Tuesday, February 24, 2004 AD
"Confessing Evangelical?"
Well, I think I'm settling into my new home reasonably well. Got the place looking enough like the old blog (with some crucial differences in the links - hi to all you Lutheran guys over there) to feel comfortable.
To be honest, "Confessing Evangelical" is what I should have called this from the get-go. It's a much better summary of where I'm coming from than "Confessing Anglican" ever was. That title sent me down blind-alleys relating to the Book of Common Prayer and all the rest of it, rather than keeping my focus on the Gospel, the Gospel as so wonderfully rediscovered and confessed by those whom God used to rescue the church from itself in in the Reformation.
Even though there are crucial differences between the different Reformation confessional positions - and it's a switch of view relating to some of these that has necessitated my move - the basic shape and pattern of Christianity established by the various Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Cranmer etc) is one which still has a great deal of value today; especially when compared with the monotony of "pop evangelicalism" currently spreading across the entire church landscape.
Basically, my current position is that I was until recently an Anglican evangelical, but attending an independent evangelical/baptist church (for reasons I won't bore you with now). Having been exploring Lutheranism for several months, I'm now sufficiently persuaded of the truth and attractiveness of Lutheranism that I am trying out the local Lutheran church with a view to seeking membership if all goes to plan. (Hence the slightly cryptic subheading for this blog).
So, "Confessing Evangelical" it is. One advantage is that, in the (hopefully unlikely) event that I end up not being received into the Lutheran Church, I won't need to change blog - just demote those Lutheran links down the batting order a bit... :-)
To be honest, "Confessing Evangelical" is what I should have called this from the get-go. It's a much better summary of where I'm coming from than "Confessing Anglican" ever was. That title sent me down blind-alleys relating to the Book of Common Prayer and all the rest of it, rather than keeping my focus on the Gospel, the Gospel as so wonderfully rediscovered and confessed by those whom God used to rescue the church from itself in in the Reformation.
Even though there are crucial differences between the different Reformation confessional positions - and it's a switch of view relating to some of these that has necessitated my move - the basic shape and pattern of Christianity established by the various Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Cranmer etc) is one which still has a great deal of value today; especially when compared with the monotony of "pop evangelicalism" currently spreading across the entire church landscape.
Basically, my current position is that I was until recently an Anglican evangelical, but attending an independent evangelical/baptist church (for reasons I won't bore you with now). Having been exploring Lutheranism for several months, I'm now sufficiently persuaded of the truth and attractiveness of Lutheranism that I am trying out the local Lutheran church with a view to seeking membership if all goes to plan. (Hence the slightly cryptic subheading for this blog).
So, "Confessing Evangelical" it is. One advantage is that, in the (hopefully unlikely) event that I end up not being received into the Lutheran Church, I won't need to change blog - just demote those Lutheran links down the batting order a bit... :-)
