Charismatic in an Anglican World

From experience, I tend to believe that doctrine is an important factor to consider in choosing a church. For a Charismatic Christian who practices the gifts of the Spirit, it would be foolish and very difficult to become part of a community that regularly denounces my Christian practice. Similarly, if the peace of a Christian community is threatened by my beliefs, the loving response may be to walk away. The danger is that I could use this argument as license to leave any body of believers that does not condone a certain lifestyle or particular belief system. Nevertheless, churches have been split over smaller differences than the style of Sunday morning worship, so to build an undercurrent of disagreement over more weighty issues like the Holy Spirit may jeopardize the life of the community.¹

With this in mind, I moved to Sydney, Australia ready to try experiment with an idea that I learned years ago from a teacher in Oxford, England. Instead of searching for a church by its qualities, I would search for a church by its location. After all, my thinking had been stirred by the New Testament writers who did not send their letters to the Baptist, Charismatic, or Anglican churches, but to the church of Ephesus, Corinth, or geographical area where believers gathered (e.g. Revelation 2).² Perhaps I could think of my church as the group of Christians who lived and practiced their faith in my local community.

I was determined to find the nearest church and build into it however I could. Church would not be about checking off my list of requirements for music, doctrine, service length, or programs, but about entering the process of sharing life together as believers from all backgrounds of life and practice.

It was a matter of hours before I had found the Anglican church at the end of my street and made a copy of the service times for my first visit.

For those who don’t know, the Church of England grew alongside the Catholic Church until King Henry VIII declared himself to be the head of the church instead of the Pope for political and personal motivations. After this change in hierarchy the two gradually drifted apart in their practices and beliefs. As time went on, a “low church” Anglican practice emerged that let go of the pomp and circumstance still characteristic of high church Anglicanism.

Imagine the sound of a pipe organ echoing through soaring rafters of a cathedral dome while rays of sun sparkle through stained glass and pierce the clouds of incense wafting above the heads of priests in beautiful robes carrying a crucifix and other holy symbols toward a decorative and symbolic altar. Low church Anglicanism has none of this. Except for the age of the stone building and the stained glass windows, there is not much to differentiate the church I attend from an average baptist church in the United States.

In some ways, I feel more drawn to the Anglican high church as I have developed a fond appreciation for tradition, art, and ceremony. The Catholic, Orthodox, and High Anglican traditions evoke a sense of reverence and sacredness that is sorely absent from my charismatic circles. Yet I remain an appreciative spectator of these holy occasions rather than joining the community for fear that I may resume my former version of Christianity based on formality rather than a relationship. The fire and passion of charismatic circles is something I need to challenge my tendency toward complacency and to force me to stop trying to define God.

If I were looking for an experience of the charismatic church that would spur my growth in this direction, it would be a simple choice for a Sydney resident like myself to head straight to Hillsong for an awesome experience. And while I certainly intend to enjoy some visits to the internationally renowned charismatic church, the choice, this time, is not so simple.

At some time in the past, I would have said the church is a place to learn and grow as a Christian—and I would still agree. However a year of studying education has shown me that learning does not always happen in a lecture format. Sometimes it happens in the process of applying the ideas in practice. Watching children play while their parents gather to encourage each other as Christians may be a more effective learning experience than an hour long sermon.

I have chosen to experiment with the idea that my growth as a Christian is not the responsibility of someone else, but a result of my pursuing a relationship with God in the context of a Christian community. Certainly there are some environments where I would be out of place – and some churches that could not be called communities. But this time around, my choice of a church community will not be driven by doctrine but by opportunities to serve and practice the ideas of faith together with others in the community.

Christians are called to be salt and light in their own little corners of the world. While it is possible to do this without being surrounded by other Christians, it is much more enjoyable and profitable to share the experience. I don’t want to be a lone Christian who meets with others I agree with only once a week and returns to an isolated community where my life and church are completely disconnected. When the church and its members are close by it creates a sense of community and responsibility for what happens there. The church becomes less of its own exclusive club and more of an integrated part of life in the city.

As it happens, the church on my street is Anglican and my first visit saw me welcomed and invited into a group of people who enjoy life together and make being a Christian a challenging and rewarding experience. Certainly there are times when I realize we do not share the same perspective, but so far these have only served as excellent sources of conversation and learning. Maybe it’s the attitude of love that transcends the difference to create something beautiful.

