To celebrate our our upcoming 10,000th post we'd like to put forward a tentative reorganization of forum areas and solicit comments. In the current organization, serious theological topics (Anglican and not) are mixed together in General Discussion; while parish topics and conversational threads (Anglican and not) are mixed the Community area, which lowers the connection between the Anglican serious discussion and Anglican parish life. Three elements guide our reorganization effort: The Anglican and the non-Anglican will be split into separate areas (as 'General Discussion' and 'Church & Community' appear at present). All related topics will be merged together. The Anglican section would have theology and parish life side-by-side. We will take as much Anglican terminology as possible from the 1604 Canons and contemporary documents. The result might look something like the following: Announcements -- Announcements Anglican Discussion -- Holy Scripture and Sacred Theology-- Philosophy and Natural Theology-- Sacred Orders and the Sacraments-- Church History-- Divine Service, Liturgy and Prayer-- Arts, Media and Church Music-- Church and Parish Life-- News General Discussion -- New Members-- Miscellaneous Discussion Non-Anglican Discussion -- Theology-- History-- News Please submit feedback and suggestions.
That's a very interesting setup for the Forum! It's good to see HOLY SCRIPTURE coming first and foremost. Is there an alternative to the name "Non-Anglican"? The words are a negation, whereas other Christian visitors might want to see a "positive", or actual name? Anyway, it's not too much of an objection. Secondly, why have Non-Anglican "History" and Anglican "Church History" forums? Our History is unified with other churches, pre-Reformation, and intertwined with them post-Reformation.
Our purpose is to establish a place for all other opinions to be discussed. If you have a better suggestion for a name, please make it. Some facts of history pertain to the Anglican Church itself, and those who are interested in that subject can go to the section that contains them. Other facts of history pertain to the whole history of the world, many facts and discussions which will not have an overlap with Anglican history, but, because of their countless amount over time will tend to obscure the latter for those who are seeking information about it.
I think it would be cool to have a Chapel section. No debates or discussions there, just prayers, Scripture verses, etc. I have no problem with the current organization, but the reorganization ideas look great.
heretic? Non believer? because the history of the Anglican Church in Britain, is the History of the One , Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in these Islands. It is simply a matter of the uniqueness of the whole situation, not particularly, right or wrong, but we are the Body of Christ, inspite of all the back stabbing and bungling.
In my opinion, it's never good to create too many subforums. In a place with our relatively small size and with the modest level of daily participation, it's counterproductive to divert the attention of people towards too many topics and subforums. In other words, it's too much supply for not so much of a demand. Perhaps you could merge a few subforums in the proposed "Anglican Discussion" forum, for instance: sacred orders and sacraments with sacred theology and holy scripture; arts, media and church music with divine service, liturgy and prayer; news with church and parish life, etc. The ideal would be just to have 4 or 5 subforums in that section. As for the non-Anglican discussion forum, that's an interesting concept. It would allow our non-Anglican members to discuss their viewpoints openly but separately. I just hope that the reformed minded Anglicans here would not be included in the "non-Anglican" section. I would also second Dark Knight's suggestion of including a Chapel section just for prayers.
I like having separate sections, but that's just me. I also think there might be room for having a section for prayers.
I like the ideas you have come up with but I would like to make some suggestions. 1. I think Prayer should be a forum by itself, there is lots of different kinds of prayer topics/issues and requests that could come up and I think having a separate forum for this will allow everybody both Anglican, non-Anglican and anyone else to make use of the forum for whatever needs they have. 2. As much as I like the site topics I think that for someone who is new to the Anglican church and it's way of life and for those people who aren't Anglican but would like to join in things are a bit intimidating and interlectual, at the moment unless you have a good grasp of the basics some of the topics and discussions can be a bit over peoples heads, so I think it would be great to have a forum dedicated to people who are new to christianity itself and who are only just starting to explore the Anglican way of life, then they can get help, encouragement, advice and any basic questions answered without having to wade through the deeper and more indepth subjects etc on the other forums. 3. point 2 brings me to this one, going on from my ideas about a forum for people new to or exploring christianity maybe there could also be a forum for general everyday topics such as relaxation, entertainment, films, music, books, subjects where people who are new can create friends and not just have theological debates, a forum like this would also allow people to explore things regarding christianity (maybe with a Anglican perspective?) but without having to know alot about the church to start with, they can then build there faith up by exploring it through what they encounter everyday, with the help of people who are more experienced in there faith. I am thinking along these lines in the hope it may encourage more people into the Anglican church and discussion and it gives them a opportunity to ask any of the 'embrassing' questions they feel they can't ask there local church in person.
Thank you UK Anglican these are all good suggestions. A forum just for light discussions sounds especially interesting.
It will also help to foster a good community environment. This one of the major strengths an online forum can have.