I feel the need to call a time out!The fallout from General Synod seems to have raised emotions and the comments on this blog are beginning to descend into personal attack and vitriol. Perhaps it will help if I state clearly what this blog is all about.

This blog exists for three purposes. Firstly it is a parish blog that exists to reflect the life, theology and news of Saint Barnabas’ parish in Tunbridge Wells. You will therefore find reports from parish and school and updates about many aspects of our parochial life.

Secondly it is my personal blog and for this reason I seek to share something of myself. You can expect anything then from holiday snaps to moments of fun. What is a vocie of faith if not rooted in a living individual? I want to put a human face to what is expressed here in regards to my faith and understanding. And being fallible I may get things wrong from time to time. And being human it will probably hurt if your words are intended to wound. For my part I apologise if I have ever said hurtful things in the heat of debate.

Finally it is a blog that seeks to reflect the views of English Anglo-Catholics at this extraordinary and unprecedented time. Unsurprisingly it is a choatic time and not everything can be black and white regarding our position and views amidst such upheaval. In all truth we find ourselves in a period of discernment and though we feel very excited regarding the offer of an Ordinariate from Rome, it is not easy to uproot from the church of your birth and no final decisions have been made yet. And even if these decisions were made we cannot yet join what does not exist. So please be patient with our need for time.

If you profoundly disagree with orthodox Anglo-Catholicism understand that you are nevertheless welcome. But only if your desire is for honest, good natured debate and not for baiting, mocking or outright attack. The gentle tone found in the comments of Erikka Baker and John are to be welcomed. But any comment lacking in love and generosity will be scrubbed from now on. You have been warned!

We who claim the name of Christian must exhibit love, patience and understanding and I have no interest in hosting unpleasant bickering between warring factions anymore. Liberal Anglicans have much to celebrate at present and I urge them to do so and be magnanimous in victory. We traditionalists must not become bitter or maudling but must ask where God may be calling us. Let us each pray for the other in these difficult days and pledge to unite and not to divide.

I end with a moving email I was sent last week. It is messages like these which make me keep going…

We first wrote to you in March from XXX with our praise and gratitude for the leadership, common sense and hope that your daily blog is giving – not only to the community in Tunbridge Wells, but also much wider a field. We feel compelled to remind you again. We read you words daily, share them with others and genuinely take great understanding and hope from your views and interpretation of the chaos.

The decision became easy in the end, the RC community in XXX have been wonderful and we are genuinely excited by a vibrant and large community of faithful here of every age from 0 to 90! Once the decision is made, you cannot believe the freedom, happiness and hope for the future that prevails. In honesty, we no longer feel frustrated or bewildered by the goings on in Synod and the remaining bickering, criticism, accusations on the many blogs, radio and TV shows, media, etc. It suddenly becomes unimportant and we can focus on worship again.

Perhaps this couple have made the journey required of all Anglo-Catholics who want a future of joy? Perhaps not? But I do thank God that this blog helped people remain close to Jesus and fulfilled in their faith. My prayer is that each one of us is enabled to do that and does not hinder others who might seek the same but with a different understanding. Once again my despair was not that Synod desires to consecrate women but that it seeks to remove provision from traditionalists. A decision which divides and does not unite.

If I had a pound for every person, mostly ordained, who confide that they are secretly disturbed by the liberal drift within Anglicanism and question the decisions of recent years then I would be a wealthy man. I must say that these people perplex me! They claim not to want a church in which Anglo-Catholics are driven out nor a church that abandons its teaching on marriage and they even claim to have doubts about the wisdom of ordaining practising homosexuals and have niggling fears that the ordination of women was a mistake and yet….they do nothing to stem the very drift that troubles them?!!

Where are the many Evangelicals who once preached so stridently? It seems most who were fashionably orthodox in the eighties are turning into ‘open evangelicals’ today- another way of saying evangelical in the bits that are not contentious. A liberal dressed in blue then. And where are the many Catholics who claimed to stand up for Jesus so vehemently? It seems they are turning into ‘affirming Catholics’ another way of saying ‘Catholic’ in flavour but not beleif. A liberal dressed in black. Many of these people would balk at such a suggestion and claim to be orthodox but the apathy they demonstrate speaks louder than words. They do precisely nothing whilst Anglicanism collapses and then get irate at those who speak the truth in love.

