The sections on Sunday worship, the sacraments, and the church year are of most interest to me personally. These sections will guide people into a basic, mostly descriptive, understanding of these areas. Very few of us know how to explain worship and sacraments without unintentionally removing the sense of mystery, or accidentally becoming overly theoretical. Thomas shows his pastoral side here, but undergirding it is a broad knowledge of the tradition and of basic Christian sacramental theology. Many new Anglicans reading this will want to do further study, and some will feel that they\u2019ve received enough explanation\u201d\u201cbut all will be inspired to actually receive the sacraments reverently as a mystery and to focus on God and his presence in worship.<\/p>\n
Some readers will wonder why Thomas doesn\u2019t spend a lot of time on inter-Anglican wars and controversies. He doesn\u2019t have three chapters devoted to the Instruments of Communion or various views on women\u2019s ordination (although they are discussed briefly). Instead, he chooses to focus on what\u2019s really important: our faith in Christ, our worship of God, and our life together. Some will wish he had more material on these arguments, but I think he made the right choice. Its time for us to move forward, not as an opposition group, but as a Christian communion. Thomas doesn\u2019t ignore the reality of a fractured Communion, but he doesn\u2019t unnecessarily focus us on it.<\/p>\n
What are my gripes?<\/p>\n
First, Anglicanism is not \u201ca protestant denomination\u201d\u009d except as a comparative descriptor. Use a sharpie to cross out that phrase on the two pages where it exists. Then write in \u201ca Christian communion\u201d\u009d instead. But don\u2019t burn the book over this. We\u2019ll create an online petition to change it for the second edition.<\/p>\n
Second, I have to admit that I want the Sunday worship service at the front.<\/p>\n