I am a Charismatic Christian attempting to find life and community in a local Anglican congregation. It should be an interesting experience to find out how I can integrate and serve in this strangely quiet and unfamiliar environment.

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¹ Certainly, there is a time and place for such discussions. 1 Timothy 2:14-26 highlights both the importance of pursuing in truth and avoiding unhealthy conflict.

Image courtesy of Charles Heyworth.

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12 responses to “Charismatic in an Anglican World”

Tom Pike

September 24, 2015

Charles, I have a few problems with your post today.

I am confused and
disheartened by your first paragraph. I found it to be the antithesis to what I
thought Concilar Post is about. Seems to me you are decrying the differences
that make this blog so very different from those of single religious focus.

Let me explain that I am writing from the perspective of an
American Episcopalian of the Anglo-Catholic tradition. I grew up an evangelical
Southern Baptist and found a faith home in a high church Episcopal Church
during my college years. I later found the Cursillo movement in the Episcopal
Church and like to “dip into that pool” upon occasion. BUT, it has never
lessened my love of the liturgy and “pomp” if you will of an Anglican service –
High or Low Church.

Second, I am rather disturbed by your pithy and inadequate
paragraph on the formation of the Anglican Church, You give the rather common
and worn trope of Henry the 8th and his political differences and ignore
the depth of the English Reformation that goes far beyond Henry wanting an annulment.

Why, make such an effort to go to the church down the street
when you acknowledge the existence of a church that would meet your spiritual
needs elsewhere in the community. In this day and time, even in Australia, it
would seem easy to find that church home where you are “fed”.

Put in Australian terms – if you like Oporto, go to Oporto; not the joint down the street, just because it’s closer!

Jody Byrkett

September 24, 2015

In Charles’ defence, his third paragraph clearly explains his purpose in attending the closest church in his community, as well as being very on board with the goal of those of us at CP: “I was determined to find the nearest church and build into it however I could. Church would not be about checking off my list of requirements for music, doctrine, service length, or programs, but about entering the process of sharing life together as believers from all backgrounds of life and practice.”

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Reply
1. Tom Pike
  
  September 25, 2015
  
  No disrespect to Charles intended. Please see my response to Benjamin.
  
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2. Jody Byrkett
  
  September 25, 2015
  
  Oh, I didn’t think you were being disrespectful (I doubt Ben did either)! You did raise some points I would be interested to see Charles address. I simply thought that paragraph one was well-balanced by the following two paragraphs and wanted to make sure those points were also “heard” as it were.
  
  Anyway, your comment was perfectly fine, I hope you haven’t felt like any of us were jumping down your throat… We all like to have a bit of push-back and good discussion around here—engaging both with the article itself as well as the replies.
  
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Benjamin Winter

September 24, 2015

As the person who edited this piece, I would also like to add this: the first paragraph, as we discussed it, was meant to “jump right in” and begin with first principles that would be elaborated upon throughout the piece.

Charles is not the sort of person who is unwilling to listen, or “dead set” in his views. He’s very interesting in learning from all of us and dialoging with others about his own journey of faith. Overall, your comment raises interesting questions, Tom, but I believe its tone is actually far more foreign to the ethos of Conciliar Post than anything you can find in this article.

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Reply
1. Tom Pike
  
  September 25, 2015
  
  I certainly apologize for my ‘tone’ and meant no disrespect to Charles. While I do not frequently comment, I assure you that I am not a ‘troll’. I found Deion’s post yesterday (24th) to be wonderful and I shared a part of that post on my personal page. Today’s post by Matthew was also well done and I found it quite enlightening.
  I have reread Charles post and the items that trouble me are still concerning.
  I am a little surprised that you are quick to ‘tag’ me with my ‘tone’ as a failing in ethos. Again, I apologize if I failed to understand what he was trying to accomplish by the post.
  
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2. Benjamin Winter
  
  September 26, 2015
  
  I admit tone is difficult to test through the medium of text. Perhaps I spoke too quickly. It was your phrase “disturbed by your pithy and inadequate…” that caused me make that comment on tone. I guess I was taking your words with a bit too much gravity. Words like “disturbed,” “disheartened,” “confused,” and “antithesis” were what caused me to think that your response was emotionally-driven. I hope Charles will address the points you raised.
  
