Ministry in Secular Employment (MSE) in the Church of England, 1960-2000

Abstract

Introduction
The study was undertaken to examine two issues. The first was to determine the development track of Ministry in Secular Employment between 1960 and 2000 with associated strategy and policy intentions in the Church of England for ordained ministers. The second was to use the material collected to examine the ecclesiology and socio-cultural context that had underpinned the decisions about MSE.
Methods
An archive was generated between 2005 and 2011 that identified materials across the research period that included interviews, memoirs, surveys and personal communications. Using narrative, contextual and grounded theology approaches, individual narratives of those in MSE were examined to illuminate both the nature of the role fulfilled and the institution in which it was based. A focus for this process was Castells’ notion of the ‘space of flows’, using it as a crystal to determine the relevance of the archive in studying the ecclesiology of the Church of England in that period.
Results
The years 1960-1970 initiated a period of profound socio-cultural change. In this period also emerged MSE. Analysis of the process identified that the experimental start to the initiative had not been embedded into the structure and strategy of the church, while being well embedded into the culture and structures of the worlds in which the Ministers in Secular Employment lived and worked. The church adopted a homeostatic approach to this development characterised by dioceses and their bishops acting independently. MSE had not been explored for its potential in the field of mission or cultural integration of church and society. The church continues to understand its mission and purpose in terms of stipendiary parish priests to the exclusion of nearly all other options.
Discussion
While MSE has not developed to the degree its early pioneers had hoped, it is still practised in church life and therefore has potential for the future. Further research in several related fields has been identified.

Date of Award	2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Meg Maguire (Supervisor) & affiliated academic (Supervisor)