Notes from a presentation to the Diocesan Church Warden's Day in the Diocese of Fredericton in 2008 and delivered by request to an event in the Parish of Richmond in the late fall of 2009. To squeeze what it means to be Anglican into an hour is like trying to put the Atlantic Ocean into the St. John River. It takes a lifetime to learn about being an Anglican and most Anglicans that have it will tell you they’ve really just begun. Actually, that’s an important part of being an Anglican Christian. Synod 2009 has said that reclaiming our Anglican identity is a top priority. The Anglican it So I’m going to talk about “it.” It isn’t easy to name. Its what we need desperately in this diocese and in our parishes and congregations. I’ve never seen a book written about it but I’ve been preaching about it for close to twenty years. I do actually have more than a few sermons on it. What is it? It’s the Anglican “it” and its neither fish nor fowl. How do you know it? You have to experience it. You can’t really talk about it. I know seasoned clergy and lay people alike who have been Anglicans for a very long time who don’t know it. I know new Anglicans who say they’ve looked for it their whole life and just found it. We’re not doing a good job of passing it onto our own young people but its what holds us together as a church. It’s a mysterious, nebulous zone that’s created by way of what I’m going to talk about for the next little while. The zone is a space, a way of being Christian, created by the unique features of this Anglican Church of ours that no other denomination shares but many covet when they see a glimpse of “it.” Who are we? Its fundamentally important that we know who we are. Its important that we have this way of being Christian called Anglicanism down cold. We need to continuously refresh our sense of who we are, what we stand for and why we do what we do. What makes us “Anglicans” is NOT the issues that seem to consume us. Its not about whether we worship low or high, evangelical or anglo-catholic or charismatic, whether we’re liberal in our views or conservative. The Anglican Church has a very broad, inclusive and unique way of being Church. Its good to be a Christian AND its good to be an Anglican! Anglicanism is the “catholic” church at its best. That’s what I want to talk a bit about. Can we be proud? Scriptural “pride” is self-centredness and narcissism. [Pride vs Shame and Arrogance vs Humility] We’ve had several speakers to the Diocese over the last year or so, and when they get to know us a bit they all seem to be saying the same thing to us. We need to be reminded us of what is important about being Anglican Christians. When we strip away the issues and the politics, we see who we really are. The problem is, too many of us take for granted that we’re all singing from the same hymn book when much of what we need to know to be the Church, we don’t all understand (or, it would seem, we’ve forgotten). What we most need to be about during these times as Anglicans is building the Church. We need to be Church Builders. We are the Body of Christ, St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians. We are all parts of one Body. The parts are all different, but together we make one body. One thing we need to re-learn is that the foot needs to stop telling the hand that its different and that we all have to be feet in order to fit in. Where would the body be if every part were a foot? One of the most impressive teachers we’ve seen in our diocese in a while is Bishop Edward Salmon. He taught four things ... and they were dead simple: 1. A system produces what it is designed to produce. Leadership needs to be trained specifically for what we expect to get out of our joint efforts. We can’t all just do our own thing and expect a common and unified result. (Don’t ask what that looks like because ... you’re getting some of it now!) 2. In this capitalist culture driven by consumerism, we do not have control of our money, our money controls us. We need to talk and preach about the about the false god of money and possessions without apology. Money is the god of our time and Jesus too often takes a back seat when there’s a choice. 3. Its all about healthy Christian community. When we disagree, we need to stop blaming one another and stop sending the message that we have dislike or even hatred for those in our midst with whom we disagree. 4. We need to learn to add our individual gifts generously and happily for the good of all. That’s what the Church is, and that’s the reason for a diocese, but we seem to forget that its all about sharing what I have – with you and you with me. My perspective Not THE way – it’s “a” way of seeing ourselves This is not necessarily THE definitive word on the Anglican Church. I’m not perfect. I’ve got a lot of work to do. What I have to say is not the last word, its how I see it from where I sit. You’re welcome to disagree and we can talk! I’m not an academic, so you’re not going to get an intellectually authoritative theological paper on Anglican identity. Its “my” perspective, and I don’t intend this to be arrogant or elitist in any way. I don’t claim to have all the answers. What I claim, is what the Anglican Way means for me. By different roads We all come to the Anglican Church by way of different roads. Some choose to be here, others had the choice made for us. HOW MANY INFANT BAPTIZED ANGLICANS? We’re baptized Christian in an Anglican Church. What’s an Anglican anyway? Anglicans are, often unknowingly, steeped in Christian ways We often don’t know just how much we really understand. I had a conversation with a cradle Anglican the other day who shared they didn’t feel they knew much about their faith. That’s