Building Faith in our Future

Any truthful presentation of heritage needs to acknowledge the role of faith in sponsoring and inspiring the building of churches and cathedrals.
The Very Revd Nicholas Coulton, Sub-Dean of Christ Church
Cathedral, Oxford, in Faith in Culture, Diocese of Oxford, 2004

Churches and other places of worship have been integral to this country’s history and development. They play a central part in today’s community.

We aim:

• to celebrate church buildings and the achievements of volunteers who maintain them;
• to awaken greater understanding of how church buildings contribute to the community;
• to seek partnership to sustain those achievements for the future.

And we invite support from

• Government Departments
• Regional Development Agencies and local authorities
• And all our partners – English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund, national amenity societies, and many others involved in cultural, community or educational work of all kinds.

This document makes proposals to support and enhance the contribution that church buildings and cathedrals make to the life of this country and its communities. This is not a task for the Church alone; nor for the State alone. We are confident that, with good will and partnership on all sides, we can move forward to ensure that these buildings benefit present and future generations. We welcome the positive moves and discussions already in train. We cannot impose actions on others. But we seek your help, commitment and action now.