How Changing Attitude is managing to Change Attitudes

Ed: For those who are unaware, one of Chelmsford Anglican Mainstream's key issues is with the Bishop of Chelmsford being one of the patrons of Changing Attitude.

Changing Attitude is bringing Davis Mac-Iyalla, the leader of CA Nigeria, to General Synod in York this summer. So, I made my way onto their website - which is colourful, classy, professional and very user-friendly, I will add - to find out a little more. And I was quite surprised at what I discovered. Perhaps you might be too.

First, the listing of the Patrons was hugely impressive. Names and titles of the great and the good include the bishops of Wolverhampton, St Edmundbury and Ipswich, Hulme, Ripon and Leeds, Lincoln and Worcester; the number of other Rt Revds were equally impressive (I counted seven, not including other Revds, a Revd Dr, a Revd Canon et al.). These are not committed but humble socio-political non-entities. From academic, ecclesiastical and professional perspectives, these patrons are powerful men (for the most part). And posting them as CA does automatically associates it as a group with its patrons’ authority and prestige.

CA’s work is flourishing, as well. From its site one can read of the UK group’s various branches, partnerships and strategies; it has grown to 600 members and has almost two dozen groups in 23 dioceses (June 07), plus official contacts in over a dozen others. Changing Attitude International boasts of 1000 (plus) members around the globe and four countries now have their own indigenous CA group: Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and of course, Nigeria. Read more