In my review of Facing the Future: Bishops imagine a different church published in the print edition of Southern Cross, I make the point that the future of the Anglican Church is ‘strangely congregational’ as the missiological approach of the Fresh Expressions movement takes hold.
Here are five observations flowing from the book's content:
1. The national church is becoming more orthodox
The harsh fact that the Anglican Church is slowly sinking has seen the widespread embrace of a mission agenda. This in turn is leading to the resurgence of a self-confident doctrinal orthodoxy in the national church.
While this is just one book, the significance of the evidence here is not merely the boldness in half a dozen of the chapters by evangelical bishops linking gospel fidelity to the confidence needed for mission and outreach, but what the liberal and catholic bishops actually write.
To take one example: Brisbane-based Bishop Geoff Smith laments the cancerous damage caused local mission by 'the death of God' movement and the way it undermined lay confidence to do outreach.
But what really surprised me about this book is that not one essay - despite the very diverse range of authors - argues positively in favour of a liberal theological agenda as a mission imperative: in the way you hear promulgated out of North America.
The Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herfft makes a somewhat opaque criticism of "extreme" Calvinism in exploring what it means to minister in a multi-faith society, but he is very careful to locate his essay in a self-confident orthodoxy saying: "Christians must avoid compromising the uniqueness of the gospel".
2. Evangelism/social action is no longer being 'decoupled'
What is also nearly dead - along with head in the sand approach towards the corrosive impact of the secular culture - is a parallel attachment to being a pseudo-established church. The love affair with the 60s secular agenda is over. And there is not even a whisper of the Church's lingering desire to be chaplain to the nation and the elite political class.
So perhaps the most surprising aspect of this book is what isn't here. If this book had been written a decade ago would have seen more strategies attempting to influence the culture via lobbying and media campaigns, and the need to become more relevant through supporting trendy causes. You certainly would have had much more talk aimed at reshaping society as a primary goal of the Church.
In contrast, Chris Jones, Missioner Bishop and CEO of Anglicare Tasmania, in his chapter 'a new compassion for the marginalised' is blunt about the need to stop evangelism and social justice from being "uncoupled".
In Sydney, one of the big wins of the last 5 years has been the realignment of Anglicare and the Diocese in the Mission. The result has been the recent blossoming of many more parish ‘community care’ partnerships.
3. Mission planning is more and more congregational
As mentioned above, if this book is any guide then the future of the Anglican Church is far more congregational, reshaped by the 'fresh expressions' movement.
While it may appear decline is driving parts of the national church towards a Sydney-esque emphasis on the local fellowship, in fact the radical embrace of a congregational ecclesiology in some places is now surpassing what has been pioneered in Sydney Diocese.
In the 'missionary diocese' of Tasmania, John Harrower convincingly defends his decision not try to develop a diocesan-wide vision.
His missiological emphasise has seen a radical restructuring of the centre to resource local parishes for their mission and seven fairly loose principles to guide each church's individual planning. These include: 'be faithful to God and each other' and 'think big and don't be afraid to take risks'.
"If we are serious about the [missiological] principle to recognise the local church as the primary mission agency, then it is not necessary to develop a shared diocesan-wide strategic plan," Harrower argues, suggesting this approach helps reduce paralysing 'anxiety' about decline and failure.
4. In liturgy: a universal 'core' and local freedom
It is also very surprising to read a catholic bishop arguing that we must 'free up' liturgy in local congregations for the new mission context.
Godfrey Fryar acknowledges that it will be impossible to get the national church to agree on any new prayer book, so like Harrower advocates the local approach. He argues that Australian Anglicans merely need an 'agreed liturgical shape' for a few key 'universal' services such as Holy Communion and Baptism, with the Book of Common Prayer remaining the touchstone.
"When it comes to 'the local', however I think we should encourage a more relaxed approach. applied around core universal values," Fryar says.
5. 'Mission communities' given more recognition
The exploration by the Archbishop of Brisbane, Phillip Aspinall, of his Diocese's schools mission policies raises questions about the gaps in Sydney's strategic planning.
My own experience of being part of a church plant in an Anglican School suggests it is very easy for these congregations to be overlooked, marginalised and left 'out of the loop'.
Our governance structures have not adapted sufficiently to provide appropriate support for these 'mission communities'.
In fact, as this chapter makes clear, Brisbane Diocese is well advanced in thinking about it schools as 'mission communities'.
Some of Brisbane's structural reforms are certainly worth further thought. For example, should school-based 'mission communities' be represented on Synod?
So over to you.
Can Sydney Diocese learn or rediscover anything about mission from the experiences elsewhere?
