Change
By the Rev Canon Edwin Tompkins,
Good Shepherd ACW Belleville, Illinois
One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:5
For I am the Lord, I change not. Mal 3:6
How does the Church maintain course during times of change? How does the Church maintain “the faith which was
once for all delivered to the saints”? (Jude 3) The history of the Church offers compelling lessons in this regard.
Initially, the Church faced enormous persecution by the Jewish and Roman authorities. The Church raised
generations of martyrs starting with St. Stephen, at whose stoning Paul then Saul held the cloaks. The Church did
not become silent in the face of opposition. It showed courage and strength even unto death for our Lord. As long as
the emperor required a Christian to surrender his faith and offer incense on the altar of the gods, good Christians
were ready, even eager to die for Jesus Christ. Then, when Constantine granted tolerance to Christian worship and
even became a Christian himself, the Church transformed again. Churches sprang up in every city and town. Many
people became Christians because everyone else was doing it! Some of these folks were not very good examples.
Those desiring a more spiritual life and greater sincerity fled from the cities. From a Church of martyrs arose a
Church of monks, ascetics, and yes virgins. The blood of the martyrs became the strivings of men and women, in
communities or alone in the desert, against evil, hypocrisy, and temptations of the flesh. When secular knowledge
again became important and scholars started proclaiming that man is the measure of all things, the Church again
responded countering secularism with spiritual renewal and great new orators and inspired writers sought to turn
men back to God. Certainly, Anglican divines were among these, and we find their works relevant even today. Every
new age created new challenges for the Church—the deism of the so-called Age of Reason, nationalism,
communism, and always and forever the growing power of materialism. In every case, the Church has found the
way to restore, refresh, enliven, challenge, and stand up courageously to the challenge.
We in the Anglican Church Worldwide have our own set of challenges and change to face now in 2009. Though “no
part of the world,” we are in the world and share in the difficulties of war, disease, economic troubles, and eroding
morals. Old institutions that many had hoped would resist the disintegrating powers at work today are simply not
measuring up. The ACW must be tested in the crucible of today and show it has the inner strength and the guidance
of the Holy Spirit to grow in the great Body of Christ which is the Church.
What principles can guide us during our time of change? I would like to address just a few which we may consider
beacons, lighthouses, in our Church’s sea voyage to the great, safe harbor that God has provided for us. The first is
unity.
The ACW must be strong and alert to guard against the forces of divisiveness. Always, some men seek to alter the
greater entities they are a part of, to make them conform more to their own personal vision. In the case of the
Church, no wonder St. John Chrysostom said that the walls of hell are lined with bishops’ mantles! How many
bishops have let the power entrusted to them distort their spirit to the great injury of the Church and its members.
We are fortunate indeed to have the bishops and bishop-elect the Holy Spirit has graced us with! Unity of the
Church must be guarded. We have Scripture and the Nicene Creed to guide us doctrinally. There is always the
chance that a “them vs. us” mentality can awaken in some corner of the Church and grow into serious problems if
we are not sensitive to the challenge of disunity. Social issues like homosexuality and women’s role in the clergy
can also do enormous damage if not addressed forthrightly.
We must also recognize the challenge of order. There is a right order to be preserved in the Church. St. Paul
admonishes us, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (I Cor. 14:40) The Church is and ought to be a body
governed by law and mutual respect. Order is maintained by those who are consecrated to govern the Church. If a
new idea or understanding generates debate, a church council may be called which, guided by the Holy Spirit, can
seek to resolve any problem or define the ways and means for good order to be restored in the Church. The results
of the council need to be carried to every corner of the Church and supported by clergy and laity alike.
Third, the faith, as the Church propages it, must always be complete. There must never be a removal or neglect of
sacrament, essential aspects of proper worship, or tradition which has been from the beginning. We see churches
today which are striving to reflect contemporary society discard, for example, the sacrament of holy unction, the
sacred vows of matrimony, references to rejecting the devil and his works in baptism, no longer mentioning sin and
the Last Judgment from the pulpit, ignoring the proper place of confession of sins, and even discarding Scripture
entirely. This mockery of the Church is no church. It is no longer serving God. It’s Lord is no longer our Lord Jesus
Christ. The Anglican Church Worldwide must ever remain a complete expression of the faith once delivered.
