The Nikæan Club was established in 1926 to support the

ecumenical Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

ministry of the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

History

The club was founded by Canon

John Albert Douglas John Albert Douglas (21 September 1868 – 3 July 1956) was a priest of the Church of England and a major figure in Anglican–Orthodox relations in the 20th century. Douglas was a member of the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association and the Fe ...

, a major figure in Anglican–Orthodox relations in the 20th century. In 1905, with his brother, the Revd Charles Edward Douglas, he founded the

Society of the Faith The Society of the Faith is a Church of England charity founded in 1905. Its objects are to bring together Christians in communion with the See of Canterbury for mutual assistance, and to support and further charitable undertakings, particularly ...

, which supported the Nikæan Club financially in its early years. The club owes its origin to the celebration in London to mark the sixteenth centenary of the

First Ecumenical Council The First Council of Nicaea ( ; ) was a council of Christian bishops convened in the Bithynian city of Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I. The Council of Nicaea met from May until the end of July 325. This ec ...

of the Christian Church held in

Nicæa Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seventh ...

in 325. The club has almost 400 members. Each successive

has been president since the club began. The club holds an annual dinner in

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

in honour of the

General Synod The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations. Anglican Communion The General Synod of the Church of England, which was established in 1970 replacing the Church Assembly, is the legislative body of the Church ...

’s ecumenical representatives and guests. Other dinners are usually held in

Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is situated in north Lambeth, London, on the south bank of the River Thames, south-east of the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament of the United King ...

. Notable members in the years after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

included such figures as

John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...

Rose Macaulay Dame Emilie Rose Macaulay, (1 August 1881 – 30 October 1958) was an English writer, most noted for her award-winning novel ''The Towers of Trebizond'', about a small Anglo-Catholic group crossing Turkey by camel. The story is seen as a spiri ...

Osbert Lancaster Sir Osbert Lancaster (4 August 1908 – 27 July 1986) was an English cartoonist, architectural historian, stage designer and author. He was known for his cartoons in the British press, and for his lifelong work to inform the general publi ...

and

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers ( ; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime novelist, playwright, translator and critic. Born in Oxford, Sayers was brought up in rural East Anglia and educated at Godolphin School in Salisbury and Somerv ...

. In 1992, the Nikæan Club founded a charitable trust, The Nikaean Ecumenical Trust, to finance study trips made by members of Christian Churches from overseas. The club suffered damage to its reputation in 1993, when its chairman Patrick Gilbert, head of the

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) is a United Kingdom, UK-based Christians, Christian charity. Founded in 1698 by Thomas Bray, it has worked for over 300 years to increase awareness of the Christians, Christian faith in the Un ...

, received a suspended sentence for

child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical abuse, physical, child sexual abuse, sexual, emotional and/or psychological abuse, psychological maltreatment or Child neglect, neglect of a child, especially by a p ...

. Canon Christopher Hill, also a member of the Nikæan Club accompanied Gilbert to court, and former Archbishop of Canterbury,

Donald Coggan Frederick Donald Coggan, Baron Coggan, (9 October 1909 – 17 May 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury from 1974 to 1980.

, wrote a character witness letter. Gilbert, who was also secretary of the wine committee at The Athenaeum, admitted a previous conviction for indecent assault on two 13-year-old school boys in 1962.

The Nikaean Cross

The Nikaean Cross is a fourth-century Coptic bronze cross which was presented to the Club by Sir

Ronald Storrs Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs (19 November 1881 – 1 November 1955) was an official in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Foreign Office. He served as Oriental Secretary in Cairo, Military Governor of Jerusalem, Governor of Britis ...

. The cross had been presented to Sir Ronald when he was Oriental Secretary to Lord Kitchener by the Coptic

Pope Cyril V Pope Cyril V of Alexandria (Abba Kyrillos V) was the 112th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, reigning for 52 years, 9 months and 6 days. He was the longest-serving Pope in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He wa ...

. The Nikaean Cross is placed in front of the President at meetings of the Club. Replicas are given to distinguished ecumenical guests.

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
Dining clubs Christian organizations established in 1926 Clubs and societies in England Organizations established in 1926 Church of England societies and organisations Church of England

History

The Nikaean Cross

See also

References

External links