because, customarily, Anglicans don’t talk about it. That’s a mistake. But most everyone who has spent any amount of time as an Anglican knows much more about the Faith than they think they do. That’s because faithful ways are embedded in the orders of service, in the prayers and in the way we make decisions. Most of what we know as Anglicans we get by osmosis. We soak it up from the surroundings. Faithful answers to questions just pop out, seemingly from no where, because regularly worshipping Anglicans are steeped in Christianity. We need to learn language to talk more about what we know unknowingly with one another. We need to talk about our Faith and the Jesus who is what its all about. Anglicanism is inspired - it’s a gift! I don’t have to tell you that these are challenging times for the Church. I do need to tell you that Anglicanism is a tremendous gift! I’m more convinced now than ever that the “Anglican it” way of being Church is the closest thing to the Church described in the New Testament that there is. Other denominations appear to experience tremendous “successes” of one sort or another and at various times, but the Anglican Way (it), lumbering along as it has through the centuries, is Christ inspired and unique in Christianity. That can be frustrating for those of us who would like to see the helm be a little more responsive when it seems we’re in a crisis. Yes we have baggage but we also have momentum and inertia. The Anglican Communion is a great gift. Its never been easy - its not supposed to be We need to know that never has the Church had an easy time. We forget to look at our history and recognize that never has there been a time when at least one BIG issue didn’t threaten our existence . For 50 years, its our questions and fears (preoccupation?) around issues of human sexuality. There’s always been a question about whether we’d still be on our feet in five years. We’ll survive all this, but its going to take time. We’ve always been that way, and we probably always will. There’s comfort in believing that the past was secure but the future is always scary. On the cutting edge of time, looking forward, the wind seems to be blowing harder than it did in the past. That’s because we’re at the bow of the ship, The future is always unknown and a bit scary. Its always been so. A “struggling parish” or a struggling person, for that matter, means one important thing – its alive! Every parish struggles. Individually we all struggle. Life is a struggle. The call is to celebrate life not to fear our death. Every generation lives that. Marks of the Anglican Way I’m going to mention four marks of our identity as Anglicans. These four things make us who we are. Our greatest danger in challenging times is that we forget (or are not aware of) who we are. When I look over the landscape of the church in our diocese, I see evidence that not everybody in it quite understands what the Anglican Church is. Our Anglican identity is one of our greatest gifts. We need to know who we are if we’re going to meet with the challenges ahead. Statements | Synods | Episcopal | Communion Statements and Confessions • No presentation on what it is to be an Anglican would be complete without recognizing that we do have statements that define the Faith. • The Lambeth Quadrilateral is probably the most important it states what is considered impossible to compromise. • Scripture | Creeds | Sacraments | Bishops • The Prayer Book the overall definitive statement of teaching and faith (it includes the important statements, scripture and confessions of faith all wrapped up in worship. • So I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this, except to say that we are a praying and believing church and what we pray is what we believe and vice versa. (lex orandi - lex credendi) • When you are in church next – listen closely! • The Church is: • one (at unity with itself) • holy (specifically set apart from the world for a specific purpose) • catholic (universal - for all times, for all people, in all places) • apostolic (firmly linked with the authority of the Church of the early years and the sending of the first apostles) • Synodically governed • A Synod is a unique feature among Christian denominations • Only Lutherans and Anglicans have Synods -not just a meeting • We are a church synodically governed • Materially and temporally supported ground up – spiritually led top down - we share the best of both worlds in balance • Decisions not solely by the Bishop; not by the clergy; not by the people – by the Body • We seek the will of God, not the will of the Bishop or the will of the people • Three houses - lay, clergy, bishop • The Anglican Church is not a democracy nor is it a dictatorship • Dictatorship ruled by one • Democracy - ruled by the will of the people • Theocracy - ruled by the will of God • God is guiding the Church of which I am a member .... not the membership or the leadership. God speaks constantly through the Body and all its members in the Holy Spirit – lay, clergy and bishops • We get confused. Voting and elections are often used in a democracy. As church, we use those tools to further the purposes of the theocracy - God rules • God speaks through the whole Body of Christ • Bishops make mistakes, clergy make mistakes, lay people make mistakes • The Anglican Church is a thinking person’s church. • Many denominations are growing rapidly but many of those same churches don’t require their membership to think or recognize the membership’s role in hearing God’s voice • I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer or the brightest light on the tree but the Church of which I’m a member allows us (actually expects of us) that we think, participate