Introduction

This book was written initially to encourage those who might be considering full-time gospel ministry, to think about pursuing that within the Church of England.

In order to do that, there was a need firstly to explain and explore the historic, Reformed Anglican faith as enshrined within the 39 Articles, the Church of England’s basis of faith. Unless we know, understand and embrace the theological foundations that underpin historic Anglicanism, there is little value in thinking about a strategy for its reform and renewal. Furthermore, there is not one single doctrine or characteristic that defines Anglicanism but rather it needs to be understood as a theologically integrated whole. Only a rich theological vision can truly fuel and sustain a strategy of the order that is needed today for renewal of the Church of England according to biblical principles and its historic basis of faith. Chapters 1-4 are an attempt (albeit inevitably brief) to do that.

Before encouraging future gospel-hearted ministers to seek ordination in the Church of England, I wanted to provide a rationale for why we should stay in the denomination in the present climate, particularly when many evangelicals from independent churches or other denominations struggle to comprehend why. Chapter 5 engages with the biblical text, chapter 6 engages with our Anglican heritage, in particular those who were martyred for their refusal to deny the Biblical faith or its rightful position as the foundation for historic Anglicanism. I, personally, am greatly moved whenever I read the stories of those who gave their lives for the cause of the gospel within Anglicanism and it renews my resolve to work for the reform and renewal of the Church of England today. However, I am also aware of the emotional impact of such stories, and whilst tempted in many ways to begin there, I decided to place them after rather than before we had considered the doctrinal and biblical foundations. Many movements and causes have deeply moving stories of martyrs who have given their lives for that which they believed in, deeply moving but not necessarily right. Indeed, we live at a time when there are those who are willing to give their lives for a cause they believe in, not in sacrificial service but in appalling devastation and destruction. There is a danger in a purely emotional appeal that impacts our hearts but leaves our minds untouched, but there is also a danger in a merely intellectual appeal that convinces our minds but fails to grip our hearts.

Jonathan Edwards writes about preaching,

“I should think myself in the way of my duty (in preaching), to raise the affections of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of the subject.”

That perfectly encapsulates the aim of this book to encourage a convictional Anglicanism rooted in biblical truth that captivates our hearts.

A theological vision for the renewal and reformation of the Church of England is all well and good, but we must also answer the vital question,

“How?” Chapters 7-9 are written to engage with that question.

The book was originally published in that format. However, it soon became apparent that:

- There was interest in the subject from congregation members and those already in ordained ministry, not just prospective ordinands.

- It was insufficient simply to address prospective ordinands, without engaging ministers,

PCC’s and local church members. As the final chapter explains, “It takes a church to raise an ordinand”. Ordinands do not appear from a vacuum, but from the local church.

So the final chapter has been written expressly for those in leadership and those in congregations with the hope that it might encourage a focussed and prayerful commitment to raise up more labourers for the harvest field and a desire to participate in and fight for the reform and renewal of the Church of England under the Word of God.

Finally, a personal word of explanation. Before joining the Faculty at Oak Hill, I had been an Anglican minister for 26 years. Coming out of parish ministry to take up the role of Director of Anglican Training gave me the privilege of studying afresh and in depth, the doctrinal foundations and history of the Church of England, and to think deeply about questions such as:

 How can we best train and equip ordinands for ministry in the present context of the Church of England?  What ought to be our priorities?  What are the questions and issues we need to think through carefully?  Is it possible for the Church of England to be reformed and renewed, and if so, how?

Combined with the stimulating questions, discussions and interaction with thoughtful ordinands, this has shaped and motivated the writing of this book. There were times in my ministry when I either failed to engage with the wider Church or did so in a way that was not gracious or loving, for which I repent. Mike Ovey, the Principal of Oak Hill died whilst this book was being written. I wholly concur with words that he said at an ordination service, to those about to embark on ordained, gospelministry in the Church of England:

‘We want you to be better than us, we want you to be more faithful than us – we want you, spiritually speaking, to tower above us so that the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ stands high in this land and that men and women may know the blessings of eternal life. That is our dream for you, that is our prayer for you, not that you are as we are, but that you are better.’