An Orthodox Church in an Unfaithful Denomination

In my last post, I considered how to respond to a denomination that has abandoned the gospel, both for those inside and those on the outside. As the next General Synod of the Church of England approaches, it seems worth considering how to relate to those purportedly orthodox churches that remain on the inside of a denomination that has re-written the gospel.

From what I can see about the current debates and campaigns, this is actually going to be a pretty complex question. I say this simply because it seems unlikely that all (or even a significant minority) of evangelical, gospel-believing, Bible-teaching churches will cut ties with the Church of England. If I'm honest, I hope I'm wrong. I would be much happier to see the swelling of the GAFCON aligned groups that have been set up for such a time as this and thus we would see an act that would probably cause the implosion of what I now believe to be a dangerous denomination led by men and women who, mostly, shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near church leadership.

What I expect to happen is a whole spectrum of responses. Some ministers and congregations will leave and join other bodies. I expect most will continue to 'fight' within the Church of England to some degree and that will be expressed in a myraid of ways. For those of us on the outside, our fellowship with them will, I guess require some judgement. Perhaps many churches will take the simple route and withdraw from fellowship with all CoE affiliated churches.

Although uncomfortable for me to say, I think this is a perfectly principled position. I wouldn't have fellowship with a Roman Catholic church, even if the priest seemed orthodox and claimed to be fighting for reform. I understand that the response would be something along the lines that things are significantly less "settled" in the CoE, but I can see how that doesn't change the principle. I also think that there is a certain weariness with hearing from CoE ministers about their fighting, and their red lines. This is perhaps particularly significant as one of the bedrocks of this position was always that the doctrinal position of the CoE was still reformed and orthodox. These will be no longer true.

Others outside the CoE will, I think, just continue to accept the word of ministers and churches that they are orthodox. These guys are friends from gospel partnerships, preferred conferences and networks and so nothing will change. I have to say that I don't think this is a principled response. In fact, I think the inability to make the hard decisions to withdraw fellowship that have been caused by networks and friendships in the evangelical world have caused us huge problems for decades. It's worth pointing out that this lack of action is parallel to what many outside the CoE have criticised many in the CoE for, i.e. continuing fellowship with the unfaithful.

The majority, I think, will want to follow a more nuanced approach. The fellowship that they have already had hasn't been prevented by the links churches and ministers have had with increasingly liberal denominations, but they recognise that something significant has shifted. They will be looking for what action orthodox ministers and churches are taking. What separation have they enacted? Is it compelling? Is it enough? Is it public? etc.

The problem is, of course, that from the outside it will be very hard to make these decisions. For that reason, I suspect that most will actually tend to the simpler positions of no change or no fellowship. In many ways this will be sad. It is easy to see some hard-won evangelical unity collapsing. One of the reasons I want to see decisive action by CoE evangelicals is that I prize that unity, which is real church unity founded on the gospel. It may be worth reflecting for those in the CoE that your actions may show whether you prize institutional unity over gospel unity!

One final observation that is worth making is the impact all this will have on parachurch groups. This may be mission organisations, gospel partnerships, conferences and conventions. In short, you have hard decisions coming your way. Your ongoing fellowship with CoE aligned churches will mean that others will stop their involvement with you and vice-versa and that means you can't pretend it has nothing to do with you. The speakers you invite and the partnerships you enter into will show people where you stand. I'd be thinking about that now - a lot!

While much of this is, I remain hopeful. Why? Well I think that the current movement in the CoE has been clarifying for many both in the churches and outside. I thinbk that clarity has the potential to be positive. Decisions on faithfulness are clarified. Gospel-alignments are clarified. Mission and evangelism with the true gospel can be unleashed. I hope this will happen. Of course, most of all, I know the Lord Jesus will continue to build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).