Forward in Faith
Encyclopedia
Forward in Faith is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion
. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism
and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women
to the priesthood and episcopate and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican views of homosexuality
.
, ecclesiology
, Christology
and the authority of scripture. As of 2005 there are more than 800 member parishes around the world.
In the brochure entitled "What is Forward in Faith North America", the organisation defines itself as
, the Anglican Bishop of Fulham, at the suggestion of the Pope.
On 20 October 2009, in a document called "Anglicanorum Coetibus", the Holy See
announced that it intended creating personal ordinariates for groups of former Anglicans within the Roman Catholic Church
. The proposed ordinariates are expected to be similar to existing military ordinariates
, in ways that are comparable to the current Opus Dei
personal prelature
.
In October 2010 Bishop Broadhurst announced his intention to join the Roman Catholic church, although he said he would not at that point resign as Chairman of Forward in Faith saying "it is not a Church of England organisation." He resigned from the post in November 2010, though, before being received into the Roman Catholic Church.
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
to the priesthood and episcopate and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican views of homosexuality
Anglican views of homosexuality
Since the 1990s, the Anglican Communion has struggled with controversy regarding homosexuality in the church. In 1998, the 13th Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops passed a resolution stating that homosexual acts are "incompatible with Scripture". In 2002, the Diocese of New Westminster, in the...
.
History
FiF was formed in 1992 as a coalition of some previous Catholic societies in the Church of England and elsewhere opposed to the ordination of women. It also tends to take a more traditionalist line on matters of liturgyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, ecclesiology
Ecclesiology
Today, ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian church. However when the word was coined in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of churches and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.In its theological sense, ecclesiology...
, Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
and the authority of scripture. As of 2005 there are more than 800 member parishes around the world.
Organisation
The common description of Forward in Faith as an organisation made up of Anglo-Catholics can be misleading. Because of the nature of FiF and the nature of Catholic theology regarding the ordination of women there is a significant overlap of the two. The membership base of FiF, however, is not exclusively Anglo-Catholic and there are many members in the United States, in England and elsewhere who would not consider themselves to be Anglo-Catholics.In the brochure entitled "What is Forward in Faith North America", the organisation defines itself as
a fellowship of Bishops, Clergy, Laity, Parishes and Religious Orders, who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who uphold the Evangelical Faith and Catholic Order which is the inheritance of the Anglican Way, and who work, pray and give for the reform and renewal of the Church with 'no compromise of truth and no limitation of love' FiF/NA members include faithful Anglicans both within and outside ECUSA.
Relations with the Roman Catholic Church
In 2009, there were reports that Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Catholic Archbishop of Vienna, had been meeting with Forward in Faith chairman John BroadhurstJohn Broadhurst
John Charles Broadhurst is an English priest of the Roman Catholic Church. Broadhurst was formerly a bishop of the Church of England and served as the Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London from 1996 to 2010...
, the Anglican Bishop of Fulham, at the suggestion of the Pope.
On 20 October 2009, in a document called "Anglicanorum Coetibus", the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
announced that it intended creating personal ordinariates for groups of former Anglicans within the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The proposed ordinariates are expected to be similar to existing military ordinariates
Military ordinariate
A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, of Latin or Eastern Rite, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation....
, in ways that are comparable to the current Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
personal prelature
Personal prelature
Personal prelature is an institutional structure of the Roman Catholic Church which comprises a prelate, clergy and possibly laity who undertake specific pastoral activities. Personal prelatures, similar to dioceses and military ordinariates, are under the governance of the Vatican's Congregation...
.
In October 2010 Bishop Broadhurst announced his intention to join the Roman Catholic church, although he said he would not at that point resign as Chairman of Forward in Faith saying "it is not a Church of England organisation." He resigned from the post in November 2010, though, before being received into the Roman Catholic Church.
See also
- Anglican realignmentAnglican realignmentThe term Anglican realignment refers to a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada...
- Affirming CatholicismAffirming CatholicismAffirming Catholicism is a movement operating in several provinces of the Anglican Communion, most notably in the UK, Ireland, the United States and Canada...
- Provincial episcopal visitorProvincial episcopal visitorA provincial episcopal visitor is a Church of England bishop assigned to minister to many of the clergy, laity and parishes who do not in conscience accept the ministry of women priests....
- Continuing Anglican MovementContinuing Anglican MovementThe term Continuing Anglican movement refers to a number of churches in various countries that have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion. These churches generally believe that "traditional" forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some...
- Society of the Holy CrossSociety of the Holy CrossThe Society of the Holy Cross is an international Anglo-Catholic society of priests with members in the Anglican Communion, the Continuing Anglican Movement and the Roman Catholic Church's Anglican Use...
- Reform (Anglican)Reform (Anglican)Reform is an Evangelical organisation within Anglicanism, active in the Church of England and the Church of Ireland. Reform in England describes itself as a "network of churches and individuals within the Church of England, committed to the reform of ourselves, our congregation and our world by the...
- Church of Christ the King, BloomsburyChurch of Christ the King, BloomsburyThe Church of Christ the King is a church belonging to the Catholic Apostolic Church which is situated in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury, London, beside Dr Williams's Library and near University College London. The church is currently used by the Anglican organisation Forward in Faith...