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The Church of the Redeemer is an Landmarks of Toronto
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As with many other downtown churches, the Church of the Redeemer suffered from falling attendance in the late twentieth century. The church ran into severe financial difficulties and, in 1979, the parish voluntarily disestablished itself and was taken over by the
Official website
{{Anglo-Catholic Toronto Redeemer Religious organizations established in 1871 Redeemer Redeemer Redeemer Gothic Revival architecture in Toronto
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
church in Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada. The small church is prominently located at the intersection of Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct, which spans the Don River Valley, westward into Mississauga where it ends at Central Parkw ...
and Avenue Road
Avenue Road is a major north–south street in Toronto, Ontario. The road is a continuation of University Avenue, linked to it via Queen's Park and Queen's Park Crescent East and West to form a single through route.''Toronto Pocket Street Atla ...
, near the Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...
. It was founded in 1871 when the area was still on the fringe of the city. The Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style building opened on June 15, 1879./ref>
Overview
As with many other downtown churches, the Church of the Redeemer suffered from falling attendance in the late twentieth century. The church ran into severe financial difficulties and, in 1979, the parish voluntarily disestablished itself and was taken over by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto
The Diocese of Toronto is an administrative division of the Anglican Church of Canada covering the central part of southern Ontario. It was founded in 1839 and is the oldest of the seven dioceses comprising the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario. ...
. The church lands were sold to developers and the massive Four Seasons Renaissance Centre was built on them.
With the money from this deal, the church was again solvent and regained its independence. The money also paid for much needed renovations. In 2000, the church launched a major renovation project as extra meeting space and offices were constructed under the building.
The church is known for its progressive stance on social issues, especially gay rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Notably, , 3 ...
. In 1998, the congregation published ''An Honourable Estate: Same Sex Unions and the Church'', advocating the blessing of same-sex unions. Integrity Toronto Integrity/Toronto is the oldest Canadian chapter of Integrity, a network of support and advocacy groups for gay and lesbian members of the Anglican Church of Canada, Episcopal Church (United States), Anglican Church of Australia, and Church of Ugand ...
worships in the church. The parish uses exclusively the ''Book of Alternative Services
The ''Book of Alternative Services'' (''BAS'') is the contemporary, inclusive-language liturgical book used in place of the 1962 ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) in most parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Further reading
* Webster, John, ...
''.
The church is noted by passersby for its prominent sign, often featuring a quotation or thought for meditation. The church is also known to host a range of musical events and concerts. For example, Canadian group Great Lake Swimmers
Great Lake Swimmers is a Canadian folk rock band from Wainfleet, Ontario, and currently based in Toronto.
The current touring line-up includes Tony Dekker on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, Erik Arnesen on banjo, electric guitar and ...
played two shows at the Church of the Redeemer on April 14, 2007.
See also
* *List of Anglican churches in Toronto
There are about a hundred Anglican churches in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto is in the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, which includes the city of Toronto and much of south central Ontario. The eastern part of Toronto is part of the Y ...
References
External links
*Official website
{{Anglo-Catholic Toronto Redeemer Religious organizations established in 1871 Redeemer Redeemer Redeemer Gothic Revival architecture in Toronto