Something Interesting Is Happening in the Worldwide Anglican Communion (And Why It Matters to Non-Anglicans)

Last updated on: June 28, 2018 at 7:14 am by Roger E. Olson

Something Interesting Is Happening in the Worldwide Anglican Communion (And Why It Matters to Non-Anglicans) 2018-06-28T07:14:42-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I am not an Anglican in any sense of the word. What I mean is I’m not even Episcopalian. But over the years I have had friends who are Anglican (Episcopalian is a form of Anglican) and as editor of the Handbook of Denominations in the United States I have done my best to inform myself about “happenings” in the Anglican world. The Handbook includes a section on “Anglican and Episcopal Churches.” In the U.S. there are several, but only one is “really” the recognized affiliate of the world Anglican Communion.

The Anglican Communion (worldwide) has always prided itself on being truly catholic (with a small “c”) and united. The Archbishop of Canterbury has always been considered by Anglicans a “first among equals” and as the figurehead leader of the Communion. (Each nation-state has one affiliate church led by a bishop in fellowship with the Archbishop of Canterbury.) He has never been considered a “pope” of the Communion of Anglican churches worldwide, but he has always been the convener and coordinator of the World Anglican Communion. Every few years Anglican bishops from around the world meet with him in a conference called the Lambeth Conference.

In very practical terms, traditionally, the Archbishop of Canterbury has decided who is the affiliate Anglican church in a country. The Episcopal Church has long been the recognized affiliate in the United States. When I say the Archbishop of Canterbury has “decided” this I do not mean in isolation from or apart from the bishops of other Anglican churches; I only mean he seems to control the public mechanisms such as the web site that lists affiliated national churches. He decides which bishops will be received as voting members of the Lambeth Conference every decade. Again, not in isolation from or disregarding other Anglican bishops, but the precise method by which this agreement happens is now being thrown into question.

*Sidebar: The opinions expressed here are my own (or those of the guest writer); I do not speak for any other person, group or organization; nor do I imply that the opinions expressed here reflect those of any other person, group or organization unless I say so specifically. Before commenting read the entire post and the “Note to commenters” at its end.*

I think what is happening now in the Anglican Communion is interesting to many evangelicals. There have always been evangelicals within the Anglican churches and that is especially true now in Africa and Asia. But even in the U.S. there have long been evangelical voices within the Episcopal Church and Episcopalian voices within the evangelical establishment. The late Wheaton College professor Robert Webber was instrument in the 1970s and later for bringing many evangelicals into the Episcopal and Anglican churches (the so-called “Road to Canterbury” or the “Canterbury Trail”). Many of the editors of Christianity Today, for example, have been Episcopalian. Most of them were mentored by Webber.

Some years ago many Anglican bishops became disillusioned with the Episcopal Church because of the election of an openly gay man as one of its bishops and the seeming celebration of that by many within the Episcopal Church. These mostly African and Asian bishops formed an organization called GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference). This group within the Anglican Communion now seems to have more Anglican bishops than others (who are not members). Most of them are bishops of Anglican churches in the Global South.

GAFCON has voted independently of the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Lambeth Conference to embrace the Anglican Church of North America—as the U.S. affiliate—if not of the Anglican Communion (the question is whether they can do that) of their own fellowship of churches. The ACNA is more conservative theologically and ethically than the Episcopal Church.

Now, at its most recent gathering in Jerusalem, GAFCON has voted again. The vote and its published declaration seem to threatened very real schism within the Anglican Communion if the Archbishop of Canterbury continues to treat the Episcopal Church and others like it (liberal-leaning in theology and ethics) as the sole affiliates of the Anglican Communion. There is a similar situation in Brazil—as to which Anglican church there is the official affiliate of the Anglican Communion.

The declaration coming out of GAFCON in Jerusalem (I have read it thoroughly) seems to threaten to boycott the 2020 Lambeth Conference if the primate of the Anglican Communion in the U.S., the leading bishop of the Episcopal Church, is embraced there as the representative of Anglicanism from the U.S. The language of the declaration is respectful but firm. The clear message to Canterbury is this: We, the Anglicans of the Global south (GAFCON), will go our own way and become a new Anglican Communion not in fellowship with Canterbury. They elected a Nigerian Anglican bishop as their leader; presumably he would then become the “new Archbishop” of worldwide Anglicanism—at least among the Global South Anglicans who are the majority now.

Again, why does any of this matter to non-Anglican evangelicals? Well, one thing these events say rather loudly is, from Christian brothers and sisters of the Global South, that they are no longer dependent on European and American Christians for their theology and ethics. They will go their own ways—especially insofar as they perceive “Western” (really northern) Christians as defecting from true, authentic Christian theology and morality. And, eventually, if not already, they will view us (northern world nations) as mission fields. I know from numerous personal conversations with them (viz., Global South Christians) that this is already how they view Europe and the United States and Canada. Some years ago I met and has extended conversations with the late Festo Kivengere, Anglican archbishop of Uganda, and an evangelical Christian (many called him the “Billy Graham of Africa”) and he let me (and others) know in no uncertain terms that he believed American Christianity was profoundly flawed and in need of a new evangelization toward authentic Christianity by African (and other) Global South Christians.

From the perspective of many, probably most, Global South Christians we, European and North American Christians, have so profoundly accommodated to modernity in our theologies and ethics that we now are not really authentically Christian. Oh, I don’t take them as saying we’re not saved; I take them as saying we are blind to our own commitments to consumerism and progressivism (in doctrine and ethics) and naturalism that we cannot find our own way out of those commitments that have come to replace our commitments to Jesus Christ.

*Note to commenters: This blog is not a discussion board; please respond with a question or comment only to me. If you do not share my evangelical Christian perspective (very broadly defined), feel free to ask a question for clarification, but know that this is not a space for debating incommensurate perspectives/worldviews. In any case, know that there is no guarantee that your question or comment will be posted by the moderator or answered by the writer. If you hope for your question or comment to appear here and be answered or responded to, make sure it is civil, respectful, and “on topic.” Do not comment if you have not read the entire post and do not misrepresent what it says. Keep any comment (including questions) to minimal length; do not post essays, sermons or testimonies here. Do not post links to internet sites here. This is a space for expressions of the blogger’s (or guest writers’) opinions and constructive dialogue among evangelical Christians (very broadly defined).

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 25, 2018

Has the Time Come for a New Neo-Evangelicalism?

Next Post

July 1, 2018 Remembering the Difference between Patriotism and Nationalism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I wanted a vineyard so badly that my wife arranged the owner's death through false witnesses. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Ahab Jezebel Naboth