Yes these people claiming to be Evangelical or Catholic get quite cross when you mention the Ordinariate. They are indignant and dismayed. how could you possibly do this? It is as though you are meant to stay and fight on their behalf (because they secretly admire you) but without their protection or help. Ambition or the love of comfort or the fear of conflict or the fear of what others might think results in the situation whereby they will never stand up and be counted themselves nor lift a finger to aid the cause you advance.

Last year I stood up and asked the members of my deanery Synod what they could do to help Anglo-Catholics following the General Synod of July 2008. I was quite emotional and made it clear that if the deanery wanted S. Barnabas to thrive then it they had a part to play in securing our future. Many people came up to me afterwards and assured me of their prayers and good wishes. How they wrung their hands as they stressed the desire that S. Barnabas’ should flourish. They all privately offered me a sympathetic ear….but then they did nothing. It seems they only wanted S. Barnabas’ to flourish so long as they were not seen to defend its position. The result was our increasing isolation and my increasing scepticism of the sincerity being shown. Up and down the land that situation will be replicated. It will be no good for such people to weep when Anglo-Catholicism collapses and the breadth of the church is weakened for such people were complicit in its demise.

Later that year the Pope made his historic offer and did what other Anglicans have consistently failed to do- he offered us a dignified future. It is now too late for the long term survival of Anglo-Catholicism in my opinion (and with the offer from Rome that might be God’s intention) but if the remaining believers in the Church of England who claim to be orthodox want a diverse institution in the future, one which is equipped to preach the Gospel, then they must learn to fight and not just hide in the comfort of their homes. To emphasise this I would point out that the strident liberalism so changing the Church of England in our day is not really owned by the majoirty of its members just a loud minority who have jostled to positions of power. Bad things happen when good people do nothing.

So if you are somebody who occupies the central ground in the Church of England and is concerned at the direction it is heading in allow me to challenge you. What have YOU done to help Anglo-Catholics in the last ten years? What have YOU done to speak out for the Gospel? What have YOU done to challenge the Colin Slees of this world? What did YOU do when priests taught heresy and got away with it? If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you? How would you look different to the liberal leaning neighbour who does not go to church?

Over the last few weeks my mind keeps returning to one of Jesus’ most famous parables- the one about two houses, one built on sand and the other on rock. Am I alone in thinking that so many of the problems now besetting the battered and crumbling Church of England stem from its very foundation? For we are, at root, a Church built on political expediency by Henry VIII in order to gain control over English faith whilst sanctioning an errant marriage. For all that was healthy about what later emerged – and there was much which was healthy- the underlying premise meant we were never fully reformed to create a strong protestant faith nor fully Catholic to grant us the protection of a magisterium and clearly defined set of doctrines.

We were built on a shaky foundation then and this legacy comes back to haunt us in the modern era. Which leads me to picture the dear old C of E as a beautiful mansion built on sand, some rooms still regal and impressive, but with its outer walls crumbling fast. And as the 21st Century unfolds the whole thing is in danger of collapse because it is simply not firm enough to withstand the battering of secularism on the one hand and postmodern thinking on the other.

The Church built on compromise to sanction dodgy re-marriage is now finding it difficult to wrestle with questions of identity and authority. Witness the inability to discipline those who denounce the faith and even claim to be atheist! Witness the inability to defend the sanctity of marriage as lifelong union between husband and wife! Witness the inability to clearly define what holy orders are for and who they are applicable to! Witness the inability to state with certainty what the church itself even stands for! Witness an inability even to state if the communion blessed at our altars is transformed into the real presence or not! The Church of England, built on sand, shifts at whim with cultural thinking but at what cost to the faith? It slides to encompass all and any viewpoint, with genuine love and generosity, but at what cost to a bold proclamation of biblical faith?

It is for this reason that many Anglo-Catholics are enthused by the offer from Rome. An offer which arrives just as we are confronting a very painful truth- that our vision to ‘re-Catholicise’ the Church of England is all but dead and our ultimate aim for reunifying Anglicanism and Rome a dead loss. With the Anglo-Catholic dream lying in ruin then, and with our inner life exhausted by years of struggling for our life, where will we find a long term future other than in the arms of Saint Peter?