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Charles Heyworth

October 11, 2015

Tom,
Thanks for your feedback! I hope to respond to future comments in a more timely manner as you have some good points to consider. I think you have picked up on the internal conflict that I hoped to stir within myself through the experiment you read about here. As you mentioned there is much beauty to be found in the diversity of Christian tradition and I enjoy the opportunity to explore this in a setting like Conciliar Post or even in an occasional visit to a nearby Cathedral for a high church experience. However, it is a totally different matter to learn what it takes to appreciate this diversity in the context of regular and consistent practice of community. That is why I chose to experiment with thinking of the church as a group of people who live in my neighborhood rather than the group of people with a similar Christian practice. I want to see if it is possible to carry the dialogue beyond the blog into the actual practice of Christian life. It is one thing to write pithy sayings online and another to try to live them out!

I think your response to my first paragraph highlights the fact that Conciliar Post is truly a unique environment: a meeting place of ideas or a safe space to dialogue and explore the different expressions of Christianity. My first paragraph should probably clarify that it is not directed toward this type of community, but toward a church of people with a common practice of Christianity that may differ from mine. There are too many examples of differences destroying the unity of such churches for me to omit an appeal to caution in my experiment (i.e. Paul’s caution to not destroy the faith of a brother in your expression of Christian freedom-Romans 14). I explore this tension between individual expression and the common Christian identity a little further in my upcoming article on humility in the church.

Have you had any experience with finding community among people with a different practice than you? What sort of caution/benefits have you discovered from experience?

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Reply

mmchanb

September 24, 2015

Very interesting post, Charles. Despite a difference in motive, I too landed in a congregation which differed significantly from my theological background a few years back. I spent three years there and slowly (sometimes painfully) learned how to show humility and charity toward doctrinal differences. I’m very grateful for the experience.

I love your idea of going to the neighborhood congregation despite differences. I pray your experience will be as rewarding as mine was.

Charles Heyworth

October 11, 2015

Thank you! It is certainly both a challenging and rewarding experience, though I have been blessed to end up in a church that encourages people to ask questions and think about what they believe. I am curious to know what made you decide to be part of a congregation with such different beliefs. What was it about your experience that helped you to develop humility and charity instead of, say, anger and frustration?

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Reply
1. mmchanb
  
  October 12, 2015
  
  Hi, Charles. I had it pretty easy since the congregation that I jumped into was the “Christian Churches” segment of the Restoration Movement. Ecumenicity is central to that movement, so they very intentionally modeled for me humility/charity toward doctrinal differences instead of anger/frustration.
  
  For one example, I attend an eschatology class in which they presented the entire gamut of Christian eschatologies without insulting or dismissing even the most extreme views. They simply affirmed that those views came from Christians, not taking sides as to which one was correct.
  
  I then led a class myself and learned by trial and error to allow dissent without judging. One man in particular brought up ideas which I quickly and publicly dismissed at first. Over time, I learned not to be bothered by his opposition and to thank him instead for contributing to the discussion while admitting that I disagreed. It took time since that approach was so foreign to my background.
  
  I look forward to hearing your experience in an Anglican world.
  
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Brendan Moran

February 13, 2017

I would like to say something in response to what you said about low vs. high church and not wanting to participate with the community in the higher liturgical acts due to a fear of formality vs. relationship.

I encourage you to rethink this either/or mindset. The mystical/charismatic and the sacraments/liturgy are richly symbiotic elements of a full spiritual life and experience/relationship with God They are by no means mutually exclusive. You will not lose your relationship to formality. Rather, engage in that relationship as you participate in the whole liturgy, and recognize that that relationship is both inward (between you and God) and outward (connecting you and all those around you in the church as a collective “you” in relationship with God). The liturgy is the collective “you” relating to God as one, as a community. This is very much like any worship service. The sacraments and higher liturgical acts are beautiful representations of certain truths, and fully participating as part of the community “in faith” (just as you would posture your heart/mind to earnestly seek the Lord in your own room or experience the presence of God in any other setting) can be an experience of the immediacy and manifest presence of Christ. Many who grew up liturgical may lack the mystical/charismatic, and many who come from a charismatic background lack the the sacramental/liturgical. Combining both is a strong and full experience of the Church and the Spirit!

Remember, the liturgy is “the work of the people.” The body of Christ comes together and proclaims as one (the whole and united body of Christ) the Word of Christ, and likewise receives it, and also as one “bride” gives praise. It is a community relationship!

All this coming from a charismatic who recently started attending an Anglican church. Since quite some time has passed since you wrote this, all of my points may also be moot as you may have come around to the same things since then.

