Time and again in my Methodist congregations I hear comments that what they like about our denomination is the diversity, that we can have different opinions in the same church. But what is less clear is what actually binds us together, what our 'clear boundaries' are, to use your words. Without that commonality, that unity, diversity isn't worth a penny. No wonder we struggle with discipleship.
One of the challenges in the UK Anglican Church is that the main tool for evangelism is the alpha course which is charismatic to a degree that is, in my opinion, at odds with Anglican tradition (or indeed any catholic understanding of the church). It simply doesn’t deal with any sense of a liturgical tradition. If churches run it as it is then it’s a shock then to encounter a church service that isn’t hands in the air and glossalia plus a 40 min talk with three points and real life application extracted from a few verses. Churches use the alpha course to grow but since “what you attract them with is what you attract them to” you end up with a real struggle to convince anyone that’s come to faith through the course that there is any value in the prayer book and the great treasures of the faith. (I get very frustrated when people cite the first few chapters of Acts of the Apostles as being a manual for how church should be conducted, but won’t ever consider any of the writings of the church fathers as they “aren’t in the bible”)
I am starting to think that there are a lot of people that would be repelled by alpha and the charismatic church that would really thrive under the vigour and depth of more traditional forms of worship.
I think the real issue is that our formation (in churches and in theological colleges) is that so many of our clergy depend on programmes like Alpha. I'd like to see money set aside to resource dioceses to form people who can teach the faith (Scripture, creeds, and prayer).
“You are the Airbnb of the Spirit.” 😆 Excellent post.
Time and again in my Methodist congregations I hear comments that what they like about our denomination is the diversity, that we can have different opinions in the same church. But what is less clear is what actually binds us together, what our 'clear boundaries' are, to use your words. Without that commonality, that unity, diversity isn't worth a penny. No wonder we struggle with discipleship.
Amazing post.
One of the challenges in the UK Anglican Church is that the main tool for evangelism is the alpha course which is charismatic to a degree that is, in my opinion, at odds with Anglican tradition (or indeed any catholic understanding of the church). It simply doesn’t deal with any sense of a liturgical tradition. If churches run it as it is then it’s a shock then to encounter a church service that isn’t hands in the air and glossalia plus a 40 min talk with three points and real life application extracted from a few verses. Churches use the alpha course to grow but since “what you attract them with is what you attract them to” you end up with a real struggle to convince anyone that’s come to faith through the course that there is any value in the prayer book and the great treasures of the faith. (I get very frustrated when people cite the first few chapters of Acts of the Apostles as being a manual for how church should be conducted, but won’t ever consider any of the writings of the church fathers as they “aren’t in the bible”)
I am starting to think that there are a lot of people that would be repelled by alpha and the charismatic church that would really thrive under the vigour and depth of more traditional forms of worship.
I think the real issue is that our formation (in churches and in theological colleges) is that so many of our clergy depend on programmes like Alpha. I'd like to see money set aside to resource dioceses to form people who can teach the faith (Scripture, creeds, and prayer).
The First Sunday initiative I began here in Brecon has been very successful, thus demonstrating your final point: https://www.stmarysbrecon.org.uk/first-sundays
We have forgotten the vocation of the catechist!