Helen King sharedconversations When the information flow stops: where is Living in Love and Faith?
Pete Broadbent 2030 Vision: People Strategy: Models of Church and Models of Ministry
Anonymous Survivng Church Safeguarding: Remembering a Birthday and an Anniversary
Martyn Percy Anglicanism.org Deconstructing Sydney Anglicanism: Past, Present and Futures
There is a pdf version of this article here.
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church When do forms of Pastoral Care become a Safeguarding Concern?
Re: LLF
I hope that the Next Steps Group will do the new Supreme Governor of the Church of England the courtesy of asking whether he has any views he would like the bishops to take into account. He may decline, but it would seem extremely discourteous not to at least ask. Since His Majesty appears to wish a slimmed down monarchy, it would also seem prudent to get him engaged.
With lots of gay friends and members of staff I imagine that the bishops are already aware of His Majesty’s views.
I think that Helen is rather more hopeful than most for LLF. I’m confident the next steps will be further processes and periods of reflection stretching way into the future.
Thanks to Martyn for his examination of Sydney ‘Anglicanism’. As someone brought up in the UK Open Brethren but now a liberal Catholic Anglican, so much of what he writes resonates with me. The male dominance (but subtly manipulated by strong wives – my father was an elder but everything was discussed with my mother) as well as the fundamentalist approach to scripture.
“Our goal is to ensure that there is a witness to Christ in every place and an opportunity for all people to hear of Christ and the gospel, become part of a community of faith and access the word of God and the Sacraments.” Such an encouraging article by Pete Broadbent. Instead of focusing on division and decline, here is a diocese focusing on the growth of the church, of reaching out, of seeking the lost. My prayer is that this is happening in every diocese.
Bishop Broadbent hopes for 20% attendance in London in less than 8 years but his paper offers nothing new from that being implemented in the rest of the CofE with conspicuous failure. Flogging the same old dead horse is painful to watch.
It is both painful and pitiful. According to the CofE’s own ‘Statistics for Mission 2019’ (i.e. the last set of statistics before the pandemic), ‘all age average weekly attendance’ in London diocese fell by 6.7% in the five years from 2014-2019. I see Bishop Broadbent hopes for an increase in Church of England attendance in his diocese from 1.6% of the population to 4% of the population i.e. a 150% increase in the number of attendees in eight years (assuming the total population of the diocese remains roughly the same). It’s just not going to happen.
Martyn Percy needs an editor.
It was hard not to stumble at the many errors in his paper, but I think it was a fine piece just the same. Silly mistakes, but I was never left wondering what was meant.
No matter how hard Pete Broadbent tries to disguise it, more guitars and drums are to be heard across London; more invitations to invite gullible neighbours to be brainwashed in House ‘churches’; more power-point screens with trite songs; more HTB privately-educated ministers treating ‘yoof’ to Alpha courses; more planting of evangelical ‘meetings’. It sounds like a plan brilliantly mapped by Martyn Percy’s article in the unAnglican diocese of Sydney. Thankfully the Aussie Diocese is in decline.
But HTB has failed, the neighbours are not gullible and politely decline the invitation. As Laurence points out the numbers in London are also in decline. Alpha is a vanity project chasing after the wind. Sad that bishops are still taken in by HTB’s phooey hooey.
I am sorry, but this is just a blatant lie. HTB has not failed. It has been remarkable in adapting and humbly asking the questions which people of no faith and to those are searching for meaning, identity, purpose and belonging. We might not like it. But it has been resonant with the times. HTB and Alpha has provided the much needed space for people to explore. In the same, but different way that Choral Evensong does the same – its a safe place to explore without any sense of coercion but of exploration and of sanctuary. It is simply… Read more »
Perhaps you meant to say that I was mistaken rather than a liar. Presumably hundreds of thousands of people have done Alpha but the Statistics for Mission point to an inexorable decline in church attendance across the CofE. One of the reasons it’s failed is because it’s twaddle.
I honestly think it fails because someone is seen as a mission ‘target’. The Alpha course may, or may not, have positives but one decided negative is that it trains existing believers to see people around them as mission ‘targets’. Just awful. That’s very different to getting to know someone, coming to love them (in the Christian sense) then introducing the Bible and Christ to them out of love and in a way tailored to them. I think that’s how it used to work. I don’t think the problem lies within the church at all but in society itself; people… Read more »
I think this is a really good point. Surely, we reach out to people, primarily to know them, to engage with their practical needs, their family, their work, their interests, what they do in the community… not as “targets” for conversion. If we want to communicate the Love of God, first of all we need to… love. And love is practical, it involves living alongside. If they happen to open to God in a deeper way, through encountering that love then great. If not, then we’ve hopefully still been authentic about actually caring about them as people first. All that… Read more »
Kate That is a strange claim to make of an approach that is based around meals and hospitality – and therefore relationships. I agree the idea of treating people as ‘mission targets’ is awful – but can you show me where you have found this actually being taught in Alpha. It has not been my experience.
