(This article from Sam Candler was first published at The Episcopal Café; www.episcopalcafe.com. Check it out.)
We
hear claims from all parties about the most mistaken resolutions passed
in recent Episcopal General Conventions. Was it the 2003 resolution
consenting to the election of the Bishop of New Hampshire? Or was it
the 2006 resolution calling for "restraint" in the consecration of "any
candidate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider
church"?
My choice for most mistaken resolution might be the one
of the year 1979 which removed "Protestant" from our formal name. It
was mistaken on at least two levels. First, the removal denied a deep
and critical piece of our historic identity. One might argue that the
Anglican Church was probably "Protestant" even before the Reformation;
here in the United States, we were at one point one of the proudest of
Protestant churches.
Secondly, and more importantly now, the
resolution which removed "Protestant" from our name was simply
inaccurate. For, if we are learning anything in the last several years,
it is that many of our leaders love to speak forth, to "pro-test," in
the name of individual conscience and faithful liberty. These claims
and Protestant actions come from both the liberal and conservative
parties. Liberals claim to declare a new interpretation of orthodox
faith for a new generation. Conservatives wander around the world
looking for re-alignment and a more perfect church. Essentially, both
these maneuvers are Protestant moves.
However, I do not begrudge
these Protestant moves. Good Protestantism is always critical of
institutions, especially centralized bureaucracies. Good Protestantism,
I would claim, exists even in the Roman Catholic Church. That noble and
honorable Church, looking solid and immovable, yet contains all manner
of progressive thinkers and idiosyncratic reactionaries.
At the
best moments of our past, the Protestant Episcopal Church was able to
honor both the theological conscience of the individual believer and
the classical orders of apostolic faith. We were both Protestant and
Catholic, to the frustration of other Christians who always wanted to
peg us one way or the other. But we were broader than that, and usually
more attractive.
While the world turns its media magnifying
lenses towards this week's Episcopal House of Bishops meeting in New
Orleans, I advise us to look elsewhere for the broader life of the
Episcopal Church. I have nothing against this House of Bishops meeting;
I am among many who offer my prayers and support and love. It's just
that I believe the breadth and grace of the Episcopal Church exists
more specifically in the thousands of parishes and communities of faith
which those bishops serve. Most of the bishops in New Orleans probably
agree with me; the real "Church" is among our people, not in the
ordained positions of leadership.
We are a Protestant Church.
How else to explain the diffidence and exasperation which clamors even
now right along with the rejoicing and singing? How else to explain
that awkward style in which our House of Bishops and House of Deputies
act together?
We are a Catholic Church, too. Not many of us want
to abandon the historic Christian faith. In fact, our structures appear
more Catholic than most of our other Protestant denominational
colleagues. The fact that we appear so hierarchical is probably why the
generally unknowing public media keeps speaking of schism and looking
for authoritarian answers.
We are mistaken if we think that any
meeting of the Episcopal House of Bishops, or, indeed, any meeting of
the Primates of the Anglican Communion, or any Lambeth Conference of
Bishops, can affect our relationship with the liberating grace and love
of Jesus Christ. That's what makes us Protestant. No matter what occurs
in Anglican hierarchies in upcoming months, our churches and
communities of faith will continue in much the same manner - liberal or
conservative"”as we did before.
By the same token, we are also
mistaken if we think that any meeting of those esteemed leaders can
change our historic and universal faith. That's what makes us Catholic.
Yes, councils can err; but councils also tend to correct themselves.
They tend to correct themselves if we, the members, hold on to each
other. They tend to correct themselves if we remain Catholic.
Finally,
however, no authoritarian answer will lead us out of our present
frustrations. Let us not surrender too easily our own gifts of God's
grace to a legalistic and simplistic authoritarianism.
Authoritarianism, whether liberal or conservative, is the enemy of
healthy faith; it does legalistic and totalitarian harm in both
Protestant and Catholic structures.
The name I most prefer for
our dear and historic church is "Anglican." That word represents deep,
broad, and graceful Christianity. But at the 2009 General Convention, I
would vote for restoring the grand name "Protestant" to our name. I
would vote for including "Catholic" too!
Sam Candler
18 September 2007
Sam Candler is Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact him at scandler@stphilipscathedral.org.
