The Third Great Schism
“I wish it need not have happened in my time”, said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf. “And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Methodist theologian William Abraham in his very helpful little book The Logic of Renewal suggests that what the church is undergoing now throughout the world is the third Great Schism of Christianity after the split between East and West and the sixteenth century Reformation. This schism, however, is between the liberal cultural elite of Western historic Protestantism together with their fellow travelers in Catholicism and a growing World Christianity (in Lamin Sanneh’s terminology) that is robust and decidedly more orthodox than the prevailing Church culture of the West. If this is the case (and I do believe it is) the changes that we are experiencing in the Episcopal Church are part of a much larger drama that is unfolding. The shift is tectonic in scope.
The reason for this huge shift and dislocation is manifold. We can look at issues such as the exhaustion of modernity beginning after the defeat of Nazism and continuing with the collapse of Communism. Or another perspective is the maturing of Pentecostalism, now a century after the Azusa Street Revival. From this ecclesial perspective we also need to take into account the legacy of Vatican II completing the Catholic Reformation begun at Trent as it has been consolidated by John Paul II (“Santo Subito!”) and now Benedict XVI. And, of course, the rise of Islam, especially of a Wahabist strand, should also be considered (especially as the liberal elite of historical Protestantism have no credible critique of Islam in any form).
In any event, this is not a fun time in which to live if you have a vested interest in an historic Protestant denomination in the United States. I find myself voicing Frodo’s lament quite often.
I propose in the next few weeks (with no promise of timely posting) to consider the implications of living in the time of this Third Schism.
I invite comments and reflections.
“So do I,” said Gandalf. “And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Methodist theologian William Abraham in his very helpful little book The Logic of Renewal suggests that what the church is undergoing now throughout the world is the third Great Schism of Christianity after the split between East and West and the sixteenth century Reformation. This schism, however, is between the liberal cultural elite of Western historic Protestantism together with their fellow travelers in Catholicism and a growing World Christianity (in Lamin Sanneh’s terminology) that is robust and decidedly more orthodox than the prevailing Church culture of the West. If this is the case (and I do believe it is) the changes that we are experiencing in the Episcopal Church are part of a much larger drama that is unfolding. The shift is tectonic in scope.
The reason for this huge shift and dislocation is manifold. We can look at issues such as the exhaustion of modernity beginning after the defeat of Nazism and continuing with the collapse of Communism. Or another perspective is the maturing of Pentecostalism, now a century after the Azusa Street Revival. From this ecclesial perspective we also need to take into account the legacy of Vatican II completing the Catholic Reformation begun at Trent as it has been consolidated by John Paul II (“Santo Subito!”) and now Benedict XVI. And, of course, the rise of Islam, especially of a Wahabist strand, should also be considered (especially as the liberal elite of historical Protestantism have no credible critique of Islam in any form).
In any event, this is not a fun time in which to live if you have a vested interest in an historic Protestant denomination in the United States. I find myself voicing Frodo’s lament quite often.
I propose in the next few weeks (with no promise of timely posting) to consider the implications of living in the time of this Third Schism.
I invite comments and reflections.
posted by peregrinator at 7:29 PM
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