Discerning the vision and strategy for the Church of England in the 2020s.
At the end of 2019, the Archbishop of York was asked by the House of Bishops to lead a process to create a vision and strategy for the Church of England for the next ten years. This vision and strategy aims for a reappraisal of how we live and bear the light of Christ to the world through the church. It is part of the wider Emerging Church of England body of work.
This vision has emerged through consultations over the last six months with hundreds of people who reflect the breadth and diversity of the Church of England. This included a listening exercise with 170 children and young people.
The picture below illustrates the shape of the vision and its strategic priorities from the period of consultation. The vision encapsulates the Church of England’s calling to be a Christ-centred and Jesus-shaped church that is simpler, humbler, and bolder. It identifies three strategic priorities for the Church around being a church of missionary disciples, a church where the mixed ecology of many forms of church are the norm, and a church which is younger and more diverse.
Read the commentary from the Archbishop of York that accompanies this illustration.
The result is a vision with Jesus Christ at the centre that can be shared by the thousands of parishes, chaplaincies, schools, church plants, religious communities, fresh expressions, mission initiatives, messy churches, food banks and refugee ministries. How it is lived out, through their mission and ministry, will be up to these local communities to develop as they engage with the vision and strategy work.
A fuller explanation is available in the Archbishop of York’s commentary that accompanies the picture. There is also a theological reflection on our emerging vision and priorities by the Bishop of Oxford, Stephen Croft.
Links
- A Vision for the Church of England in the 2020s, ‘Christ centred and Jesus shaped. Simpler, humbler, bolder’ by Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York
- A theological reflection on our emerging vision and priorities, ‘Salt for the earth, light for the world’ by Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford
- Watch the General Synod session where this was announced
