Fr. Dale Matson
It is in this context that the attention of the Anglican Communion has
again turned to Canterbury. The bishop’s chair there will soon be vacant, even
as Rowan Williams takes full advantage of the months preceding his December
retirement. And while speculation as to his successor runs hot, most observers
place their bets on current occupants of English sees. That would be a mistake.
As the Anglican Communion continues its growth in the non-Western world, I
believe its nominal leader must reflect that change: it is time for an African
Archbishop of Canterbury. (Episcopal Deacon Jesse Zinc) http://livingchurch.org/look-africa
Leave it to one of those
pesky deacons to say publicly what I have said privately. This is not radical
thinking since Rowan Williams has stated that the job of Archbishop of
Canterbury is too big for one person. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9528915/My-job-is-too-big-for-one-man-says-Archbishop-of-Canterbury.html
. This is a call for change.
The church in England was
initially headed by an “outsider” Augustine of Canterbury appointed by Pope
Gregory the Great. For those of us in the West, who have dominated the world
stage and controlled the leadership of the communion, it is time to look to
those in Africa who represent the largest segment of Anglicans, to play a much
larger role in future of Anglicanism. It is our best hope of remaining a
Christian church.
It is not just the
demographic weight that argues for this. It is also the evangelical fervor that
is so much a part of the Anglican Church in Africa. It is also a place where
being a Christian could be a death sentence. It is a place where Islam competes
for converts. Africa is a place where the shed blood of Jesus is often mixed
with the blood of Christian martyrs. This is the seedbed for leaders who have arisen
full of the Holy Spirit, who remain unwilling to parse truth and reconcile with those
intractably professing a false gospel and a diminished Christology.
Those who see themselves
in the reasonable middle see both the left and right as unreasonable. I am on
the “Loony right” for those who place themselves in the middle however,
Christianity to the rational mind, is itself unreasonable. Since when has the
position of the historic one holy catholic and apostolic church become the
realm of the loony right? The Anglican Church needs to present an unapologetic prescription
strength remedy to the world. Anything less may yield less criticism from the surrounding
culture but anything less is only a feel good placebo. A church that does not
boldly present Jesus Christ as Divine, ultimate truth and the only means for
salvation is not involved in the Great Commission. If we are not presenting
this Gospel, we do not love our brothers either. We are no longer a Christian Church.
I believe that our brothers
and sisters in the Global South have been longsuffering and patient as they
watched doctrinal error spread. They have worn out their knees praying for us
as another gospel other than the Gospel of Christ Jesus became the gospel of
humanism. They now see a time when many
who call themselves moderates or conservatives are only this because they are
positionally there. They think they are reconcilers; they are unwitting
collaborators. The conservatives have left and we were called schismatic.
In light of this I offer this
suggestion. Perhaps the role of the new Archbishop of Canterbury could evolve
into a more limited role of running the Church of England and a process could
begin that would assign an elected individual to head the World Wide Anglican
Communion. Colonialism is dead. Long live the Anglican Communion. It is time to
honor our brothers and sisters by seating them at the head table.
Thanks Deacon Jesse.
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