‘Mixed ecology’ is a term use to describe how traditional parishes co-exist with fresh expressions, church plants and pioneer ministries.
Ed Olsworth-Peter explores what an integrated mixed ecology of Church looks like in a post pandemic world. As society begins to come to terms with the cultural and financial impacts of the last couple of years, the way we meet as church and how we reach out to those within our communities needs to be reconsidered.
The Church of England’s new vision and strategy includes three priorities one of which is that ‘mixed ecology is the norm’. Much has been written about the mixed economy/ecology of Church over the last 15 years across a range of traditions and denominations, but what hasn’t been explored as such is the connectivity and dependency between different local expressions of church, and the value of ‘co-growing’ alongside one another for their mutual health and missional development. More than ever there is a need for the church to be ‘one body’ – unified yet distinctive, aware of the gift of its breadth in a ‘global’ ecosystem that together recognises and resources different expressions of church.
This book will help church leaders and worshipping communities to understand their place within the mixed ecology, the value of growing their own local ecosystem, and how to develop a physically gathered, digital and hybrid ecology of Church. Offering cultural, ecclesiological and missional insights, coupled with practical application, it draws on the voices of respected theologians, authors and church leaders in the UK and USA.
Table des matières
Introduction
1 Why and what is the mixed ecology?
2 Integrating a mixed ecology
3 Inhabiting
4 Leading a mixed ecology
5 Shaping a mixed ecology
A propos de l’auteur
Ed Olsworth-Peter is Director of Innovation and Development at St Mellitus Theological College where he teaches on missional ecclesiology, mixed ecology, Pioneer Ministry and Ministry Discernment. He is an experienced conference speaker and has delivered talks nationally and internationally. He was previously the National Adviser for Pioneer Development for the Church of England, responsible for implementing and overseeing a strategy for the vocation, training and deployment of lay and ordained pioneers. Ed has been ordained since 2024 and has been a Parish Priest, a Pioneer Minister, a Diocesan Adviser and a Theatre Chaplain in London’s West End.
