Churches No Longer Have to Hold Prayer Services Every Sunday: Canon Law
In nearly every Christian congregation around the world, churches hold prayer masses, preach sermons, give out benedictions and practice their faith in myriad different ways, the common thread linking them all being the place (church) and day (Sunday).
Representative image. (REUTERS)
Loading...
Church service on Sundays is innate to the Christian religious experience, whether you actually attend it or not, whether you're Protestant or Catholic, or even whether you're even practising or non-observational. In nearly every Christian congregation around the world, churches hold prayer masses, preach sermons, give out benedictions and practice their faith in myriad different ways, the common thread linking them all being the place (church) and day (Sunday).
Apparently, not any more, at least when it comes to the Church of England (CofE). Strictures dating back to 1603, which were adapted into modern canonical law, stipulated that every parish church must host a weekly service on every Sabbath, aka Sunday.
But after decades of falling church attendance and religious persuasion across the country made it increasingly harder for priests, especially those in rural parishes, to hold services. This difficulty was compounded by the fact that the CofE has a system wherein rural priests often have to attend to the spiritual needs of up to 20 different churches, meaning not even a miracle would have been able to guarantee their presence at all places at once.
Now, as reported by the Independent, The CofE’s general synod has approved a resolution (after a vote of bishops, clergy, and 118 laity) which allows rural parishe priests discretion over whether they need to hold Sunday service every week, thereby being able to do their jobs more effectively.
Amen.
Apparently, not any more, at least when it comes to the Church of England (CofE). Strictures dating back to 1603, which were adapted into modern canonical law, stipulated that every parish church must host a weekly service on every Sabbath, aka Sunday.
But after decades of falling church attendance and religious persuasion across the country made it increasingly harder for priests, especially those in rural parishes, to hold services. This difficulty was compounded by the fact that the CofE has a system wherein rural priests often have to attend to the spiritual needs of up to 20 different churches, meaning not even a miracle would have been able to guarantee their presence at all places at once.
Now, as reported by the Independent, The CofE’s general synod has approved a resolution (after a vote of bishops, clergy, and 118 laity) which allows rural parishe priests discretion over whether they need to hold Sunday service every week, thereby being able to do their jobs more effectively.
Amen.