Tom Pike

September 24, 2015

Charles, I have a few problems with your post today.

I am confused and
disheartened by your first paragraph. I found it to be the antithesis to what I
thought Concilar Post is about. Seems to me you are decrying the differences
that make this blog so very different from those of single religious focus.

Let me explain that I am writing from the perspective of an
American Episcopalian of the Anglo-Catholic tradition. I grew up an evangelical
Southern Baptist and found a faith home in a high church Episcopal Church
during my college years. I later found the Cursillo movement in the Episcopal
Church and like to “dip into that pool” upon occasion. BUT, it has never
lessened my love of the liturgy and “pomp” if you will of an Anglican service –
High or Low Church.

Second, I am rather disturbed by your pithy and inadequate
paragraph on the formation of the Anglican Church, You give the rather common
and worn trope of Henry the 8th and his political differences and ignore
the depth of the English Reformation that goes far beyond Henry wanting an annulment.

Why, make such an effort to go to the church down the street
when you acknowledge the existence of a church that would meet your spiritual
needs elsewhere in the community. In this day and time, even in Australia, it
would seem easy to find that church home where you are “fed”.

Put in Australian terms – if you like Oporto, go to Oporto; not the joint down the street, just because it’s closer!

Loading…

1. Jody Byrkett
  
  September 24, 2015
  
  In Charles’ defence, his third paragraph clearly explains his purpose in attending the closest church in his community, as well as being very on board with the goal of those of us at CP: “I was determined to find the nearest church and build into it however I could. Church would not be about checking off my list of requirements for music, doctrine, service length, or programs, but about entering the process of sharing life together as believers from all backgrounds of life and practice.”
  
  Loading…
  
  1. Tom Pike
    
    September 25, 2015
    
    No disrespect to Charles intended. Please see my response to Benjamin.
    
    Loading…
  2. Jody Byrkett
    
    September 25, 2015
    
    Oh, I didn’t think you were being disrespectful (I doubt Ben did either)! You did raise some points I would be interested to see Charles address. I simply thought that paragraph one was well-balanced by the following two paragraphs and wanted to make sure those points were also “heard” as it were.
    
    Anyway, your comment was perfectly fine, I hope you haven’t felt like any of us were jumping down your throat… We all like to have a bit of push-back and good discussion around here—engaging both with the article itself as well as the replies.
    
    Loading…
2. Benjamin Winter
  
  September 24, 2015
  
  As the person who edited this piece, I would also like to add this: the first paragraph, as we discussed it, was meant to “jump right in” and begin with first principles that would be elaborated upon throughout the piece.
  
  Charles is not the sort of person who is unwilling to listen, or “dead set” in his views. He’s very interesting in learning from all of us and dialoging with others about his own journey of faith. Overall, your comment raises interesting questions, Tom, but I believe its tone is actually far more foreign to the ethos of Conciliar Post than anything you can find in this article.
  
  Loading…
  
  1. Tom Pike
    
    September 25, 2015
    
    I certainly apologize for my ‘tone’ and meant no disrespect to Charles. While I do not frequently comment, I assure you that I am not a ‘troll’. I found Deion’s post yesterday (24th) to be wonderful and I shared a part of that post on my personal page. Today’s post by Matthew was also well done and I found it quite enlightening.
    I have reread Charles post and the items that trouble me are still concerning.
    I am a little surprised that you are quick to ‘tag’ me with my ‘tone’ as a failing in ethos. Again, I apologize if I failed to understand what he was trying to accomplish by the post.
    
    Loading…
  2. Benjamin Winter
    
    September 26, 2015
    
    I admit tone is difficult to test through the medium of text. Perhaps I spoke too quickly. It was your phrase “disturbed by your pithy and inadequate…” that caused me make that comment on tone. I guess I was taking your words with a bit too much gravity. Words like “disturbed,” “disheartened,” “confused,” and “antithesis” were what caused me to think that your response was emotionally-driven. I hope Charles will address the points you raised.
    