Meanwhile the alternative approach to this snarky caricature is doing so well at bringing people to living faith in Christ? Before covid hit, London was the only English Diocese with an increase in adult membership during the 21st century so far. By way of contrast, Oxford Diocese, where Martyn Percy was ministering (or being beaten up by dons) for much of that time, declined by 25%, yet still did better than the majority of other Dioceses. And it was that pair of well known fundamentalists David Hope and Richard Chartres who led London during most of this time. “It is… Read more »
So organists can play their instruments to the glory of God, but I can’t?
By the way – occasionally (not very often) I fill in as the musician (on guitar) at the church I lead. When I do so, I usually drop the traditional hymns down at least three semi-tones—sometimes more. I’ve been told several times by people that this is the only time they can comfortably sing the hymns. Our electronic piano has a transpose button on it, but most of our pianists forget to use it.
Perhaps it might have helped the congregation at the Queen’s Funeral if the organist and trumpeters had dropped three semi-tones. It struck me that the service in Westminster Abbey completely failed to show billions of viewers a true picture of today’s predominantly evangelical CofE. More people might have turned to Jesus if the Archbishops had worn T-shirts and jeans, and a worship band had replaced the old-fashioned organ and singers wearing funny dresses.. Seeing Archbishops wearing copes and mitres must have made people like Sydney so-called Anglicans break into a cold sweat. Here was an opportunity to show the world… Read more »
My unchurched neighbours also approved of the traditional language and the lovely choral music. I think that they would have thought Her Majesty had been shortchanged if it had been heppy cleppy.
But the question is, would they start going to church again if the C of E returned to that style en masse? What is the actual empirical evidence that this would be the case?
Fr Dean, I realise that FrDavidH isn’t being serious until his final sentence. Of course there was never any question of a service for the State Funeral of the Monarch being “clappy happy”. The hymns, prayers and anthems (apart from the newly-commissioned works which did not involve any congregational participation) were all chosen and the service planned by Her Majesty herself. It’s instructive, and humbling, to see how the words of all three hymns so closely attested to her Christian faith. I had no problem singing the hymns at home. I haven’t checked the pitch against any of my own… Read more »
‘I hope this will reassure Tim Chesterton. No one is suggesting that his playing for services should have any lesser respect.’ Thanks, Rowland, but every time FrDavidH speaks of guitars and drums, he does so in terms that make his disdain absolutely clear. I have nothing but respect for traditional church music. But the truth is, holding Westminster Abbey up and saying, “See, if we just did this, people would flock back to the churches” isn’t only disrespectful to the many contemporary musicians who are offering their gifts to God—it’s also mightily discouraging to the vast majority of parish churches,… Read more »
Praise and worship take many forms, people expressing their heartfelt adoration for the majesty and goodness of the living God. As a former chorister, but also the composer of worship songs for a charismatic praise group, I love many different expressions of worship. If I could return to some biblical basics to encourage everyone – Psalm 150: Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, Praise… Read more »
Perhaps it might. At times the service seemed to be intentionally rendered in obscure language, it seemed to be a funeral which represented a very niche language and cultural group, rather than one for the whole nation to participate in. I invoke Article 24 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Of the dialects still spoken in the UK, BCP English isn’t so “misunderstanded of the people”.
But I am sure the service was as the Queen wished. The chapel in Windsor Great Park is strictly BCP and AV I think. As Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch said on the Sunday programme the Queen’s ( deep) spirituality was formed and remained that of the pre 1960’s C of E Matins, monthly communion and BCP.
Maybe some of the above comment refers to Westminster Abbey rather than Windsor? To be clear the form of service there, and the language used, as well as the hymns, were all the late Queen’s own choice. Now to Windsor. Sorry to be pedantic, but St George’s Chapel is not in Windsor Great Park. It is wholly within the (very extensive) walls of Windsor Castle itself. The Great Park is a different entity and quite some way south of the Castle and the closer Home Park between. I’m sure the rest of what you say is correct! St George’s is… Read more »
As I understand it Rowland when at Windsor the Queen usually preferred to worship at the small church in Windsor Great Park served by a domestic chaplain. where Prince Andrew’s daughter married. I was referring to the normal weekly services held there, not to the Committal service at St George’s Windsor
Well, with respect, you didn’t include any clue to that effect, and the discussion was specifically about the funeral services.
