Then I saw a new heaven and new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
London Challenge was the Diocese of London’s strategic framework from 2002 to 2012. Capital Vision 2020 was launched on 6 June 2013 as its successor.
“Then I saw a new heaven and new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself will be with them.'” Revelation 21
The Book of Revelation directs us to the vision of a “holy city, the new Jerusalem” built on the foundation of faith and hope and love. It is central to our conviction in the Diocese of London that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is speaking through the promise and the peril of our time in London’s story. We must renew our determination to listen to his voice and play our full part in building the community he intends and in promoting the values of His Kingdom.
While we have a clear sense of the distinctiveness of our Christian faith, the confidence we have been given is non exclusive. So we seek to work with members of the great world faith communities and with all other people of good will in the interests of social cohesion and in those aspects of London life where the poor and vulnerable are pointing to some uncomfortable truths about the quality of our life together.
In the Book of Revelation, letters are sent to the Seven Churches of Asia commenting on their spiritual state and describing some of the particular opportunities and dangers they face. Working from a similar prayerful assessment of the state of the church in the Diocese, the London Challenge has identified areas in which the Church has to grow if we are to be faithful disciples and active partners in building the Kingdom of God.
Since the launch of its first phase in January 2002, the London Challenge has helped us to see what we are already doing together as a Church serving eighteen boroughs north of the Thames. We made specific commitments to ensure the Church’s growth and it is now time to build on the success of the London Challenge by turning the attention of our Church resolutely outwards.
London Challenge 2012 is a kind of Diocesan Mission Action Plan. The intention is not to impose an add on programme on parishes, chaplaincies, schools and the other communities in the Diocese but rather to invite them to reflect on how to relate their own plans for mission to this overview of the period 2007-2012. We aim to add up our common wisdom and our efforts to be Christ’s faithful witnesses and servants in 21st century London and to play our part in building the Holy City.
