In various conversations in which I’ve taken part recently, a desire has been expressed for evangelical lay people to be involved in one project or another, but in the diocese where I serve, at least, they have been hard to find, and hard to recruit when found. One rector I approached, asking for names of such people in his parish, told me that those he knew were ‘gun-shy’—presumably a reference to what it was like the last time they became active outside their own parish.
When the English Reformation was brought to a sudden halt on the death of Edward VI, and Protestants who refused to return to Roman Catholicism were threatened with death at the stake, the vast majority of those who refused to be intimidated were lay people—men and women, some of them still in their teens. Matthew Foxe, who kept a record of all those who were put to death, said of one congregation that its members were “exceedingly well learned in the holy Scriptures, as well women as men, so that a man might have found among them many that had often read the whole Bible through, and that could have said a great sort of St Paul’s epistles by heart, and very well and readily have given a godly learned sentence in any matter of controversy”. When any controversial question arose, Anglican lay people knew that the answer was to be found in Scripture, and they knew their Bibles well enough for any of them to be able to answer for themselves. In the trials that led to the burnings, the question was constantly being asked, “Who are you, a tailor or a housewife or a miller, to challenge the judgement of the best theological minds of the Church?” The inquisitors—many of them conforming Anglican clergy just a year or two earlier—were scandalised that ordinary people claimed to be as able to “give a godly, learned sentence” as the theologians, but they did claim exactly that, because they had learned God’s word.
The Episcopal Church needs another generation of lay people who have learned God’s word so well that they are no longer reluctant to face those who would order the church according to the word of Man rather than the word of God. The cure for timidity in the face of false teaching or immoral living is a better knowledge of God’s word. When evangelicalism began to revive in the Episcopal Church in the 1960s and 70s, the means of reforming the church was the foundation of an evangelical seminary to train clergy. That doesn’t seem to have worked. It’s time for lay people to reclaim their Anglican birthright.
February 17, 2013 at 5:37 pm
Very inspirational. As a layman, I find these thoughts encouraging. However, unlike yourself, Philip, such thoughts would no doubt frighten many clergy.
(By the way, how does one address an evangelical clergyman? “Father” sounds “Catholic,” or is it appropriate? Using your first name seems a bit informal. Please advise)
February 17, 2013 at 9:26 pm
I always ask people not to call me ‘father’. I’m happy with whatever else people are comfortable using. I know Episcopalians get very snobby about being called ‘Reverend’ but it doesn’t bother me. My friends call me Philip, those who aren’t comfortable with that call me Mr Wainwright or Dr Wainwright. Any evangelical lay-man is a friend, so please call me Philip!
February 17, 2013 at 8:36 pm
I said the same thing I’m saying now on the other thread: we have lots of “evangelical” laity and clergy in our diocese, or at least we think we are because evangelism is one of our reasons for being. We study the Bible, we read it through, but don’t feel persecuted for it, as were some of our forebears centuries ago. It strengthens us in our daily lives, and through simple Bible study groups in our parishes. groups like Daughters of the King (our goals are prayer, service, and evangelism), Cursillo (“bring a friend to Christ”, and strengthen Christian leaders), and the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer (started by Helen Shoemaker, wife of a well-known evangelical priest, Sam Shoemaker). Our clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh would not be “frightened” by an evangelical theologian.
February 18, 2013 at 12:58 am
Personally, I prefer that people either call me Mr. “Wyclif” or my first name. Many in the church today don’t seem to understand that “Reverend” is a style, not a title.
February 18, 2013 at 8:04 am
“Father” is a monastic title anyway, not suitable for secular clergy.
February 18, 2013 at 8:39 am
On the side-topic, when people ask me what I would like to be called, I usually begin by saying that I’ve always wanted to be called “your majesty.” Then I would say, “my friends call me Bruce, and I hope we’ll be friends.” When folks want to introduce me in formal situations, I suppose I generally would prefer “Dr.” or “Mr.” Robison–though since we have a fair number of folks hereabouts and in the parish who grew up in the Roman Catholic heritage or in some of the regional strands of more anglo-catholic Episcopalian congregations and who want to say “Father,” I don’t really discourage that. It’s an honorific, and it seems odd to quarrel with folks who wish to express their respectful affection by telling them they’re using “the wrong terminology.” Somehow we all get along.
On the main topic, I entirely agree. My impression generally is that the folks more along the “renewal” and even charismatic wings have a stronger or at least more activist center of laity right now–perhaps via movements like Alpha and Cursillo. It’s also correct to say that the “liberal” wing of the church seems to have a very activist laity–though the agendas of that activism often seem to be less concerned about what we might call the direct evangelistic effort to introduce non-believers to Christ and the life of Christian faith and more concerned about promoting social and political goals. (Of course, I’m not saying that this activism doesn’t authentically emerge from their Christian faith, but only that the activism itself doesn’t seem often directed to the sharing of that explicitly Christian motivation. When people give the quotation incorrectly attributed to St. Francis, “preach always, when necessary use words,” they often seem to be saying, “do the work, but be reserved about explaining why you’re doing it.”)
I would note, per Phil’s comment, that Trinity was originally founded by Bishop Stanway with a global focus on the preparation of missionaries, whether lay or ordained. Although these days the main course on the menu in Ambridge does seem to be the M.Div, the other programs focused on laity still seem pretty strong–and the ancillary and affiliate organizations downriver (Rock the World, SAMS, Church Army, etc.) in the neighborhood are still primarily centered on laity.
Bruce Robison
February 18, 2013 at 9:26 am
The quote comes from “The Doctor’s Dilemma”.
February 18, 2013 at 10:10 am
Hi, Thekla. We saw that play at the Shaw festival in Niagara on the Lake 2-3 summers ago. Thanks for reminding us of that really pleasant experience. –Also thanks to Bruce+ (how about the plus for a term of address, at least in writing?) for the helpful post about ways laity have to be active.
February 19, 2013 at 10:46 am
Last year, in our adult Sunday School, we read “How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” accompanied by lectures from Dr. Doug Stuart (one of the books authors) that were made available through the Dimensions of Faith study course put together by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (my alma mater). It is geared specifically to bringing high quality evangelical biblical and theological learning for free to individuals, groups, and churches. Those who participated found it worthwhile and strengthening to their faith. Now we are using those principles learned last year in our study of Matthew this year. If anybody is interested in more info on this course, check out http://my.gordonconwell.edu/dimensions/.
February 20, 2013 at 11:22 am
Looks like an excellent series, thanks for the tip. I’ve generally followed up series (serieses?) like this by doing studies of individual books, but I think there’s a place for something in between: a study of the epistles as a whole, or the gospels or prophets as a whole, for instance. Anybody know of studies that can be recommended for parish use?
Last Sunday I preached a sermon on the Pentateuch as a whole; it’s at http://pittepiscopalchaplaincy.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/the-book-of-moses/