I recently watched an ordination service at the cathedral in Sydney. The ordinands all wore casual clothing with a surplice pulled over open-collar shirts. (The 7 or 8 bishops wore rochet and chimere — unusual for Sydney.)
I think that the Archbishops of Sydney and the assistant bishops have always worn the rochet and chimere. What they would not wear is the mitre. It sometimes happened that a bishop from another diocese went to a post in Sydney which did not involve episcopal work, perhaps chairman of some board or director of some society. Such a bishop on being given a general licence for Sydney would agree not to wear a mitre when taking part in services. I can recall that that was relaxed in the case of a bishop from another Anglican province who had retired… Read more »
On a typical Sunday, the archbishop of Sydney wears a jacket and tie to lead a meeting. At CCSL, Bishop Forsythe carried a crozier on occasion, but never wore a mitre. The surplice could well be required of ordinands, but it would look better if the proper undergarment (cassock) was also required.
Interesting to note that the shield of the diocese of Sydney includes a mitre. Tradition!
Robert Forsyth was assistant bishop for the Southern Region, and CCSL was on his patch. I think that for him to have worn a mitre at CCSL would have been inconceivable. When the retired bishop to whom I referred this morning participated in services at CCSL he was not performing an episcopal act on behalf of the diocese. If hypothetically he had confirmed at CCSL that would have required the permission of the diocese. I find that I have been talking of the ‘retired bishop’ as if his identity needed to be withheld! He was Vernon Inman, former Bishop of… Read more »
Bishop Forsythe was the only bishop to consecrate the holy oils for the very few churches that wanted them.
I wrote in a post about seven months ago that the first Bishop of North West Australia was Gerard Trower, who had previously been Rector of Christ Church St Laurence. He did not go directly from one post to the other: he was a bishop in Africa (Likoma, diocese later renamed Nyasaland) in between. When in 1910 Trower as Bishop of North West Australia made a visit back to Christ Church St Laurence and led the 11-00 a.m. Sunday Communion, that was the first occasion when a mitre was worn in Sydney by an Anglican bishop. More information on: ON… Read more »
Apparently, one of the present assistant bishops does (or at least did) not know how to ordain. In this ordination service there was no laying on of hands by him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nm-MaKcb9w&t=3371s
In answer to my inquiry, one of the participating priests wrote:
“I was one of the presbyters who laid hands on the deacons at the ordination. See the moment at 54:22 when we did so (https://youtu.be/7nm-MaKcb9w?t=3262). I think you were watching a little later in the service, after this had happened. So it was totally regular – there was laying on of hands.”
No comment…
Given that guitars and drums are theologically neutral, what possible objection (beyond mere taste) could there be to them echoing around London, or anywhere else?
Disagree with HTB? Well fine. So do I, theologically speaking, but I can still respect their sincerity and success. Match or surpass their numbers, and it won’t be such an issue, will it?
Regarding Helen King’s comments on people’s differing experience of participating (or not) in the past 11 days of mourning. Mass Observation produced a fascinating account of people’s views and experiences following Diana’s death.
I think it is an interesting read, and throws light on what may have been going on – under the radar – for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
http://www.massobs.org.uk/images/occasional_papers/no12_thomas.pdf
There is an interesting final chapter reflecting on the power of the media to enforce a collective national mood.
Thank you Simon – a fascinating analysis. By the way have you seen the Queue psalm?! https://youtu.be/xHwUycV6wSY
I was interested to see the reference to T.C. Hammond in Martyn Percy’s article. Hammond became Principal of Moore College in Sydney in 1936, and in the same year Donald Coggan was asked to go there as Vice-Principal and declined. In a post on TA from a few days ago I mentioned that Donald Coggan had been a nominee for Archbishop of Sydney in 1958. I was also interested to read in Martyn Percy’s article that the Orange Order, with which Hammond strongly identified, forbade Sunday work. Hammond held concurrently the posts of Principal of Moore College and Rector of… Read more »
St Philip’s is now branded Church Hill Anglican, along with a number of other Sydney churches who have removed themselves from the patronage of the saints.
