Is it time for the church of England to be disestablished?

In many places where I have lived and ministered I have encountered the Church of England's unconscious bias whereby they think they really are the church and often without knowing look down on other denominations. They don't say it but their sense of superiority comes across time and time again. For all the talk of working together with other denominations, the mask slips and entitlement rears its ugly head. I recently listened to the three episode series 'Church Going' by Revd Giles Fraser on radio 4. Though Giles makes reference to other traditions, including Methodism, he still delivered a very entitled "anglican approach' which left me with the impression that really the C of E is the Church. I am sure that was not his intention. Perhaps the series should have just said 'church going within the C of E'.

Entering retirement as a Methodist Minister four yeas ago I found myself worshipping at a local Parish Church.  Finding the right  Christian community in my locality was more important than denomination. Technically it's not our Parish Church as the boundary does not include our address.

Of course the  C of E makes much of everybody being in a parish and there is of course a save the Parish movement. Whether the case can still be made for the Parish system remains to be seen when so many are now drawn together with other parishes. In fact they look more like Methodist circuits which are themselves proving unsustainable in their traditional form. 

When it comes to the reality of denominations working together, while my own does not always get it right, Anglicans due to their diversity often means they don't really engage and something of the parish mentality has a bearing on that. Often I have found lay folk get on well, but the clergy don't. Unless your Anglican vicar really values other people ministries you don't quite count. Snobbery and elitism dressed up in theological positions creates barriers but I feel it is something to do with their unconscious bias which makes them feel only they are the church. I have found it more often than not easier to work with Roman Catholic Priests than Anglicans.

So we attended a parish church and being made welcome we easily settled into a church community that some might call middle of the road anglicanism. I like to say it's a church community that is hard to truly label, which was partly what made it attractive to us. We experienced a fairly informal style of liturgy that sought to keep the essence of the liturgy, while removing elements, which not only made worship longer, but were not required. Then our vicar retired and we had a vacancy for about 18 months. The various priests who rolled up to lead worship, while a mixed bunch, sought to hold to the local communities style of worship, this was respectful and appropriate. Our numbers held up and even slightly grew. So anything between 35 and 45 was normal (not bad in the these days.)

The vicar on my arrival I think struggled with the fact I didn't want to be leading worship, and so partly to placate, I agreed to some leading of activities, but it did require the Bishop's approval!!!!! I mean 38 years of ordained ministry and having to get a Bishop's approval so I could lead the odd service, a Maundy Thursday and Good Friday service, Christingle and to deliver some Taize worship plus occasional group work sessions. It really was laughable.

Now before I continue I must stress I do believe that it is important for those exercising leadership to be approved, especially because of safeguarding. I had no issue with needing to show I was in good standing with my own denomination and get a DBS- very sensible, especially for a denomination that still has major issues around safeguarding. Yet even allowing for these basic needs I still encountered the madness of the Established church. I always thought Methodism could be a pain over its rules and regulations. I always sought to master CPD (The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church) because then you could know how to work effectively within the existing structures but not allow them to confine you. But the C of E is a law unto itself and it's clear that each diocese can and does do things differently. 

I was informed initially I would need to undertake a training course to preach, and that I would not be allowed to lead communion. The vicar was embarrassed by the diocese response. It did get ironed out so I was 'approved for preaching' but not allowed to lead communion. I would say how strange as preaching is far more dangerous than blessing bread and wine. Mind you with all the tincturing and use of gluten I'm not so sure it is safe. Strange how the C of E is clear tincturing is not permitted but it happens a lot. Do as I say but not as I do !!!

So during the vacancy a panic arose about how could I lead a Sunday service. All our Sunday services were communion services so did we need to bring in a retired priest to do the magic bit? All that would do is waste human resources and the C of E is not that flushed with people.  So we had the nonsense of getting the bishop's permission to have a non eucharist service, (though the rules state the PCC can agree to this anyway) and what made me smile, is after the first service I led, one member didn't even noticed we hadn't had communion!!!

Now in my previous context of leading Methodist circuits we would not have blinked at allowing an Anglican priest to take a service and a communion at that. It appears not the other way round. So much for the Methodist Anglican covenant.

Of course all denominations have their own way of doing things. But the inbuilt bias of the C of E, its sense of entitlement, its failure on the ground to often work in an ecumenical manner because "we are the Parish Church" seems to trump anything and everything. 

So after four years worshipping in a parish church it has rekindled for me the question why should it continue as the established church?  

• Automatic seats in the House of Lords is truly outdated. 
• A monarch who is the head of the church outdated. 
• Archbishops and bishops who appear unaccountable to anyone out dated.

And that's before we come to the matter of whether it is truly one church? Its various divisions mean the two extremes only come together in their opposition to women exercising ministry or resisting being truly inclusive when it comes to the LGBTQ community. 

I feel it would be more effective if its legal status was removed and had to learn to speak truth to power without being compromised by its entanglement with the wider establishment. It seems to have an over bloated opinion of its influence and strength. It is in denial of its shrinking base. It colludes with the pretence that it can hold together those who don't believe in women's ordination or consecration as bishops, with those who do. This is all achieved by pretending they respect the others. The reality is some don't think some priests are valid and as such their blessing of bread and wine actually is not real. Strangely enough the wider community really doesn't care.

All this is far removed from a man in Palestine telling people the Kingdom of God has come. Far removed from his invitation to come and follow his way of life. He had no time for priests, legalists, the powers that be. His concern was for the breaking in of the Kingdom of God. It came peacefully because he knew violence could never defeat violence. It came with hearts and minds that were changed as they experienced what it was to be accepted, no barriers. It came with forgiveness and the sheer wonder of God's grace. It came by being prepared to give up his life otherwise he would compromise what he taught and the way he lived. It came around meal tables where hospitality was experienced. It came while gifting to those who chose to welcome the kingdom a special meal. That meal was meant to unite and not divide. 

We have lost the wider hospitality of meal tables and created a legal meal which only counts if a 'priest says the words' and the wafer has traces of wheat.  Gluten free wafers are not Gluten free in the church of England. Sadly the institution really does not allow grace to abound as its rules and regulations are far removed from a movement that a man in Galilee began. Thankfully the local Christian community does display in spite of this legalism the breaking in of God's Kingdom. People are welcomed, diversity exists with all it challenges, and people continue to find their way into the community that Jesus called and calls into being. I just think the C of E and society would benefit from it not being the established church.