What is Reform? The name Reform does sound as if it is a group of prohibitionists,
or those who wish to see card playing and dancing outlawed!
So, to start with I’ll say what we are not.
We are not grumpy
old men in dark suits ranting against the modern world. The Council of Reform
is a group of people whom it is great fun to be with. They are gracious and judicious
and polite.
We are not some sort of puritanical correctional institution. There are some
Christians who can give the impression that joy is incompatible with Christian
faith but these are not to be found on the Reform Council or generally at Reform
conferences.
What we are: We are committed to the need to re-form something
that has lost its shape. Like a plasticine model that has been squashed can
be re-formed into its original shape, the Church of England needs re-forming
to what it should be.
We are also committed to the rediscoveries of the Reformation. The Reformers
rediscovered the importance of the Holy Scriptures and of the gospel of grace
through faith. Reform is committed to these things too.
Personal History:
I became a Christian through the influence of various Christians but the Church
of England was my natural home. Even as a teenager I loved the emphatic and
rich language of the Book of Common Prayer.
As a student in my late teens and early 20’s I became discouraged by the dishonesty
of some of those in the leadership of the Church of England who clearly did not
believe the basic doctrines of the Church of England. I remember being very inspired
after going to a friend's ordination service and commented to him how encouraging
it was to hear the ordinands making such serious and powerful vows. He informed
me that he thought many of them said the vows for the pragmatic reason of getting
ordained and not because they believed their plain meaning.
Reform started in 1993 and it seemed to be for someone like me – a keen Christian
and an Anglican who wanted to stand up for the basic Christianity at the heart
of the C of E. The text which summed up what Reform was about is from Jude verse
3:
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation
we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was
once for all entrusted to the saints.
Like Jude, Reform members are most enthusiastic about the message of salvation
but we acknowledge the need to contend for the faith once for all entrusted to
the saints. How does a loyal Anglican contend in his or her denomination for
the faith entrusted once for all?
Let me give a couple of examples of how Reform has contended in practice.
First, at a national level: There has been an exploration of what happens
when a bishop publicly holds a view that is contrary to Scripture and the teaching
of the church. (This has happened in about five dioceses). In such a situation
it is possible
to be a loyal Anglican but to
be in impaired communion with one’s bishop. Several churches have found themselves
in this situation and Reform has been able to help with thinking through the
implications, endorsing their actions, and providing a network of support.
And this puts the whole institution on alert – they need to be careful who
is appointed bishop and a bishop needs to be careful what he says publicly.
Secondly, at a local level: In Sheffield a number of us have had to think through
issues. Julian and I have been involved in publishing two booklets addressing
two of the important issues of our times – the supremacy of Christ and the issue
of sexuality. This had a positive effect in the diocese
Who is Reform for? It is for individuals. Members are linked in to a network
of likeminded Christians contending for the gospel. They are kept informed about
what is going on in the C of E and the worldwide Anglican Communion and they
are stimulated to think issues through by regular publications. For example,
the latest one is - Why are there objections to the consecration of women as
bishops? It is for churches too. If a PCC wishes to join Reform, then they
give their assent to the Reform Covenant. In Sheffield there are individual members
and whole churches that have joined.
The present and the future
In the early days of Reform many were wary of us because we seemed rather bellicose.
And I think that actually we were too quick to give an opinion that was negatively
critical. But over the years many have come to see that the things we were saying
were sensible and now other Christians who are not members of Reform are thinking
along the same lines.
The Anglican Communion is poised on the edge of great opportunities for mission
and growth and Reform wants to ensure that the Church of England is part of that
great adventure of faith.
Many thanks & every blessing,
Julian