Fourthly, the Church’s voice must be coherent. It is vitally important in a world that picks apart and dissects
everything that is said and done searching for hypocrisy and lies, at least when it suits them, that the Church
courageously speak up about rights and wrongs and holds no position inconsistent with Scripture and Creed. Our
canon law must demonstrate what we believe. Our hierarchs must be knowledgeable and demonstrate that they are
worthy to carry our message worldwide. It is also vitally important that the Church, its clergy and laity, speak with
one voice…a voice of faith, integrity, and above all the love of God. The voice of one bishop reported in the media
should reflect the voice and will of the Church at large. We need to keep in mind that we are one body in Christ.
Everything we say and do reflects on the Lord and on His kingdom to which our true loyalty and citizenship belongs
above all else.
Nothing is more unsettling for parish life than to wonder what is the path ahead. Does anyone have their hand on
the rudder and guiding the ship? We often are left wondering about this same sort of thing in our work life, but we
never want this to intrude into our spiritual life. The Anglican Church Worldwide will always want to be ready to
demonstrate to member churches and to those seeking a new spiritual home, that we offer a clear, Scripture-based
direction and one will not be left to guess how the ACW will face any new crisis of faith.
At this synod we should also come away with a clear understanding of what our priorities are, that is, what does the
ACW emphasize in its ministry to the world. At Good Shepherd in Belleville, Bishop Hartley has consistently
focused on the youth and giving them through the power of the Church in their lives a healthy and redeeming
alternative to a lifestyle that will land them in jail. In the world at large, the Bishop has addressed the needs of
persecuted Christians in Sudan, Pakistan, and elsewhere. He has made the ACW a safe haven for congregations in
the United States and around the world who had a desperate need for Episcopal support and nurturing. Bishop
Hartley has earnestly sought to preserve what he had been entrusted to him by the hierarchs who have gone before
and provide an environment of growth and encouragement to all. Brothers and sisters, Bishop Hartley’s priorities
are clarity itself. What will be our continuing emphases in the months and years ahead?
The ACW, the ship of Our Lord’s Church, must have a plan and know how we will proceed through the difficult seas
that may be ahead.
All this requires a special eye to economy. Of course, we must be prudent stewards of the talents and resources God
has provided us. As in the parable of the talents, more will be entrusted to he or she who has been able to bring the
greatest good to the Church. But economy also has a special meaning in the Church. “Ekonomia” in Greek also
means that the ACW may need to bend a little for the salvation of those, with earnestness and faith, seek to
become one with the Church. Bishop Hartley has set the precedent in this regard. Though firm on principles, he has
made exceptions because souls are at stake. We know Archbishop Ross will face similar challenges. As with the
parable of the unforgiving servant, we must be sensitive to how great a debt the Lord has forgiven us when we face
brothers and sisters in need of our compassion.
Finally, we should remember that we come from many lands with various and diverse customs. That we speak
different languages and have different customs and traditions is understandable. That we as Christians accept with
love the diversity of our brothers and sisters must be the rule. We praise God in differing ways; we spend more or
less time at it; we sing and dance to different music; we pray with greater outward emotion or less; we eat together
or not; we do honor to one saint or another or not. All these things are within the variety of Christian practice and
have been for many hundreds of years. St. Paul and the apostles faced the same sort of challenge bring Jew and
Greek together. The ACW will grow and thrive as we honor our diversity and truly cherish these differences among
us.
I have mentioned but a few of the principles by which the ACW will face the challenges of the future. We in the
body of Christ will surely continue to thrive and grow as long as we find the Holy Spirit evident in our thoughts,
words, and deeds. The Church will still have its martyrs; it will still have its ascetics; God will provide great voices
and brilliants writers still. May it always be filled with those of simple, quiet faith and love. In the future of the
ACW, new hymns will be written and new dances danced to the glory of God. The sacraments will remain holy and
honored. Scripture will be cherished and God will hear our thanks shouted from the rooftops. Brothers and sisters
will embrace each other in the love of God. Above all, children will hear from loving mothers and fathers and other
family members the wonders of God. Challenges will be met regardless of the dark clouds that appear from time to
time. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit, all things are open to those who follow in the footsteps of the Master.