    Loading…
3. Charles Heyworth
  
  October 11, 2015
  
  Tom,
  Thanks for your feedback! I hope to respond to future comments in a more timely manner as you have some good points to consider. I think you have picked up on the internal conflict that I hoped to stir within myself through the experiment you read about here. As you mentioned there is much beauty to be found in the diversity of Christian tradition and I enjoy the opportunity to explore this in a setting like Conciliar Post or even in an occasional visit to a nearby Cathedral for a high church experience. However, it is a totally different matter to learn what it takes to appreciate this diversity in the context of regular and consistent practice of community. That is why I chose to experiment with thinking of the church as a group of people who live in my neighborhood rather than the group of people with a similar Christian practice. I want to see if it is possible to carry the dialogue beyond the blog into the actual practice of Christian life. It is one thing to write pithy sayings online and another to try to live them out!
  
  I think your response to my first paragraph highlights the fact that Conciliar Post is truly a unique environment: a meeting place of ideas or a safe space to dialogue and explore the different expressions of Christianity. My first paragraph should probably clarify that it is not directed toward this type of community, but toward a church of people with a common practice of Christianity that may differ from mine. There are too many examples of differences destroying the unity of such churches for me to omit an appeal to caution in my experiment (i.e. Paul’s caution to not destroy the faith of a brother in your expression of Christian freedom-Romans 14). I explore this tension between individual expression and the common Christian identity a little further in my upcoming article on humility in the church.
  
  Have you had any experience with finding community among people with a different practice than you? What sort of caution/benefits have you discovered from experience?
  
  Loading…
  
mmchanb

September 24, 2015

Very interesting post, Charles. Despite a difference in motive, I too landed in a congregation which differed significantly from my theological background a few years back. I spent three years there and slowly (sometimes painfully) learned how to show humility and charity toward doctrinal differences. I’m very grateful for the experience.

I love your idea of going to the neighborhood congregation despite differences. I pray your experience will be as rewarding as mine was.

Loading…

1. Charles Heyworth
  
  October 11, 2015
  
  Thank you! It is certainly both a challenging and rewarding experience, though I have been blessed to end up in a church that encourages people to ask questions and think about what they believe. I am curious to know what made you decide to be part of a congregation with such different beliefs. What was it about your experience that helped you to develop humility and charity instead of, say, anger and frustration?
  
  Loading…
  
  1. mmchanb
    
    October 12, 2015
    
    Hi, Charles. I had it pretty easy since the congregation that I jumped into was the “Christian Churches” segment of the Restoration Movement. Ecumenicity is central to that movement, so they very intentionally modeled for me humility/charity toward doctrinal differences instead of anger/frustration.
    
    For one example, I attend an eschatology class in which they presented the entire gamut of Christian eschatologies without insulting or dismissing even the most extreme views. They simply affirmed that those views came from Christians, not taking sides as to which one was correct.
    
    I then led a class myself and learned by trial and error to allow dissent without judging. One man in particular brought up ideas which I quickly and publicly dismissed at first. Over time, I learned not to be bothered by his opposition and to thank him instead for contributing to the discussion while admitting that I disagreed. It took time since that approach was so foreign to my background.
    
    I look forward to hearing your experience in an Anglican world.
    
    Loading…
Brendan Moran

February 13, 2017

I would like to say something in response to what you said about low vs. high church and not wanting to participate with the community in the higher liturgical acts due to a fear of formality vs. relationship.

I encourage you to rethink this either/or mindset. The mystical/charismatic and the sacraments/liturgy are richly symbiotic elements of a full spiritual life and experience/relationship with God They are by no means mutually exclusive. You will not lose your relationship to formality. Rather, engage in that relationship as you participate in the whole liturgy, and recognize that that relationship is both inward (between you and God) and outward (connecting you and all those around you in the church as a collective “you” in relationship with God). The liturgy is the collective “you” relating to God as one, as a community. This is very much like any worship service. The sacraments and higher liturgical acts are beautiful representations of certain truths, and fully participating as part of the community “in faith” (just as you would posture your heart/mind to earnestly seek the Lord in your own room or experience the presence of God in any other setting) can be an experience of the immediacy and manifest presence of Christ. Many who grew up liturgical may lack the mystical/charismatic, and many who come from a charismatic background lack the the sacramental/liturgical. Combining both is a strong and full experience of the Church and the Spirit!

Remember, the liturgy is “the work of the people.” The body of Christ comes together and proclaims as one (the whole and united body of Christ) the Word of Christ, and likewise receives it, and also as one “bride” gives praise. It is a community relationship!

All this coming from a charismatic who recently started attending an Anglican church. Since quite some time has passed since you wrote this, all of my points may also be moot as you may have come around to the same things since then.

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