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OCTOBER 2008
Dear Affirming Catholicism Supporter,
WELCOME
Welcome to Affirming Catholicism’s second email newsletter!
First of all, a big thank you to those of you who wrote in following our debut edition. It’s good to know that you are out there somewhere in the ether, and that whether you live somewhere in the heart of things like Cornwall (!) or on the margins in London we can still be in touch.
Could I make three small requests of you please?
1) Please forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested to receive it.
2) If you know someone in that category who does not regularly use email, please print it off and give it to them.
3) If you have received this because someone has forwarded it to you, please consider becoming a supporter yourself. It’s easy to do this on our website www.affirmingcatholicism.org.uk. In doing this, you will receive regular news and updates; your financial contribution will help us to do more and to do it even better; and you will be one more voice calling for a generous and open Catholic future for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.
As ever it would be very good to hear back from you, and to receive your contributions for future newsletters, so that we can continue to encourage one another. Please send comments, questions, articles etc. to perran@perrangay.com.
With very best wishes for an Affirming Catholic future!
Perran Gay
Canon Precentor and Head of Worship at Truro Cathedral, Affirming Catholicism Supporter Liaison Trustee
PS I came across this Indian proverb the other day
‘A candle is a protest at midnight:
It is a non-conformist;
It says to the darkness ‘I beg to differ’.’
Perhaps Affirming Catholicism is called to be that candle in today’s Church?
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Meet the Team: our Chair Jonathan Clark
A Catholic Anglican Future – a book and a symposium
Publications
Out and about: in Derby
Parish Placements
Catholic Fresh Expressions
Affirming Catholicism and the Archbishop of Canterbury
MEET THE TEAM
Last time I promised to introduce to you some of those working on behalf of our movement as Directors of Affirming Catholicism. We are very lucky to have as our Chair the Reverend Jonathan Clark, who is nothing like the figure with the megaphone, and who writes this about himself:
It tells you something about me that I’m finding it really difficult to write this introduction to myself. I don’t think it’s because I’m unnaturally shy, or spectacularly humble: but I do find it pretty uncomfortable. But here goes anyway …
I’m still surprised to find that I’m 47, though my children keep on reminding me that I’m definitely in a senior generation: and since the younger one does his A levels this summer I suppose that’s fair enough. I was ordained deacon in 1988, having done my ordination training at that well known hotbed of Anglican Catholicism, Trinity College Bristol. Those of you who know what that means will realise that I came from an evangelical background: the church in which I grew up is a bastion of conservative evangelicalism. It was in fact during my training that I first encountered the Catholic tradition in the Church of England, and it was love at first sight. It took a while for me to really work my way into it – after all, I did have quite a long way to travel – but by the time I arrived in the diocese of London (in 1997) I was very sure that it was my home.
I have worked in university chaplaincy (twice) and in theological education, and eventually succumbed to the lure of parish ministry in 2003. I’m now rector of St Mary’s Stoke Newington, and priest-in-charge of the neighbouring parish of St John, Brownswood Park, in the ‘posh’ end of Hackney, in North London. It’s a wonderfully multi-cultural and multi-faith neighbourhood, and a great place to live.
I’ve just finished a three year stint as Rector General of the Society of Catholic Priests, Affirming Catholicism’s sister society for clergy; I am honoured to be asked to take on chairing AC’s Board as we start to reap the fruits of the work done by Nerissa, Barry and Richard (most recently), and by so many others who have maintained the belief and hope in a renewed and joyful Catholic tradition, affirming the Church as it discerns the gospel’s message of inclusiveness and challenging it to remain faithful to its Catholic nature.
Jonathan Clark
Chair
A CATHOLIC ANGLICAN FUTURE – A BOOK AND A SYMPOSIUM
A book…
If you’d like to read more about Jonathan’s life and faith, and his vision for the future of his Church, it just so happens that his book ‘The Republic of Heaven – A Catholic Anglican Future’ has now found its way on to the shelves of good bookshops everywhere.
Double - click on the box above to open a flyer for Jonathan’s book!
As a dutiful member of Affirming Catholicism, I read Jonathan’s book as soon as it came out, and I would warmly recommend it to others. Although it doesn’t refer to our movement by name, it is perhaps the first time that anyone has tried to develop our thinking in a publication of well over a hundred pages.
One of the book’s particular strengths is the way in which it moves seamlessly from autobiography to theology to church politics and back again. Jonathan is not afraid to describe his underlying theological method, but he does so in an engaging way, full of anecdote and personal example, that will commend itself to those who for whom ‘metanarratives’ and ‘kenosis’ are unfamiliar and puzzling terms. It is a vision deeply grounded in the reality of parochial life, and very suitable for the general reader who wants to know something of what Affirming Catholicism is all about. Priesthood, worship, politics, sexuality – each is addressed as part of a coherent vision for the Church today and tomorrow, that seeks to be truly open and truly Catholic.
To take Jonathan’s description of priesthood as one example: are priests given authority by the community that calls them, or is something objective given to them in ordination so that they represent the ministry of Jesus in a special way? That has been the classic debate within Anglicanism, and in much of the ecumenical discussions of the later twentieth century. Jonathan articulates a vision of priesthood which transcends both of these positions, and offers instead a theology of the priest as a sign of the Church’s calling to live on the borders of the holy, ‘to make the things of the unknowable God known, especially though the ministry of the sacraments’. And he sees those sacraments not as being ‘points of control’, or ‘numbering the ways in which God is at work’, but as ‘pointers towards the sacramentality of all things.’
