ken wilson online

What an experience,  being with these evangelical-charismatic Church of England  believers, mostly young–early twenties–in central London for a few days.  To be lifted out of one’s own context and set down in another’s, having so much in common with these people, and yet, the twist of a different context.  Fascinating.  The first thing you notice is the complete absence of a dominant religious right in their field of vision.  We’re defined by what we’re differentiating ourselves from, at least in part.

And these evangelical-charismatic Church Englanders have no particular need to differentiate from a form of Christian faith that has been powerfully shaped by political and cultural conservatism.  Instead, they are differentiating themselves from a perceived to be powerless or at least weak form of Anglican faith that’s lost its nerve, or it’s spiritual vibrancy, at least.

So, for example, their Sunday morning worship service hadn’t the slightest resemblance to a Church of England service.  Opening worship, followed by “notices” (announcements) then more worship, and extended prayer ministry (people invited to come up from to receive prayer with laying on of hands as the band played on.)  Not so much as a gloria or doxology or Lord’s Prayer–let alone communion.   Priest in blue jeans and tee shirt, completely undifferentiated from anyone else.

I had to chuckle, because at our early service back home, I knew that we would be having a pre-service showing of the Nicene Creed, and most likely a rendering of the gloria in musical form (Brad Humpries, one of our bass players has written one of the most lovely and long-lasting glorias that I’ve heard), and communion mixed with prayer ministry and likely involving the praying together of the Lord’s Prayer.  So here we had an American Vineyard Church in Ann Arbor with more “liturgical” (albeit with a twist) elements than this C of E church in central London.

I’m hoping to hear from one of these evangelical-charismatic Church of Englanders about their response to reading Jesus Brand Spirituality: He Wants His Religion Back.  Because this book was obviously written in a different context–the trademark infringement on the Jesus brand being of a different sort here than there.  I think.  A very thoughtful vicar named David mentioned that he read the book but I didn’t have time to speak at greater length with him about this issue of context: what applies, what doesn’t.   I think the book isn’t actually out there yet, just a hundred copies or so floating around from the conference, which seems to have gotten an advance shipping from the publisher.   Something to be learned from these Brits, just don’t yet know what it is. If anyone is listening across the pond, talk to me.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 6:35 am and is filed under jesus brand spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.