Not Quite There

Episcopal Churches' Breakaway Evolved Over 30 Years by Alan Cooperman and Jacqueline Salmon provides, in the hed, a false glimmer of hope that the Post will locate conservative Episcopal parishes in the global Anglican communion. The word "Anglican" does appear several times and we get one fleeting reference to the 75 million-member Anglican Communion, the worldwide family of churches descended from the Church of England, but that's about it.

What we do learn about is the not-uninteresting role of charismatic worship at the historic Truro and Falls Church parishes that recently voted to leave the American branch of Anglicanism, the Episcopal Church, to more closely associate with that 75 million-member Anglican Communion, the worldwide family of churches descended from the Church of England. Cooperman and Salmon, after the usual dreadful dark-and-stormy night setup, write:

..the votes appear less sudden or surprising when one realizes that for more than 30 years, Truro and The Falls Church have been part of a "charismatic revival" within mainline Protestantism, said the Rev. Robert W. Prichard, professor of Christianity in America at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria.

Charismatic, in this case, refers to an ecstatic style of worship that includes speaking in tongues, a stream of unintelligible syllables signifying that the Holy Spirit has entered the worshiper. It is a hallmark of the fast-growing Pentecostal movement but unusual for Episcopalians, who are so thoroughly associated with solemnity and tradition that they are sometimes referred to teasingly as "the frozen chosen."

As I say, interesting and I didn't know this was part of the scene at those churches. But, as I've said before, the entire episode is less sudden and surprising when you've followed the battles within that church and the larger Anglican communion for more than six months, and especially when you stop analyzing the Episcopal Church as the center of everything Anglican.

Informed comment over at Titus One Nine including my own (yet unanswered!) question about a startling statistic from the story:

At least two-thirds of the worshipers are Methodists, Presbyterians or Baptists, and there is no pressure on them to be confirmed as Episcopalians, said the Rev. Rick Wright, associate rector.

Update: Rising star blogger Mary Katharine Ham attends the church, and thinks it is just possible the reporters ever so slightly exagerrated the role of charismatic worship there.

Recent posts on this subject:

Ignorance in Action
Compared to What

Comments

[Douglas V. Gibbs]

Religion is falling apart, but the faith must hold together. What's the difference? Religion is man-made, the faith of Christ is God-made. Man will always let you down. God will not. I think a lot of people in organized religion has forgotten that.

[Ken Shepherd]

I believe Ham herself is also not a confirmed Episcopalian.

But I think it is admirable that Falls Church is able to hold to an historic, orthodox Christian faith and put it into practice in such a way that draws people hungering for a church that's fundamentally sound in doctrine and practice.