In recent years, many Anglicans have given new attention to what are known as the Five Marks of Mission. It’s a definition of mission first formulated by the Anglican Consultative Council in the 1980s but not taken into widespread use until the late 2000s when then Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori used them repeatedly, including […]
Five Marks of Mission: History, Theology, Critique Read More »
Scott Gunn has resurrected his blog and written a cogent explanation of why the passing of the peace during the Eucharist is not best served by turning it into a hugging-and-chatting marathon. I’ve been a part of churches like that and it’s been fine. But he’s also right that the purpose of the peace is
Mission = expanding the Eucharist Read More »
The Sunday Assembly—an atheist, churchlike organization based in London—has received a bit of press lately, first in the Economist and then on the BBC. On the one hand, I think the apparent success of the Sunday Assembly points to the deeply felt need in the Euro-Atlantic world for community and togetherness. So much of our
What the church has that the Sunday Assembly doesn’t Read More »
Malek has a special place in the mission history of South Sudan. In early 1906, six young men—none older than 30—arrived at this community on the east bank of the Nile River, fresh-faced and eager to convert the Dinka people to Christianity. They were representatives of the Anglican Church Missionary Society, and what they lacked
Malek, South Sudan Read More »
I preached at the 50th anniversary of the Acadia University chapel this past weekend—and the sermon is already on YouTube, in HD nonetheless. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h3UwN40bGA&w=640&h=480] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M69K1oqs96s&w=640&h=480]
Acadia Chapel Anniversary Sermon Read More »
LarkNews has a satirical story about church membership: Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attend church services and “freebie events” but never volunteer, never tithe and do not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the
Thinking again about church membership: neglected evangelism tool? Read More »
It is an often overlooked fact that Jesus’ prayer for unity among his followers—”that all may be one”—is, in fact, a missional prayer: one of the next phrases in the verse is “so that the world may believe.” (John 17:21) Jesus connects our unity with our witness to the world. Indeed, it seems that the
“So that the world may believe” Read More »
Before my recent move to England, I was told repeatedly that I would be surprised at how secular Europe has become. To that end, I’m inaugurating a new series of posts on this blog—inspired by a book from a few years back—called “The Death of Christian Britain.” My introduction to the secularization of Europe actually
The Death of Christian Britain: “What’s Theology?” Read More »
I was once in the customs and immigration line at Heathrow airport with the Rev. Otis Gaddis and watched as he struck up a conversation about faith with two other people in line. It was a sight to behold and I was filled with admiration for how skillfully he was able to do so. So
“Progressive Evangelism” and proclaiming the Gospel afresh in every generation Read More »
My class of Sudanese Episcopalians last Saturday considered the rapid conversion of many Dinka to Christianity in the 1980s and 1990s. For the teacher, this raises an interesting conundrum: how to teach about something which the students experienced firsthand. The solution? Prompt them to talk about their experience and try to provide some concepts to
“You converted because of the songs” Read More »
