Shaping A Church Of Ethical Integrity

In Shaping a Church of Ethical Integrity, Paul Avis offers a bold and incisive critique of the current state and future direction of the Church of England under its national and diocesan leadership. It explores how power and authority are distributed and exercised, deconstructing the shallow rhetoric of “leadership” that dominates the church’s management today. While critically assessing these prevailing tendencies, the book also seeks to preserve the enduring values and practices found in grassroots parishes. Through a scholarly yet accessible analysis, the author delves into key ethical-political concepts like subsidiarity, solidarity, and synodality, examining how authority operates at every level of the church’s structure. Engaging, rigorous, and deeply theological, this work challenges the Church of England to confront its internal dynamics and rediscover authentic leadership and authority.

Author Biography

Paul Avis is Honorary Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, UK, and also Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Exeter, UK. He was previously General Secretary of the Church of England’s Council for Christian Unity (1998–2011) and Theological Consultant to the Anglican Communion Office (2011–12). He is a former Chaplain to HM Queen Elizabeth II and Canon Theologian of Exeter Cathedral and the author or editor of more than 20 books.