Seeing the Forest… from the trees

A great reflection on the use of language, particularly in America.

Thanks to Goannatree for this one.

Here is an interesting article on Standing firm in the face of doctrinal questions.

Here is a great article from the Telegraph in the U.K. by Michael Nazir-Ali. It is a great reflection on the loss of a common story and the benefits of finding values in old places.

Read it here.

Having recently joined the Anglican diocese of Melbourne, which has diversity of belief as one of its stated attributes, I have cause to wonder, how much diversity is enough?

It seems to me this is one of the questions that are presently plaguing the Anglican Communion at present. 

Matt Stone noted this article on an Agnostic Anglican Bishop. 

At least here the Bishop is not practicing, he has an honourary position rather than one with direct oversight. 

For most people they see it as reasonable that if you do not subscribe to fundamental truths that you ought not hold positions in the Church, yet the debate is always what these truths are. 

With the onset of postmodernism many now reject foundationalism of any kind, which then assumes that pluralism is the fundamental truth. To speak of all paths being equally valid is nonsense in practice, some are always inherently better than others. But what this does do is acknowledge that the concrete reality in front of us is diversity and we must somehow come to grips with that. 

My take on this is, I am skeptical of foundationalism, where humans set the ground rules and then construct the ‘right’ interpretation of reality. Rather, I think it is God alone who may set the ground rules of reality, he is the creator after all.  While it is a Christian duty to attempt to express the truth of what God has done (and is still doing), we ought always do it humbly acknowledging our place before God. We find God’s revelation of himself in the entirety of the Bible, and in that most clearly in the man Jesus Christ. In my work of preaching I certainly aim to speak for God and do speak with the confidence of ‘thus saith the Lord’, yet I am always aim to be open for critique and feedback, and if necessary to acknowledge my mistakes. 

This framework is by no means a final answer, but for me it is a work in progress. I realise that there are many, even in the Anglican church, who do not see the Bible as the answer. But what would be more helpful is if people would take the time to articulate what they think the answer is, at least then we can begin to work out where we stand. My fear is that many are no longer interested in God’s truth and are happy with their own agenda, it is certainly cause for prayer. 

When we can understand the diversity better and appreciate it we can even begin to look for a way forward.