Chris’ Considerations

Welcome to another edition of Around and About, a collection of links to things that have caught my eye around the web. Today’s edition has a bit of an international and Anglican flavour. I don’t necessarily agree with everything in all of these links, so do be biblically discerning (Acts 17:11).

The Church continues to grow around the world, for example, the Anglican Church seems to be growing in Africa. To give you an idea of the scale of things, there are apparently almost 20 million practicing Anglicans in Nigeria and more than nine million in Uganda. In Britain, although 25 million people in England associate themselves with the Church of England, there are is less than 1 million Anglican “churchgoers.” It seems like the geography of Anglicanism is moving, or rather has moved, to the so-called Global South. (NB: I’ve taken the statistics from the interview and essay).

Update (20/07/07): This just in from Anglican Mainstream, on the number of Anglicans in different countries: Membership of the Anglican Communion

Not too long ago The Times interviewed Dr Peter Jasper Akinola the Anglican Archbishop of the Church of Nigeria which established CANA. Although I might not agree with every word written in of the article, (I can’t remember exactly I read it a little while ago!), I do recall being interested and encouraged to learn more about this significant Church leader. Read the whole thing here.

Secondly, Henry Luke Orombi, the Anglican Archbishop of the Church of Nigeria has written an interesting article, published in First Things, entitled What is Anglicanism? Again I don’t agree with every word, but nevertheless, an interesting and thought provoking article. Read it all here.

I also came across this petition by John K. Rucyahana, the Bishop of the Shyira Diocese in the Church of Rwanda. I have not studied this document, (so can’t vouch for its contents) but I did notice this quote:

What the Global South upholds is true and historic Anglicanism. At one time the whole Anglican Communion was united in the Anglican faith, which is defined by the Articles of Religion and the doctrinal tenets contained in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal, and which holds as a central tenet that the Church is subordinate to the sovereign authority of Scripture. (p. 4)

I know it was a while ago, (2005 – a long time in the internet world), but I recall being encouraged and grateful to Ligon Duncan, an American Pastor in the PCA, for his kind words about some of the Reformed and Evangelical members of the Anglican Church over at the Reformation21 Blog

On a related note, I recently read, Why I Am An Anglican, a short booklet published by the Fellowship of Word and Spirit. A thoroughly encouraging and interesting set of 12 articles written by various Anglican Evangelicals from around the UK explaining why they are Anglicans. For those of you new here, you may be interested in some thoughts I had on Reformed Theology and the Church of England.

Finally and most recently, John Richardson, an English Vicar, has also posted an essay on the nature of Anglicanism: “To our own people only”: Re-owning Anglicanism. Some more interesting thoughts there.

Isn’t it brilliant that the gospel, transcends cultures. Paul explained: “There is neither Jew nor Greek …for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28, (ESV). What a wonderful hope we have in Jesus, as John explained in His vision of Heaven:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
Revelation 7:9, (ESV)