599:. It is an instance of what Williams calls Avis's "wide-ranging" theological approach, that Avis took the burden of stepping back for a while from his theological specialisation to articulate his understanding of the basis of any theological enterprise, namely how we know God and God's revelation. According to Avis, the Christian understanding of God and the world is rooted in the 'creative imagination', by which Avis means a "symbolic realism" with emphasis on both terms. The character of the Christian faith is symbolic in that it does not describe reality unequivocally, but it is realist in that all its metaphors, symbols and myths converge on the reality of God. Based upon a participatory ontology, Avis offers an alternative to both an "objective" or "literal" approach to the truth of the Christian faith and a liberal "mere metaphor" discourse. His latest study in theological method is
710:. They are Catholic because they claim to be a manifestation of the Christian Church as the creed confesses it, but also because they are consciously aware of their continuity with the pre-Reformation Church. The Catholicity of Anglicanism is visible through its adherence to scripture, the ancient creeds, the central sacraments of baptism and the eucharist, and the ministry of bishops, priests and deacons in apostolic succession. Simultaneously, the Anglican churches are Reformed because since the Reformation they are aware that scripture is the only ultimate check of any teaching and practice of the church, and because they do not deny the qualification of a "true church" to Protestant churches without bishops. Avis roots the "Catholic and Reformed" character of Anglicanism in historical research (especially in
727:
be affiliated to
Anglican churches at several levels of "communion" (mutual recognition and participation). Avis's view on episcopacy is nuanced. On the one hand, he affirms the episcopal character of Anglicanism and does not believe that any future uniting church, involving Anglican churches, can do without bishops. On the other hand, he does not "unchurch" non-episcopal churches; that is, he does not deny that non-episcopal churches are true churches with true sacraments. Avis deduces this position from the theological and practical history of the Church of England, in which other churches were not denied their ecclesiality, but episcopacy was always seen as necessary for full visible unity.
498:, Avis served his title as assistant curate in the large team ministry of the South Molton Group of Parishes (1975–80), after which he became the vicar of the semi-rural, multi-parish benefice of Stoke Canon, Poltimore with Huxham, and Rewe with Netherexe, for eighteen years (1980–98). Avis served the wider diocese as Cathedral Prebendary (1993) and Sub-Dean (1997), and in 2008 he became the cathedral's and diocese's first Canon Theologian. He is also an honorary Assistant Priest in the Axminster Group of Parishes in which he lives (in East Devon, UK).
742:(communion, fellowship). The church expresses this symbolic realism and this communal understanding of humanity in its sacraments. Baptism incorporates people into the body of Christ and the eucharist reconstitutes this body time and again. For Avis, these sacraments (together with the proclamation of the Word) are the core of an ecclesial life that opens up towards a pastoral and missionary presence in society.
1106:
1118:
34:
536:(1989–95) of the Church of England, and has subsequently been a member of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (2000–08)and the successor body, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission for Unity Faith and Order. He has also served on a couple of international ecumenical dialogues on behalf of the Anglican Communion.
1094:
726:
Whether a church should have the episcopal ministry (bishops) to be a "true church" is a highly important question in ecumenical dialogue. It has to with "academic" reflection about the essence and structure of the church, but also with the very practical question whether churches without bishops can
516:
since the early 1980s. He became an honorary
Research Fellow of the Department of Theology in 1995 and honorary Professor of Theology in 2009. He set up the centre for the Study of the Christian Church, which organises ecumenical consultations and, until 2015, held the annual Richard Hooker Lectures
554:
identifies Avis as a leading contemporary
Anglican theologian. Leaving aside his articles, Avis's books can be classified in three areas of theology: systematic, ecclesiological and practical-theological. In each of these areas, Avis makes a distinctive and constructive contribution to some highly
677:
theology (the "wholeness paradigm"), Avis offers a model for parochial practice which tries to relate the "common religion" of contemporary people to the specific contents of the
Christian faith. In trying to do justice to both, without suggesting that they can be too easily integrated, this book
442:
2017–2021 and is currently
Honorary Professor in the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh (2022-). At the University of Exeter he was visiting professor of theology from 2009 to 2017 and subsequently honorary research fellow until 2021. He is the editor of the series Anglican-Episcopal
735:
Avis's theology is deeply sacramental without becoming partisan or restrictive. Based upon the theology of "symbolic realism" (see above), Avis's thought is neither individualist nor spiritualist. His "wholeness paradigm" for church and society is rooted in the notion of
532:'s successor in the key ecumenical position of General Secretary of the Council for Christian Unity, the Church of England's ecumenical study and advisory commission. He had already served on the Faith and Order Advisory Group (1990–98) and the
547:"Among contemporary theological voices, that of Paul Avis is always wide-ranging, constructive and sane, combining scholarship with a nuanced feel for tradition." This appraisal by the Anglican theologian and former
603:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2014), which is intended as the first of three volumes on the validity of Anglican theology, with special reference to the issue of the sources of authority in theological method.