For the Roman Catholic Church enters the 21st Century with much more to offer us than the eccentric Anglican Communion. No matter its problems, and there are many, it is built on rock- the rock of Saint Peter- and it can uphold a clearly defined set of doctrines, including clear teaching on the sanctity of marriage, holy orders, belief in the ‘real presence’ and so much more.

Understand why some of us now see little point in waiting on Synod then- even if a generous offer does arrive (which will require a miracle). Why hold out for a tiny corner of a room built on sand when we are offered the key to that house built on rock? How can a Code of Practice match up to the assurance of sacramental validity? How can a bewildering compromise (which is all we can hope for really) square up to joining the largest community of faith where we will be viewed as normative and not bigoted and eccentric?

It is not that we do not love the C of E- we really do and many of us will continue to do so- it is that life in the Ordinariate makes much more sense, especially to those who are dotrinally Catholic to the marrow of our bones. Is this not a work of the Spirit that calls us to where we belong? And once moved we can dedicate ourselves to evangelism and ecumenism, seeking to heal past pains and work alongside the National church of this land.

Is it not a time for a gracious parting of the ways as all reflect that the Catholic experiment is over? My prayer would then be for a genuine Evangelical revival in the Church of England. A time for true reformation that the Church might bind itself to the protestant vision and live out a biblical faith. This would be an ecclesial community strong enough to do business in the modern world, its biblical orthodoxy firming up the foundations. Furthermore being truly protestant it could revert to the language of ministry instead of priesthood- a doing vocation in which the thorny issue of women in holy orders seems entirely compatible.

You may not agree with much of my thinking, I respect that but please understand why many of us Catholics are seriously considering the offer from Rome. If we do decide to go please do not hold us back out of resentment, petty mindedness or for the furtherance of your own agenda. Let us go in love to the place where, we sincerely believe, God is calling us. And let us both pledge to draw a line under our disagreements as we do so and be as generous and loving as is possible.

