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mission shaped church

be planted even across the boundaries of parishes, deaneries and

dioceses.

5

Despite problems at that time with cross boundary plants, the 1994 report

was positive about church planting as part of being Anglican in mission.

The working party believes that church planting is not an erosion of 

the parish principle of mission in the Church of England. It is a

supplementary strategy that enhances the essential thrust of the 

parish principle.

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At the time people were unsure whether planting represented opportunity or

danger. Thus the word `supplementary' is worth comment. A Grove booklet

commentary on the Report noted:

Here is tacit admission that church planting is not simply a new option

in mission; it has begun to affect Anglican identity and our doctrine of

the Church. To `supplement' is to add something different, or to insert

something missing. To add in this way is to change. Planting is not

simply creating more of the same churches; it focuses recognition of

larger changes in the Church of England and is a response to them.

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parish and network are both valid

The first chapter of Breaking New Ground marks a shift in thought. Entitled

`Church planting   opportunity or danger?' it reflects the 1991 context. 

The subtitle, `A vision of Church: territory, neighbourhood and network',

speaks relevantly to today's understanding of an Anglicanism that needs 

to work with each of these three dimensions. It moves on our thinking

without destroying former ways of working, and accepts the need to add 

to those understandings of the past.

The 1994 report maintains the traditional Anglican value of territory,

delivered through the parish system. It develops the theme that, in the

twentieth century, Anglicanism has been forced to accept the reality of

neighbourhood. Since the industrial revolution this has not always been

physically the same as `parish', and so the report drew attention to

`population movements . . . [making some parish boundaries] . . . 

irrelevant anachronisms'.

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The third factor at work, network, is formed socially and culturally, not by

physical area. This, too, is recommended to be part of our national and

local mission. Mission seeks to relate to society as it is and to people as

they are, rather than expecting people to conform themselves to `our' way

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