You Believe What?!

Crazy Uncle Fester

Every family has that relative they frankly sometimes wish they didn't have to claim. You know the uncle or cousin who shows up at EVERY family event and just says the rudest, or the most inane thing, or just doesn't pick up on the social cues or whatever. Well, the Anglican family too has such a relation. But nevertheless, if we fail to claim him we will doubtless do ourselves a disservice and fail to live up to everything the Lord wants His Church to be.

Contemporary Anglicans, self included, make much of the three streams that flow together to form orthodox Anglicanism. Much has been written and discussed about the nexus of the catholic, Evangelical and Charismatic traditions as they converge in contemporary Anglican movements. But there is a fourth stream that we need to remember, however uncomfortable it may make us. Because traditionally within Anglicanism there has always been what Anglican Historian, The Rev. Dr. Leslie Fairfield has called, "a legitimate liberal impulse."

Throughout the history of the Church believers have taken seriously the call to remain engaged with the surrounding society. Whether that took on the form of early Christians caring for the victims of famine and plague or Evangelicals working tirelessly for the abolition of slavery. However, as Evangelical Christianity has come in recent centuries to lay greater and greater emphasis upon the salvation of one's eternal soul, it has unfortunately come at the price of de-emphasizing the "salt and light" role of the believer within her society.

As a response to that sad exclusionary motion the liberal church emerged. Now, I would be quick to follow Dr. Fairfield in pointing out that his language was carefully selected - there is a legitimate liberal impulse. This does not claim that the liberal church is legitimate, lock, stock and barrel. Unfortunately, alongside social engagement this movement within the Church also came to embrace the worst of German higher criticism, secular humanism, Eastern religion and the theology of men like Marcus Borg, Bishops John Shelby Spong and JAT Robinson before him. Sadly today many liberals have departed from the fold of orthodox, biblically based, credal Christianity.

Nevertheless, whether we get along with Uncle Fester or not, he has something legitimate to say. As Christians who are obedient to our Lord to seek His Kingdom first, we do have a role in declaring and even enacting that Kingdom in the midst of this present age. So for my part, it is my prayer that we as Anglicans would be a truly Three Streams Church which remembers the small but mighty tributary of legitimate social engagement as well.