Thursday, March 8, 2007

Churchmanship

For those who are curious as to what direction the fellowship will follow, "Low Church" or "High Church", the answer is "Broad Church". Not the post-modern version of the term, but the traditional definition...."After the terms High Church and Low Church came to distinguish the tendency toward Ritualism and Anglo-Catholicism on the one hand and Puritanism on the other, those Anglicans tolerant of multiple forms of conformity to ecclesiastical authority came to be referred to as "Broad." As the name implies, parishes associated with this variety of churchmanship will mix High and Low forms, reflective of the often eclectic liturgical and doctrinal preferences of clergy and laity."

There will be no secularism, political activism, Gnosticism or neo-paganism, like what corrupted the Broad Churchmanship in The Episcopal Church (ECUSA). The Western Reserve Anglican Fellowship will embrace a wide range of acceptable and Biblically sound Christian worship, devotions and music. The LORD has given mankind many gifts, creativity being one of the greatest and we can use the inventions of our creativity to help us in showing praise unto the LORD.

In Bluffton, SC there is a Church, on the outside it looks like a modern non-denominational mega-Church, but it is not. This is one of two Church buildings belonging to the same parish the other building was built in the colonial era over 250 years ago. It is The Church of the Cross and it is a very large, healthy and vibrant parish (even though it is still in ECUSA!!) and this parish has two Rectors, one of whom is the Rev. Jay Slocum. Rev. Slocum and The Church of the Cross is a great example of modern Broad Churchmanship and use modern technology to enhance their strong beliefs and worship. (please follow the links and see for yourself)

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