Wednesday, May 12, 2004 AD
Defender of the (Eastern Orthodox) Faith?
The Guardian reports that Prince Charles has been visiting Mount Athos and may convert to Eastern Orthodoxy.
Now, I imagine this story has about as much truth in it as intermittent reports over the years that the Prince might convert to Islam. But it'd be interesting to see whether people start raising constitutional questions about the possibility of an EO monarch, particularly whether it would hasten the disestablishment of the Church of England (a possibility about which I have very mixed and undecided feelings).
In theory, there shouldn't be a problem, despite the fact that as King he would be Supreme Governor (not, a thousand times not, "head", please note) of the Church of England. UK law only prohibits the monarch from being a Roman Catholic (or from marrying one). Indeed, from 1714 to 1837, Kings George I to IV and William IV were all (guess what) Lutherans* (perhaps I should send Prince Charles a copy of the Small Catechism and a suggestion that he return to the faith of his great-great-great-etc-grandfathers).
At any rate, conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy would hopefully put paid to the sort of drivel HRH has come out with in the past about being "Defender of Faiths" rather than "Defender of the Faith". I can't see the EOs being too impressed with the idea of King Charles III acting as a sort of interfaith MC.
* This is recorded in the History of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain from the ELCE website. A PDF version, with illustrations, is available here (warning: 2.5MB file). Well worth a read.
Now, I imagine this story has about as much truth in it as intermittent reports over the years that the Prince might convert to Islam. But it'd be interesting to see whether people start raising constitutional questions about the possibility of an EO monarch, particularly whether it would hasten the disestablishment of the Church of England (a possibility about which I have very mixed and undecided feelings).
In theory, there shouldn't be a problem, despite the fact that as King he would be Supreme Governor (not, a thousand times not, "head", please note) of the Church of England. UK law only prohibits the monarch from being a Roman Catholic (or from marrying one). Indeed, from 1714 to 1837, Kings George I to IV and William IV were all (guess what) Lutherans* (perhaps I should send Prince Charles a copy of the Small Catechism and a suggestion that he return to the faith of his great-great-great-etc-grandfathers).
At any rate, conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy would hopefully put paid to the sort of drivel HRH has come out with in the past about being "Defender of Faiths" rather than "Defender of the Faith". I can't see the EOs being too impressed with the idea of King Charles III acting as a sort of interfaith MC.
* This is recorded in the History of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain from the ELCE website. A PDF version, with illustrations, is available here (warning: 2.5MB file). Well worth a read.
