• Anvil Trust is the centrepoint and legal foundation of a movement whose purpose is to articulate, advocate and advance an understanding and activism based on a Jesus-centred all-inclusive vision of shalom, through Workshop learning, Peacemeal community and Jesus-Shalom podcasts.

    Visit Anvil Trust

  • Jesus-Shalom is the communication sphere of Anvil Trust using the mediums of podcast, blog and live video conversations and discussions. It explores provocative biblical and contemporary issues from shalom perspectives, plus regular interviews with ‘Shalom Activists’ working in diverse roles.

    Visit Jesus-Shalom

  • Workshop is the learning sphere of Anvil Trust.  Creating safe yet brave spaces to explore a spirituality that inspires understanding, formation and activism from a Jesus-centred shalom. Value-focused, inclusive and empowering, it offers resources, courses and live video conversations.

    Visit Workshop

  • Peacemeal is the community-building sphere of Anvil Trust. Inspired by the ‘table-fellowship’ of Jesus every meal can become a portal for nurturing relationship, developing community, spiritual encounter and radical social change. We are a catalyst to reveal and inspire radical table possibilities.

    Visit Peacemeal

Anvil Trust

Shaping shalom spirituality
Donate
Keep in touch

Anvil Ethos

Anvil Foundations

Anvil Trust sees the biblical concept of shalom – usually translated peace, but better understood as ‘wholeness, completeness, wellbeing, harmony, and the integrity of all things’ – as foundational. Shalom shapes the learning atmosphere and ensures a wholistic approach to ideas. Shalom creates a focus of hope, and nurtures a spirituality that is both contemplative and activist.

Anvil Spirituality

Firstly, the person of Jesus is central: seen as the primary revelation of God’s character, which calls for a radical spirituality empowered by the Spirit. Anvil Trust draws on an inclusive spirituality, sourced from the broadest historical and global Christian traditions: *

  1. Contemplative – the meditative and prayer filled life
  2. Radical – the Jesus-centered and alternative experimental life
  3. Holiness – the virtuous, distinctive and godly life
  4. Social Justice – the compassionate and activist life
  5. Evangelical – the scripture and witness focused life
  6. Wisdom – the insightful, practical and creatively applied life
  7. Charismatic – the Spirit empowered and gifted life
  8. Liberal – the truthfully rational and critically questioning life
  9. Incarnational – the invisible truth made present in sacramental life
  10. Inter-faith – the desire to learn from those following a different spiritual life

This ecumenical spirituality is at the heart of the Anvil ethos … celebrating difference and diversity!

* Freely adapted and expanded from an idea in Streams of Living Water by the Quaker author Richard J Foster

Anvil In Practice

Everything we do at Anvil is built on our spirituality and foundational values. This Anvil ethos creates an atmosphere where…

Everyone is welcome: Every participant is empowered and included, with community seen as central. We respect variety in spiritual journeys and create a space for inter-faith encounter. We encourage every participant to learn from each other, whatever their role.

Questions are honoured: Anvil recognises doubt as vital to faith. We stress how, rather than what to think, relishing debate and engaging with moral and intellectual challenges.

Growth is encouraged: Anvil celebrates living by values, emphasising peace, and justice and deep ecology. We take the biblical text seriously rather than literally, and nurturing spiritual growth is our priority. As a result, Anvil Trust cultivates and inspires dreams, creativity and activism.

The forge is a workshop, in which the anvil is the centerpiece. A solid block of iron, which becomes a place of transfiguration. The anvil is the focus of energy, explosive force and power, but not violence. It stands close to the furnace, heat and melting, moulding and shaping, but not breaking. The anvil is the point of creativity, where technique and cunning turn unyielding metal into art or implement. An ability that must be learned; craftsman and apprentice sharing skills, miracles born out of sweat and time, the sound of ringing steel alive with joy. The anvil is a place of peace, swords and spears, shaped into sickle and plough essential character transformed. The smith is meekness in motion, stature and strength, under perfect control. The anvil speaks of true gentleness; its ability to receive blows, rather than to strike them, and in so doing, to wear out many hammers. © Noel Moules

About Anvil Trust

The purpose of Anvil Trust is to articulate, advocate, and advance Jesus-centered and world-embracing shalom, rooted in scriptural tradition but positively engaged with contemporary realities (ecology, inclusion, inter-faith).

The biblical concept of shalom – usually translated peace, but better understood as ‘wholeness, completeness, wellbeing, harmony, and the integrity of all things’ – is foundational for our work.

Keep in touch

To stay up to date with Anvil Trust, please click on this button

Donate

Your contributions support the shalom-activist work of Anvil Trust

Facebook-f Twitter

Copyright 2024 © Anvil Trust. Design by Rainbow Web Services

Donate

You can trust us with your data. We will only use your details to send you details about the work of Anvil Trust and will not make your details available to any third parties without your explicit consent. You can unsubscribe at any time.