Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
TJ Marinello
Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology
Tyndale Theological Seminary, The Netherlands
127
St Mark’s Review, No. 235 May 2016 (1)
128
Book reviews
before affirming that the significance of the tomb of Jesus lies in the fact
that it is both a specific place and a ‘no-place, utopia, and as such entirely
and universally available’ (117).
Part 3, ‘The Past and Future of Anglicanism’ begins with an appraisal
of the status of liturgical studies in contemporary Anglican theological
education and the role of the Book of Common Prayer in determining the
current situation. It continues with the rise of lay presidency or administra-
tion within the Anglican Church, especially in Sydney, and how this is based
on a misconception of the places of Word and Sacrament in worship, with
the former being prioritised to the latter and thus constituting an anomaly
that did not exist in the early Church. Instead, McGowan gives the example
that in the early Church the Word was preached in various ways by the
entire charismatic community (1 Cor 12:28) whereas the Eucharistic meal
would have been presided by the host, pointing to a ministry of leadership
in the early Church that is discernable in Anglicanism’s ordained ministry.
This chapter is organically connected to the next, which explores the future
of Australian Anglicanism with recourse to the problematic rise in some
quarters of a reductionist Evangelicalism in contrast to the high standard set
by Morpeth—which exemplifies traditional Anglicanism engaged with educa-
tion—and the necessity of the quadrilateral as ‘four elements fundamental to
the Christian Church—the Scriptures, Creeds, the two Sacraments of Baptism
and Eucharist and the Episcopate’ (156). The following chapter concerns truth
and reconciliation within the Anglican Church and focuses particularly on
the problem of sexual abuse. Next, the relationship between mission and
worship in contemporary Anglicanism is addressed and nuanced: while
the two are related, the author affirms that worship belongs to the ecclesial
community—and should have some consistency—so that mission, which
is nevertheless a directive for Christians, does not overwhelmingly affect
the nature of worship via the fluctuation of cultural trends. The following
chapter responds to the claim that Jesus was not religious by contextualising
him in such a way as to show that he was. The final chapter in this section
assesses theological education in Australian Anglicanism, specifically with
reference to three crises: of formation, theological ministries, and discern-
ment and support. Here McGowan argues that theological education and
formation should go hand in hand.
Part 4, ‘Word Made Flesh: Sermons’, is divided into two sections,
‘Occasional Sermons’ and ‘Seasonal Sermons’ respectively. These sermons,
129
St Mark’s Review, No. 235 May 2016 (1)
which have much pedagogical merit, are on a number of varying topics and
so I will not address them here. I turn instead to my only misgivings about
the volume, which are that in drawing on the broad sweep of Christian
tradition throughout the centuries, there is very little engagement with the
Orthodox Church (whereas Roman Catholicism is, naturally, represented).
I acknowledge that this was not the author’s main concern, but it could
have been an interesting avenue for him to explore, given that Orthodoxy
represents itself as the most ‘traditional’ of the Christian faith communities
(and, I suggest, with good reason). Historically the Fellowship of St Albans
and St Sergius has pointed the way to such a mutually enriching engagement
between Anglican and Orthodox theologians, and McGowan’s extensive
knowledge of patristics, coupled with his long running teaching role in a
multi-denominational theological educational institution, places him in
an ideal position to engage in such a dialogue. Such an engagement might
have shed light on the author’s criticism of certain trends amongst some
Evangelicals in Australian Anglicanism. Certainly his attempts to assert
the importance of hierarchy, the sacraments (particularly the Eucharist),
the contextualisation of the scriptures within the believing community,
and a concern with ecology, could draw fruitfully from a tradition where
these important facets of the Christian experience have been maintained,
arguably, since the Church’s inception, and most certainly remain active
topics for reflection among contemporary Orthodox theologians. In any
case, this volume—which is mostly concerned with Anglican experience—is
important for Australian Anglicans (and the Anglican Communion gener-
ally), and for Christians from other traditions—like myself—seeking better
understanding of the Anglican expression of the Christian faith.
Mario Baghos
Associate Lecturer in Church History
St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney
130