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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
I wouldn't say that the CofE had evangelicalism sewn up, SvitlanaV2.
There are probably more evangelicals outside the CofE than within it, but with the resources of New Wine and HTB at its disposal they make a significant contribution to the UK evangelical charismatic scene. On the Big E Evangelical scene, the more reformed end of things I'm not so sure how big a player Reform is.
But yes, the CofE is in an interesting position because whilst it can drip-feed personnel from either end, either towards independent evangelicalism or Romewards or into Orthodoxy, it can also prevent people going in those directions by, arguably, offering its own ersatz versions ...
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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SvitlanaV2
Shipmate
# 16967
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Posted
Yes, but the point you made is that Anglican evangelicals don't have to go outside the CofE for evangelicalism. Many of the folks on the outside presumably started off on the outside anyway (if I've understood you correctly).
It's very useful that there is an 'outside', of course. Ecumenicalism exists precisely because there's an outside and an inside. But more importantly, IMO, the outside provides the CofE in particular with both new people and new ideas. I should think the relative strength of evangelicalism outside the CofE feeds into its success within the CofE.
Indeed, now that it's so hard to reach the unchurched, the ability to attract the churched and de-churched from other denominations is arguably quite an important factor in terms of congregational morale. Naturally, it's expressed in virtuous terms: a church that attracts a membership drawn from a variety of denominations isn't described as some kind of conquering force, but as an embodiment of ecumenicalism. The post by Aravis above seems to contribute to this idea.
Posts: 6668 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2012
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Gamaliel
Shipmate
# 812
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Posted
Sure, I don't dispute that. Most churches here in the UK seem to be recycling adherents rather than reaching the unchurched.
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Let us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord for He is kind.
http://philthebard.blogspot.com
Posts: 15997 | From: Cheshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2001
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