651:, which he has edited, summarises his understanding of ecclesiology as a theological discipline. He is currently at work on a multi-volume personal project under the general title
671:. Rooted in an analysis of the present Western-European cultural situation (between modernity and post-modernity) and in a pastoral translation of the ecumenically well-received
611:
Most of Avis's work can be classified as ecclesiology: the study of the essence and structure of the
Christian church. The emphasis is either on the historical background (as in
682:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2015), which was written at the request of the Secretary-General of the Anglican Communion, bridges practical theology and the Anglican tradition.
1193:
1188:
1173:
1168:
1153:
1148:
1163:
1143:
718:) and applies this insight both internally (reviewing the diverse "schools" of Anglican thought) and externally (in Anglicanism's ecumenical relations).
62:
42:
1178:
1158:
501:
Since his first years as a parish priest, Avis has become a prolific writer of theological books and articles, especially related to the identity and
1183:
533:
694:. This section deals with three aspects which are of particular relevance to Avis's view on Anglicanism in the contemporary ecumenical context.
1213:
1203:
1076:
667:
Where theology, ecclesiology and ecclesial practice meet, Avis's work becomes practical-theological. This is most clearly the case with
135:
1084:
659:, 2021 (see bibliography below). Avis's view on the identity of the Anglican churches will be treated separately below.
66:
58:
116:
539:
The late Queen
Elizabeth II appointed Avis as a member of the Royal College of Chaplains in 2008; he retired in 2017.
88:
47:
505:
of
Anglicanism in historical and ecumenical perspective. In 2004 he founded the international peer-reviewed journal
51:
95:
1198:
1025:
568:
548:
426:'s Council for Christian Unity from 1998 to 2011, theological consultant to the Anglican Communion Office,
102:
1208:
487:
246:
84:
1138:
513:
479:(1988). On 11 July 1970, he married Susan Janet Haywood; they have three sons and two grandchildren.
468:
464:
460:
307:
1110:
678:
shares the insights of Avis's long experience as a parish priest as well as a theologian. His book
615:), or on the identity of Anglicanism amidst the Christian churches and contemporary society (as in
580:
345:
595:. Although all his publications contain systematic theology, this is most obviously the case with
525:, is published by Brill, in association with the Ecclesiological Investigations Research Network.
444:
340:
20:
895:
Theology and the
Enlightenment: A Critical Enquiry into Enlightenment Theology and its Reception
73:
1072:
495:
491:
439:
423:
251:
871:
In Search of
Authority: Anglican Theological Method from the Reformation to the Enlightenment
601:
In Search of Authority: Anglican Theological Method from the Reformation to the Enlightenment
1098:
588:
572:
435:
431:
395:
938:
Seeking the Truth of Change in the Church: Reception, Communion and the Ordination of Women
883:
Jesus and the Church: The Foundation of the Church in the New Testament and Modern Theology
438:
from 2008 to 2013. He was honorary professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at
759:(London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1982; reprinted Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 1982)
707:
703:
987:
807:(London; Darton, Longman and Todd, 1995; reprinted Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2006)
1122:
1000:
551:
109:
1132:
829:
Anglicanism and the Christian Church: Theological Resources in Historical Perspective
811:
God and the Creative Imagination: Metaphor, Symbol and Myth in Religion and Theology
584:
502:
472:
365:
335:
152:
555:
disputed themes in contemporary theology and especially in worldwide Anglicanism.
691:
592:
529:
456:
419:
183:
847:
Beyond the Reformation? Authority, Primacy and Unity in the Conciliar Tradition
690:
A theme of special interest throughout Avis's publications is the identity of
576:
302:
1105:
483:
370:
835:
A Church Drawing Near: Spirituality and Mission in a Post-Christian Culture
669:
A Church Drawing Near: Spirituality and Mission in a Post-Christian Culture
443:
Theology and History, also published by Brill. Avis was also a chaplain to
950:
The Journey of Christian Initiation: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives
1069:
Celebrating Church: Ecumenical Contributions to a Liturgical Ecclesiology
988:
Paul Avis, Vincent Ifeme, Vimal Tirimanna (Official Ecumenical Dialogues)
738:
673:
518:
361:
322:
232:
1079:), pp. 265–283 (an investigation into Avis's ecclesiological views)
427:
1029:
932:
Public Faith? The State of Religious Belief and Practice in Britain
422:
priest, theologian, and ecumenist. He was General Secretary of the
922:(London: Darton, Longman & Todd; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997)
775:
Foundations of Modern Historical Thought: From Machiavelli to Vico
853:
The Identity of Anglicanism: Essentials of Anglican Ecclesiology
805:
Faith in the Fires of Criticism: Christianity in Modern Thought
517:
at the Cathedral and at the University of St Mark and St John,
72:
from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
27:
956:
The Lambeth Conference: Theology, History, Polity and Purpose
926:
The Christian Church: An Introduction to the Major Traditions
865:
Becoming a Bishop: Theological Handbook of Episcopal Ministry
680:
Becoming a Bishop: Theological Handbook of Episcopal Ministry
631:), or on ecumenism and ecumenical consensus theology (as in
1001:"Dr Paul Avis| Theology and Religion| University of Exeter"
401:
563:
Avis' first major excursion into systematic theology was
490:, he was ordained deacon (1975) and priest (1976) in the
407:
471:
degree in 1976 with a thesis on the theology of Bishop
1082:
968:
Neville Figgs, CR: His Life, Thought and Significance
410:
831:( 2nd edn, London and New York: T&T Clark, 2002)
404:
958:, ed. Paul Avis and Benjamin Guyer (November 2017).
763:
Ecumenical Theology and the Elusiveness of Doctrine
633:
Ecumenical Theology and the Elusiveness of Doctrine
398:
354:
328:
318:
313:
301:
296:
260:
239:
227:
222:
191:
162:
150:
910:(Basingstoke, Hampshire: Marshall Pickering, 1988)
702:According to Avis, the Anglican churches are both
567:(1986), which analysed theological methodology in
1071:(Groningen/Tilburg: Liturgisch Instituut, 2008,
799:Authority, Leadership and Conflict in the Church
653:Theological Foundations of the Christian Church
771:(Basingstoke, Hants: Marshall Pickering, 1986)
8:
861:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2010).
757:The Church in the Theology of the Reformers
1050:Rowan Williams on the back cover of Avis,
940:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2004)
916:(London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1993)
855:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2008)
849:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2006)
843:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2005)
837:(London and New York: T&T Clark, 2003)
147:
65:about living persons that is unsourced or
136:Learn how and when to remove this message
1194:Alumni of University of London Worldwide
964:(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018).
817:The Anglican Understanding of the Church
795:(London: Geoffrey Chapman Mowbray, 1990)
617:The Anglican Understanding of the Church
1089:
980:
952:(London: Church House Publishing, 2011)
946:(London: Church House Publishing, 2004)
1189:Academics of the University of Exeter
1174:21st-century English Anglican priests
1169:21st-century Church of England clergy
1154:20th-century English Anglican priests
1149:20th-century Church of England clergy
19:For South African tennis player, see
7:
712:Anglicanism and the Christian Church
613:Anglicanism and the Christian Church
783:(Worthing, Sussex: Churchman, 1988)
777:(Beckenham, Kent: Croom Helm, 1986)
649:The Oxford Handbook of Ecclesiology
509:, of which he is Editor in Chief.
14:
1164:21st-century Anglican theologians
1144:20th-century Anglican theologians
885:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2020).
879:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2016).
873:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2014).
455:Avis was born on 21 July 1947 in
1179:21st-century English theologians
1159:20th-century English theologians
1116:
1104:
1092:
1052:God and the Creative Imagination
914:The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
897:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2022)
867:(Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2015)
647:). His editor's introduction to
597:God and the Creative Imagination
512:Avis has been affiliated to the
394:
32:
962:Oxford Handbook of Ecclesiology
823:Church, State and Establishment
781:Gore: Construction and Conflict
621:Church, State and Establishment
477:Gore: Construction and Conflict
475:, which was later published as
273:1976 (Church of England priest)
270:1975 (Church of England deacon)
204:
1184:Academics of Durham University
769:The Methods of Modern Theology
565:The Methods of Modern Theology
1:
1214:People in Christian ecumenism
859:Reshaping Ecumenical Theology
641:Reshaping Ecumenical Theology
459:. He studied theology at the
1204:English Anglican theologians
841:A Ministry Shaped by Mission
43:biography of a living person
1026:"Ecclesiology | Brill"
877:The Vocation of Anglicanism
629:The Vocation of Anglicanism
625:The Identity of Anglicanism
528:In 1998 Avis was appointed
482:After serving briefly as a
418:; born 1947) is an English
70:must be removed immediately
1230:
18:
908:The Threshold of Theology
813:(London: Routledge, 1999)
731:Baptism and the Eucharist
655:, the first volume being
430:, from 2011 to 2012, and
383:
379:
292:
288:
284:
280:
267:? (Free Church presbyter)
218:
214:
569:Friedrich Schleiermacher
549:Archbishop of Canterbury
463:, where he obtained his
1005:humanities.exeter.ac.uk
801:(London: Mowbray, 1992)
793:Christians in Communion
716:Beyond the Reformation?
637:Christians in Communion
467:degree in 1970 and his
488:Free Church of England
247:Free Church of England
57:Please help by adding
698:Catholic and Reformed
223:Ecclesiastical career
934:(London: SPCK, 2003)
928:(London: SPCK, 2002)
889:Reconciling Theology
825:(London: SPCK, 2001)
819:(London: SPCK, 2000)
789:(London: SPCK, 1989)
765:(London: SPCK, 1986)
657:Jesus and the Church
645:Reconciling Theology
514:University of Exeter
469:Doctor of Philosophy
465:Bachelor of Divinity
461:University of London
390:Paul David Loup Avis
308:University of London
297:Scholarly background
167:Paul David Loup Avis
63:Contentious material
787:Eros and the Sacred
581:Wolfhart Pannenberg
559:Systematic theology
534:Doctrine Commission
346:systematic theology
16:Anglican theologian
1032:on 6 February 2018
902:Collections edited
891:(SCM Press, 2022).
663:Practical theology
445:Queen Elizabeth II
341:practical theology
21:Paul Avis (tennis)
1077:978-90-367-3450-9
1067:Mattijs Ploeger,
920:Divine Revelation
496:Diocese of Exeter
492:Church of England
440:Durham University
424:Church of England
387:
386:
252:Church of England
146:
145:
138:
120:
46:needs additional
1221:
1121:
1120:
1119:
1109:
1108:
1097:
1096:
1095:
1088:
1055:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1037:
1028:. Archived from
1022:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1011:
997:
991:
985:
746:Works (selected)
589:Bernard Lonergan
573:Albrecht Ritschl
436:Exeter Cathedral
432:Canon Theologian
417:
416:
413:
412:
409:
406:
403:
400:
208:
206:
197:Susan J. Haywood
180:
176:
174:
148:
141:
134:
130:
127:
121:
119:
78:
59:reliable sources
36:
35:
28:
1229:
1228:
1224:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1219:
1218:
1199:Ecclesiologists
1129:
1128:
1127:
1117:
1115:
1103:
1093:
1091:
1083:
1064:
1062:Further reading
1059:
1058:
1049:
1045:
1035:
1033:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1009:
1007:
999:
998:
994:
986:
982:
977:
904:
753:
751:Published books
748:
733:
724:
700:
688:
665:
609:
587:, F.R.Tennant,
561:
545:
453:
397:
393:
375:
350:
276:
256:
210:
207: 1970)
202:
198:
187:
181:
178:
172:
170:
169:
168:
158:
155:
142:
131:
125:
122:
79:
77:
56:
37:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1227:
1225:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1131:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1113:
1101:
1081:
1080:
1063:
1060:
1057:
1056:
1043:
1017:
992:
979:
978:
976:
973:
972:
971:
970:(Brill, 2022).
