The CEE offers a structure, through which to facilitate both interdisciplinary research and ecclesial outreach and accompaniment through the prism of ecclesial ethics, and it involves a variety of approaches – theoretical and practical – to bear on its five related pathways:
- the ecclesial signs of the times
- the experience of the People of God
- Women and the Church
- priesthood and leadership
- ecclesial ethical renewal & Synodality
The CEE actively invites participation in the domains of research and accompaniment from experienced and passionate academics, practitioners and leaders across the Church.
It is in this way that the CEE has begun to establish a track record for research and outreach in these areas that reflects a growing ecclesial credibility for rigorous research and effective accompaniment in its work that is supported by a range of funding streams.
Recent work, that is both local and national, includes collaboration with Margaret Beaufort Institute Cambridge, Boston College, Catholic Social Action Network, the School for Synodality and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood. In the near future the Centre will embark on research and accompaniment in the Dioceses of East Anglia and Northampton.
The CEE is strategically positioned to draw into conversation, discernment, and analysis members from the academy and the parish, church leadership and catholic networks, leaders from innovative beacons of ecclesial life, voices from the ecclesial peripheries, and interested external voices. We are keen to develop existing partnerships and to explore the possibility of new opportunities. We seek to develop a research community and encourage applications from all those who seek to work in the relevant pathways.
We believe that ecclesial ethics argues for a new way of addressing the pressing ecclesial matters of our times within the church and offers a tool for improving the church’s moral condition, such that we more radically imitate the vulnerability of God and appreciate the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within each person.
As such ecclesial ethics is an evolving pathway that can inform and shape the ecclesial relationships, practices and structures that can help to develop, nurture and sustain a good and better church. It is a pathway that is ever attentive to the least breath of the Spirit across and beyond the baptised People of God, so that our research and outreach is recognised by an experiential ‘pastoral stamp’ through its engagement in ‘the different contexts and concrete situations in which people find themselves’ and thus allows our Church and the Centre for Ecclesial Ethics ‘to be seriously challenged by reality.’