Members of our parish churches here in North Bucks are aware that I have been at the FoCA event at Central Hall Westminster today.
A most strange building - not one Christian symbol to be seen in the place (nor outside) and yet a statue of John Wesley in the lobby. Methinks it somewhat incongruous.
Turning to the events of the day - I have to say that what could have potentially been something very positive, at times simply turned into a representation of the tired and clapped out arguments of the 16th century.
Bishop John Hind spoke first and delivered a well-honed speech that dealt with the real issues and during the morning there were one or two bright moments, but what clearly emerged during the course of the afternoon was that Evangelicals see Catholic issues as second order issues and are clearly more concerned with penal substitution as the only theory of the Atonement, upholding the 39 articles of religion as well as having a view of Scripture that it doesn't have of itself.
Clearly, if Anglo-Catholics are forced out of the CofE then these are the people that the liberals will be left with and it will serve them right. At times it was patently obvious that views being expressed were barely Anglican and were more akin to a Baptist/Pentecostalist mindset.
So if we were thinking that there could be common-cause over things that matter then it is doubtful. Certainly, that is the case from listening to other Anglo-Catholics over coffee and in the corridors this afternoon.
Bishop Edwin Barnes, in his own inimitable style, puts it like this (reproduced with permission):
"We heard BCP and Cranmer lauded; so why were the prayers so banal “we thank you that” … who ever, in England , says, ”we thank you that”… rather than ‘Thank you for’. “Prevent us, O Lord, in this and all our doings” would have said it all .. in English.
All who prayed during the performance were Evangelicals. Why no Catholics? Equally, all who spoke of church growth &c… yet I could have provided (and the PEVs even more) numerous examples of good practice.
Why was everyone so censorious? “There were no Bible-believing Christians in that area, so we planted….” But I KNOW Headington and two of the priests there. Why undermine them?
It was good to hear John Hind speak of Church order; but others referred to women’s ordination and consecration as second order matters, not comparable to Gospel defining issues. Not for me they’re not.
I was dismayed at Jim Packer’s lauding of the Articles. Bashing us with them seems little different to me from bashing Americans with the Canons. Man-made, of one time, and not Gospel.
After all this I cannot see how there can be common cause between Catholics and Evangelicals. We are looking to going home to the Universal Church, in Communion with the Holy Father and half Christendom. They seem to want to perpetuate a sixteenth century accident.
All who prayed during the performance were Evangelicals. Why no Catholics? Equally, all who spoke of church growth &c… yet I could have provided (and the PEVs even more) numerous examples of good practice.
Why was everyone so censorious? “There were no Bible-believing Christians in that area, so we planted….” But I KNOW Headington and two of the priests there. Why undermine them?
It was good to hear John Hind speak of Church order; but others referred to women’s ordination and consecration as second order matters, not comparable to Gospel defining issues. Not for me they’re not.
I was dismayed at Jim Packer’s lauding of the Articles. Bashing us with them seems little different to me from bashing Americans with the Canons. Man-made, of one time, and not Gospel.
After all this I cannot see how there can be common cause between Catholics and Evangelicals. We are looking to going home to the Universal Church, in Communion with the Holy Father and half Christendom. They seem to want to perpetuate a sixteenth century accident.
If I blogged, this would be on my blog. Instead I shall send it to a few friends...."
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