But that isn’t what I want to talk about this morning. Because I was knocked off the front pages (well middle pages) by (possibly) the most significant religious development since the reformation. I refer to the pope’s incredible act of generosity in seeking to reach out to orthodox Catholic Anglicans and offer us sanctuary and structural provision, something our own church, to its shame, has so far refused to provide for us!
At this moment only one thing can be said with certainty. Anglo-Catholicism will never be the same again. Together then, whether we like it or not, we are being called by God to face our future. Where does it lie?
Let me rewind! How did we get to this point. The Church of England never embraced the reformation fully. It neither become fully protestant, like the Lutherans, nor remained in the Roman Catholic fold. Instead it tried to being both protestant yet Catholic, a brave experiment which only hit the rocks in recent time.
It worked when Britain was Christian. A church built on a Catholic model, with bishop, priest and deacon- teaching the faith of the ages. But it had a fatal flaw, one which has only come to light in recent time. Anglicanism lacked a majesterium, a teaching office to ensure the faith is protected and taught the same way in all its churches. Something to ensure that, regardless of churchmanship, we all understand what the bible teaches.
Fast forward to today and the church is a pickle of different beliefs and opinions. And, now battered by liberalism, the once glorious ship is undeniably sinking beneath the waves of secularization. As the nation has grown increasingly permissive so has Anglicanism. Its abandoned its faith in many places and lost its integrity. Facts which break my heart because- in all honesty- I dearly love the Anglican church.
Although I am worried that the church I love, which raised me and taught me the Catholic faith, no longer really exists. In the last twenty years it has changed beyond recognition, the BCP is nowhere to be seen. And just let us pause to reflect on some of the intolerable truths that have so hurt those who are authentically Catholic.
Recently I discovered some tracts written by a priest denying Jesus resurrection, virgin birth and which referred to the mass as repugnant. Despite bringing this to the attention of the bishop involved- nothing has been done. Clearly then; what is preached in the name of Jesus no longer matters. Surely, to anyone who takes the faith seriously, this is intolerable.
Or consider Gene Robinson. I am certain he is quite a nice chap, he would be welcome to worship here. But how can a man who divorced his wife and entered a sexual relationship with his boyfriend be chosen as a bishop in God’s church? To anyone who stands by Christian teaching on the family and sexual ethics, this is intolerable.
We might think of the Catholic understanding of holy orders which were damaged to appease politically correctness. I refer to the ordination of women. An innovation that denies the biblical truth of ‘equal but different’ within God’s creation. Now this need not have been intolerable. We who disagree have actually worked hard to make it work. And of course many women priests, despite my doubting their sacramental ability, do good work for the church.
But now consider the way that opponents have been treated, this is the intolerable part. In America they slashed their mission budget to fund litigation against orthodox priests. In Wales they went back on promises, withdrew the flying bishops and simply told traditionalists, ‘put up or shut up’. I could go on and on….
So why, when the Church is abandoning the faith, am I still here? Firstly because I do, despite everything, love this church. Parts of it are wonderful and I have hoped it might sort itself out.
The Daily Telegraph misquoted me today. I said at a meeting in London, that Anglicanism is sinking and therefore, when the Pope sends lifeboats, it would be suicidal not take his offer seriously! They translated that, I am leaving for Rome! Well bad luck! I am going nowhere!
I do not, you see, believe in ‘escape’- to simply convert for myself. Furthermore I want to worship here and not in a modern Roman Church. And, as a priest, I would never abandon my flock when wolves are calling! So you are stuck with me for now.
Bu that does not mean I have not been worried or tempted. Last July was a turning point for me. General Synod made it abundantly clear that we Catholics are not only unwanted – we are unloved. Those who oppose us believe it a ‘justice issue’ to eradicate us. Hence our every single request was refused. They even took a hard hearted vote stating our expression of faith is no longer authentic. It hurt. And it continues to hurt when I note how the revision committee are being slammed for trying to make us more generous provision. Very clearly there are many who hate us. Why I cannot say?
At that July Synod, I saw with clarity that our long term future was bleak, unless we would sell our beliefs down the river and put up with non biblical revelation. Promises made sincerely, when women were ordained, were now broken. An act of betrayal that left me in tears.
Since then, against ALL hope, Anglo-Catholics have prayed, not for escape, (though a few have left) but for exodus. A chance to find sanctuary, with our people. Space in which to serve the Lord with integrity, according to our Catholic practices and without risk of persecution. In my heart I feared it was a fools dream. How lonely might I become as years go by? Would I become, to pinch a phrase from the Fast show, the only Catholic in the village?
Be careful what you pray for – because God might answer. This week perhaps he did. Through his servant Pope Benedict, he pointed at churches like ours and proclaimed them valid, true and deserving of preservation. The Pope wants to grant us life where Synod seeks our death.
The plan, and it is just that at present, is to allow whole congregations to keep their Anglican patrimony and identity, to say Mass as we do at present, to stay (we would hope) in our buildings (though already people are wanting to refuse this) and simply transfer jurisdiction to Rome not Canterbury.
This is not poaching but a response to the cries of persecuted Anglo-Catholics in an increasingly liberal church. An opportunity to stay as we are, nothing would change here, save the office to whom I make my oath…but lets not get ahead of ourselves. And do we want this anyway? I really do not know!
Some might rejoice, others hate it, all will feel bewildered and anxious. We don’t yet know how the Church of England will react. Will they grasp this opportunity which allows them to pursue women bishops? Or will they play Pharaoh, holding back the exodus? Or will this wake them up to their shoddy treatment of us and start loving us and granting us life?
And what of the details from Rome? What of money, schools, buildings? Nobody knows- and that is precisely why nobody can make any decisions- one way or another, regardless of what the Telegraph might think! It is going to take years not months or days is my guess, so it is NOT time to panic.
However I am a little excited because I see the Holy Spirit at work in this. And, even if we eventually decided it is not for us, we MUST take the popes offer seriously. After all when did we last feel understood, valued and wanted?
Thus I call on this congregation to enter a period of profound prayer and fasting. Vigils need to be held. I want us to give up meat on Fridays in the run up to Christmas. Opportunity for discussion will be made. We will move slowly and sensibly and we will wait on the Lord. We must pray to Christ our future.
Much is yet to be revealed. But we cannot pretend this week does not have far reaching consequences. Can synod deliver and having behaved badly and broken promises can they regain our trust? Can Rome offer us something different instead, a way to be Anglican in identity but Roman in authority? With God’s help we must consider all the possibilities before us.

