Whaddya gonna do with a drunken sailor?
First, a few weeks back, the occupant of the ancient see, Mr. (Canterbury) Welby, likened Anglicanism to "drunks teetering on the cliff's edge." There's several versions of the story out there. Here's one. http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/08/21/anglican-church-a-drunk-man-staggering-ever-closer-to-the-edge-of-a-cliff-archbishop-says/
Then, out of the blue, Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) James Packer did exactly the same thing. Actually, I decided to spring for the little volume. Actually, Mr. Packer said this in 2007.
Packer, J.I. The Thirty-Nine Articles. Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2007.
Mr. Packer said with respect to the "Thirty-Nine Articles" and the worldwide loss of theological coherence in Anglicanism,
"`What shall we do with the drunken sailor?' asks the capstan-pushers work-song. Is there not need to ask a parallel question about the Church of England?" (emphasis added, 24).
Unbelievably funny (in one sense). It's too painful otherwise. Bunch of drunks!
They need a "Theological Alcoholics Anonymous" to get off the liberalism, Tractarianism, and other birds in the Broad Church party. [The Broad Church party of vast indifference has about as much interest in classical Christian theology as the Federal Trade Commission.]
Glad I wasn't catechetized by any of them; we'll keep portions of "that old" Book of Common Prayer, but we'll look elsewhere for depth and leadership, thank you. Also, keep the children and grandchildren away from the drunks.
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