Traditional Catholics may find much of Jonathan’s writing dangerously liberal. Those on the liberal wing may question why he persists in arguing for a Catholic understanding of theology and life. That suggests to me as an Affirming Catholic that he must be on the right lines! I hope that many clergy will read this book and continue to articulate this generous and challenging vision in their own theological thinking and their pastoral practice. And I hope that it may become a treasured resource for the future of our movement and our church.
Perran Gay
(If you’d like a signed copy, then see below!)
…and a symposium
"Affirming the way ahead: Anglo-Catholicism and the future"
A day symposium to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the beginning of the Oxford Movement to include the launch of Jonathan Clark’s new book The Republic of Heaven (SPCK)
with Jonathan Clark (Rector of Stoke Newington
and Chair of Affirming Catholicism),
Mark Chapman (Reader in Modern Theology, University of Oxford
and Vice-Principal, Ripon College Cuddesdon),
Andrew Davison (Tutor in Doctrine, St Stephen’s House, Oxford).
Day Chair: Dr Charlotte Methuen (Lecturer in Ecclesiastical History,
University of Oxford).
Saturday 25th October 2008
10.30am – 4pm
St Mary le Bow Church, Cheapside, EC2V 6AU
Registration £10 to include tea and coffee.
Please bring packed lunch or buy lunch nearby
Contact: Mrs Lisa Martell, Administrator
Affirming Catholicism - Tel: 020 7222 5166
Email: administrator@affirmingcatholicism.org.uk
PUBLICATIONS
While we hope you’ll all buy Jonathan’s book, I’d like to remind you about our recent Affirming Catholicism publications, and give you some helpful shortcuts to Amazon should you wish to purchase them!
Living the Magnificat – the most recent Affirming Catholicism Conference
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Magnificat-Affirming-Catholicism-Broken/dp/190628606X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223290554&sr=1-1
The Anglican Covenant
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglican-Covenant-Mark-Chapman/dp/0567032531/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223290634&sr=1-1
Women as Bishops
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Bishops-Affirming-Catholicism/dp/0567032248/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223290666&sr=1-1
It remains a key priority for us to produce well-argued books and publications to continue to argue for an Affirming Catholic future for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.
OUT AND ABOUT…IN DERBY
While a lot of this newsletter is about what’s happening at national level, the work of our local groups remains as important as ever. Here’s an encouraging report from the Derby group.
Bridge Chapel Service
45 people managed to fit into the medieval Chapel of St Mary on the Bridge, Derby on the 11th September to hear the Bishop of Repton, the Rt Revd Humphrey Southern preach to members and supporters of Derby Diocese Affirming Catholicism.
As it happened, the readings on peace turned out to be appropriate to the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the twin towers, and also relevant to our desire for peace in our Church and Communion
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” John 14
Cheese and wine was then enjoyed in the adjoining priest’s house, where we met old friends and made new ones. A good time was had by all, a collection taken, and an impressive turnout for a Diocesan organization heartened the organisers. This was made greater, when we just confirmed the Bishop of Lincoln as next year’s celebrant and preacher at our Diocesan Sung Eucharist.
I hope all Diocesan groups can achieve something like this, a Sung Eucharist in one of our member’s churches. It is not that difficult to arrange, but brings good results, like selling books and recruiting members, and creating a feeling of solidarity for those of us who have been in Aff Cath for a while
Paul Hygate,
Derby Diocese Affirming Catholicism Convenor
Please let me have stories of what’s going on from other diocesan groups so that we can continue to share good practice and publicise events more widely.
And talking of good practice…..
PARISH PLACEMENTS
The Society of Catholic Priests has a small amount of funds to support potential ordinands in going on placement to parishes in which they could gain a greater understanding of our tradition within the church. But before they can allocate grants, they need to have a good list of potential placement parishes, and so far there have been only a small number of volunteers. If you think your parish might be a good one, or you know another one that might be, please do pass the information on. (If you’re not the parish priest, it might be a good idea to have a word with her or him first.)
Jonathan Clark
CATHOLIC FRESH EXPRESSIONS
Last month we brought you news of an exciting day happening in Coventry on 8th December on forming fresh expressions of the Church in a sacramental and contemplative tradition. You can find the brochure and booking form attached by double clicking on the boxes below.
People can book either by post (Fresh Expressions, 15 Fyfield Road, Oxford, OX2 6QE) or online at www.freshexpressions.org.uk.
Jonathan Clark writes, ‘We are sponsoring this event, because it reflects our vocation to share in God’s mission to the world - and to do so in a way which reflects a catholic way of praying and being church. To join with others on a day of pilgrimage, and especially with the Archbishop of Canterbury, is a great way to renew us in our commitment to understanding and sharing in God’s mission.’
We warmly encourage all members of Affirming Catholicism to support this important national event.
Toby Wright
Vicar of S. John Chrysostom, Peckham
Area Dean of Camberwell
Board of Affirming Catholicism – Parish Development and Mission
AFFIRMING CATHOLICISM AND THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
Many of you will know that Archbishop Rowan made a significant contribution to Affirming Catholicism in its early years, as a member of its Executive team and through his many contributions to events. We are delighted that he has agreed to lead a major day event for us.
Full details will be available later, but the date has been fixed as 20th July 2009 at a venue in the Bristol area. Members of the Board will be working closely with our local group in Bristol to arrange an exciting day’s programme with Archbishop Rowan. In the meantime, put the date in your diaries……
Registered Charity, No 1122906, Registered Company No 6434273
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