Today I make my way to Highbury and Islington for the Bishop of Fulham’s council meeting. These meetings are always enjoyable occasions when we can discuss things openly with our bishop as we seek to advance the Anglo-Catholic life within the Church of England. Our last meeting led to a most fruitful discussion at the following Fulham clergy gathering, a great summary of which can be found in the most recent edition of New Directions.

Amongst other things we debated youth work, vocations and how to encourage a more visible women’s ministry within our wing of the church. I really do hope the discussion will lead to action as these things are all vitally important to our future. I have no idea what today’s meeting will cover but I do know it will be nice to spend time with my brethren and be spoiled once again by Judi who produces the most delicious luncheons.

Tunbridge Wells has something of a tradition of outspoken and eccentric clergymen. Most famed of all is Canon Hoare, one-time Victorian parson, passionate preacher of a low church tradition and major figure in the civic life of this town. Without doubt he is the main reason that an evangelical flavour may be found in this area of Kent. That Canon Hoare had many gifts then is not in dispute, but what might be questioned was his love or understanding of Catholic doctrine.

For Canon Hoare was most displeased when S. Barnabas’ church opened and he waged a personal crusade to have it shut down. (It seems the Almighty has a sense of humour though, because whilst S. Barnabas thrives, Canon Hoare’s church is now redundant.) Hoare’s crusade involved many anguished and fuming letters to the press and Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as several heated discussions at vestry meetings throughout the town. It was also under his strict orders that clergy of all local churches refused to attend the laying of S. Barnabas’ foundation stone. All but one that is, the priest of Rusthall being man enough to break ranks and do his own thing!

And Hoare was not alone in his horror at everything S. Barnabas stood for. Many local protestants were happy to add their voices to the clamour of condemnation. Yesterday we marvelled at the ‘Centigrade Ritualomoter’, composed to warn worshippers of the perils of sacramental devotion. Today I bring to you a hymn written by the Revd. Thomas Edwards of the Salem Chapel (pictured above), a prolific writer of doggeral verse and bitter critic of S. Barnabas church. This particular hymn was launched as a tirade against the confessional and is simply entitled ‘FELLOW TOWNSMEN’:

Shall we to crafty priests confess
Our sins and let them know
Each secret of our soul’s distress?
We roundly answer: NO!

Shall British hearts to them be slaves
And kiss their popish toe?
We answer ALL such subtle knaves
By roundly saying, NO!

Shall wives and mothers, daughters too
Lay bare their souls to them?
They are ensared if so they do
By those vile, wicked men

Shall we adore their idol God
Set up in bread and wine?
Nay, rather to the precious blood
Of Christ our souls incline (er…are they not the same thing?!)

Priests to the people should confess
The evil they have done
In setting up this wickedness
Against God’s only Son

Let Protestants throughout the land
“NO POPERY!” still cry
Against these evils bodly stand
And look for help on high.

Given Revd. Edwards clear hatred of confession, I hope he never committed mortal sin before death! Streuth what a loving lot these Victorians were! What welcome they did (NOT) give Saint Barnabas’ priests and congregations in their earliest days! As ever we are left dazzled at ‘how these Christians love one another!’ Certainly the hatred and narrowness they show is a lesson to us all, as we seek to live out our faith in times of confusion, hostility and uncertainty. I give thanks then that the modern day Evangelicals of Tunbridge Wells are much more accomodating and understanding. Let us hope that one day all the present conflicts in the Anglican Church will seem just as petty and insignificant.

Whenever I reflect on Anglo-Catholicism I ask why (in its un-diluted doctrinal form) it has always faced such derision and persecution? After all, when properly understood, it is a wholesome, biblical and wonderful thing! Doubtless it has something to do with the fact that all true Christians are called to share in the suffering of our Lord. But I think there is more too it than just that! Is this anti-Catholic fever a curiously British thing? Could it be that these isles breed a deep suspicion of all things Catholic because we are at heart a proud and inward looking bunch? Do we have a genetic, cutural and historic dislike for submitting to creeds not of our own making? A stiff upper lipped lot who deeply resent being told what we should think or do?

