Research Papers - Community and Family

Listening and learning in the sexuality debate

Savi Hensman — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:15:38 +0000

As part of the 'listening process' in the Anglican Communion over the extensive disagreements about human sexuality, Ekklesia associate Savitri Hensman has prepared a paper on Learning, Listening, Scripture and Sexuality which seeks both to take the conversation forward and to affirm the role of lesbian and gay Christians as active and baptised members in the church, in accordance with a faithful and interpretatively sensitive reading of its the texts and tradition.

Savi Hensman

What Future For Marriage?

Jonathan Bartley — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 19:27:14 +0100

In recent years the Christian churches have set great stall by ‘family values’ and the institution of marriage. Yet the form of marriage we know as such today is a relatively late invention out of something that once had much more to do with solidifying dynastic power. And most commentators agree that it is going through a tough time – with more people choosing not to marry, opting to forge different (often informal) partnerships, and getting divorced in increasing numbers. This paper sets out a new approach, which proposes abolishing legal marriage in its current form.

Simon Barrow

Faith and Politics After Christendom

Press Office — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:15:18 +0100

This book examines the changing relationship between faith and politics. For the best part of 1700 years, the institutional church has enjoyed a hand-in-hand relationship with government. Indeed, the church has often been seen as the glue that has stopped political systems from disintegrating into anarchy. But in this post-Christendom era the relation of Church and State has weakened to the point where the church can no longer claim to play any significant part in Government. What does the future hold? Where is it all heading? What should be done in the face of radicalised religion?

Jonathan Bartley