English Covenant facts for kids
The English Covenant was a plan for several Christian churches in England to become more united. It was first suggested in 1980 after many talks in the 1970s. The main goal was for the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church (URC), and the Moravian Church to work much more closely together, almost like a merger. However, the plan did not happen because the Church of England decided not to approve it in 1982.
Contents
Why Churches Wanted to Unite
In 1972, leaders from different churches set up a group called the Churches' Unity Commission. This group wanted to find ways for Christian churches to work together better. In 1976, they shared some ideas about how churches could become more visibly united. They also suggested creating a new group called the Churches Council for Covenanting (for Unity).
The Plan for Unity
Five churches agreed to move forward with the plan for unity. These were the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the Moravian Church, and the Churches of Christ. (The Churches of Christ later joined with the United Reformed Church in 1981).
The Methodist Church generally liked the plan. The United Reformed Church, which was a newer church formed in 1972, also supported the idea. They even started to change their own organization to prepare for the unity plan.
Why the Plan Didn't Work
Even though many churches were hopeful, the plan needed approval from all of them. In 1982, the General Synod of the Church of England voted on the plan. The General Synod is like the main decision-making body for the Church of England.
To pass, the plan needed a special majority of votes. While two parts of the Synod approved the plan, the third part, called the House of Clergy (which includes priests and deacons), did not give enough votes. Because of this, the English Covenant plan could not go ahead.
See also
- Churches Together in England
External links
- Churches' Council for Covenanting | The National Archives