I might be wrong in that thought, I might be right, but certainly orthodox Anglo-Catholics continue to survive amidst scorn on the margin of the church. Often disliked, misrepresented and largely unwanted by the vast majority of synods of governments. Oh well, so be it, we are not going away anytime soon and the Lord continues to call us to service.

A huge thanks to Geoff Copus, our in-house historian, whose display boards in church (for the Heritage Open Days) inspired the last two posts. Thanks also to those in the congregation who helped make it an interesting and worthwhile experience.

Often my blog reflects a clear frustration at the direction the Church of England is heading in, little wonder for it is dire! However that is not to say I do not have a great love for the Church of England. Indeed there are many things about being Anglican which are worthy of great celebration. So today, in recompense for days of righteous ranting, here is what I love about the C of E!

Firstly I love the manner in which Anglicanism encourages us to really think about faith. Nothing is delivered on a plate for the believer, an approach which creates space for genuine spiritual reflection. This can, in turn, lead to a real sense of conviction and personal integrity. The lack of certainty also creates a need to fight for what you believe in.

Would the Catholic movement of the Church of England have been as impressive, beautiful or even Catholic, if it had not had to fight so hard for everything it stands for? Certainly in my own faith journey, the need to defend Catholic doctrine has meant I take that faith more seriously. Deep down I wonder that, were Catholic truth widespread or easy, I might becomes a more sloppy disciple. Perversely it is in the very struggle for my identity that I have grown as a Catholic Christian. God has fed me, and I suspect others, in the very moments of despair, confusion and mess that so distress us!

I also love the way that, against all odds, the Church of England holds Christians of different hues together. Such people may drive me crazy at times, and worship in ways which make me genuinly shudder, but there is something undeniably healthy about remaining in dialogue together as we seek to serve the Lord. Sadly this unity has been largely smoke and mirrors since 1992, when the ordination of women led to an end of shared eucharistic celebration, but even in a fragile, broken and messy unity, any unity that remains is worthy of celebration and deeply valuable.

Finally I love BCP Evensong! A triumph of the English language and a service of dignity, reflection and beauty. Hopeless for conversion – lengthy readings from Levitical law do not a Christian make- but wonderful nonetheless.

So there you have it- things to love about the Church of England. Never let it be said that Catholic Anglicans do not value our home. Indeed it is because we love it SO much that the choice to be EITHER Anglican OR authentically Catholic will prove so horribly painful to us. Why? Because we are C of E to our fingertips but Catholic to the marrow of our bones! Pray then that God will find a way to offer us a safe future, without compromise of sincerely held beliefs, for many years to come.

A huge crowd packed into Rochester Cathedral today for a special Eucharist to mark the end of Michael Nazir Ali’s reign as Bishop of Rochester. Amongst those in pointy hats were Lord Carey, the bishop of Fulham and the bishop of Tonbridge. They were joined by a throng of clergy and laity, all wanting to show some love and support for one of Britain’s bravest, most outspoken and thought provoking bishops.

The service was well put together, though very, very, very long! Traditional hymns were interspersed with trendy choruses, all of which were bold in proclaiming the orthodox faith which +Michael holds dear. His sermon was, as usual, impressive and the stand out quote for me was ‘the problem today is that we don’t (due to disobedience and willfullness) allow God’s grace to change us.’ The other soundbite I loved was ‘whatever our call, we can only go on because of the sense that God is with us. Without that the church descends to mere bureaucracy and the things of this world.’

After the service +Michael was presented with many gifts, including a Satnav (how bizarre is that?!). I rather liked his response to +Tonbridge, ‘yes you have had a Satnav for many years….I have had a chauffeur!’ Lord Cary then gave a speech regarding +Michael’s global role and lamented that he will no longer be in office. It was a sentiment shared by a great many people.

I am one of them. It is sad to see him go and I feel that it is highly unlikely that his successor will be as supportive or inspiring, especially as regards orthodox Catholics. So thank you +Michael for all that you have done for the church. May God continue to bless your ministry both now and in the future.

