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Queen Defends 'Misunderstood' Church Of England At Jubilee Event (PHOTOS)

The Queen Church Of England

First Posted: 15/02/2012 14:36 Updated: 15/02/2012 14:54

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The Queen has waded into the public debate over religion, saying the Church of England is "occasionally misunderstood" and "commonly under-appreciated."

The Monarch, who is also head of the Church of England, said in a speech at a multi-faith reception in Lambeth Palace on Wednesday that the Church had a "significant position" in British life.

"The concept of our established Church is occasionally misunderstood and, I believe, commonly under-appreciated.

"Its role is not to defend Anglicanism to the exclusion of other religions.

"Instead, the Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country."


The Queen also met representatives from other faiths

The Queen was at one of the public events to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee year, and said the "concept" of a jubilee was rooted in the Bible.

"Many of the values and ideas we take for granted in this and other countries originate in the ancient wisdom of our traditions," she said.

The monarch, accompanied by Prince Philip, was met by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.

Her comments come the day after Conservative cabinet minister Baroness Warsi said the UK was facing "militant secularisation".

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The Queen has waded into the public debate over religion, saying the Church of England is "occasionally misunderstood" and "commonly under-appreciated." The Monarch, who is also head of the Church ...
The Queen has waded into the public debate over religion, saying the Church of England is "occasionally misunderstood" and "commonly under-appreciated." The Monarch, who is also head of the Church ...
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markinsussex
2 Fans
11:56 AM on 02/17/2012
If the Queen is going to bring up the principles of Biblical Jubilee - why didn't she elaborate on what it is? Jubilee in the Bible is all about radical redistribution of wealth - a 50 year reset button - to counteract 50 years of free market inequality. I am an atheist, but Christians go on about their Bible all the time but largely ignore the radical social messages it contains instead being obsessed with what it doesn't say about human sexuality - one of the reasons I struggle to take them seriously.
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ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
2532 Fans
05:46 AM on 02/16/2012
Tradition is not superstition, ma'am.
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newann2
8 Fans
04:43 AM on 02/16/2012
Fantastic to see the head of 'our' church standing up for it! Good on her and she's won a fan in me! All too often the CofE gets a battering from people of other faiths and doesn't get defended! Thank God someone's standing up for it, other than myself, whom has experienced the 'CofE is a fake religion' from our so called brothers and sisters of other religions..
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GearoidOD
66 Fans
01:08 PM on 02/16/2012
Well, truthfully the Cof E comes for most criticism within its own ranks. I am a fan of Anthony Trollope's novels of the 18th century and some of these deal with inter -church rivarilies and relations. It is clear from these novels that the C of E was top dog and looked down upon, and where possible, oppressed the non - conformist religions. I afraid those virtues of tolerance were not quite so evident.The C of E was , so to speak, the big bully boy in the playground. It is only in the last year or so that catholic
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earlsspg
61 Fans
12:14 AM on 02/16/2012
She does appear to be a multi faced person,
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Allyb999
50 Fans
11:57 PM on 02/15/2012
Nope, don't like religion never will. But each to there own.
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Southern law girl
Researching my viewpoint....
161 Fans
10:18 PM on 02/15/2012
Long may she reign, happy and glorious!
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carolina919
3461 Fans
03:44 AM on 02/16/2012
...and isn't it good to see her consort looking well!
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Southern law girl
Researching my viewpoint....
161 Fans
08:49 AM on 02/16/2012
Yes, absolutely! I realise there are those who are not in favour of the monarchy, but I am not one of those, I believe they do a pretty good job for the UK! Thank you for your response!
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verycross
122 Fans
10:10 PM on 02/15/2012
God save our gracious Queen .
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bellsheil
35 Fans
09:43 PM on 02/15/2012
The Queen was careful to say "our ancient traditions" because it means the whole British way of life and christianity is part of it. Believing in christianity is one thing even if finding it difficult to believe in God. A good many of us, I suspect, feel the same way. It sounds a contradiction in terms, but it is the philosophy of christianity that we cherish.
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GearoidOD
66 Fans
01:13 PM on 02/16/2012
Well Druidism belongs to the ' Ancient Traditions' as well !
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bellsheil
35 Fans
01:58 PM on 02/16/2012
Even the Church of England is only 500 years old. And to our modern eyes, that is probably as far as a tradition needs to go. Christianity in this country dates from the time of St. Augustine and surely has an honourable place in our heritage. The history of Druidism has no written record and is partly lost in the mists of time. We don't know enough about it to count it as an established British religion. And our Iron Age ancestors aren't going to tell us. So best treat it as a pleasant (or otherwise) interlude in our island's history.
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vividrick
I came, I saw...I had a cup of tea!
493 Fans
08:26 PM on 02/15/2012
Hey Liz, you're slowly winning me over ;-)
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katefromthecouncilestate
392 Fans
08:08 PM on 02/15/2012
The important question here is what does Sean Penn think of the Church of England?
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GearoidOD
66 Fans
10:20 PM on 02/15/2012
You would have to clarify which Church of England ? The one with women priests.bishops, the one without, the one with gay priests/bishops, the one without, the one which thinks you pour the tea before the milk and the one which pours the milk before the tea, and so on. In fact is the Church of England really a Church anymore but a very loose federation of clerics who believe slightly the same thing and is headed by a non cleric ?
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Damask-Rose
23 Fans
07:24 PM on 02/15/2012
Perhaps the hierarchy of the Church should delve more into the Holy Scriptures and see what God, the prohets of old and of course Jesus Christ has to say about what it means to be someone of the Christian faith and what is asked of them when we profess to be followers..
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RosieLee123
6 Fans
12:55 AM on 02/16/2012
In all Christian Churches you don't have to read and follow the Bible word for word to understand what Jesus Christ was/is teaching us but follow our leaders be it Vicars/Ministers/Priests or whatever.
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HeartScot
66 Fans
08:15 AM on 02/16/2012
You mean we should just do as we are told without question?

This is not what Jesus taught or did?

For goodness sake, get off your knees, these people are not better than you. They don't have the answers, their books and laws don't have the answers and their prayers don't work.
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Damask-Rose
23 Fans
11:58 AM on 02/16/2012
Some churches within Christianity positively discourage the reading of the Bible by anyone but those in 'authority' as is done in Catholicism.

We are told to follow Christ not people who say we should via their take on Christianity that is not true to the commands of God.
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Norman Mitchison
92 Fans
 
06:31 PM on 02/15/2012
For HM the Queen to break with tradition ,and make such a statement,is one of a practical and sensible nature. Long may she reign.
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Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
06:22 PM on 02/15/2012
I think this is a very astute and appropriate comment, well said your Majesty - 85 and still going strong.
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Fletching
9 Fans
05:29 PM on 02/15/2012
The change to Anglican church was already waiting to happen dirty Harry just gave it a shove.
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RosieLee123
6 Fans
12:47 AM on 02/16/2012
There has been quite a lot of history under the bridge since King Henry the VIII was on the throne and although we are living in a total different world, different lifestyles etc I still think there is a place in England for Christianity and I applaud Her Majesty for taking the usual step of speaking up.
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