Michael+

You wrote “> But Charles+, the same thing could be
said for the proliferation of all the churches – “

Exactly so.  Please be patient with me through a long
answer.

 It may be that this suffering that you so ably
described will drive Christians from a variety of
backgrounds to re-think the meaning of their Baptism
and the meaning of the Body of Christ.  

The suffering of the Body has been greater at other
times in history, as during the persecutions of
Christians.  (Revelation 13) “This calls for patient
endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.”
NSV   “Here is the patience and the faith of the
saints. KJV”  
Such suffering and patience through it, in the
Providence of God led to a stronger church.

This times also calls for patience.

Radner, in pages 46ff of “Hope Among the Fragments”
argues that George Herbert and especially Joseph
Butler who faced a time of skepticism much like our
own, were correct in staying the course.  He quotes
Butler, “The form of religion may indeed be where
there is little of the Thing itself; but the Thing
itself cannot be preserved amongst mankind without the
Form.  And this Form, frequently occurring in some
instance or other of it, will be a frequent admonition
to bad men to repent, and to good men to grow better;
and also be the means of their doing so.”

Radner emphasized (p.48) that Butler “frames his
remarks to his clergy in a special context:  how to
minister in the face of unbelief that is actually
encasing a once-Christian culture.  His main strategic
answer is this:  Do not waste your time arguing, but
instead carry on with your appointed rounds. . . the
greatest gift you have for this unbelieving culture
and thinning cultural Christianity are the forms of
your church’s common life, forms that, he admits, can
often seem empty.  Still he says, the ‘reality and
power’ of these form’s content, as he describes it,
assert themselves through the imposition of the forms
themselves, the only means by which over time the
divine reasonableness of a gospel that embraces time
itself can ever touch a person. . . . time, which
belongs to God, can make its argument in a place where
history has been sucked dry and where the forms of
communal life remain the only cord that ties an
individual to the power of a message rooted in God’s
history.”

A fact of life this past year in Indiana is that the
TEC has removed from office clergy who attempted to
maintain the forms.  What did they do?  They migrated
to the “life boats” the tiny little fragments where
they could do as Bishop Butler advised.  Ephraim
Radner may be close to facing the fact that there will
be no locality in which to maintain the forms, no
place to stand.   We are reduced to store-fronts,
homes and rented quarters. 

Given the situation we are in, we can’t rely on the
grand old communions to retain the forms.

We must then, trust to Providence that the “exceeding
greatness of His power” is still in earthly vessels. 
Unity synods are grand, and while we think it would be
a great thing if we had one overarching organization
that embraced all Christians, the real power is at
work at the local level regardless of the initials
following the name of the local church.

I see Providence at work in the help we at Good
Shepherd have received from non-Anglicans.  In the
past 3 years at Good Shepherd of 29 persons baptized,
confirmed or received, only 2 were cradle
Episcopalians.  Only 4 more were from TEC or any other
“Anglican” group.

The other 23 were either un-churched or needed
instruction before being baptized or confirmed. 
Non-Anglicans had informed these 23 of Christ long
before they came to Good Shepherd.   Friendly
Protestants referred half the number to us.

Thirteen of the twenty who made commitments were
seeking teaching.  Over many months in classes, in
personal talks and in Internet correspondence with
conservative Christians they wanted understanding of
the basics that Butler refers to:  the forms of
liturgy, sacrament, Scripture, Creeds.  Leaders with
Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist background have
been generous to us, and sometimes attended our
meetings or invited us to participate in seminars in
their churches.  

It is in the context of the Midwest where churches of
all sorts are being closed every month that I say we
need more bishops, more priests, and more churches
that will maintain the forms conveying the presence of
Christ.  Also, we aren’t too proud to accept help from
our brothers who are helping with the Good Shepherd
Website, helping publish our literature and in other
ways.

Charles+

"-------------------------
--- Michael Ward <mward@...> wrote:
 
> But Charles+, the same thing could be said for the
> proliferation of all the churches - either
denominational or independent -  since the
Reformation.
> Divided communions, divided resources, divided
> "you-fill-in-the-blank": I  just don't see this as a
strength. We in parish  ministry decry the fact that
> we can't get Sunday School material or Confirmation
> material or any number  of other things simply
because on our own, we don't  have the strength (i.e.,
> resources) to get these things produced. And how
> many of our clergy wives  work simply to supply
much-needed health insurance  benefits for the family:
> again, something we as a small, independent group
> simply don't have the  resources to obtain. I know
these aren't strictly  "gospel" issues, but they
> are issues nevertheless.
>  
> MLW+
-----------------------------------

Charles wrote:>

> <snip>It may be that the proliferation of
> jurisdictions and
> bishops is not a bad thing. It may be the
> proliferation of communions in the Providence of God
> is akin to the lifeboats on the Titanic just as our
> bishops said in the 1970's.  Radner suggests we have
> the virtue of patience.  I think he is right. 
> --