Church Association facts for kids
The Church Association was a group of Christians in England. It was started in 1865. This group was part of the Church of England. They were especially active in speaking out against certain practices. They felt these practices, like Anglo-Catholicism and ritualism, were too much like the Roman Catholic Church. When the group first started, they said their main goals were to support the rules of the Church of England. They also wanted to stop efforts that seemed to make their church services too similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church.
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Why the Church Association Was Formed
The Church Association was created by Richard Paul Blakeney. This happened in 1865. The group believed strongly in the original ideas of the Church of England. They wanted to make sure the church stayed true to its own traditions. They were worried about new ideas, like the Oxford Movement. This movement brought back older church practices. The Church Association thought these practices were too close to Roman Catholic ways.
Working for Their Beliefs
The Church Association did many things to share their message. They published special papers called Church Association Tracts. They also held public meetings where people could learn about their views. Sometimes, they even took legal steps. They used a law from 1874 called the Public Worship Regulation Act. This law helped them challenge church practices they disagreed with. For example, they took legal action against people like Sidney Faithorn Green and Richard William Enraght. The association said they did this to make church laws clearer. However, the people they took to court did not always follow the judges' decisions. Also, the church leaders (bishops) did not always want to get involved. Because of this, the Church Association eventually stopped taking legal action.
Joining Forces: The Church Society
Over time, the Church Association continued its work. In 1950, it decided to join with another group. This group was called the National Church League. Together, they formed a new organization. This new group is known as the Church Society. The Church Society continues to support the ideas that the original Church Association believed in.
External Links
- Church Association Tracts
- The Teaching of the Ritualists not the Teaching of the Church of England, Church Association Tract 4, John Charles Ryle
