Building on History Project Hits the Road

14/09/09

Historians and clergy met in East Haringey last week to exchange knowledge and ideas about the history of the Diocese of London and the ways it might inform the contemporary church.

Building on History: the Church in London is a 'Knowledge Transfer' project involving the Diocese of London, Lambeth Palace Library, The Open University and King’s College London. Its aim is to enhance the self-understanding and contemporary effectiveness of the Diocese by disseminating insights about the history of religion in London and encouraging clergy and laity to investigate their own religious heritage.

The project enjoys the enthusiastic support of the Bishop of London, who has expressed his hope that the project will 'lead to clergy and others growing in their awareness of the development of the church in a way that builds confidence and practical wisdom'.

The presentation to the East Haringey deanery chapter included short talks by Professor John Wolffe and Dr John Maiden of the Open University, which reviewed recent academic work that questions the inevitability of 'secularization'. They also described the ways in which the Diocese responded to the social changes and pastoral challenges of the nineteenth century and suggested ways in which historical understanding might contribute to mission and ministry in present day London. The presentations were followed by discussion, as clergy described how the issues and challenges faced by their nineteenth century predecessors paralleled and contrasted with their own.

Luke Miller, Area Dean of East Haringey, said afterwards:

"The presentation encouraged us and shows how a study of the past is relevant - even necessary - to understanding our work today. There is a view abroad that there was a golden age when all was easy, before secularization made things so much more difficult, but the Building on History project points out the danger of developing a false pessimism based on a mistaken reading of the past.

"There were mistakes in the past as there are today, and there were successes then as there are now".

The project is already scheduled to give similar presentations to several other deanery chapters and synods during the coming months, and would warmly welcome further such invitations, especially for the early months of 2010. They would also be delighted to talk to other gatherings of clergy and laity within the Diocese. Further details can be found at the project website www.open.ac.uk/buildingonhistory or by contacting John Maiden at