The declaration is interesting and it is great for all of us that your broke it down into bite-size pieces.
What do I notice here at a macro-level? Total lack of humility. The declaration (like so many others - I get it) isn't interested in anything else than drawing lines. It is implied (or explicit in some places) that they are right and everyone else who isn't exactly in line with them are wrong. There is a lack of humility. They think they are interpreting Scripture and history perfectly and no one else is - except those who agree with them.
Drawing lines in the sand is ultimately necessary at some level. Paul could have been accused of lack of humility in telling the Galatians, “But even if we or an angel[a] from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!” (Gal 1:8)
when you write that 80% of the global Anglican communion with align with GAFCON, i can't help but think about this: "Thus, the story of early Christianity was not an innocent and pure church constantly rinsing out the dirt of heresy, but something more like a horse race and one horse eventually one.
However, the horse that won, won for a reason, and it had little to do with imperial sponsorship. To be honest, I think the real reason why the orthodox won and these lost Christianities lost out is because the “other” Christianities just weren't that attractive to the ordinary Christian men and women of the Graeco-Roman world.
For many, the Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas was not as inspiring as the Jesus of the Gospel of Matthew. Who would want to face persecution for faith in Jesus the dispenser of esoteric wisdom or run the gauntlet of imprisonment for owning a copy of the Gospel of Philip? To be honest, the best way to describe the victory of orthodoxy is not through a top-down power-game, but more like some annoying git getting voted off the island. The majority rules."
The declaration is interesting and it is great for all of us that your broke it down into bite-size pieces.
What do I notice here at a macro-level? Total lack of humility. The declaration (like so many others - I get it) isn't interested in anything else than drawing lines. It is implied (or explicit in some places) that they are right and everyone else who isn't exactly in line with them are wrong. There is a lack of humility. They think they are interpreting Scripture and history perfectly and no one else is - except those who agree with them.
Sad times.
Drawing lines in the sand is ultimately necessary at some level. Paul could have been accused of lack of humility in telling the Galatians, “But even if we or an angel[a] from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!” (Gal 1:8)
when you write that 80% of the global Anglican communion with align with GAFCON, i can't help but think about this: "Thus, the story of early Christianity was not an innocent and pure church constantly rinsing out the dirt of heresy, but something more like a horse race and one horse eventually one.
However, the horse that won, won for a reason, and it had little to do with imperial sponsorship. To be honest, I think the real reason why the orthodox won and these lost Christianities lost out is because the “other” Christianities just weren't that attractive to the ordinary Christian men and women of the Graeco-Roman world.
For many, the Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas was not as inspiring as the Jesus of the Gospel of Matthew. Who would want to face persecution for faith in Jesus the dispenser of esoteric wisdom or run the gauntlet of imprisonment for owning a copy of the Gospel of Philip? To be honest, the best way to describe the victory of orthodoxy is not through a top-down power-game, but more like some annoying git getting voted off the island. The majority rules."
One man’s “deni[al of] the orthodox faith” is another man’s ecumenism through the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and love.