Even seeking to unite minimally [those who call themselves] “orthodox” Anglicans or Episcopalians and who exist in a variety of forms, by appealing to such things as:
Doctrine held in common, or
Liturgy used in common, or
Bible version used in common, or
Discipline exercised in common, or
Ordained Ministry shared in common, or
Polity & Jurisdiction accepted in common, or
Bonds of Affection created over centuries of Anglican life,
seems doomed to failure at this present moment in North America. Why? Because below the surface there is no real unity in any of these areas that one can point to and use as a basis for serious unity which involves all concerned.
It is not even possible, for example, to say that the Two Creeds are held in common for the use of different translations in different prayer books leads to the profession of different doctrines (e.g., where “by the power of the Holy Spirit” is used - in 1979 Prayer Book - to speak of how the conception of Jesus occurred, there is the doctrine that the conception and birth of Jesus were special but not unique; but where the original Greek is followed and the conception is “by/from the Holy Spirit,” that is by the Holy Spirit’s personal presence, then there is the doctrine that the whole operation was unique and unlike any other procreation.)
If one looks at the spectrum of “orthodox” Anglicanism staring from dioceses and parishes inside the Episcopal Church, through those missions, groups and congregations which have recently left the same Church, towards to those who left the same Church in the late 1970s and now have a variety of jurisdictions, and, at the same time, does not overlook those who have come into the Anglican stream from outside in the last twenty years, those who are ethnic groups (e.g., Indian or Nigerian or Chinese) and those who have been separated from the Episcopal Church since the 1870s (REC), then the task of getting all groups, or even more than half of the groups into some kind of federated or covenanted unity (for Christ’s sake) seems more than daunting, even impossible.
The Anglican Communion Network, charged with the task of uniting divided Anglicans in the USA by certain Anglican Primates, has not yet succeeded in attracting the most traditional of the Anglican jurisdictions into serious conversation. Further, the unity within the Network is a very weak one, where there is at the “top” lack of agreement amongst the bishops as to precisely where this organization is heading, and where the constituent groups within the Network are held together by the weakest of ties (e.g., often not much more than opposing a common enemy “revisionism”).
I have proposed that one way toward unity is for each group to find an overseas province or diocese to adopt it and then by this means, through the adoptive overseas “parent”, there will be communion and this communion then can be given, slowly and surely, a simple organizational form. But I do not pursue that approach here.
Rather I offer a way forward that is exceedingly simple but demands our hearts and time.
This way forward, is in part being used now, and is based upon the mind of Jesus, the High Priest, as expressed in his Prayer in John 17 and complemented by the prayers of the Apostle Paul for the Church as found in such places as Ephesians 1 & 4; with Philippians 1 & 3.
One way in which Anglicans & Episcopalians who (a) regard themselves as biblically orthodox, and who (b) recognize that God’s expectation and law is that all baptized believers should express the unity that they have in Christ in practical terms in space and time, can begin realistically to move towards fulfilling God’s will is to pray – that it to pray specifically for each other and for ways to open up to facilitate fellowship and co-operation in Christ Jesus of all Anglican groups. These special and extra prayers can be added to the intercessions at the end of the Daily Offices or in Family Prayers or wherever suitable and opportunity arises, e,g, the weekly church prayer meeting and bible study meeting.
A real problem at the moment seems to be that too many of us on the American continent think in political terms, on the analogy of competitive capitalism, a free market and individualism, even when the subject and concern in hand is ecclesiastical, concerning the Body of Christ. That is models of action and relations for church problems are usually taken from the political arena, with texts from the Bible being provided to support them. Much of The Network strategy seems to be of this kind as was that of The Episcopal Synod before it.
Yet, having said this, I must admit that even prayer can be manipulated to serve a political end! So we must be vigilant as we “watch and pray.”.
Thus I intend as a starter to compose a basic Litany (a very ancient form of prayer); a basic Bidding Prayer (a very ancient form of prayer) and also some Collects (again ancient forms of prayer) as a starter-pack and to put them both into the classic English language of prayer and also into a contemporary form of English and to offer them for use by all groups in the spectrum of Anglican witness in North America. Of course I realize that I can only offer them for we are all free to do and pray as we are commanded and guided by the Lord.
God willing I shall send these forms of prayer out soon and also place them on a website (more than one I hope) for downloading. If others, who are better able than I am, decide to take up this task of both encouraging prayer and providing forms to use in prayer, then I shall be delighted. But I do submit that we actually need to take the ministry of prayer far more seriously than we have done for the unity of God’s people who are called “Anglican.”
One reason that we need ALL to pray and to pray effectually and heartily is that the cancer which has caused much of the centrifugal chaos and disunity is much worse than most of us care or wish to admit. We must recognize the nature of the cancer within the ECUSA and its offshoots before the cure can be applied and the way to discernment is through prayer, real prayer, in and by all groups. (Note that I have tried to describe the profound sickness in our midst in the essay and booklet, Episcopal Innovations 1960-2004, 2006.) The aim of this prayer to which I call us is not political; and it is not to forward the work of The Network – for God’s will may be through other means and persons (He alone knows!) – but, rather, the prayer is to create and to forward the work of Anglican Unity in Christ and the Gospel in such ways as the Lord of the Church makes known to his praying people in North America.
“If my people who are called by my Name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Below is one Collect for a starter (based on Luke 12:49) and in a few days I shall, God willing, publish a set of prayers, for godly souls to perfect and adapt as they are led by the Spirit of the Lord who is the Spirit of Unity. I offer this as an example and starter in the classic form and then the modern form; and I do hope that it is acceptable to all members of the spectrum of the Anglican presence in America.
Almighty God our heavenly Father, whose Son came to bring fire to the earth; Grant that as we, the people of the Anglican Way, faithfully seek thee in worship, prayer and meditation on thy Word, a fire of burning zeal for thy glory will be kindled amongst us, pass from heart to heart and congregation to congregation, till all our hardness is melted in the warmth of thy love and truth; through him who loved us and gave himself for us, the same, thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God our heavenly Father, whose Son came to set the earth on fire; Grant that, as we, the people of the Anglican Way, faithfully seek You in worship, prayer and Bible study, a fire of burning enthusiasm for Your glory may be kindled amongst us, pass from heart to heart and congregation to congregation, until all our hardness is melted in the warmth of Your love and truth; through him who loved us and gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Peter Toon at thomascranmer2000@yahoo.com from whom the 64 page booklet may be obtained, as also from PBS at 1-800-727-1928. Lent II, 2006]
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