Friday, 28 July 2006
The Anglican Communion - should we care?
The death of the Anglican tradition has been talked about for some time. This is only close to coming to pass in the West. The growth of Anglican churches in the "Global South" continues and in the current public debate we are now starting to see bishops from Africa and the other Americas taking a stand and being prepared to flex some muscle. I don't feel the need the recap on the current situation, except to say that the UK press is lumping the Anglican Church in New Zealand together with the North Americans and the Scots when they are predicting which provinces within the Communion will not be able to sign up to whatever Anglican covenant is put together.
The question I have is: do I care? For most rank and file Anglicans, I doubt they often think too far outside their parish. They may see their Bishop every couple of years or even attend an ordination service at the cathedral if someone from their parish is being done. How many people care what happens are General Synod in NZ or at any international event in the Anglican Communion? Does the denomination (or any denomination for that matter) offer The Church anything?
I think the Anglican tradition has some value, even a great deal of value, but is that enough to justify its continued existence? Can we hold together Christians of such divergent views in any sort of single identity? If we can, will the effort be worth it? Would the loss of the more liberal provinces help us towards reconciliation with Rome?
In my case, I probably should care. I am currently in the discernment process in the Diocese of Wellington to see if I am called to ordained ministry. At the moment, I can only pray for God's will to be done in this process. I'm not sure I even like being an Anglican, but do I want to be an Anglican priest in a Diocese that isn't in full Communion with Canterbury? My goal is to be obedient to God, but the church may not make that easy for me.
For more posts about the Episcopal Church in the US and the Anglican Communion, see BabyBlueOnline, which is a blog I keep an eye or two on.
The question I have is: do I care? For most rank and file Anglicans, I doubt they often think too far outside their parish. They may see their Bishop every couple of years or even attend an ordination service at the cathedral if someone from their parish is being done. How many people care what happens are General Synod in NZ or at any international event in the Anglican Communion? Does the denomination (or any denomination for that matter) offer The Church anything?
I think the Anglican tradition has some value, even a great deal of value, but is that enough to justify its continued existence? Can we hold together Christians of such divergent views in any sort of single identity? If we can, will the effort be worth it? Would the loss of the more liberal provinces help us towards reconciliation with Rome?
In my case, I probably should care. I am currently in the discernment process in the Diocese of Wellington to see if I am called to ordained ministry. At the moment, I can only pray for God's will to be done in this process. I'm not sure I even like being an Anglican, but do I want to be an Anglican priest in a Diocese that isn't in full Communion with Canterbury? My goal is to be obedient to God, but the church may not make that easy for me.
For more posts about the Episcopal Church in the US and the Anglican Communion, see BabyBlueOnline, which is a blog I keep an eye or two on.
# posted by Gareth Bezett @ 8:56 AM 
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A very good question.
For me, the possibility of redemption for this thing called church is core to who i am. There must be a way that this bunch of people who miss the point and seem so stuck in their way (and i'm one with them) can change.
However, having said that, I also agree wholeheartedly with the folsk over at dyingchurch.com - the ongoing continuation of the church should not be our focus. We have to be willing for this package we call "church" to die.
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For me, the possibility of redemption for this thing called church is core to who i am. There must be a way that this bunch of people who miss the point and seem so stuck in their way (and i'm one with them) can change.
However, having said that, I also agree wholeheartedly with the folsk over at dyingchurch.com - the ongoing continuation of the church should not be our focus. We have to be willing for this package we call "church" to die.
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