This lunchtime, after picking up Father Ivan from Sevenoaks, I am heading over to Ascot Priory for the annual ‘Guild of All Souls’ conference. It is always a wonderful occasion as priests serving in Guild livings come together to worship, share news, relax and listen to an engaging academic lecture. The weekend is overseen by the Guild President, Rt. Revd. Keith Newton, (pictured above) who is also the Bishop of Rochborough. In previous years the conference has been held at S. Stephen’s House but last year it moved to Ascot Priory. The following information regarding the priory is taken from their website:

For a century and a half, Ascot Priory was the mother house of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity, the first of the Religious Orders re-founded in the Church of England after the Reformation. It began as The Sisterhood of the Holy Cross in Park Village, North London, in 1845 – within just twelve years of the beginning of the Oxford Movement and the start of the revival of catholic life in the Church of England. In 1856 the Sisterhood of the Holy Cross amalgamated with Priscilla Lydia Sellon’s Devonport Society (founded in 1848), under the title of The Congregation of Religious of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity.

The property at Ascot was purchased with the aid of gifts from Mother Lydia’s father and the Revd Dr E. B. Pusey, and the present buildings – in 40 acres of beautiful woodland and gardens – were begun in 1860, with the aim of supporting the London hospitals by providing convalescent care in healthy surroundings.

The history of the Community – like so many founded during the high-water mark of Anglicanism in the 19th century – has been long and honourable and the sisters responded to various needs as circumstances demanded, from nursing during the dreadful cholera epidemics which plagued the nineteenth century to sending sisters to accompany Miss Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, from the convalescent nursing home to the orphanage at St Christopher’s, from St Augustine’s School at Ascot to St Dunstan’s School in Plymouth and the schools in Honolulu. Over the years the Community adapted to changing times and needs, but underpinning all its work was the daily round of worship in the Catholic Tradition of the Church of England, the care of souls and the monastic custom of welcoming guests.

Over the last week I have attacked (though not in the armour of the crusaders as pictured!) an emergent strand of extreme liberal theology taking a menacing hold in the Anglican communion Embracing a pluralist philosophy, so rampant in society, such theology attempts to embrace everything different but nothing established. But when (as was demonstrated in ‘those’ tracts), you no longer claim confidence in the virgin birth, the resurrection, the truth of the Nicene Creed, the divinity of Christ, the exclusive claims of the Christian faith and the presence of Christ in holy Word and Sacrament – the question is not ‘what sort of Christian is this?’ but ‘is this really a Christian?!’ I think you know my answer, so I shall not repeat it again! (hint: it is not in the affirmative!)

Sadly this emergent group of uber-liberals has not only bought the Church to a place of schism, but has cast a shadow over those more benign ‘old school’ liberals who have always occupied an honourable place in the Anglican tradition. Whilst I would not share much with them, I would never want to pour scorn on this herring-bone jacketed army! Not only do they work with integrity, they are numbered amongst those who influenced my own vocation and faith.

I might recall the ever amusing Fr. Ken Beake, onetime DDO of Norwich, who held me in the fold during some those difficult teenage years. At school (the chapel is pictured above) the Revd. Phil Butcher prepared me for confirmation ably- even if his double RE lessons made one give up the will to live! And a best friend’s father, Canon Leslie Ward, was the perfect embodiment of the kindly, gentleman priest. All these were men in the liberal tradition (to a smaller or larger extent) and yet each managed to encourage faith in the creeds and Gospel. What made them liberal was not a snide attack on faith, for these men loved the church, but an ability to make room for thoughts and opinions that challenged conventional wisdom. And a good thing too….encouraging thought is what allows theology to grow and develop.

Understand then, when I pour scorn on liberalism, I do not attack that reasonable, enquiring and generous strand- of ‘old school liberalism’- that built up the faith whilst accepting all views and opinions. I am knocking the more cynical strand that seeks to change the faith into something new.

Perhaps what the Anglican Church needs, above all else, is a line in the sand under which nobody has authority to wiggle. A basic acceptance of some house rules which state that clergy must build up faith not destroy it, preach and affirm the Creed regardless of opinion, discuss but not demand innovative views and opinions, adhere to rules as set by the Lambeth Conference. The exact details would need thrashing out- so that evangelical, Catholic and liberal can each exist with integrity, but which then makes clear, at long last, what the church actually stands for. Because for as long as we continue to bury heads in the sand, just allowing space for all without discipline, we will continue unravelling at a pace of knots and will not survive the challenge of upholding the faith in this godless generation.