By Ed Watson I recently had reason to revisit Fr. Robert Hendrickson’s post outlining the need for a new Oxford Movement. In it, he describes the danger of being complacent about having many of the “Catholic” externals in order in the Episcopal Church, and failing to drive forward a rediscovery of “what it means to be an Anglican Christian.” He describes the “desperate need for a movement that takes seriously the issues of the day while committing to delving into the Tradition and carefully reading Scripture,” and for “a movement that sees the Sacraments as the means by which we know the Incarnate Lord.” He says that such a movement could aspire to bring about a renewed “focus on the adoration of God,” “a commitment to justice work grounded in the Incarnation,” and a greater “understanding of the Real Presence in our life together.” Much like the first time I read this post, I found myself nodding along at almost every line. Much like the first time, I found myself drawn to these aspirations that a New Oxford movement could bring to fruition. With all that said, however, I also reflected on the fact that I first read his post four years ago, and so I found myself asking How much has changed since then? Has the Episcopal Church in general (or Anglo-Catholic parishes in particular!) developed a more profound focus on the adoration of God? Have we developed a renewed commitment to justice work grounded in the Incarnation? Have we fostered a renewed sense of Anglican identity across the real and painful conflicts that have come to define us? Answers to these questions will differ across the Episcopal Church. And, unlike in politics, four years is not a long time for us — if we need to refocus on the adoration of God, then it may take a long time. But with these qualifications in mind, it seems that few (if any) of the things a new Oxford Movement could address have changed. My question, then, is why. What is preventing these commitments from taking root in different and diverse communities? http://livingchurch.org/covenant/20...ing-a-new-oxford-movement/?platform=hootsuite I believe a number of us may find this interesting reading
Ultimately I think that both the Anglo-Catholic movement and the Evangelical movement are divisive to the Church as a whole. I'm sorry to some of my friends here for saying this. Both claim a very good idea at their core- the Catholic Church, and Holy Scripture, but both of these movements are mutually exclusive, and, well, how can one choose between catholicism and scripture? It's impossible. I believe historical Anglicanism had and has both. So this artificial dichotomy makes their foundational principles inherently insufficient. The existence of the two movements ultimately helps divide the church rather than return us to the united Anglican identity which was not a hyphenated Anglican, but a pure Anglican. Anglo-Catholics look to Rome for inspiration, while the Evangelicals look to, well... evangelicals. Neither one treats the Anglican tradition as in itself interesting or entirely self-sufficient. That's the problem. And both are new movements that were born in the Victorian era, so neither one has the historical bona fides of traditional Anglicanism.
Catholicism in terms of the ancient undivided church was entirely Scriptural. But what is meant by Catholicism oftentimes today is Roman Catholic traditions. So Anglo-Catholics pick up on Roman Catholicism, which is not ancient. And Evangelicals pick up on evanglicalism, which is not ancient. Neither one actually represents the ancient undivided church in the way that historic unhyphenated Anglicanism does.
I am not sure if you would agree, Stalwart, but I feel the Anglicanism of the Laudians and Caroline Divines represents the Anglican ideal; Protestant and Catholic, in the best sense of both words.
The Anglo-Catholics I know do not look to Roman tradition. They consider Catholicism the way St Vincent of Lerins lays it out. Those Anglicans who were Anglo-papists have all but left for the various Ordinariates. (Which all are failing by the way.) Some confused Anglo-Catholics (like me) when to Rome and realized we could be more Catholic in Anglicanism than in Romanism. Anglicanism is both Catholic and Evangelical. Sadly what passes for Evangelical is horrid theology and liturgy. Pastors in skinny jeans and Churches trying to be like the culture to draw people in, but ending up embracing the culture. The Oxford Movement was more than just vestments and liturgy. The Anglo-Catholics, like the Methodist, went outside the walls of the Church and into the slums of Britain and other places. Anglo-Catholics are suppose to be "missional"......so yes we need a new oxford movement to remind Anglicans what we are suppose to be about. Coming from the Baptist tradition, I heard way too many Anglicans both evangelical and catholic resistant to evangelism outside of nice polished events. More than once I have heard "we don't do that or that is what Baptist do" or I hear silence in response to ideas. Then the Neo-Anglicans show up with praise bands, something that could be liturgy, no vestments, so let me describe the local AMiA Church. The ACNA parishes here are not much better. The priest sits behind a drum set playing in the praise band. The current deacon of the month, this parish makes and loses deacons rapidly and no most leave Anglicanism or the Church, is the celebrate. The priest will give absolution from behind the drums. Runs to the altar and flys through the Eucharistic prayer. May or maynot help distribute Holy Communion. If the Body of Christ falls to the floor or the Blood is spilt the servers step on it and sweep it up afterwards. After receiving Communion, many are "slain in the spirit", ie the rock about, fall to the floor and babble jibberish. The last time I was there, they played Dust in the Wind by Kansas for the Communion Hymn. An original member of the band in now an Anglican Priest and I have met him. At my last meeting I told him. He was not pleased. This is what I have witnessed. Anglicanism is having a crisis where I live. There are no Anglo-Catholics parishes. I worship with an Evangelical parish that has no desire to evangelize one person. They think you build a building and they will come. My other possible choice, too puritan. Their bylaws forbid clergy and parishioners from owning a rosary or saying a rosary. NO candles...that papists. So yes we need an Oxford Movement again to remind us what is Anglicanism and what is Christianity. Blessing Fr. Mark
I like "Dust in the Wind" but not in a church service. Our Lord is worthy of respectful, dignified worship. This fad of much of contemporary worship is mot very becoming of mature adults. No mystery or true connections to our Ancient faith...
I agree, 100%. Fr Mark I basically agree with what you're saying. I completely share the sentiment you've said and even perhaps the sentiment behind the sentiment. I hate to disagree with such a beautiful post so the only thing I'd say is that beauty, liturgy and vestments were not something that didn't exist until the Oxford Movement. You can go back to the Vestments controversy where our fathers fought for it so militantly that they were willing to arrest clergy that wouldn't vest. You can go back to the English Civil War where people were willing to kill and die for the Prayerbook. The things that some would consider Anglo-Catholic today were the common property of the Whole Church at that time. Whereas, the actual Oxford Movement in its historical context had both good and bad within it, the bad being a creation of a whole crop of Anglo-Papalists who in turn rejected everything Anglican. Beginning with Newman a sizable portion within this movement viewed Rome as not only an equal church but even a better church of the two. Combine this with Evangelicals who just at this time were beginning their drift in the opposite direction, denying Baptism, denying the Liturgy, denying the vestments (again). And you have a Church suddenly ripped in two. Against the heresy of liberalism and modernism, a house divided against itself could not stand... I wish more Anglo Catholics would be more like you where under the AC label they just pined for Anglicanism as such. You have my deepest support.