Durham E-Theses Anglican Christian social theory: an assessment of social welfare and the church of England in the twentieth century Middlemiss, Martha How to cite: Middlemiss, Martha (2003) Anglican Christian social theory: an assessment of social welfare and the church of England in the twentieth century, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4194/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Martha Middlemiss MA by Thesis Department of Theology Faculty of Arts Durham University September 2002 Anglican Christian Social Theory: An assessment of social welfare and the Church of England in the Twentieth Century The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 11 JAN 2003 This piece of work is the result of my own work. Material from the work of others has been acknowledged and quotations and paraphrases suitably indicated. The dissertation is no more than 50, 000 words long. CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 ABSTRACT 3 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 4 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 5 A im and Method. ; 5 Anglican Christian social thought: An ideal type 7 CHAPTER 2: THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF WILLIAM TEMPLE 17 Background 17 Family 17 Education 19 Philosophical influences 20 Social influences 22 Method 23 Temple's Christian Social Theory 27 Conclusion.... 41 CHAPTER 3: THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF DAVID JENKINS 51 Background 51 Family 51 Education 52 Philosophical Influences 53 Social Influences 57 Method 59 Theology 68 Jenkins' Christian Social Theory. 72 Ministry 82 CHAPTER 4: THE 'FAITH IN THE CITY' REPORT 91 Social Situation 93 1 Political Situation 98 Church Structures 100 Theology of Faith in the City... 104 Anglican Tradition of Social Thought 105 Prophetic action 108 Wealth creation and Just distribution 109 Stewardship 112 Theology of Work 114 Community 115 Reappraisal of the Church 118 Partnership • 122 Ecumenical and Interfaith co-operation 124 Recommendations 126 Reactions and Impact 129 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 138 Anglican Christian Social Thought in the Twenty First Century? 143 BIBLIOGRAPHY 145 Books, Reports and Journal Articles 145 Media Articles 152 2 Martha Middlemiss MA by Thesis Department of Theology Durham University September 2002 Anglican Christian Social Theory: An assessment of social welfare and the Church of England in the Twentieth Century ABSTRACT This study assesses the contribution of the Church of England to social thought in the twentieth century. Its theoretical, multidisciplinary perspective highlights the motivation, ideology and theology, which has driven Anglican social involvement and works towards the construction and examination of an ideal type of Anglican Christian Social Theory against its background as a state church. Anglican Christian social theory is a tradition of theologically grounded political thought relating Christian theology and English cultural life. This thesis explores the development of this tradition in the twentieth century by considering its embodiment in Episcopal leadership and its expression in an official Church report. Accordingly the thesis comprises of three distinct yet complimentary studies allowing for comparisons to be drawn between the earlier and later decades of the century. First an assessment of the thought of William Temple whose ministry spanned the first half of the twentieth century and who, as an Archbishop of Canterbury, personified the theory under scrutiny. Secondly, a study of David Jenkins, Bishop of Durham, whose outspokenness on welfare issues and questioning of the role of bishops addresses the later half of the century and allows for a comparison with Temple's episcopacy. Thirdly, to account for significant social changes in leadership and social life between the 1940s and 1980s this study adds an analysis of the 'Faith in the City' report to these studies of bishops. Together these three topics lead to the conclusion that it is the Church's own perception of its role in the nation underlining its belief in its obligation to interact with the state that is the defining and unchanging element of Anglican Christian Social Theory. This perception on the part of those who represent the tradition highlights theology as having a central role to play in moral political thought. 3 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACUPA The Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Urban Priority Areas BSR The Board of Social Responsibility of the General Synod of the Church of England COPEC Conference on Christian Politics, Economics and Citizenship CSU Christian Social Union CUF Church Urban Fund ICRC The Inner Cities Religious Council FITC Faith in the City: A Call for Action by Church and Nation, a report by the Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Urban Priority Areas, (Church House Publishing, London, 1985) UPA Urban Priority Area WCC World Council of Churches 4 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Aim and Method The aim of this thesis is to assess the motivation, ideology and theology, which has driven Anglican social involvement in the twentieth century. To this end this thesis will construct an ideal type of Anglican Christian Social Theory. An ideal type is, by definition, an essential representation of a particular position or phenomenon. As a social scientific construct it can be identified to varying degrees in the thought and practices of both individuals and groups and can serve as a controlling description and thus as a useful tool when undertaking a comparative study over time or distance or between different expressions of cultural values. Anglican Christian Social Theory is a tradition of theologically grounded political thought with dual roots in the Anglican intellectual theological tradition stretching back to Richard Hooker and in the basic values of English society with its cautious response to social injustice. It is not only peculiarly Anglican, but peculiarly English and is characterised by its understanding that the Church as an established church has an integral role to play in society in general and in the formation of public welfare policy in particular. This thesis explores the development of the tradition of Anglican Christian Social Thought in the twentieth century by considering its embodiment in Episcopal leadership and its expression in an official Church report. The subtle and complex nature of the ideal type will require a multidisciplinary approach allowing analysis to benefit from the methodology and insights of the anthropology, history and sociology of religion as well as of theology. The broad scope of this study necessitates a theoretical rather than empirical approach utilising in depth studies from a variety of fields to draw new 5 conclusions and provide the intellectual platform on which a future analysis of the role of the Church in social welfare in the present day could build. The study is divided into three distinct, though interconnecting sections. Within each section the underlying social theory is drawn out and analysed with reference to the contemporary social and political situation and theological trends. A concluding chapter identifies the common elements and assesses the extent to which the ideal type can be said to be a significant and constant feature of social theory in the Church of England throughout the twentieth century. The natural starting point for a study of this nature is with the thought of William Temple. His thought and ministry spanned the first half of the twentieth century and as bishop and later Archbishop of Canterbury he could be said to embody the links between Church and State which lie at the heart of the social theory with which we are concerned. This is important as not only are the bishops themselves influential in the formation of social thought, but as establishment figures bridging the worlds of church and society, they are also best placed to influence its adoption by the church and its role in the relationship of Church to society. The third chapter therefore needs to address not only the later half of the century, but also to allow for a comparison of the Church's perception of the nature of the episcopacy and the eventual differences alterations in this may mean for an Anglican Christian Social Theory. David Jenkins, well known both for his outspokenness on welfare issues and his questioning of a bishop's role within the establishment is the obvious candidate. A study of his life and thought allows for an exploration of the citizen/churchman dichotomy which influences the lives of most bishops and is particularly well defined in his case, a perspective which will enrich the study by shedding light on issues of personal Christian duty as opposed to collective responsibility. In the fourth chapter, to account for significant changes in leadership and social life between the 1940s and 1980s, the study adds an analysis of the 'Faith in the City' report1 and the resulting follow up The Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Urban Priority Areas. Faith in the City: A 6 process to these studies of bishops. It is perhaps the most significant and well known piece of social thought produced by the Church during the closing decades of the century and this committee report serves to illustrate both the changed role of the episcopacy in the Church and the impact of a more significant role for the laity in value forming roles as well as also addressing the issue of the relative emphasis appropriately placed on individuals and collective bodies within the Church.