By the Rev Canon Edwin Tompkins,
Good Shepherd ACW Belleville, Illinois
One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:5
For I am the Lord, I change not. Mal 3:6
How does the Church maintain course during times of change? How does the Church maintain “the faith which was
once for all delivered to the saints”? (Jude 3) The history of the Church offers compelling lessons in this regard.
Initially, the Church faced enormous persecution by the Jewish and Roman authorities. The Church raised
generations of martyrs starting with St. Stephen, at whose stoning Paul then Saul held the cloaks. The Church did
not become silent in the face of opposition. It showed courage and strength even unto death for our Lord. As long as
the emperor required a Christian to surrender his faith and offer incense on the altar of the gods, good Christians
were ready, even eager to die for Jesus Christ. Then, when Constantine granted tolerance to Christian worship and
even became a Christian himself, the Church transformed again. Churches sprang up in every city and town. Many
people became Christians because everyone else was doing it! Some of these folks were not very good examples.
Those desiring a more spiritual life and greater sincerity fled from the cities. From a Church of martyrs arose a
Church of monks, ascetics, and yes virgins. The blood of the martyrs became the strivings of men and women, in
communities or alone in the desert, against evil, hypocrisy, and temptations of the flesh. When secular knowledge
again became important and scholars started proclaiming that man is the measure of all things, the Church again
responded countering secularism with spiritual renewal and great new orators and inspired writers sought to turn
men back to God. Certainly, Anglican divines were among these, and we find their works relevant even today. Every
new age created new challenges for the Church—the deism of the so-called Age of Reason, nationalism,
communism, and always and forever the growing power of materialism. In every case, the Church has found the
way to restore, refresh, enliven, challenge, and stand up courageously to the challenge.
We in the Anglican Church Worldwide have our own set of challenges and change to face now in 2009. Though “no
part of the world,” we are in the world and share in the difficulties of war, disease, economic troubles, and eroding
morals. Old institutions that many had hoped would resist the disintegrating powers at work today are simply not
measuring up. The ACW must be tested in the crucible of today and show it has the inner strength and the guidance
of the Holy Spirit to grow in the great Body of Christ which is the Church.
What principles can guide us during our time of change? I would like to address just a few which we may consider
beacons, lighthouses, in our Church’s sea voyage to the great, safe harbor that God has provided for us. The first is
unity.
The ACW must be strong and alert to guard against the forces of divisiveness. Always, some men seek to alter the
greater entities they are a part of, to make them conform more to their own personal vision. In the case of the
Church, no wonder St. John Chrysostom said that the walls of hell are lined with bishops’ mantles! How many
bishops have let the power entrusted to them distort their spirit to the great injury of the Church and its members.
We are fortunate indeed to have the bishops and bishop-elect the Holy Spirit has graced us with! Unity of the
Church must be guarded. We have Scripture and the Nicene Creed to guide us doctrinally. There is always the
chance that a “them vs. us” mentality can awaken in some corner of the Church and grow into serious problems if
we are not sensitive to the challenge of disunity. Social issues like homosexuality and women’s role in the clergy
can also do enormous damage if not addressed forthrightly.
We must also recognize the challenge of order. There is a right order to be preserved in the Church. St. Paul
admonishes us, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (I Cor. 14:40) The Church is and ought to be a body
governed by law and mutual respect. Order is maintained by those who are consecrated to govern the Church. If a
new idea or understanding generates debate, a church council may be called which, guided by the Holy Spirit, can
seek to resolve any problem or define the ways and means for good order to be restored in the Church. The results
of the council need to be carried to every corner of the Church and supported by clergy and laity alike.
Third, the faith, as the Church propages it, must always be complete. There must never be a removal or neglect of
sacrament, essential aspects of proper worship, or tradition which has been from the beginning. We see churches
today which are striving to reflect contemporary society discard, for example, the sacrament of holy unction, the
sacred vows of matrimony, references to rejecting the devil and his works in baptism, no longer mentioning sin and
the Last Judgment from the pulpit, ignoring the proper place of confession of sins, and even discarding Scripture
entirely. This mockery of the Church is no church. It is no longer serving God. It’s Lord is no longer our Lord Jesus
Christ. The Anglican Church Worldwide must ever remain a complete expression of the faith once delivered.
