Church Society facts for kids
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| Predecessor |
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|---|---|
| Formation | 1950 |
| Type | Evangelical Anglican charity |
| Headquarters | Dean Wace House, Watford, England |
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Key people
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J. C. Ryle, William Griffith Thomas, Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, Gerald Bray, Wallace Benn |
The Church Society is a Christian group in England. It's a charity for people who follow a specific type of Christian faith called Evangelical Anglican. This means they believe the Bible is very important and guides their lives and church practices.
The Church Society was formed in 1950 when two older groups, the Church Association and the National Church League, joined together. Later, in 2018, it merged with two more groups, Reform and the Fellowship of Word and Spirit. This helped them speak with a stronger, united voice within the Church of England.
The Church Society publishes a journal called Global Anglican. It used to be called Churchman. Many important Christian leaders have been involved with the Church Society over the years, like J. C. Ryle and J. I. Packer.
Contents
What is the Church Society?
The Church Society works to help the Church of England stay true to its traditional beliefs, especially those found in the Bible. They want to make sure the church continues to follow the teachings and worship styles set out in the 39 Articles of Religion and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
How the Church Society Helps
The Church Society does many things to achieve its goals:
- They speak out on important topics affecting the church.
- They connect with other groups and people who share their beliefs.
- They help choose leaders for about 130 Anglican churches.
- They publish books, magazines, and online resources.
- They hold conferences and training events.
Speaking Out for Beliefs
The Church Society often shares its views on different issues. They aim to offer a clear, Bible-based opinion on matters important to the Church of England and the country. For example, they have spoken about the role of women in church leadership. They also campaigned against new laws for same-sex marriage in 2012.
The society has also discussed different Christian movements. They have shared their thoughts on theological liberalism, which is a way of thinking that sometimes questions traditional Christian beliefs. They have also looked at some parts of the charismatic movement, which focuses on spiritual gifts.
Helping Choose Church Leaders
Through a group called Church Society Trust, the society helps in choosing evangelical clergy for many Anglican churches. One example is St John the Baptist, Hartford in Cheshire. This helps ensure that churches have leaders who share the society's beliefs.
Publishing Books and Resources
The Church Society publishes many materials to share its message. Their main journal is Global Anglican. They also have a magazine for members called Crossway. They publish books on various topics related to their beliefs, like An English Prayer Book.
In 2010, they started the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Library (REAL) project. This project republishes important evangelical Christian writings. They also create weekly podcasts and videos to help people understand Bible readings.
Conferences and Training
The Church Society organizes several events each year. They have an annual day conference and a residential conference. They also partner with the ReNew conference and host the Junior Anglican Evangelical Conference. They even offer an online training course for women called the Priscilla Programme.
History of the Church Society
The Church Society has a long history, going back to the 1800s. Its earliest roots can be traced to the Protestant Association, founded in 1835.
Early Groups and Their Goals
In the 19th century, groups like the Church Association were formed. They wanted to stop new ideas, sometimes called Anglo-Catholicism, from changing the Church of England. These new ideas were brought in by groups like the Oxford Movement.
The Church Association was started in 1865. Its main goal was to protect the traditional ways of the Church of England. They wanted to make sure the church's services did not become too similar to those of the Church of Rome.
The Church Association published information and held public meetings. They also tried to use legal actions to clarify the rules of the church. However, some church leaders did not follow the court decisions, and bishops were not always willing to act. This led to fewer legal actions over time.
In 1928, another group, the National Church League, had a big success. They were able to stop changes to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer that they felt were too Anglo-Catholic.
Publishing Through the Years
Both the Church Society and the groups before it have published many theological books and articles. The Church Association published "Church Association Tracts," some written by J. C. Ryle. Their journal, Churchman, has been published since 1879.
In the 20th century, many books were produced under the Church Society's publishing arms, Church Book Room Press (CBRP) and later Vine Books Ltd. These included works by W. H. Griffith Thomas.
Mergers and Growth
In 1950, the Church Association and the National Church League officially merged to create the Church Society. This brought their efforts together.
In 2018, the Church Society merged again with Reform and the Fellowship of Word and Spirit. This created a larger, more unified group to represent conservative evangelicals within the Church of England. A new Council was elected to lead this combined organization.
Leadership of the Church Society
The Church Society is managed by an elected council. Members vote for this council every year. The society's headquarters are in Dean Wace House, Watford, UK.
Directors of the Church Society
- 1998-2011: David Phillips
- 2013-Present: Lee Gatiss
Since 2017, the Church Society has also had an Associate Director, Ros Clarke. In 2019, two part-time Regional Directors were also appointed to help lead the society's work in different areas.
See also
- Forward in Faith
