Comments on: evangelical charismatic anglians in london

By: ken

ken — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:57:11 +0000

Chris, You’ve got a way with words! I too had the revelation about the English when I first went to bournemouth, expecting what missknowitall did and finding almost exactly the opposite! I’ve been curious to see if the book scratches the English itch. Being an American and therefore parochial despite knowing it, the book has an leading edge sharply critical of some of the American trademark infringement, much of it lately, from the religious right. In an older era it came from the opposite direction. Anyway, since that isn’t much of an influence (impression check needed here) in the U.K. I wondered if the book would resonate there. Your thoughts on the angle appreciated….

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:08:50 +0000

As a member of St. Marys, I attended the recent Refresh conference. Ken, I admired your humour and breadth of insight and left, shook down properly by the Holy Spirit, with convictions that i needed plough the contents of your book more thoroughly. And having done so, and taken what my limited mind could take I must say ‘Thankyou’ and ‘Well done’. I can’t help but smile at the previous Missknowitall comment. I wonder if the perception of this nation’s personality deserves a second glance. I’d dare suggest that England is a place far from the notion perpetrated by bad Hollywood films. Old-fashioned, charmingly, frightfully, frightfully well-mannered, rude and hostile with our sarcasm, dark with our quietness. The tea and damp biscuits variety. Instead what I see running riot from my level is the visceral, creative and –oh so hungry and thirsty! spirit which fed the music of Pink Floyd, The Who and The Clash. Does it sound cliched, teen angsty to apply the word ‘Raw’? I quote Bruce Springsteen as he inducts U2 into the Rock and Roll hall of fame. London is amok with the kind of individual who’s soul - “…searches for the same kind of combustible force that fueled the expansion of the universe after the Big Bang. You want the earth to shake and spit fire. You want the sky to split apart and for God to our pour out”. (of course London is not unique in this, but I am across the pond and do heed your summons for someone to ‘talk to’ you. How marvellous to see and know ‘neath very traditional vaulted arches and stained glass the Holy Spirit kicking holy hell out of us! And this happening as more and more claim and reclaim loudly the lost acceptance that we are all spiritual beings. Inside the church of course but, of course, outside also - in the night clubs, dancehalls and pubs. The conversation over coffee! the slurred conversation over a pint! Ken, this is the golden motif that i found so refreshing in your book- that being our shared ‘wiring’. Our shared plight as humans. Once recognised, the dialogue flows with so much more grace into-’Who then do you plug into?’ Who gives you the juice?’. Once we have layed our arms down, then Jesus comes up. And that Sir, is a fine thing any day and any way.

By: LittleMissKnowitAll

LittleMissKnowitAll — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:39:47 +0000

We visited a Vineyard in Bury St Edmond last year, and were blown away by the spirit of hospitality there! My husband is British and so we had expected a much more subdued Vineyard than we were used to. Not so at all! They were so friendly, so warm, so charming–and boy was the Spirit moving there! England can be such a dark, sarcastic place. I love watching Hope and Freedom come to the people. I love watching what God is doing in the burgeoning movement over there!

By: ken

ken — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:24:26 +0000

Dave, Oh good! I was hoping to hear from you an the other vicar David. Yes, it’s not a good sign when the urge for ideological purity prevails–as it wasn’t in the gospels, where it was one of the blinding factors to miss what the Father was actually doing. Ken

By: Dave Meldrum

Dave Meldrum — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:33:39 +0000

Hi Ken
It was good to meet you last week (I’m the one you spoke to on Friday morning - I came along as a result of a mailing.)
Just started reading you book, and finding it very helpful.
Obviously the context is different here (UK); but I do see an increasing awareness of the religious right here among Christians of all evangelical shades, but that isn’t yet dominating the cultural scene in the way it is in the USA. But I fear it is on the rise.
I think here what’s interesting is the way the Church Of England has always been a broad church - both its greatest blessing and its biggest weakness. So we find Anglican churches - like my own - that contain an element of all 4 of the dimensions you mention in your book. But I’m not sure how widespread that is among the ‘average’ churchgoer; they would tend to, I think, see themselves as ‘charismatic’ or ‘evangelical’. Certainly the theological college I trained at and the debates I hear around me bear all the worrying hallmarks of groups drawing lines in the sand; worrying about maintaining the ‘purity’ of their party at all costs.
Initial thoughts - more to come as I progress with your book!