Why are there none in rural areas? They always seem to be in or near large urban areas or college towns. Shouldn't these new Anglican denominations look beyond the constituencies of TEC? I wish somebody would come out here to the boonies and help me out! Church planting is not one of my gifts.
The Methodists have long recognized that need (and met it), while the rest of us looked to the deep coffers of large cities! Jeff
Ever since the establishment of bishops in politics in the early 4th-century, it's been a great urge to go to the cities - as Jeff says. The moment Constantine legalized Christianity, bishops were allowed to ride in imperial chariots with palace guards, and could act as secular judges in courts. Our hierarchies still have that mindset of clinging to the World, even if it's totally subconscious after centuries of assumptions & traditions.. In the really old days, the canons of Chalcedon, Trullo, and Constantinople II all make disciplines for bishops and "choriepiscopi", who were rural bishops. They were obsessed with "urban plants" back then too - to the degree that country-bishops weren't even given the same title as "real" bishops! It's amazing what a little money can do, dangled before our faces. After all, there aren't any souls worth saving out in the boondocks. As for my opinion, we should concentrate all our efforts in the rural areas. It's not only for the Gospel's sake, that more might be saved by Christ, but also because the men of the goldenest hearts tend to be found in the "little places". Once ACNA realizes this, it will explode into the wilderness.
Celtic, to steal a cheesy line from the movie Bruce Almighty, "Be the miracle you want to see"! :think: Jeff
I agree. I wish both the ACNA and AMiA would realize this. I think the AMiA is already doing better at it than the ACNA, but they (AMiA) lost a lot of churches this past year due to the turmoil. They are committed to the Celtic model of evangelism, though, so maybe something will come of that, if they can regain the momentum they lost.
I appreciate the thought. I just don't have the gift of church planting. Ever heard of an introverted minister? That's maybe a contradiction, but I'm it.
Historically, Anglicanism and especially TEC in the US has been a largely, urban phenomenon, partially due to the sorts of people who colonized the frontiers. The form of Christianity which really took off in the rural areas is the "Frontier" tradition. Maybe, perhaps, certain things could hasten an Anglican rural movement such as the abandonment of the organ, a flexible liturgy, etc.
A good book about this is George G. Hunter's "The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West . . . AGAIN". The Celts were a rural people to begin with, and they had a missionary zeal and a wandering spirit.
And a desire to seek out the common man instead of concentrating on the highly educated and upper classes.