I visited Sydney in 2014. St James King St and ChCh St Lawrence were rather lonely outposts of anglo-catholic worship but in good heart. The vicar told me there were now only 20 “stole” parishes as they are called and he feared Balmain where my colleague Fr Robert Browne was vicar in the 1950s was in for a makeover. Re T C Hammond, Robert told me of a sermon class at Moore when T C reprimanded an ordinand who had dared to depart from the lectionary.” You have no authority sir to ignore the lectionary”. I think Sydney underwent sea… Read more »
I would be surprised if any Sydney bishops own pectoral crosses or episcopal rings. Other than choir dress, what do they wear… other than a business suit or casual dress?
Fr Harry Smythe ( of the Anglican Centre in Rome ) who trained at Moore under TCH was told by him that he found himself lying in the road ( Sackville St?) while bullets flew over his head during the time of troubles and from that experience his deep loathing of the Irish RC church crystallised.
Very impressed with Helen King’s article. She is right, that when people are kept informed that they will be more cohesive, but when there is a lack of information then people become more anxious and are more likely to consider their own positions. It is basic management of change ideas, which those running LLF don’t seem to be following, whereby if you want to bring people with you then you give them the vision of the change you want and explain as early as possible what it will mean to them and how they fit into it. The LLF model… Read more »
What was not mentioned in the Paper by Bishop Pete was the place of Anglican Religious Orders, as part of the mission and Evangelisation of the Church. We can easily forget our history that the faith was brought to these lands by Monks, Saint Augustine and his Benedictine Mission and St Columba from Iona and earlier on St Ninian from his Monastery at Whithorn (Candida Casa). Are not the Monastic and Religious Orders in the Church of England by their consecrated, disciplined and Gospel life evangelising by their very presence . Bishop Lord Carey once described the presence of Monastic… Read more »
I was previously unaware that George Carey said that the religious communities are ‘the Church of England’s best kept secret’. In 2007 Fr Nicolas Stebbing CR edited a book entitled ‘Anglican Religious Life: A well kept secret?’. Details are in the link below.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglican-Religious-Life-Nicolas-Stebbing/dp/1871552834
George Carey preached at Commemoration Day at Mirfield in its centenary year, which was 1992.
Excellent point… and the work of St Katherine’s in Rotherhithe which is a significant ministry and mission resource. They have mission-shaped yurts!! A fresh expression of a tent!?
I have been sitting in the Sydney Synod for the last couple of weeks, so I felt ready to respond to Martyn Percy. https://theothercheek.com.au/martyn-percy-takes-on-sydney-anglicanism
John Sandeman’s article (cited above by John) adds useful further points for reflection, and makes interesting reading in conjunction with Martyn’s article. One point of John’s which I would however pick up on, and it’s a point frequently made by evangelicals in England, is the observation that church attendance is falling faster in so-called ‘liberal’ churches than in ‘evangelical’ ones. He observes that Sydney Anglicanism attracts 1.5% of the populus into its churches. Even allowing for some who attend churches in other traditions, it seems highly likely that over 90%, and possibly 95% of people in Sydney do not generally… Read more »
Susannah, some stats to help you. Weekly church attendance in Australia is currently 7 per cent of the population, and once a month or more is at 13 per cent. Sydney is the most religious capital in the country, not simply due to the Sydney Anglicans! I believe these figures are higher here than in the UK.
It must be awful for a faithful Anglican immigrant to go and live in Sydney and find there isn’t a proper ‘Anglican’ Church they can attend.{except for a couple where ministers wear copes because chasubles are banned}
I should, of course, also observe that there is variety in the views and expressions of (self-termed) ‘evangelical’ Christianity. I myself still regard myself as evangelical, in terms of my roots, and the core Christian gospel and its declaration. However, the point I am making is that the ‘headline’ message that the wider populus picks up on includes very vocal and dogmatic views on sex still expressed by many evangelical churches, and a whole mindset that resists challenge to the authority of scripture, down to a very literal level, so that what many people ‘hear’ is a Christianity… that vilifies… Read more »
Just so, Susannah, which is why I keep suggesting that other theological traditions incorporate the good aspects of evangelicalism (accessible services in a modern style, sincerity, plain speaking, social groups, weeks away etc).
Some people do seem receptive to this, which is encouraging. 🙂
Following on from your analysis of what is driving people away from attending church, why is it that we do not see queues down the street outside those churches which have women priests, who are in a same sex partnership, who bless same sex marriages and campaign for same sex marriages, that have a gold award for being eco-friendly, that organise protests against society’s evils, that preach that all faiths lead to God, that promote trans gender rights etc etc?
