The Community of St. Julian | Rev. Hilary Willett

August 7th, 2024 | Rev. Hilary Willett discusses the legitimacy of online Anglican communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, using insights from a ten-week online community initiated in 2021, emphasising the importance of continuing such communities.

July 20, 2024

by Rev. Hilary Willett

Topics: Church, Online Community

📍 MacLaurin Chapel, 18 Princes Street, Auckland

💻 Zoom available

📆 August 7th, 2024

⏰ 6:30 pm for pizza, 7 pm for lecture

Abstract:

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, priests worldwide found themselves navigating church online. This raised significant questions for many, especially whether online church was a legitimate form of religious gathering. In this talk, I will discuss the legitimacy of online communities from an Aotearoa Anglican perspective, with reference to a ten-week online community that I initiated in 2021—the Community of St. Julian. By drawing on the contributions of the community members, I will highlight the importance of continuing Anglican communities online.

Profile:

The Rev’d Hilary Willett is a priest in the Diocese of Auckland. She has an honours degree in English and Politics from the University of Auckland, a Master of Theology from Laidlaw College and a Master of Theology from the University of Otago. In her spare time, Hilary writes religious icons (@lumenicons) for personal reflection and commissions.

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