Guernsey

The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown dependency that includes the island of Guernsey, the second largest of the English Channel Islands, along with the smaller islands of Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, and Lihou; together with the Bailiwick of Jersey, it is the last remnant of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy. The Church of England is the established church in Guernsey; thus, the British monarch is officially the Supreme Governor of the Church, with the Archbishop of Canterbury as the spiritual leader. As a Royal Peculiar, Guernsey is annexed to the Diocese of Winchester, having been formerly part of the Norman/French Diocese of Coutances. The Dean of Guernsey (the head priest over Guernsey parishes) is directly appointed by the Crown and serves as a Commissary for the Bishop of Winchester. The Guernsey Bailiwick and Deanery today cover less than 30 square miles (1 mile = 1.609 kilometers), with a population of approximately 65,000. The Anglican clergy perform a significant percentage of funerals and weddings, but church attendance continues to decline. The Church of England does not own most of the ecclesiastical buildings in Guernsey, and the taxpayers are responsible for the maintenance of the church and cemetery. Anglican clergy also have civic responsibilities; until 1948, Anglican clergy were automatically members of the States of Deliberation (Guernsey's parliament) and are still ex officio members of the State of Elections. Guernsey has been largely Anglican since the Act of Conformity was applied following the English [Page 488]Civil War and includes 16 Anglican parishes at present. There is also a significant Methodist presence (12 churches) and a strong Roman Catholic Church as well (3 churches). Other denominations include Baptist, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian churches as well as the Society of Friends. Recently, Guernsey has experienced the influence of the evangelical/nondenominational movement, with the Newfrontiers network setting up the Church on the Rock in Guernsey.

There is also a small but growing non-Christian presence in the Bailiwick, including Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu communities. In 2007, the Guernsey Islamic Charitable Trust became the first Islamic organization to be established on the island. Recently, clergy members have been promoting ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, organizing regular meetings between the clergy as well as community events.

During the German occupation of Guernsey from 1940 to 1945, many islanders, especially Jewish residents and children, left Guernsey never to return. Concentration camps were built on Alderny in 1942, and hundreds died before the camps were closed in 1944. Guernsey changed drastically due to the trauma of the German occupation, and it continues to change as the banking and offshore finance industry attracts newcomers, especially wealthy Britons.