Increase in cathedral attendance; C of E renewal; Archbishop Sentamu; Chairs out pews in; Bettany Hughes: who knows whether God is a girl?; Michael Sheen’s Passion event marked in Port Talbot; Blood and guts for Easter? That’s not very British
Surge in cathedral congregations shows enduring appeal of religion says Church
Telegraph – The lure of traditional worship and the promise of “anonymity” has fuelled a surge in attendance at services in cathedrals at a time when local churches have seen congregations dwindle, official figures show.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9184010/Surge-in-cathedral-congregations-shows-enduring-appeal-of-religion-says-Church.html
The Church of England needs its own rebirth
The Guardian – Andrew Brown writes: Last Friday, a bishop wrote something astonishing about his own church. “The Church of England used to be the guardian of the nation’s morals, but is increasingly perceived as irrelevant, or even a threat to them,” said Alan Wilson, the bishop of …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/06/church-england-own-rebirth-easter?newsfeed=true
The Archbishop of York’s millionaire brother and a very troubling allegation
Daily Mail – Having fled to Britain as a young man, one has risen through the ranks of the Church of England and is now the bookmakers’ favourite to be its first black leader following the recent resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2126260/The-Archbishop-Yorks-millionaire-brother-troubling-allegation.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Pews move back into churches after plastic seat ‘horror’
Telegraph.co.uk – Hundreds of parishes have opted to sell off Victorian wooden seating in recent years to open up churches for new uses. Faced with dwindling attendances on Sundays and a desire to attract new worshippers, the Church of England is in the midst of a drive …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9190548/Pews-move-back-into-churches-after-plastic-seat-horror.html
Bettany Hughes: who knows whether God is a girl?
Telegraph.co.uk – To oppose the ordination of women bishops in the Church of England is to deny the central role women played in the foundations of the faith, said Hughes. “By suppressing the true story of the connection between women and religion, we etiolate both …
African archbishop John Sentamu tipped as next Anglican leader
The Australian – Outside of the west end of York Minster today, 13 willing volunteers from local churches will be submerged in a tank of water in a series of open-air baptisms that have become a hallmark of John Sentamu’s time in the Church of England’s northern …
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/african-archbishop-john-sentamu-tipped-as-next-anglican-leader/story-fnb64oi6-1226320661085&ct=ga&cad=CAcQAhgAIAAoATAFOAVArOL–wRIAVAAWABiBWVuLUdC&cd=7Quus-svA74&usg=AFQjCNGl2bPCyqYY863LIkSgxoUHhyAE-w
Blood and guts for Easter? That’s not very British
The Guardian – Jonathan Jones on passion plays – My Church of England (or more accurately Church in Wales) childhood makes me suspicious of these emphatic Passions. Is Christianity meant to be exciting, moving, and dramatic? That was never the C of E way as I recall it. Going to Church at Easter was …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/apr/06/easter-passion-plays-blood-guts?newsfeed=true
Michael Sheen’s Passion event marked in Port Talbot
BBC Wales – One year after 1,000 people staged a reenactment in Port Talbot of Jesus’s journey to the cross, negative attitudes to the town have changed, says the town’s canon. Canon Nigel Cahill said the Passion production, which starred Michael Sheen, was talked about every week. Sheen played the Christ-like character in a 72-hour production at multiple locations around his home town.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17629930
Good Friday Sermon
Daily Mail – Thomas Fleming writes Christians today are forever lamenting the sad state of the churches. They are right of course. The Church of England has been a joke since even before Ronald Knox was driven out out by the infidelities of his generation’s best and brightest, …
http://fleming.dailymail.co.uk/2012/04/good-friday-sermon.html
Bishop of Manchester: Easter’s message of hope still has power to touch …
Manchester Evening News – The region’s Church of England and Catholic bishops warn worshippers not to lose sight of the season’s meaning of hope. As thousands of Christians mark the end of Lent – and prepare for a packed summer calendar of national events – they say Christ’s …
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1490628_bishop-of-manchester-easters-message-of-hope-still-has-power-to-touch-peoples-lives