The Legacy of Anglican Religious Life
Since the mid-19th century Anglican religious life has flourished in many forms and made a rich, if somewhat hidden, contribution to the life of the Anglican Churches throughout the world. Though it may be declining within the Church of England, the religious life nevertheless represents a universal calling that continues to inspire people today – not only within the Church but beyond it too.
The purpose of the Institute is to be a centre of gravity for all things related to Anglican religious life. This means not only working to ensure the preservation of the legacy of Anglican religious life, but also providing resources that will help to inform its future, including resources for researchers, resources for religious communities, and resources for those exploring religous life and contemplative spirituality for more personal reasons.
Resources for Researchers
The starting point for the work of the Institute is the need to ensure the preservation of the legacy of Anglican religious communities, at this critical juncture in the life of the Church.
At the simplest level, this means mapping the whereabouts of religious archives and supporting communities in the managment of their archives. Ultimately, we hope to develop a research hub for the archives of as many Anglican religious orders as possible, not least by supporting the creation of detailed catalogues and databases.
In addition, we are keen to facilitate the study of Anglican religious life, and enable research projects and publications relating to Herbert Kelly, traditional Anglican Religious Orders, and new expressions of religious life. To this end we already host a series of seminars and other speaker events, and we hope to develop this strand further in the coming years.
Development
The project was developed over the course of 2022-23, and involved widespread consultation, research into the SSM archives, and gathering information about Anglican religious communities and their archive collections. This has enabled us to begin the task of mapping the present whereabouts and condition of their archives, with a view to develping a ‘catalogue of catalogues’.
Reports
Scoping Exercise Report, 2022.
Development Proposals, 2023.
Resources for Religious Communities
One of the purposes of the Institute is to support religious communities in the management and maintenance of their archive collections. To that end we are developing a series of Advice Sheets, the first three of which are now available and can be freely downloaded from this page.
These sheets aim to provide a guide to the purpose and contents of archives. They will take the community through identification, creation and ongoing maintenance of its collection. The process of building an archive can be summarised as follows:
- to search for and gather all potential archive material and historical objects
- to note their containers and where they were found
- to number and describe roughly their contents; and
- to transfer them into more suitable and accessible boxes, noting their original containers
- to develop an ongoing policy of collecting records
Archive Advice sheets
Advice Sheet 1
Advice Sheet 2
Advice Sheet 3
Resources for Seekers
The religious life represents a living tradition and a universal calling, but many of the traditional forms in which it has been expressed seem to be in decline at the moment. Yet many still feel called to practices of contemplative prayer and new forms of intentional commuinity.
We therefore see the Institute as a forum for exploring the future development of Anglican religious life, as well as being a place where we can develop resources to nurture the growth of Christian spirituality more widely.
This might include developing material for study programmes in Christian spirituality, based on the Rule of St Benedict, and related sources.