and be creative elements of the Body of Christ Episcopally Led An “Episcopal” Church • “Episcopal” Church doesn’t mean we’re from the USA in the Episcopalian Church. episcopal = bishops • We are “episcopal” vs “congregational” • The Bishop is the chief pastor of your parish, not the Rector. The Bishop has put your rector there and he/she is licensed by and works on behalf of the Bishop • most churches have a bishop’s chair (has the little bishop’s hat on top) Every church is a mini Cathedral (bishop’s church) and has a mini cathedra in it (bishop’s chair) • many parishes list the Bishop on the bulletin cover because he is the cheif pastor of the parish. The Rector is listed as another one, albeit local, of the ministers, along with the wardens, the organist, the vestry • Parish property is not just parish property, its shared with the other parishes – belongs to all of us through the office of Bishop. • The “us and them” talk has got to stop. Its not who we are. Its not “you” and “me” .... its “us.” Every time we hear someone refer to what “Fredericton” is doing, I’m reminded that we don’t really know who we are. Whenever we refer to “they” I realize we have an identity crisis. The Bishop or the Synod Office are not your enemy. The other parishes (that is “the Diocese” are not your enemy. This is not a competition. • I guess its fun to have someone to blame, and if that helps, I’m willing to stand in but, you know what? Blaming ourselves doesn’t help! Kicking away at our own Body doesn’t accomplish very much. It makes us all smaller. If we have fight in us, it’s the unbecoming aspects of our human nature that we need to battle against, not one another. • Its not just that we have bishops ... the Anglican Church differs from other episcopal churches in that Synods require the voice of the laity in church governance (three houses in making decisions) • Bishops are not just people or offices – they are the unity of the Church. The person of the Bishop represents us all and our cooperative approach to doing mission and ministry. The Bishop is “our” Bishop and our identity. Beat away at the symbol of unity and we beat away at ourselves. Its not that the person of the Bishop is never wrong, but we have to have the faith that the actions of the Bishop are for the good of the Whole. A “Diocesan” Church • Bishop Salmon knocked our socks off by saying something we all know but seem to have forgotten. The basic unit of the Anglican Church is the Diocese. (Diocesan family) • The Diocese is “the collection of parishes in a geographic area led by a bishop. The “Diocese” IS the “parishes” • The family is the diocese. Each parish is a room in the household • The Diocesan office is the joint office of the parishes working together. It is the reality that other parishes in the diocese assist you, in your parish, in your mission and ministry • The Diocesan budget is the collective budget of the parishes • One of the greatest gifts we have is that doing things together makes all sorts of things possible that individually we could only dream about Working together we can:: • Do significant development and relief work through the Primate’s Fund (PWRDF) • Grants through the Anglican Foundation (Fredericton is number 2 of 30! In receiving help) • Support mission and ministry beyond ourselves (like northern Canada) • Enormous tasks like electronic offering / a payroll system administered for the parishes • Chosen, trained ordained leadership in parishes • Someone to call when things go wrong • And many others ..... These all make our individual little go a very long way for all and are tremendously important to how we function and who we are as a Church • The Anglican Church welcomes you sign on the front lawn is a lot more than a pretty blue and white design. We are part of something bigger. • Comment at last Synod about the Shared Ministry Budget seemed to be heavy on administration – YES! The Diocesan Office is the administration for the parishes made possible to enable the parishes sharing in the ministry. Diocese does it so the parish doesn’t have to. • We do things together that we could never do separately A “Communion” • The Anglican Communion. • What’s it mean to be a Communion? • It means the whole is bigger than the sum of the parts • It means we don’t always agree but agree to continue • It means that none of us has the whole truth but all of us have a little bit of it, we all matter, and together, we can actually get a glimpse of the Whole Truth – that is GOD • There’s a flexibility and a graciousness required in being a member of a Communion that is VERY Christian and very biblical. • Its not about us, its about how we are part of the bigger whole. • It often means giving up a little bit of ourselves in order to help someone else make their way (its very Christian! - very biblical) Conclusion What have I said? Its good to be Christian – Its good to be Anglican. Our Christian Faith and the Anglican Way are tremendous gifts! The Anglican Way is as close to a biblically inspired way of doing Church and the mind of Christ that there is. We need to learn about and remember who we, co-operate and rejoice in who we are. Our enemies are not one another. This is not a competition. If we fight, its against the unbecoming aspects of human nature, not one another. But we’re all human beings. We do make mistakes but we can all individually be far more if we work together. Pray for your leadership as your leadership prays for you. Together as disciples we can accomplish far greater things to further the mission of the Church – the proclamation of the Gospel for the making of disciples than we could ever do as individuals all trying on our own to do the right thing. GMH |