Isn’t the reality that for a significant number of the population ‘the church’ is simply not part of their lives in any way at all? They are not waiting for ‘the church’ to be or to champion anything in particular – because it really does not exist in their world. All these issues matter greatly. But communicating the faith needs to start from a very different place.
Invite the neighbours in for a cup of tea and then start talking about religion might be the place to start. Multiply it by 10000 and you’ve converted England. What a brilliant idea!
‘Invite the neighbours in for a cup of tea and then start talking about religion might be the place to start.’ Yes, that is where it starts. It needs to begin with building authentic relationships.
I think in many communities such a discussion would be considered inappropriate. Religion is generally considered a private matter.
That’s absolutely right, David. A lot of people on this site seem to think that if we just reshaped church around their particular cause (equal marriage, traditional worship, evangelical theology etc.) there would be a stampede of people coming back on Sundays. My youngest son is an excellent person, thoughtful, compassionate, kind, and he used to be a regular churchgoer. He didn’t stop coming because of the music or the worship style or the attitude toward gays and lesbians. He stopped coming because he wasn’t sure he believed the Christian message any more. I get a similar message from unchurched… Read more »
Your overall theme and your last paragraph are spot on. But, People not worshipping at the local CofE parish don’t necessarily “not believe in Jesus”. They may not like the way the CofE or other Christian denominations portray Jesus of Nazareth. Allegedly, Mahatma Gandhi once stated “I like Jesus, I don’t like Christians.” A long while ago, I heard a rabbi preaching at an interfaith service saying, “I believe in Jesus the man, not Christ the Messiah.” As a Jew, I find much to admire in the earthly Jesus of Nazareth portrayed in the Gospels: His teachings, his treatment of… Read more »
Bob, I believe large sections of society will ‘disbelieve’ the claims of the Church, whatever they are, until the underlying focus of church communities through the land becomes practical pastoral care to communities outside church walls and solidarity/alongsideness with them. At present I don’t think the Church feels relevant to most people. My point is that those churches that vilify gay sexuality (73% of the population now want more rights for gay people – annual poll of British social attitudes, released today) make the Church seem even less relevant. Actual practical love, actual pastoral care, actual lived out compassion in… Read more »
Yes and Amen!
Because (generalizing) they tend to be culturally inaccessible: they might be socially liberal, but their churchmanship is usually traditional.
Likewise, people aren’t beating down the doors of drafty churches preaching that old time religion. They usually go to comfortable, culturally accessible churches (the exception being the rare establishment that can do traditionalism well).
This is overwhelmingly about style, not theology.
Re the ” success” of the diocese of London. I suspect an important factor is the wealth of the diocese which has enabled it to keep one stipendiary priest per parish with few amalgamations. The age profile of the clergy is also younger than in most dioceses.
I would add that London is able to attract clergy. Advertised posts often attract 10 or more applicants. I have retired to a diocese where multi church benefices sometimes attract few and sometimes no applicants.
Interesting that God calls clerics to the well resourced capital city and leaves other areas under staffed. There are other anomalies too: so between Cambridge and the Fens for example. Curious.
We used to have the same question when I was in the Diocese of the Arctic. They have several vacancies right now, if anyone’s feeling the call.
I am very grateful for John Sandeman’s careful riposte. As with most anthropological snapshots, a small range of pictures and vignettes tell a story. But I cannot claim that 7500 words from me on Sydney Anglicans is going to be comprehensive, and I would not dream of saying so. My impression in meeting some of their laity and clergy was of encountering normal and faithful Christians, albeit with a highly distinctive theological construction of reality. Do I think Sydney Anglicans are creationists? No. Fundamentalists? No – and I was careful to state this. Brethren? Mostly. What I would say back… Read more »
The unsatisfactory answer to Martyn Percy’s question of whether the 1.5 per cent of the population who attend Sydney’s Anglican churches tilts towards decline or growth might well be “neither”. Graphed over a couple of decades the line is stubbornly flat with minor peaks and troughs. The recent Synod was not dominated by “culture war” issues as some TA readers might have assumed but by the challenge faced by a rapidly growing city. A new church building each year for the next 34 years is needed with diocesan leaders planning a school and aged care facility to go with many… Read more »
I am less sure about building new churches or ‘planting’ new congregations. The Victorians tried this in England, and we ended up with too many buildings, chapels etc that never grafted into local communities. They eventually close. It is tempting for governments to try and spend their way out of a recession (i.e., Truss, pace). But history, politics and economics teaches us that there is no neat solution ro long-term decline, flat-lines or recession. The only honest way to start a new church is to ask the community what it needs, and to have the resources, courage and generorsity to… Read more »
“The only honest way to start a new church is to ask the community what it needs, and to have the resources, courage and generorsity to offer that.” The answer will be what it thinks it needs. Perhaps an organic coffee shop, a fishmonger, or yet another nail bar, or craft beer outlet. These maybe what they would like, want or think they need. But not what they need!
