Through [Samuel] Crowther’s consecration in Canterbury, the apostolic succession was assured. Apostolic succession, however will be ineffective and irrelevant if it is not followed with apostolic focus and success. The Bishop with apostolic succession must follow in the steps of the apostles as a leader in mission, ministry and community development, as a teacher and pastor. As Archbishop Peter Akinola would say at the consecration of bishops, “the days of ceremonial bishops are over!” Through Crowther and his successors has come the vital passion and drive for mission and evangelism today. The demonstration of the power of the gospel runs through our veins from head to foot. In Nigeria other great African Bishops and Archbishops have followed in the wake of Crowther, down to Archbishop Olufosoye in 1979 and Archbishop Adetiloye in 1988, and now our present primate, Archbishop Peter Akinola. In their time the Church of Nigeria has grown, and grown beyond human expectation. It has developed from being a part of the Province of West Africa, to being the Province of Nigeria, then three Provinces and now ten Provinces. From just a handful of dioceses, we now have 121 ”“ and more are on the way! The creation of missionary dioceses was an inspiration from the time of the Decade of Evangelism and has proved its value and effectiveness. Anglicanism in Nigeria is only Anglican in its true sense when it is missionary, evangelical and socially active in community development and community transformation. It was not actually an Anglican, but a Roman Catholic missionary to Africa who summed it up so well:
“Mission is the meaning of the church. The church can exist only insofar as it is in mission, insofar as it participates in the act of Christ, which is mission. The church becomes the mission, the living outreach of God to the world. The church exists only insofar as it carries Christ to the world. The church is only part of the mission, the mission of God sending his Son to the world. Without this mission, there would be no church. The idea of church without mission is an absurdity.” (Vincent J Donovan Christianity Rediscovered, London SCM 1978, p.102).
Bp Kwashi following Crowther seems to be dismissing the Oxford Movement as mere ritualism inspired by Satan! As an Anglo-Catholic I shudder to see this narrow-minded Evangelicalism dominating the realignment. The mass –a ritual– is the central mystery of the faith. It appears that Bp Kwashi has never known that.
Bishop Kwashi is a man of great personal courage and faith. I too hope that he and his fellow Nigerians, in the end, see the value of working together with Anglo-Catholics and Northerners in God’s mission of building up the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. But Bp. Kwashi is far from narrow-minded. We need to realize the hurt that we Northerners have caused our African brothers and sisters by years of condescension, racism, and dismissiveness. THAT, in my opinion, is behind much of the call for realignment. The London Times just put the Nigerian primate on the front cover of its magazine, picturing him as some sort of crazed homophobe bigot from the jungle. We do this at the same time as we pat ourselves on the back for our lack of prejudice and progressive attitudes. And the Africans see us doing it. It’s shameful, if you ask me.
Dmitri (#1) – If we look at those who are acting schismatically within the Anglican Communion, we will find that there is a large contingent of “high ceremonial” rather than “high church” members there. I, too, am suspicious of high ceremonial people when they divorce their ceremonial or liturgy from the theology that should undergird all our worship and liturgy. Anglo-catholic liturgy should reflect the wholenss of the catholic and apostolic faith.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Right! One of the things that raised so much ire with the ‘new prayer book’ back in ’79 was the change in the wording to reflect a different theology. Just because the FORM is there does not mean that the THEOLOGY is lined up correctly.
Liturgy without right theology is just empty ritual. As an Anglo-Catholic who can’t go too long without Eucharist, I resent being lumped in with the ‘ceremonial’ Episcopalians, however. I want a true liturgy with Eucharist, dad gum it, and I want my right to be recognized as an Anglo-Catholic Anglican, too! 🙂
Christ gave the church only one service, the Eucharist. I have attended churches that rarely have what is called Holy Communion that is like a memorial service for someone long gone, not the Christ who may appear with Michael and the Host to pass judgement. Yes we are supposed to be missionaries but also we need the liturgy and Eucharist at every Christian service.
Never mind the rampant blessing of the Lord on the church in Nigeria, guys, nor the salvation of souls by the millions. Just get that ceremonial right and all will be copesthetic. You don’t really believe that, I hope. It is hard to call it narrow minded evangelicalism when the Lord is clearly using it so mightily to reap such a harvest in Africa. Seems there is a profound historical lesson here for those of us who believe God is active in history.
God bless and protect Bishop Kwashi and his family. If only TEC had bishops of his spiritual stature!