoning for the monarchy, the royal family and the Commonwealth.
The most striking difference from the 1953 coronation service is the participation by members of non-Christian faiths.

Coronation for a modern audience

For the modern and global audience of millions expected to watch the ceremony, many of the ancient elements of the coronation will need to be explained.
Not just the meanings of seemingly archaic words, actions and regalia, but also their intended symbolism and relevance for contemporary society.
All this explains the re-styled coronation of King Charles III.

Ecclesiastical Committee to consider draft Channel Islands Measure

Retrieved on:

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Christianity, Christian denominational families, Anglicanism, Church of England, Lords Spiritual, Tim Thornton, General Synod of the Church of England, Synod, GUERNSEY

On Friday 19 June 2020, the Ecclesiastical Committee will consider the draft Channel Islands Measure 2020, presented by the Legislative Committee of the General Synod of the Church of England.

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On Friday 19 June 2020, the Ecclesiastical Committee will consider the draft Channel Islands Measure 2020, presented by the Legislative Committee of the General Synod of the Church of England.
The following representatives of the General Synod will assist the Committee:
The Right Reverend Timothy Thornton, Bishop at Lambeth
The Very Reverend Timothy Barker, Dean of Guernsey

Ecclesiastical Committee to consider draft Channel Islands Measure

Retrieved on:

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Christianity, Christian denominational families, Anglicanism, Church of England, Lords Spiritual, Tim Thornton, General Synod of the Church of England, Synod, GUERNSEY

On Friday 19 June 2020, the Ecclesiastical Committee will consider the draft Channel Islands Measure 2020, presented by the Legislative Committee of the General Synod of the Church of England.

Key Points: