Former Queen’s chaplain explains conversion to Catholicism

Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen and Anglican priest has decided to join the Catholic Church after re-assessing church history and viewing how the two denominations respond to cultural changes.

Speaking to Premier, Gavin Ashenden said: “I began to gain a strong sense that Christianity was under very serious assault and that we had to find a new way of understanding the task in front of us.

“As I looked to Anglicanism – I’m really sorry to say this because one hates to be critical – but in every single generation the Church either converts its surrounding society or it gets converted itself. There’s no ‘steady state theory’ I don’t think in relationship between church and society.

“It seemed to me that Anglicanism was trying to placate secular society and progressive values and I thought that was where spiritual death lay.

“Although I’d spent some time over the last 20 years acting and writing and speaking and saying, ‘look, I really think this is the wrong direction’ – I’ve lost the argument wholesale and the Church of England is continuing to pursue a progressive agenda which I think it will sincerely regret, but the Catholic Church, although it shares the same struggles because we all live in the same culture, has the integrity and the roots to win the struggle and I felt the Anglican Church was determined to lose it.”

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See also: Jules Gomes and Anglican Unscripted give their report and comment.