Angela Tilby ponders the replacement of altars and cassocks by smiley men in suits. Richard Hooker, the Church of England’s greatest theologian, whose Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity was forged in the fire of pulpit battles with the Puritan Walter Travers at the Temple Church in London. Hooker realised that those who claimed that the Holy Spirit gave them “freedom” from law, order, and liturgy were deceiving themselves.
William Sitwell questions the Church’s rules which makes vicars retire at 70 if they don’t want to. As Job puts it (12.12 King James Version, 1611, ): “With the ancient…
How can the experiences of various deaneries differ so significantly? Read original article here
“I carried on drawing. Slowly, I was noticing the world and finding the beauty in it – not seeing the beauty but actively finding it. A lot of that beauty…
“One of the greatest joys and strengths of our Church of England is its parish structure- we have a presence in every single place. What a mission opportunity this is. Like the Head of our Church, the Queen herself, our Church serves the whole nation. As we celebrate her 70-year reign, I wonder what will be left of our Parish system in another 70 years without many more of us stepping up to fight for it.”
David Lamming points out, the Patronage (Benefice) Measure of 1986 which allows bishops to start looking for a new priest before a priest leaves his post. Read original document here
Quarter of churches no longer holding regular weekly services. Congregations in large benefices will not travel far to attend church even if they knew where and when services were being…