For those of you who may or may not know, Tod Hunter who was the National director of the Vineyard denomination. He took the mantel of John Wimber: which he shed pretty quickly. He then headed up the Alpha course in the USA. Now he has taken the Anglican plunge.
There is a pretty informative interview in Christianity today about his move over to Anglicanism, the emergent movement and the Vineyard. Much of the interview got me thinking about my own reflections on Anglicanism.
As a person that has moved from Anglicanism, there are things which I didn't understand when I was growing up about the liturgy. They were really never explained. I really struggled with a man wearing a dress, waving his arms around muttering things. Now probably have more appreciation liturgy and its meaning.
Yet the reason that Anglicanism annoyed me is the heirarcy, the institution. I would say the majorty of Anglicans in Australia actually enjoy it. Especially the ones I know. Yet from my observation it steals away what other christians within the church could be doing. There is an expectation that the minister does it all. Like it or not. It is the default setting, even if the minister in charge wants to change it. For me the wearing of vestments just emphasizes this. It is the reason that I could never go back.
Stangely I have more capacity to participate in liturgy (even out of the anglican prayer book), in our community, than I ever could within the Anglican Church.
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