These days, as I am reading the book "The Living Church" by one of the Anglican most influencal persons, John Stott. John Stott interested me as he is an Anglican, but also an Evanglical leader, (as if you have some basic theological ideas, Anglican is by no means evangelicalism.) In his book, he stated a point which is really true, basic but interesting: "I have often said that we need more 'R.C.' churches, standing now not for Roman Catholic but for Radical Conservative churches - 'conservative' in the sense that they conserve what Scripture plainly requires, but 'radical' in relation to that conbination of tradition and convention which we call 'culture'. Scripture is unchangeable; culture is not." As I am also an Anglican, I understand and know the way of the Anglicans, which their community is united mainly by the Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles. I guess if the growth of the Anglican church, especially in Hong Kong, is now holding back, two questions must definitely needed to be asked. 1. Is the tradition Anglicans currently upholding a "Must" as a requirement of the Scripture, or the ONLY way to help explaining the Scripture? if not, 2. Is the tradition Anglicans currently upholding suits the current contextual Culture? I guess every Anglican archbishop, bishop, pastor, deacons and clergyman must have these two questions in their mind throughout his/her minstry within the Anglican Community - What changes, what never changes. |