In a guest post, Shiranikha Herbert looks at the faculty jurisdiction and the disposal of “church treasures’, with particular reference to a recent consistory case. 

Introduction

Church of England churches own a store of moveable assets which have come to be called “church treasures” and are highly prized. They may consist of ancient artefacts, silver, items of historic interest and works of art, and may include secular items which have been deposited in churches.

As “Treasures on Earth” – A Report by a Working Party of the Council for Places of Worship (General Synod 08132 (1973)), quoted in 2014 by the Court of Arches in Re St Lawrence Oakley with Wootton St Lawrence [2014] Court of Arches, [2015] Fam 27 [35], stated:

“One of the most excellent ambitions of Christians … has been to express their faith in the language of the arts – in architecture, sculpture, painting, mosaic, music and poetry – and thus to build houses of God which are symbols of that faith, thereafter furnishing them with objects as nearly worthy of the worship of God as human skill can make them.  The triumphant realisation of that godly ambition by men in every age from that of the early Chistian church down to the present day has been instrumental in creating the great store of treasures owned by the churches …”

It may sometimes be tempting for a church struggling with financial difficulties to sell some of its treasures in order to fund its needs – perhaps to repair its roof or to modernise its heating system.  On the other hand a church may find that one of its treasures has become more of a liability than an asset because the church cannot afford the expense necessary to retain its valuable treasure due to the costs incurred in storage, insurance and restoration. Continue reading →