I’ve been desperately trying to think of a way that gets a message across with urgency. I’ve also been desperately trying to find ways to say that without offending friends. So several times I’ve come close to saying that you are not really providing for and protecting a flock by detaining them at a wolf feeding frenzy. Perhaps that one is too hard hitting and offensive to some.
Yet how do we get the urgency of things through? I’ve written a few times about the state of the Church of England and argued that it is impossible for faithful evangelical clergy to remain in. My point is not merely about whether recent ethical decisions or the appointment of a new Archbishop make it impossible now but that the reality is that the foundations are wrong. Specifically, for decades (at least), there has been an acceptance of liberal theology that denies the truth of Scripture, the saving power of the Gospel and the life of the Spirit.
Evangelicals have accepted a kind of accomodation within the Church and some have managed to make that work for themselves. Their churches are large enough or wealthy enough to be semi detached, or they have their connections and influence through internal organisations and events.
However, what the appointment of the new Archbishop means is that we are now seeing overtly at the top what happens at parish level. Sometimes an evangelical is given a chance for a bit but what we see is that soft evangelicals are gradually replaced. They retire or have to move on due to their own failings, in some cases are engineered out. There is an interregnum. Then the bureaucratic powers step in to “help”. There is a long wait for a new vicar. Eventually one is found and they are more compliant and more liberal than their predecessor. By the way the engineering can be gentle and seemingly positive, someone gets “promoted” away from the front line of parish ministry. Sometimes it is less so as vicars experience unpleasant and wearying processes and investigations. .
Who is it that is hurt and harmed the most in all of this? Partly, it’s those vicars who aren’t connected in to the inner circle. More so, it’s the ordinary church members. It’s the laity.
Now, why am I writing about the CofE as a dissenting free churcher? It would be easier to walk away and say “it’s none of my business”. The thing is though I do have some skin in the game. My university years were at an Anglican church, I trained at an Anglican college, my wife was saved through an Anglican church. I have friends and family in CofE churches. So I care about what is happening.
What I want my brothers and sisters to know is that they don’t have to stay trapped in the fire. There are still ways out and there are those of us who want to help them.
Faithroots 