Hello Everyone! I haven't been on the forums for quite awhile now, I'm recently returned to the Anglican Church and I wish everyone a Holy Advent! I wanted to know what Evangelical Anglicanism, and does it differ from other Evangelicals, as Calvinist or Lutherans? I'm extremely interested in this movement, and I'm just trying to gather as much info as possible. Thank you oft all your help and God Bless!
Evangelical Anglicanism emphasizes the Protestant and Reformed nature of Anglicanism. Good historic examples would be Lord Ashley, Charles Simeon and George Whitfield. Modern evangelical Anglicans would be John Stott and JI Packer (among others).
Evangelical Anglicanism, as with all Anglicanism, allows for some variety. You can be Reformed, Lutheran, or even Arminian although I would guess the Reformed camp is the largest. The Charismatics are primarily Arminian, except those who have gone full Pentecostal and embraced the "four-fold gospel" or the Prosperity gospel.
I spent many years in churches with an evangelistic emphasis. Thus, evangelism and missions are near and dear to my heart. Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. If Jesus meant for only the 12 apostles to work at fulfilling the Great Commission, I think the movement would have stalled 1900 years ago. Instead, I think the early church understood this task to be one that involved the entire body of Christ. (Can the feet go anywhere if the liver refuses to tag along?) Not all went, but many were active in sending and assisting. In the Roman Catholic denomination (where I grew up), evangelism historically meant that some Jesuits traveled to some distant country and converted the populace to Catholicism, by one means or another. That model is pretty well finished, I think (and hope). Other churches I've been a part of were actively supporting missionaries on foreign soil as well as local and regional outreaches; the most effective of these efforts tend to couple physical assistance with the gospel message. I would like to see my local Anglican parish do more along these lines. I have also encouraged my pastor to teach on the subject of evangelism, and have offered to help parishioners 'get their toes in the water' by providing some gently worded gospel tracts that the members could take with them and pass out. Like this tract, for example: http://store.livingwaters.com/gospel-tracts/million-dollar-bill.html#product_tabs_description_tabbed It is easy and fun to pay for a meal or groceries and then tell the cashier, "You're worth a million!" and hand the person a million dollar bill. They're usually tickled to get one. So far, though, my pastor hasn't gotten back to me on this idea; perhaps it's just too radical? Yet from the point of view of someone like me who's been on 3 mission trips (twice to Peru, once to Phillippines) and has proclaimed the gospel to strangers on the streets, handing out tracts is pretty low key.
The face of evangelism has changed. We need to evangelize primarily the West. The Church is alive and thriving in the developing world. But in the West, it is moribund. Let's face it. Anglicanism in the US, UK, Canada is not in a good place. Neither is Roman Catholicism. While I am theologically liberal, I nonetheless admit that this has not availed the Mainline Protestants well, and has led to a tremendous decline in the churches. I'm not one for preaching on street corners and telling people they're hellbound reprobates, but am one for witnessing in the power of the Spirit through love to those whom we encounter. I have a tremendous burden for the unchurched, the lukewarm, the spiritual but not religious crowd, people that don't have God in their lives. I find that if people are active in their own faiths, there is no point whatsoever in witnessing to them. But I do enjoy discussing religion and inviting to church those that are clearly seekers, agnostic, etc.
You're right about the need to evangelize in the west. We don't want to see Christianity dwindle around home any more than it already has!