The Religion of King Charles III

[Michie]

NEWS ANALYSIS: Now formally the supreme governor of the Church of England, the new monarch has previously demonstrated an esteem for the Catholic Church, but the substance of his personal faith is somewhat uncertain.


VATICAN CITY — As the supreme governor of the Church of England, King Charles III is expected to continue his mother’s friendship and esteem for the Catholic Church, but it will form just part of his broad interest in all Christian denominations, other world religions, and his seeming religious fervor for environmental concerns.

The new monarch, who immediately acceded to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8 and will be crowned May 6 in Westminster Abbey, has long had close ties with the Catholic Church. As heir to the throne, he spent many years supporting Catholic charities, as well as often speaking out on behalf of persecuted Christians, including workingwith the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

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The Religion of King Charles III

 

[John Owen]

What King Charles III’s reign means for religion

King Charles III, like his mother before him, has religious responsibilities in addition to secular ones. As “Defender of the Faith” and “Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” he will help lead his country’s most prominent faith group.

Also like Queen Elizabeth II, the new king plans to undertake his formal religious duties with authentic care and concern. In his first address to Great Britain, he spoke about how his personal faith has informed his approach to leadership, as the Christian Post reported.
“King Charles said that his faith was ‘deeply rooted’ in the Church of England and that it had taught him to ‘cherish a sense of duty to others,’” the article said.

In the hours after her death on Sept. 8, several royalty experts and news outlets, including the Deseret News, highlighted similar remarks Queen Elizabeth II made about her faith in the past.

“Her trust in God and profound love for God was foundational in how she led her life — hour by hour, day by day. In The Late Queen’s life, we saw what it means to receive the gift of life we have been given by God and — through patient, humble, selfless service — share it as a gift to others,” said the Rev. Justin Welby, senior bishop in the Church of England, in a statement about Queen Elizabeth II.

What makes King Charles III’s relationship to religion distinct is that he’s spoken repeatedly in the past about his desire to “defend” more than just the Church of England, according to The Guardian.

“In 1994, Charles triggered controversy when he said he would be defender of faith rather than Defender of the Faith, in a desire to reflect Britain’s religious diversity,” the article said, noting that he attempted to clarify those statements in a BBC interview in 2015.

“I mind about the inclusion of other people’s faiths and their freedom to worship in this country. And it’s always seemed to me that, while at the same time being Defender of the Faith, you can also be protector of faiths,” he said during that 2015 interview.

To be sure, Queen Elizabeth II accepted and even embraced the country’s religious diversity, but it was partly at her son’s urging, said Ian Bradley, the emeritus professor of cultural and spiritual history at the University of St. Andrews, to The Guardian. Now, King Charles III will have an opportunity to fully control the royal family’s faith-related messaging.

“Most people would agree that Charles should champion the right to religious belief and practice of all his subjects, not just that of the dwindling number of people in the pews of Anglican churches,” The Guardian reported.

What King Charles III’s reign means for religion