Orthodoxy and Anglicanism Pt.2/2

I suggested in part one of this series of posts that Orthodoxy within Christian faith and practice must centre on the continual affirmation of the centrality and distinctiveness of the Christian understanding of God, and not on the human cultural process' that enshrine this understanding into accessible religious categories, like worship or confession.

If this is indeed the case, then the task that subsequently falls upon us is to consider what in fact the distinctiveness of the Christian understanding of God is. In my consideration, it is the basic Christian notion of God as trinity, a notion that reflects not only the particularity of the Christian belief that Jesus and the Holy Spook are also to be considered as divine, but also that difference within unity is to be understood as a heavenly paradigm.

The beauty of anglicanism, its heavenly truth, is the incorporation of different human cultural process' of enshrining the Christian God within the general unity of its communion. Within its fold, Anglo-Catholics can easily break bread with Charismatics, and so on. Here is, I think, a real expression of Christian Orthodoxy, an affirmation of the centrality and distinctiveness of difference within unity consistently focused on the Christian God.

It is my contention then that the proposal of an Anglican Covenant, a document which would subscribe a basic guidebook for major decision making within each anglican church, is a huge threat to this Orthodoxy. It is a huge threat, because it desires unity at the sacrifice of difference.

Of course, neither can difference be sought at the sacrifice of unity. This is vital to remember also. But, it must be realised that the fundamentals of Anglican doctrine - The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, the scriptures, the sacraments and daily prayer - have been considered able to safeguard this from happening for hundreds of years. It seems strange that these age old criteria, which have served the church well through a whole load of problematic scenarios, have become doubted within the last ten years or so because of a single issue, namely the ordination of homosexuals.

Anglicanism's unique Orthodoxy is now being uniquely challenged. I sincerely hope it will not be defeated.