Wilding the Church

Reflections on the Process of Wilding as a Metaphor for the Church as a Co-agent in Mission with the Holy Spirit in a Secular Age

Authors

  • Paul Bradbury Church of England, Poole; University of Roehampton

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54195/ef11876

Abstract

In recent years numerous wilding projects have emerged, many inspired by Isabella Tree’s book Wilding (Tree 2018). Wilding tells the story of the transformation of the estate at Knepp from intensive arable farm to biodiverse woodland and scrub. Wilding is a process that offers a new paradigm for land management, in which nature leads and human agency facilitates. Here I argue that wilding offers a rich metaphor for a new paradigm of ecclesial imagination in a secular age. This new “ecclesial imaginary” places the Church as a co-agent with the Holy Spirit, participating in the emergent life generated through the power of the Spirit. The use of this metaphor in nature conservation is described and its theological validity explored. The article ends with some preliminary reflections on the potential of this metaphor to move the Church toward a more fruitful disposition in its mission in a secular age.

Author Biography

Paul Bradbury, Church of England, Poole; University of Roehampton

Paul Bradbury is an ordained pioneer minister in the Church of England based in Poole, Dorset. He is the founder and leader of Poole Missional Communities, which plays host to a number of fresh expressions of church and pioneer mission initiatives. He is an associate tutor with Church Mission Society and is a DTh research student with the University of Roehampton.

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Published

2021-12-01

How to Cite

Bradbury, Paul. 2021. “Wilding the Church: Reflections on the Process of Wilding As a Metaphor for the Church As a Co-Agent in Mission With the Holy Spirit in a Secular Age”. Ecclesial Futures 2 (2):31-51. https://doi.org/10.54195/ef11876.

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Section

Articles