965:
959:
953:
947:
944:Paths to Unity
941:
935:
929:
923:
917:
911:
903:
900:
899:
898:
892:
886:
880:
874:
868:
862:
856:
850:
844:
838:
832:
826:
820:
814:
808:
802:
796:
790:
784:
778:
772:
766:
760:
752:
749:
747:
744:
732:
729:
723:
720:
699:
696:
687:
684:
664:
661:
608:
605:
560:
557:
552:Rowan Williams
544:
541:
521:. The journal
452:
449:
385:
384:
381:
380:
377:
376:
374:
373:
368:
358:
356:
355:Main interests
352:
351:
349:
348:
343:
338:
332:
330:
329:Sub-discipline
326:
325:
320:
316:
315:
314:Scholarly work
311:
310:
305:
299:
298:
294:
293:
290:
289:
286:
285:
282:
281:
278:
277:
275:
274:
271:
268:
264:
262:
258:
257:
255:
254:
249:
243:
241:
237:
236:
231:Christianity (
229:
225:
224:
220:
219:
216:
215:
212:
211:
200:
196:
195:
193:
189:
188:
182:
166:
164:
160:
159:
156:
151:
144:
143:
126:September 2012
67:poorly sourced
40:
38:
31:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1226:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1209:Living people
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1124:
1114:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1100:
1090:
1086:
1078:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1065:
1061:
1053:
1047:
1044:
1031:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1006:
1002:
996:
993:
989:
984:
981:
974:
969:
966:
963:
960:
957:
954:
951:
948:
945:
942:
939:
936:
933:
930:
927:
924:
921:
918:
915:
912:
909:
906:
905:
901:
896:
893:
890:
887:
884:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
866:
863:
860:
857:
854:
851:
848:
845:
842:
839:
836:
833:
830:
827:
824:
821:
818:
815:
812:
809:
806:
803:
800:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
782:
779:
776:
773:
770:
767:
764:
761:
758:
755:
754:
750:
745:
743:
741:
740:
730:
728:
721:
719:
717:
713:
709:
705:
697:
695:
693:
685:
683:
681:
676:
675:
670:
662:
660:
658:
654:
650:
646:
642:
638:
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
606:
604:
602:
598:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
574:
570:
566:
558:
556:
553:
550:
542:
540:
537:
535:
531:
526:
524:
520:
515:
510:
508:
504:
499:
497:
493:
489:
485:
480:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
450:
448:
447:, 2008–2017.
446:
441:
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
415:
391:
382:
378:
372:
369:
367:
364:identity and
363:
360:
359:
357:
353:
347:
344:
342:
339:
337:
334:
333:
331:
327:
324:
321:
317:
312:
309:
306:
304:
300:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
272:
269:
266:
265:
263:
259:
253:
250:
248:
245:
244:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
221:
217:
213:
194:
190:
185:
179:(age 77)
165:
161:
154:
149:
140:
137:
129:
118:
115:
111:
108:
104:
101:
97:
94:
90:
87: –
86:
82:
81:Find sources:
75:
71:
68:
64:
60:
54:
53:
49:
44:
39:
30:
29:
26:
22:
1111:Christianity
1068:
1051:
1046:
1036:22 September
1034:. Retrieved
1030:the original
1020:
1008:. Retrieved
1004:
995:
983:
967:
961:
955:
949:
943:
937:
931:
925:
919:
913:
907:
894:
888:
882:
876:
870:
864:
858:
852:
846:
840:
834:
828:
822:
816:
810:
804:
798:
792:
786:
780:
774:
768:
762:
756:
737:
734:
725:
715:
711:
701:
689:
679:
672:
668:
666:
656:
652:
648:
644:
640:
636:
632:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
610:
607:Ecclesiology
600:
596:
585:Paul Tillich
564:
562:
546:
538:
527:
523:Ecclesiology
522:
511:
507:Ecclesiology
506:
503:ecclesiology
500:
481:
476:
473:Charles Gore
454:
389:
388:
366:ecclesiology
336:Ecclesiology
177:21 July 1947
153:The Reverend
132:
123:
113:
106:
99:
92:
80:
69:
52:verification
45:
25:
1139:1947 births
692:Anglicanism
686:Anglicanism
593:Karl Rahner
530:Mary Tanner
457:Walthamstow
184:Walthamstow
85:"Paul Avis"
1133:Categories
1010:16 January
975:References
722:Episcopacy
577:Karl Barth
319:Discipline
303:Alma mater
173:1947-07-21
96:newspapers
1099:Biography
484:presbyter
451:Biography
371:ecumenism
186:, England
157:Paul Avis
48:citations
739:koinonia
708:Reformed
704:Catholic
674:koinonia
543:Theology
519:Plymouth
420:Anglican
362:Anglican
323:Theology
261:Ordained
233:Anglican
228:Religion
74:libelous
1123:England
1085:Portals
486:in the
209:
201:
110:scholar
1075:
591:, and
428:London
240:Church
192:Spouse
112:
105:
98:
91:
83:
203:(
199:
117:JSTOR
103:books
41:This
1073:ISBN
1038:2014
1012:2019
714:and
706:and
643:and
627:and
163:Born
89:news
50:for
494:'s
434:of
1135::
1003:.
639:;
635:;
623:;
619:;
583:,
579:,
575:,
571:,
402:eɪ
205:m.
175:)
61:.
1087::
1054:.
1040:.
1014:.
990:.
414:/
411:s
408:ɪ
405:v
399:ˈ
396:/
392:(
235:)
171:(
139:)
133:(
128:)
124:(
114:·
107:·
100:·
93:·
76:.
55:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.