Fourthly, the Church’s voice must be coherent. It is vitally important in a world that picks apart and dissects
everything that is said and done searching for hypocrisy and lies, at least when it suits them, that the Church
courageously speak up about rights and wrongs and holds no position inconsistent with Scripture and Creed. Our
canon law must demonstrate what we believe. Our hierarchs must be knowledgeable and demonstrate that they are
worthy to carry our message worldwide. It is also vitally important that the Church, its clergy and laity, speak with
one voice…a voice of faith, integrity, and above all the love of God. The voice of one bishop reported in the media
should reflect the voice and will of the Church at large. We need to keep in mind that we are one body in Christ.
Everything we say and do reflects on the Lord and on His kingdom to which our true loyalty and citizenship belongs
above all else.
Nothing is more unsettling for parish life than to wonder what is the path ahead. Does anyone have their hand on
the rudder and guiding the ship? We often are left wondering about this same sort of thing in our work life, but we
never want this to intrude into our spiritual life. The Anglican Church Worldwide will always want to be ready to
demonstrate to member churches and to those seeking a new spiritual home, that we offer a clear, Scripture-based
direction and one will not be left to guess how the ACW will face any new crisis of faith.
At this synod we should also come away with a clear understanding of what our priorities are, that is, what does the
ACW emphasize in its ministry to the world. At Good Shepherd in Belleville, Bishop Hartley has consistently
focused on the youth and giving them through the power of the Church in their lives a healthy and redeeming
alternative to a lifestyle that will land them in jail. In the world at large, the Bishop has addressed the needs of
persecuted Christians in Sudan, Pakistan, and elsewhere. He has made the ACW a safe haven for congregations in
the United States and around the world who had a desperate need for Episcopal support and nurturing. Bishop
Hartley has earnestly sought to preserve what he had been entrusted to him by the hierarchs who have gone before
and provide an environment of growth and encouragement to all. Brothers and sisters, Bishop Hartley’s priorities
are clarity itself. What will be our continuing emphases in the months and years ahead?
The ACW, the ship of Our Lord’s Church, must have a plan and know how we will proceed through the difficult seas
that may be ahead.
All this requires a special eye to economy. Of course, we must be prudent stewards of the talents and resources God
has provided us. As in the parable of the talents, more will be entrusted to he or she who has been able to bring the
greatest good to the Church. But economy also has a special meaning in the Church. “Ekonomia” in Greek also
means that the ACW may need to bend a little for the salvation of those, with earnestness and faith, seek to
become one with the Church. Bishop Hartley has set the precedent in this regard. Though firm on principles, he has
made exceptions because souls are at stake. We know Archbishop Ross will face similar challenges. As with the
parable of the unforgiving servant, we must be sensitive to how great a debt the Lord has forgiven us when we face
brothers and sisters in need of our compassion.
Finally, we should remember that we come from many lands with various and diverse customs. That we speak
different languages and have different customs and traditions is understandable. That we as Christians accept with
love the diversity of our brothers and sisters must be the rule. We praise God in differing ways; we spend more or
less time at it; we sing and dance to different music; we pray with greater outward emotion or less; we eat together
or not; we do honor to one saint or another or not. All these things are within the variety of Christian practice and
have been for many hundreds of years. St. Paul and the apostles faced the same sort of challenge bring Jew and
Greek together. The ACW will grow and thrive as we honor our diversity and truly cherish these differences among
us.
I have mentioned but a few of the principles by which the ACW will face the challenges of the future. We in the
body of Christ will surely continue to thrive and grow as long as we find the Holy Spirit evident in our thoughts,
words, and deeds. The Church will still have its martyrs; it will still have its ascetics; God will provide great voices
and brilliants writers still. May it always be filled with those of simple, quiet faith and love. In the future of the
ACW, new hymns will be written and new dances danced to the glory of God. The sacraments will remain holy and
honored. Scripture will be cherished and God will hear our thanks shouted from the rooftops. Brothers and sisters
will embrace each other in the love of God. Above all, children will hear from loving mothers and fathers and other
family members the wonders of God. Challenges will be met regardless of the dark clouds that appear from time to
time. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit, all things are open to those who follow in the footsteps of the Master.
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