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Europe & Middle East

Year of hope and pain for Archbishop

Year of hope and pain for Archbishop

The Archbishop of Canterbury celebrated his first anniversary today and spoke of the pressures of his job and the pain of the furore over the nomination of a gay bishop. 

27 February 2004

New Lent series by Jane Williams published

New Lent series by Jane Williams published

The independent weekly, the Church Times, has published a Lent series by Jane Williams for 2004. The new series of study and reflection guides are designed for individual and group use during Lent. The series, called “God Problems”, deals with "obstacles Christians face in deepening their faith and commitment".

20 February 2004

General Synod endorses sexuality debate guide

General Synod endorses sexuality debate guide

With an overwhelming majority the Church of England’s General Synod yesterday voted to endorse a discussion document issued by the House of Bishops as a guide to the debate started by its 1991 report ‘Some Issues in Human Sexuality.’

12 February 2004

Sermon by Archbishop Desmond Tutu at Southwark Cathedral

Sermon by Archbishop Desmond Tutu at Southwark Cathedral

Long, long ago, very clever people decided that the human body, flesh, all material things, that all of these were in and of themselves, evil, intrinsically, inherently and always. So there was no way that the good, the pure, the sublime and, by definition, the perfectly good spirit could be united with the material. For these people, the dualists, the incarnation, God, pure spirit, becoming a human being was totally and in principle, and always, out of the question. What people thought was God become flesh in Jesus Christ, well, that was all just playacting, a charade.

06 February 2004

USPG appoints new General Secretary

USPG appoints new General Secretary

The United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG), one of the Church of England’s major world mission agencies, has appointed the Rt Revd Michael Doe, Bishop of Swindon, to be its next General Secretary. 

04 February 2004

SPCK goes Delirious? in Liverpool Cathedral

SPCK goes Delirious? in Liverpool Cathedral

Saturday 31 January was an historic day for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and more than 3000 young people.

04 February 2004

Archbishop Eames meets divided US churches; Irish Bishops issue open letter on human sexuality

Archbishop Eames meets divided US churches;  Irish Bishops issue open letter on human sexuality

In the past few days the Primate, as chairman of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s International Commission, has held discussions in the Diocese of Virginia with representatives of those supportive and opposed to the election and consecration of the Rt Revd Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion. Bishop Robinson was consecrated in New Hampshire on 2 November 2003.

04 February 2004

Diocese of London celebrates 1400th anniversary

Diocese of London celebrates 1400th anniversary

This year marks the 1400th anniversary of the foundation of St Paul’s Cathedral and the re-organisation of the Diocese of London in England. The Rt Revd Richard Chartres, Bishop of the diocese, has announced a series of events and services which have been planned to celebrate this quattordecimcentennial year under the heading “London Visions, Back to the Future”.

03 February 2004

Church's response to decision on asylum centre

Church's response to decision on asylum centre

The announcement that the government will not create a centre for asylum seekers at HMS Daedalus should not obscure the daily hardship faced by refugees and asylum seekers, a church leader said today. 

03 February 2004

Church of Ireland learns to live with differences

Church of Ireland learns to live with differences

The Church of Ireland today announced plans to deal positively with differences both within the church and in society. In a new initiative, the church has set up a committee to respond to lessons learned from a scoping study of members’ attitudes to sectarianism and living with differences.

30 January 2004