Society for the Maintenance of the Faith

Society for the Maintenance of the Faith
Name	Society for the Maintenance of the Faith
Formation	19th century
Type	Ecclesiastical trust
Headquarters	London
Region served	England
Membership	Clergy and laity
Leader title	Chairman

Society for the Maintenance of the Faith is a Church of England patronage society founded in the 19th century to control advowsons and preserve Anglo-Catholic clergy appointments. It operates within the context of the Church of England, interacting with dioceses such as Diocese of London, Diocese of Oxford, and Diocese of Durham, and with institutions including College of Arms, Lambeth Palace, and parish bodies like St Martin-in-the-Fields.

History

The society emerged amid 19th-century disputes involving Oxford Movement, Tractarianism, Edward Pusey, John Henry Newman, and conflicts exemplified by the Public Worship Regulation Act 1874 and the Gorham judgment. Founders included clergy associated with All Saints, Margaret Street, Christ Church, Oxford, and patrons such as members of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and landed families linked to Dorset and Sussex. Early activity intersected with legal developments involving the Court of Arches, Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and cases like Burrough v. Denison and disputes before the Consistory Court. The society’s role evolved through the First World War, the Second World War, and reforms such as the Church Commissioners reorganization and the Appointments Commission debates of the late 20th century. Throughout, interactions occurred with universities and colleges including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Trinity College, Cambridge, Balliol College, Oxford, and seminaries like Ridley Hall, Cambridge and Westcott House.

Purpose and Activities

The society’s declared purpose is to acquire, hold, and exercise advowsons to ensure patronage favors priests aligned with Anglo-Catholic liturgical practice and pastoral theology. It engages with diocesan bishops such as Justin Welby-era offices, although historical patrons included bishops like Charles Longley and Edward Benson. Activities include negotiating presentations in patronage forums, participating in patronage exchanges with trusts like the Church Pastoral Aid Society and the National Society, and advising benefactors including aristocratic patrons from houses such as Spencer family, Percy family, and Cavendish family. The society has also funded church restorations in the tradition of George Gilbert Scott, supported clergy training linked to St Stephen's House, Oxford, and collaborated with heritage bodies like Historic England and Church Buildings Council.

Organization and Governance

Structured as a corporate trust with trustees, the society’s governance follows legal frameworks shaped by the Charities Act 2011, the earlier Charities Act 1960, and ecclesiastical law interpreted by courts including the High Court of Justice and the House of Lords before the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Its board historically comprised bishops, patrons, and lay activists drawn from networks including the Society of Mary (England), Cowley Fathers, and the Church Union. Administrative functions interact with offices at Lambeth Palace, diocesan registrars such as those of Chelmsford and Chichester, and national structures like the Church House staff. Financial oversight has been undertaken with auditors influenced by practices seen at institutions such as the National Westminster Bank and governance consultants associated with Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Membership and Patronage

Membership is typically by invitation and includes clergy, lay patrons, and hereditary advowson holders drawn from ecclesiastical, academic, and landed networks including alumni of King’s College London, Durham University, and societies like the Royal Historical Society. Patrons have ranged from private individuals with advowsons in counties including Essex, Kent, Yorkshire, Cornwall, to corporate patrons such as ecclesiastical colleges and cathedral chapters like Christ Church, Oxford and Hereford Cathedral. The society’s patronage practices relate to canonical processes involving bishops, archdeacons, and incumbents, and to instruments such as the Presentation of Benefices, advowson transfers litigated before bodies like the Chancery Division, and stewardship traditions exemplified by historic families like the Howe family and the Fitzgeralds.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Controversies have arisen over contested presentations, alleged pluralism, and the exercise of patronage in ways contested by diocesan authorities and parishioners. Cases have engaged legal venues such as the Consistory Court of London, Chancery Court, and the Judicial Committee, with disputes echoing famous ecclesiastical controversies including the Gorham case and the Rochester case. Allegations have involved conflicts with synods like the General Synod of the Church of England and statutes such as Clergy Discipline Measure 2003, raising questions about autonomy versus episcopal oversight. The society has faced criticism from liberal Anglo-Catholic and evangelical groups including the Modern Churchmen's Union and the Church Society, while supporters have aligned with traditionalist organizations including the Forward in Faith movement and conservative patrons tied to families like the Bowes-Lyon.

Impact and Influence on the Church of England

Through advowsons and patronage strategy, the society has influenced parish liturgy, clergy formation, and theological trends in parishes across dioceses like Norwich, Lincoln, and Carlisle. Its influence linked to architects and church restorers such as A. W. N. Pugin and William Butterfield affected parish church aesthetics and ritual, while alliances with seminaries and theological colleges shaped clergy aligned with Anglo-Catholic sacramental emphasis. The society’s role in patronage has intersected with national debates in venues such as Lambeth Conference gatherings and synodical discussions about ordination, women's ministry debates involving figures like John Packer and legislative responses including measures debated in the House of Commons and House of Lords. Its long-term effect includes preservation of distinct parish traditions, continuity of ritual practice, and contributions to ecclesiastical law precedents influencing Church of England governance.

Category:Church of England