Should the Church of England be Disestablished?

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

Many of today’s Sunday papers carried the story that there is a move afoot amongst some members of parliament to disestablish the Church of England. This follows a comment by the Archbishop of Canterbury last week when he said the separation of church and state would not be “the end of the world”. He has since clarified his statement by saying that he is not in favour of disestablishment.

The Church of England is unique in its links between Church and State, and whilst some of the practical implications of this relationship are now in question, such as the religious allegiance of the reigning monarch or of his/her spouse, the question of whether it is right to continue this relationship is an important one.

For my own part, I am and Anglican by choice, and a member of the Church of England because I believe that this relationship best expresses the call for Christians to be engaged with the world in which we live in a profound way. At my Ordination I took, as is required, and oath of obedience to Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, and in doing so pledged to live a Christian life which is intrinsically linked with the society in which I live and minister. I agree that I didn’t have to make a formal oath to pledge engagement with the wider world, but in doing so, the country in which I live pledges to share in my Ministry, rather than be separate from it. In forming my understanding of the Christian faith and settling into a denomination that best expresses how I see the Christian faith lived out , it was this link that prevented me from turning to Rome many years ago, or indeed any of the other denominations that I looked at.

It is true that we live in what some describe as a secular age, where many feel uncomfortable with this relationship between Church and State. It is true also that in a multi-faith society we need to learn to tolerate and respect those whose faith journey’s are different from our own, but this does not mean that we should dispense with our own identity. The greatest strength that this country has is its unique relationship with the Church of England, and the way in which this relationship holds together a diverse Church which might otherwise be fragmented and do nothing to further the Christian Gospel.

This relationship also means that the voice of faith is heard in our national life in an important way. Many have also questioned the relevance of having Bishop’s voices heard in the House of Lords. One of the main criticisms of this practice is that it allows one religious group only to have a voice. In our Archbishop , and in many of our Bishops, we have a concern not only for the Christian faith as understood by the Church of England, but a sensitivity to faith communities in general, and it is important that we allow this voice to continue to be heard and to be an influence in our nation’s life.

Jesus lived as a full member of the society in which he was a part, not separate from it, and the Church of England stands as a living example of his example and our calling. Long may it continue to do so.

Tags: Being Church, Church and state, Church of England, disestablishment, Mission, The Christian Faith
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The Challenge

Sunday, September 28th, 2008

At a recent Benefice Service, we were challenged to consider how we might better engage with the wider community. It is important for a church to focus on creating a welcoming environment for those who come through its doors, but perhaps even more important to consider how its members might become a more effective voice in the wider world. It seems to me that this is one of the most important questions affecting Christians in the 21st century….how do we engage more effectivley with the wider world and put the Church at the centre of the community ?

Tags: Being Church, Engagement
Posted in Discussing Christianity, Food for Thought | 4 Comments »

The Good Samaritan Fears Legal Action

Saturday, September 27th, 2008

There is an alarming sense of unease growing within society throughout this country when faced with the dilemma of helping a stranded child or single female, for fear of being branded a ‘paedophile’ or ’sex offender’.

On GMTV this morning, it was announced that people are no longer playing the part of the Good Samaritan for fear of possible recrimination. Is there proof for this? Well, GMTV tested this theory and placed a stranded 7 year old girl outside a row of shops on a busy road in London, with cameras discretely placed out of sight, tasked with counting the number of people who walked past whilst the little girl shouted: “Mummy, mummy!” A staggering 43 people wandered past, many of whom did not even give the girl a second glance; some even rushing forward in the hope that if they moved away quickly enough the situation would resolve itself.

It took the shop owner, whose shop the girl was standing outside, 12 minutes of observing the girl in this state to finally take the plunge and go to the young child’s aid. Being interviewed moments later by GMTV, the gentleman admitted that he initially hoped a woman would stop and help her, thinking that it would appear inappropriate (or the image perhaps being misconstrued) for a man to approach an unaccompanied child in the street, despite the fact that she was calling for her mother and was visibly distressed. It took him 12 minutes to muster the courage to step outside his shop door and approach the child. The footage recorded by GMTV spoke volumes from the visible distance he maintained from her even as he asked if she was okay and more so by the sheer number of people who walked on by and paid no attention.

What saddened me even further was the report that a two year old girl had managed to find her way out of her day-care nursery in Warwick and was left wandering the streets alone. A builder working on scaffolding on a nearby construction site observed the child wandering aimlessly but said he did not want to approach her for fear of being labelled a paedophile. The girl was allowed to walk by and disappear around the corner. Several hours later her body was discovered in a pond a short distance from where the builder was working.

If this is the future of our society, what does this say about our own concern over how others perceive our actions, as opposed to the honest and helpful nature in which they are offered? How far would you go to do the right thing when a child is stranded or calling for help?

Tags: good samaritan, helping people
Posted in Discussing Christianity, Food for Thought | 1 Comment »

What Is The Point Of Being A Christian?

Friday, September 12th, 2008

A six week course exploring the truth that Christianity points us to God will start next month, with 6 meetings scheduled in October, November and December. The discussion group will look closely at the book published by Timothy Radcliffe, entitled ‘What is the Point of Being a Christian’.

Timothy Radcliffe is in demand the world over with Bishops, priests, lay people and above all young people. In this book, Radcliffe has assembled the best of his addresses he has given over the last three years. A man with strong liberal instincts, he has held high office in the Roman Catholic Church and has a profound respect for the authority and teaching charisma of his Church. With political sympathies to the left of centre, he shows himself in this book to be passionately concerned with issues relating to the environment, globalisation and the pastoral care of the marginalised and dispossessed.

Shot through with humour, friendship and wisdom, the pages of this book outline a manner of living which is at once faithful to the teachings of Jesus and rooted in the tradition of the church and at the same time responsive to the turbulance of the modern world.

Autumn Study & Discussion Group 2008

On Mondays at 39 Bicham Road, Reepham @ 7.45-9.45pm

1. October 20th: Introduction… Hope
2. November 3rd: Freedom and Happiness
3. November 10th: Courage
4. November 17th: Truthfulness
5. November 24th: Unity of Humanity
6. December 1st: Healing and Rest

If you are interested and would like to attend, please let Sue Page know: 01603 870886. You can also email Sue for more information at: suep@reephambenefice.org.uk. Books are available through Sue at the price of £11.99 or alternatively a few copies can be borrowed through the library.

It is also hoped that as the group meets, they can comment on their thoughts about the topics and issues raised during the groups on this blog. Or, indeed, if you have a contribution to make on the subject of ‘what is the point of being a Christian’ we would welcome your contribution. If you are not from the local area, but would still like to engage, why not read the book for yourself and engage with us here with your thoughts on Timothy Radcliffe’s approach to living the Christian life in the modern world.  

Tags: christian living, courage, study group
Posted in Discussing Christianity, Food for Thought | 3 Comments »