The Herbert Kelly Institute
for Anglican Religious Life
The Herbert Kelly Institute for Anglican Religious Life aims both to preserve the legacy of Anglican religious life and to inform its future development. We believe it will become a significant resource for the whole church.
The religious life of the Church of England is at a critical juncture: most communities face decline and many will close within a generation. This legacy is in very real danger of being lost forever; the Institute will have a crucial role in preserving it.
At the same time, new forms of religious life are being explored; the Institute will become a forum and resource for the future development of Anglican Religious Life, and the nourishment of Christian spirituality more generally.
Next Steps
As well as establishing premises, the further development of the Institute will involve networking with Anglican religious communities, building relationships with relevant organisations, and developing resources both to support the custodians of collections and also to make the riches of Anglican religious life more widely known. For more information contact: scholastica.jacob@stantonyspriory.org
Resources
We aim to develop a research hub for religious archives, and support communities in the managment of catalogues and collections.
Events
We aim to promote the study of Anglican Religious life, through seminars, worshops and research projects relating to Herbert Kelly SSM, and traditional communities.
Programme
We aim to deliver programmes in Christian spiritualty, for individuals and groups, drawing on the wisdom of the religious life.
The Legacy and the Future
The work of the Insitute will take as its starting point the preservation of the legacy of Anglican religious life. At the most basic level, this will entail securing archives, as well as cataloguing and improving access.
But that’s just the beginning. We see this as about developing resources to inform the future of religious life, together with the cultivation of Christian spirituality more generally.
The Institute will operate as an integrated part of all the other activities of the Priory, which will continue to provide hospitality as well as spiritual accompaniment and other programmes – all of it grounded in the worshiping life of the Priory chapel.
The first step will involve the establishment of premises as a centre for the activities of the Institute, and to this end we are redeveloping our property at 72 Claypath to create a new specialist theological library, office space, meeting rooms and archive storage (see architect drawings opposite).
It is expected that this work will take up the best part of 2024. In the meantime, we will continue to develop the various strands of the project, including building relationships with religious communities and other organsiations, hosting speaker events, and developing resources.
Feedback from Communities
“What providential timing! Your project feels like an unexpected legacy, and we have just embarked on bringing order to our community archives.”
“I have for many years wanted to see a research centre for Anglican religious life. I am particularly concerned […] as more and more communities are ageing and reduced in numbers.”
“Thank you for your letter which arrived just in the nick of time. We are about to downsize and are in the process of disposing of a large percentage of our effects.”
“Our interest is in the living tradition and strengthening the future of the religious life in the Church of England. We would be very interested in partnering with St Antony’s in this work.”
Where we are
St Antony’s Priory
74 Claypath, Durham, DH1 1QT
Getting in touch
T. 0191 384 3747
E. admin@stantonyspriory.org