Anglican conservatives meet in Rwanda amid rift over LGBTQ
Kigali, Rwanda AP Hundreds of Anglican conservative leaders from 52 countries are meeting in Rwanda amid a rift over support within the church for same-sex unions. The conference in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, has been convened under the auspices of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, or GAFCON, a group formed in 2008 that advocates […]
International designers respond to calls for a new reliquary to house the remains of Kentish saint
Norwich, UK Canadian, American and British designers have responded to an appeal to design a new reliquary to house the relics of St Eanswythe, the earliest verified remains of an English saint. The Church of England parish Church of St Mary and St Eanswythe in Folkestone, Kent, made the appeal after the lead container which houses the bones […]
UK cathedrals seek to expand choral tradition’s appeal
Norwich, UK UK cathedrals are seeking to make the British choral tradition more widely available by extending opportunities for children in state schools to engage with music through the National Schools Singing Programme. “First-class choral tuition has often been only the privilege of pupils at private choir schools, not children in state schools,” explained Callum […]
My Mission: Finding faith among the UK’s peaks
ANGELA YOUNGMAN reports on the ‘Mountain Pilgrims’ initiative…
Some Anglican bishops reject leader Welby over gay marriage
London, UKAP Several Anglican bishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific said Monday that they no longer recognize Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as their leader, deepening a rift within the global Anglican Communion over gay marriage. Some bishops who belong to the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches said they no longer consider Welby […]
“We cannot walk with you unless you repent,” African archbishops tell Church of England
Nairobi, Kenya RNS Conservative Anglican archbishops in Africa are challenging a decision by the Church of England to allow clergy to bless same sex couples’ marriages, warning that the move puts the worldwide Anglican Communion in further jeopardy. The leaders are reacting to the 9th February vote at the Church of England’s General Synod to permit the […]
Church of England allows blessings for same-sex couples
London, UKAP The Church of England’s national assembly on Thursday voted to let priests bless same-sex marriages and civil partnerships, while continuing to ban church weddings for the same couples. Bishops proposed the compromise measure after five years of discussions about the church’s position on sexuality. It was approved by the church’s General Synod, which […]
Church of England explores gender neutral God
London, UKReuters The Church of England will look into the use of gender neutral terms to refer to God in prayers, but the centuries-old institution said on Wednesday there were no plans to abolish current services. The issue reflects growing global awareness about the assumed usage of pronouns causing offence or upset to those who […]
Church of England sheds light on “shameful” slave trade ties
London, UKAP Three centuries ago, an enslaved person in Virginia wrote to a leader of the Church of England, begging to be released from “this cruel bondage.” There was no reply from the church, which at the time was accumulating a tidy profit from the transatlantic slave trade. The handwritten letter from 1723 – whose […]
Church of England apologises to LGBTQI+ people for ‘shameful’ treatment
London, UK Reuters Church of England bishops apologised to LGBTQI+ people on Friday for the rejection and hostility they have faced, with the Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledging that the religious body was still “very divided” on the subject. The apology comes days after the Church of England set out proposals developed by the bishops that showed it would refuse to allow same-sex […]