Observation: Fissures Widen in Episcopal Community
This article very aptly shows how the majority of the Christian world perceives the Episcopal church and how difficult it is to bring in new people. Often when you tell them where you attend, the response is, “Oh, I’m sorry. I was looking for a Christian church.”
Individuals are free to embrace any religion they choose, or no religion, but it is irrational to declare oneself a Christian and then set about ignoring difficult parts of Scripture so that the word of God might bend to your will. That is what the leaders of the Episcopal Church invite the faithful to do. Consider Christianity, they declare, and if there are passages in the Bible that you can’t wrap your mind around, we will address those concerns with a vote at the General Convention. That’s not theology – that’s therapy. It’s not about salvation – it’s about affirming things you want to be true.
Perhaps the Episcopalian hierarchy is not working to improve upon man’s flawed comprehension of God’s will so much as they are working to improve upon the will of what they perceive to be a flawed God. That encapsulates the rupture within the Episcopal community. It will not mend.
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That makes me long for the days, 40 years or so ago, when we were dismissed with varying degrees of good humor as Whiskeypalians. Today, I am always careful to say Anglican, and explain the difference should I get the nearly inevitable puzzled look.
[1] Posted by APB on 8-6-2012 at 03:54 PM · [top]
It’s not just within the Episcopal Church… Many Evangelicals equate that term with something like “non-liturgical” or “Free Church”. I was raised Baptist, and taught informally that “Catholics” (they meant “Roman Catholics”) were, well, very bad people. 17 years in Navy chaplaincy, a VERY ecumenical environment, enabled me to pursue a spiritual pilgrimage that resulted in my ordination into the CANA as an Anglican priest.
A co-worker of my wife’s is a lay Baptist minister, and he was shocked, SHOCKED, and horrified that I had gone apostate. Why? Why? Oh, the horror…
I looked up reviews online on the Alpha Course, and read one that was… typical, in a way. It basically said Alpha looks good, but it must not affirm that we are saved by faith through grace since it comes from an Anglican church, and they believe in ‘works righteousness’... I understand the deep theological issues, but this review was not deep at all theologically.
I think there’s a profound amount of ignorance in America regarding whether liturgical churches like Anglicans, Lutherans (Missouri Synod…) and others can be evangelical. Those that are curious enough, though, or come from a similar background, or have personal contacts come to our churches, and what they encounter there can change their minds.
I’m very involved in the evangelical fellowship on the Cape. Sometimes I feel like an ambassador, and I make a point of wearing a clerical collar to meetings. I have a sense, in the broad evangelical community, after 20 or 30 years of ‘seeker services’ and theology that’s a mile wide and an inch deep, that there is a hunger for discipleship, doctrine, and worship that looks like CHURCH, not a concert or a motivational speech.
Let us seize the day!
[2] Posted by Father Wash-Ashore on 8-6-2012 at 04:31 PM · [top]
I think unfortunately the factor Jackie refers to is an inevitable part of being in TEC at the current time. But membership in every church carries baggage. Assumptions are always made, and often unfairly.
TEC members can still tell the gospel to other people and make disciples. New disciples can be told early on about how your church doesn’t agree with some of the things done and said at GC. That will give them a very good grounding to keep unstained in future.
[3] Posted by MichaelA on 8-6-2012 at 06:10 PM · [top]
APB - Yes, responding Anglican does take a bit of explaining, doesn’t it? I find it helps provide that bridge reading to differentiation.
Father Wash-Ashore: Yes, it is much easier to evangelize in a church where you do not have to start the conversation defending your parish from any of the many heresies ECUSA has committed.
MichaelA - You are correct. It is possible to evangelize, to be a hearer, doer and spreader of the Gospel while still a member of ECUSA. It is why Sarah’s recent article is a must read.
[4] Posted by Jackie on 8-7-2012 at 07:13 AM · [top]
I am a member of one of many growing churches in DSC. In my five years there, I do not remember ever hearing the words Anglican or Episcopal used. This may be one of many reasons we are growing.
[5] Posted by Pb on 8-7-2012 at 01:07 PM · [top]
at this point, I consider myself a Recovering Episcopalian
[6] Posted by elanor on 8-7-2012 at 06:17 PM · [top]
Funny you should mention fissures. Medically you heal persistent occurrences by surgically splitting them to effect healing. Lesson to be learned?
[7] Posted by iamaworm on 8-10-2012 at 01:59 PM · [top]
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