It should not surprise us to read a book about Christian institutions by the General Secretary of one of Australia’s largest religious institutions Bruce Kaye’s examination of “Who are we and where did we come from?” is thoroughly committed to the value of institutions. There is a need for ongoing re-examination, discussion and development. But the value of and need for an overall institution of collective churches governance is never in question.

How is the institution to understand itself? According to Kaye, as a group of people held together by a common faith, that involves both “origins” and the contemporary experience of the presence of God. The “origins” are those links with the first century that relate to the person of Jesus of Nazareth ” …….the faith of the Christian is always in some sense defined as a relationship with Jesus.” (p28). While it is difficult for various theologians to agree on the historicity behind the literary form of the gospel tradition, for Kaye, it is clear that “there was a deliberate attempt to keep alive traditions about the deeds and sayings of Jesus.” (p106)

Kaye’s sense of the ongoing presence of God is a form of incarnational theology. “In each generation there is a real presence of God in society and in the Christian community, just as there was in Jesus of Nazareth” (p28) “…….the Christian community is an incarnational community.” (p31) While this view has wide acceptance it is not without its opponents. But this forms an important foundation for his thesis. On this basis, “the Christian community is an interpretive community of adventure.” (p29)

It is as if, there is no consideration of truth and heresy, of right and wrong. There is only dialogue, diversity, sharing and acceptance within the broad community of faith.

Kaye illustrates his thesis through an extensive examination of early Christianity, in the New Testament and the early church. His coverage of the Biblical material is broad. He emphasises two themes: the diversity of the communities of faith, and the development of institutional thinking for the survival of the faith.

In tracing the history of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, and the early church the recurring theme is the need for change with a strong sense of continuity. As circumstances changed, the response of the communities needed to adjust.

The historical survey lays the groundwork for the conclusions of the book: There is a need for ongoing review of our institutions.

“I am arguing that the institutions which we create should change over time in order to reflect faithfulness and openness.” (p129). “These two themes, openness and faithfulness, have recurred throughout the book” (p179).

The author appeals for courteous discussion, rather than “inter tribal” warfare, especially when Synods meet. He recognises the need for review of all our society’s institutions, especially Religious institutions. As people connected to God and, connected with our origins we need to be involved in the process of review with eight guidelines in mind:

1 Listen, and pray listeningly

2 See by testing your vision against that of others

3 Argue courteously with others who are also God’s people

4 “Own” the church

5 “Use” the church institutions, which are there to serve

6 Begin where you are

7 Build from where you are for the future, and for wider horizons

8 Take initiatives. It is a liberating way of life. (p194)

Such a call for review appears to be always appropriate for every institution and to some extent uncontroversial. Controversy will arise over the repeated assumptions of the author. The incarnational theology reflected in the themes of origins and presence, openness and faithfulness assumes that everyone who speaks as a Christian is to be hard and accepted. “One of the themes that has been underlined in this book is that within the Christian community, there is God given diversity.” p186. This was not so much explained, or elaborated as assumed and repeated ad nauseum.

It is not a view that can be universally supported. Rather some who take a different approach to our “origins” would take strong exception to it. Not all would agree that the incarnation of Jesus is not unique (p 28) (p 136) or that the revelation in Christ is not unique in “an absolutely exclusive sense.” (p179).

Such a broach view of incarnational theology leads the author to refer positively to certain leaders of the Roman Catholic Church (p131) and to be somewhat negative about the English Reformation, which hardly rates a mention.

For Bruce Kaye, there only seems to be two heresies: firstly, disagreeing with someone in a discourteous and firm manner, and secondly, the privatisation and individualisation of religion. Some people would regard many other issues to be of much greater concern in our church discussions.

But the book is a call for more open and active dialogue within our institutional Anglican Church structures, while maintaining allegiance to the organisation.

Overall, the author appears to have read widely in preparation for this book. He quotes numerous authors from various fields. There is a very extensive reading list.

Unfortunately the book suffers from two major faults.

Firstly, it seeks to cover such broad topics in the coverage of history and the analysis of institutions in general, that in the end there is no detailed analysis or argumentation. A position is asserted, but not substantiated. An example may serve to make the point, but little more.

Secondly, the book is repetitious. At every stage the same point is being made. We are connected to our origins, in Jesus. We need to live out our faith in today’s context, with one another and in ‘the public square’ of our society. This will mean continuity and discontinuity, in the framework of the acceptance of our diversity.

This is a worthy call to dialogue in the Anglican Church of Australia, but it was not a call that left me highly motivated.

Summary:

An examination of the Christian links in history, theology and institutional development

A call for Anglicans to re-examine our Institution
Evaluation:

A Broad Understanding of the Christian Church, based on Incarnational Theology

Focused on the need for diversity in the Anglican Church