Thinking Anglicans

opinion for Advent

The Archbishop of Canterbury recently participated in a public discussion with Terry Eagleton on the topic Responses to the new Atheism at Great St Mary’s, Cambridge’s university church. You can download an audio file of the conversation from the Archbishop’s website.
Andrew Brown responded to the discussion at Comment is free with Rowan and Eagleton on atheism and Rowan, selfish genes, and atheism.

There are a number of articles about the Kings James (Authorised) Version of the Bible.
Christopher Howse at The Telegraph “gets Bible fever as we mark 400 years of the Authorised Version”: The global phenomenon that will never be lost in translation.
Michael White of The Guardian writes about Church and sex: what King James and his famous Bible have to teach us.
The Guardian has an editorial: In praise of … the Authorised Version.

Rosie Harper writes for The Guardian about Hogwarts for Anglicans and asks “As a new synod member, will I be able to reconcile the dark arts of church politics and the transparency of the gospel?”

Giles Fraser’s column in this week’s Church Times is Being proud of church buildings.

Cole Moreton argues in The Guardian that The Church of England must relinquish its association with power and pomp. “Anglicans must accept they no longer deserve royal privileges but are just another group of believers.”

Christopher Howse writes in The Telegraph: In the eye of the Venetian storm. “Going to church in a tourist trap exposes the heart of prayer.”

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Simon Dawson
Simon Dawson
13 years ago

Giles Fraser writes about the cost of maintaining church buildings, but his experience is of London, wealthy Putney and the wealthy city, where massive parishes make the cash available. In rural Wiltshire that is not the case. I know of a parish nearby where about 6-12 regular worshippers struggle to maintain a listed building, and struggle with feelings of anxiety and guilt when they can’t do as well as they would like. Surely it would be better if they could let go of that costly building (costly in cash, energy and time) and perhaps set up some form of ‘church’… Read more »

evensongjunkie
evensongjunkie
13 years ago

Simon, unfortunately, your anguish over redundant churches in Wiltshire fall deaf. I would suspect (in fact I know in a place called ‘Chute’-meanwhile vehicles maintained by the military that are worth more than any church are merrily running around in nearby Tidworth) that there are million-pound estates where the locals spend more money on their horse barns than the entire parish ever did on a religious edifice. It all comes down to priorities. When I see yuppie atheists throwing money away (like I did last night in suburban Detroit) while the inner core rots, it is in reality a sad… Read more »

Erika Baker
Erika Baker
13 years ago

Is there really only the choice between abandoning ancient historic buildings or relying on 30 pensioners on a restricted income plus a fundraising committee in a small village to finance their upkeep?

Both is ludicrous but you can see why the villagers struggle.
Maybe someone can come up with something a bit more credible and sustainable?

JCF
JCF
13 years ago

I want to acknowledge Andrew Brown for writing, and Savitri Hensman for participating, here: “Rowan and Eagleton on atheism”

Per usual, the Guardian’s bog-standard anti-theists are filling the thread w/ in(s)anities like this: “You only get explanations on the basis of open, positive evidence, falsifiable hypotheses and repeated verification by experiment” [AS IF that were not ***just another religious faith-claim*** (no more or no less than, say, Joseph Smith and his Golden Tablets in Neo-Egyptian!)]

Can the anti-theists PLEASE adopt a shaved-head top-knot, or (like the aforementioned Mormons) sacred underwear, so everyone can RECOGNIZE them for their cult-like proclivities? O_o

Father Ron Smith
13 years ago

“(King) James told him: “Many a man would speak of Robin Hood, who never drew a bow.” In other words celibate clergy are not the best people to advise others on sexuality. By extension that advice could be extended beyond the Vatican to Anglican clergy and activists for whom sex seems to be as obsessive a prurient interest as it is for the mindless redtop tabloids. As Timothy West read from St Matthew, 7:1: “But let us judge not, that we be not judged.” – Michael White – This is rather an apt comment, made by Michael White in his… Read more »

evensongjunkie
evensongjunkie
13 years ago

Across the channel Erika, the government (supposedly) maintains the ecclesiastical structures, and I would reckon that the RCC has to pay some sort of “rent”. Based on my observation of the condition of the cathedral at Chartres, I’d say they’re not getting their money’s worth, as it needs a good cleaning.. Over here in ‘Uhmerka the idea of any taxpayer money going to any religion was repugnant, but with the past president’s “Faith-Based Initiatives, (Hate-Based Intiatives???!!) Federal funding does find it’s way into charitable causes, and ultimately care for buildings. It is surely not fair for a dwindling flock to… Read more »

Erika Baker
Erika Baker
13 years ago

Evensongjunkie, but this isn’t just about “ecclesiastical structures”. If it were, we could close the churches and build a modern church somewhere else. This is about maintaining historic buildings for the sake of everyone who uses them and for the sake of all those who like to see historic buildings preserved for their own sake. People who use them include twice a year Christians, people who turn out for Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals, people who come for concerts, for art exhibitions etc. They are not just your regular Sunday congregation, they are potentially anyone. Everything we do in our church… Read more »

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