I’d rather have a craft beer outlet in my neighbourhood than an evangelical church ‘plant’ .
I have a feeling that might well be a mutual preference. Enjoy.
I’m all for artisanal bakers too!
Go to Hackney Church and you can get both! https://hackneychurchbrew.co/
See how these Christians love one another!
I rather suspect that the Sydney Anglicans are following the model of the Catholics who have planted churches and schools across Sydney as it expanded over the last century or more. From the Synod visit to Oran Park a couple of weeks ago it seems the new churches are being grafted on. They often start in a shed or garage, which is one way of asking if they are wanted. The new Anglican schools are popular. For those able to cope here is my further response to Martyn Percy’s latest. (I fear we are turning into Victorian novelists) https://theothercheek.com.au/more-sydney-anglican-criticism-and-a-response/
The debate about numbers and the attractiveness or otherwise of HTB type ecclesiology versus alternatives leaves me confused and despairing. From this debate it would seem that the purpose of the church is to build its numbers by making itself into a great experience to be enjoyed. That is nowhere near the point. We should be carrying a burning desire for God’s justice on earth, and the liberation of groups and individuals from all that diminishes them. It’s good when people appear in church as a consequence because they have found something for which they wish to thank God, but… Read more »
Niall Ferguson’s excellent book “The Square and the Tower” is required reading which also speaks to the present predicament of the Church of England. He is, like Helen King, an academic historian and he takes as his case studies the French and American Revolutions of the late eighteenth century. His thesis is that the loose networks (the currency of the market “square”) can and do supersede rigid hierarchies (the structures within “towers”). That is surely what is now about to happen with the Church of England. I should be clear, I am a conservative, so my hope and expectation is… Read more »
Martyn Percy comments on the paucity of ‘studies of Sydney Anglicanism’. Not a criticism but simply a remark is that there is a scholarly text entitled ‘Sydney Anglicans’ by Kenneth Cable and Stephen Judd, which was published by the Anglican Information Office in 1987. The research for it was done at the University of Sydney. I bought a second hand copy of it when I was on sabbatical in Sydney in 2018. It was one of a number of acquisitions from the visit which I left behind so as to avoid paying for excess baggage on the return flight to… Read more »
When I posted this I was unaware that the article by John Sandeman to which he provides a link also mentions the book by Kenneth Cable and Stephen Judd. There were two Hammonds who became major figures on the Sydney Anglican scene, T.C. Hammond (1877-1961) and R.B.S. Hammond (1870-1946). For 30 years R.B.S. Hammond was Rector of St Barnabas Broadway in central Sydney. He was noted for being a temperance evangelist and for ministering to men with an alcohol problem. He once had a display outside his church which read ‘It is better to be neat and tidy than to… Read more »
I am not sure if anyone has mentioned that Michael Jensen, son of a former Archbishop of Sydney, has written a defence of the Diocese. This is a complex subject but Sydney has not always been the same. Growing up in Sydney, and though ordained in Canberra over 60 years ago, a priest of the Diocese since 1976, I could make some comments. Sydney has changed over the years and into the first half of the 20th century and even a bit later there were distinguished liberal evangelicals, such as Archbishop Wright, Bishop C.V.Pilcher, and Dean Pitt and Dean Shilton… Read more »
John, it is an enormous pleasure to hear from you via TA, as I remember you from St James King Street in the 1970s. I was not aware of Michael Jensen’s book. I was interested in your choice of clerical personages for honourable mention.
Thanks, Clifford. They were very happy days for so many then at King Street to which I paid a rare visit only last Sunday – helped by the verger to get in and out even though the lift was not working ! All good wishes.
I am sure that you recall the mission of 1978 at King Street which had to be cancelled totally when the chief missioner met with an accident on the day before the mission was due to begin. He was admitted to hospital and, thankfully, recovered fully. I will leave it to you to identify him if you wish. Four years later he was knocked down by a Melbourne tram. I am quite sure that had he still been amongst us (in which case he would have been 115 years old) he would not have minded my mentioning that, as he… Read more »