The Anglican Way Quotes

“Love is the most easily dismissed of God’s commandments and characteristics. Christians sometimes seem to say, “Of course we should love people, we all know that. So now let’s get on with what we really want to do—fight about theology!” But love is the central Christian ethic, it’s the heartbeat of the church. It’s central to us because it’s essential to God. “God is love,” says the Bible (1 John 4:8, NIV). At the core of the Trinity is a love relationship between three Persons. God cannot be separated from love. Love is his nature. Unless the church is actively living out the reality of love, there is little reason to debate theology. And unless the church has a healthy theology we won’t recognize true love when we see it.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“The evangelical Anglican preacher Charles Simeon said, “My endeavor is to bring out of the Scriptures what is true and not to trust in what I think might be there.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“Sacraments   I once met a man whom I’ll call Steve. He grew up in a nondenominational charismatic church. He was a highly motivated, highly talented individual. He was also a strong leader and an excellent communicator. Given his personality and gifting, it’s no surprise that he became the pastor of a successful independent church. His life seemed to be going great until the day he discovered that his wife was having an affair with one of his best friends. The situation got worse when his church fired him for not being able to control his family.   Unemployed, going through a divorce, and cut off from the community that had always surrounded him, a friend invited Steve to join him at an Anglican church. There he discovered the power of liturgy and the mystery of the communion table. Steve didn’t have the kind of spiritual life he had always relied on. Nothing about God made any sense to him. He couldn’t sing praise songs, he couldn’t read the Bible, he couldn’t even pray. But he could eat.   Steve’s mind needed answers. His heart needed to be comforted. His soul needed grace. Sermons weren’t giving him answers and praise music wasn’t comforting, but the body of Christ was feeding his inner self. Steve discovered that God was real to him when he ate and drank Holy Communion. Even though Steve was at the lowest point of his life, a time when he could do nothing to help himself, he was still able to receive the sacrament.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“A friend I’ll call Kate took an Introduction to Theology class. Her professor told the class to “write their personal creeds.” For the next week, Kate kept writing and rewriting. She kept asking herself, “What do I believe?” As she honestly reflected on that question, she realized that she believed many things. At the same time, she couldn’t say how strong any of these beliefs were. Should she have a “definitely believe” category, along with sections for “probably believe” and “might believe”? Should she have a “I believe usually, but not necessarily today” category? She struggled with what she thought she believed versus what she acted like she believed. The assignment took a great deal of her time and energy.   After a week, the paper came due. Kate took a deep breath and turned in a handwritten copy of the Nicene Creed, the great orthodox faith statement of the church. She told her teacher that some days she believes the creed with her whole heart. On other days, she isn’t so sure. But the creed isn’t about her. It’s about the faith of the whole church. On the days that she believes it all, she’s in harmony with “the great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). On days when she doesn’t believe it, those witnesses carry her along. The creed shows that we’re all in this together. It’s not a consumerist document; it’s not based on what’s popular or unpopular. It’s the confession of the saints and sinners, martyrs and betrayers.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“From the very beginning, liturgy and music have been quite closely related. Mere words do not suffice when man praises God. Discourse with God goes beyond the boundaries of human speech. Hence by its very nature the liturgy has everywhere called upon the help of music, of singing, and of the voices of creation in the sounds of instruments. The praise of God, after all, does not involve only man. To worship God means to join in that of which all creatures speak.” (Liturgy and Church Music, a lecture by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 1985).”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“Rupertus Meldenius. He said, “In essentials, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, love.” At its best, the Anglican Way embodies these three statements. There are things that are essential, and these are worth fighting for. There are things that are doubtful, opinions we can have honest disagreement about. But in all things, we must keep Jesus’ commandment to love one another at the heart of our conversations.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“We just want to be radical about the only thing worth being radical about: the amazing love of God in Christ.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“My contemplative seminary professor Rod Whitacre was fond of saying, “God is more present in the room than we are.” Rod”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“We must remember that the Old Testament prophets were guided by the Law of God, the Bible. They did not call Israel to new ways, but to old ways. They reminded their leaders of who God had always been, and what he had always said. In the same way, activism disconnected from Scripture is not prophetic. The true prophet, like the true Christian activist, calls people back to the God of the Bible. Unless our vision for society is grounded in God’s Word, we aren’t prophets. We’re just political agitators.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“Some people wonder how a liturgical church could possibly be charismatic. After all, charismatics value freedom in worship. Liturgy can seem constrictive, and some feel it stops the Holy Spirit. A few things should be said to those who have these objections. First, Jesus himself worshipped in liturgical settings. Synagogues and the Jewish Temple had ordered worship. When Jesus’ disciples asked him how to pray, he didn’t respond, “Pray as you feel led.” He gave them a liturgical prayer, the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-4). Historians have clearly shown that the early church used liturgy as well. If Jesus and his disciples felt comfortable in liturgical worship, why shouldn’t we?   The Spirit has formed our liturgy over time. He crafted it, using the Bible and the church as his tools. Because the liturgy is Christ-centered, and not personality-driven, it can give the Spirit more room to do his work.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“The twentieth-century German theologian Karl Barth “advised young theologians ‘to take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible” (Time, May 31, 1963).”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“God cannot be separated from love. Love is his nature. Unless the church is actively living out the reality of love, there is little reason to debate theology. And unless the church has a healthy theology we won’t recognize true love when we see it.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“Love is the most easily dismissed of God’s commandments and characteristics. Christians sometimes seem to say, “Of course we should love people, we all know that. So now let’s get on with what we really want to do—fight about theology!” But”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“In essentials, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, love.” At”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“seventeenth-century Lutheran theologian named Rupertus Meldenius. He said, “In essentials, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, love.” At its best, the Anglican Way embodies these three statements. There are things that are essential, and these are worth fighting for. There are things that are doubtful, opinions we can have honest disagreement about. But in all things, we must keep Jesus’ commandment to love one another at the heart of our conversations.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook

“Unless the church is actively living out the reality of love, there is little reason to debate theology. And unless the church has a healthy theology we won’t recognize true love when we see it.”
― Thomas McKenzie, The Anglican Way: A Guidebook