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Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail
Why do so many evangelicals find themselves attracted to liturgical traditions today? Robert E. Webber suggests some answers by describing his own migration from an evangelical denomination to the Episcopal Church. Webber found that the Anglican tradition met six important needs: a sense of mystery in religious experience, a Christ-centered worship experience, a sacramental reality, a historical identity, a feeling of being part of Christ's entire church, and a holistic spirituality. Six other evangelicals who made similar pilgrimages join Webber in sharing their stories and their dreams for new openness in which God's people, both liturgical and free church, will find increased value in each other's heritage.
174 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1985
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February 9, 2013
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
I would recommend reading it in three parts and in an order that flows differently from the book. First, read the personal stories of individuals who have "walked the Canterbury Trail" from an Evangelical to Episcopal Church in part two (chapters 7-11). Next, go back and read Dr Webber's original book in part one (chapters 1-6). Finally, finish up with part three (chapters 12 & 13), which is an update on the various Anglican and Episcopal options today (an unnecessary addition in my opinion).
If you are like me and grew up in an Evangelical church (doesn't really matter the denomination...whether it was Calvinist, Armenian, Pentecostal or Charismatic has little bearing when comparing to Anglican tradition), you may have experienced a longing for something that anchors you deeper to the historical and early church. A longing for mystery, liturgy, tradition, the arts and reverence. If so, this book will resonate with you as it resonated with me. As I was reading the stories in part two on the plane, tears where streaming down my face from the memory of the impact the author had in changing my life and the similarity each story had to my own journey. The people around me on the plane must have thought I was reading a tragic love story and in a way I was.
This was actually a re-read, as I read the first edition back in 1991. At the time I was a young idealistic conservative Evangelical theology student at Wheaton College near Chicago. I arrived at Wheaton with strong fundamentalist perspectives and a burning desire to spread the Good News, but at the same time I had a growing feeling that I was missing a deeper mystery. I had the passion, emotion and strong belief, but there was something that seemed a little hollow.
I spent the 1970's as a child growing up in a liberal hippie family in N. CA, living off the land with no electricity or hot water, eating organic food before it was popular, and trying to escape the whirlwind of modernity. This all changed in the early 1980's, when our family "found Jesus" about a decade after the "Jesus Movement" of the early 70's had swept through CA. My parents did a complete about face and we all threw ourselves into an Evangelical Charismatic community. Instead of tagging along with my dad as he fought to save the "Lost Coast" of California from offshore drilling, as I had the previous decade, I found myself traveling with him as he preached on the street-corners of San Francisco and New York City. I'd hand out religious tracks and try my best as a young teen to convert everyone passing by, while Dad pulled a huge wooden cross behind him, preaching through a megaphone. I spent my high school years going on evangelistic missions, preaching in my high school and studying everything I could on Muslims, as they were going to be my primary targets for evangelism when I grew up. I especially would preach to members of the "lukewarm, back-slidden, liberal and apostatized" denominations that would periodically come up to us and engage us in conversation. Of those, the Episcopal Church was probably the farthest from God in my passionate, but grossly ignorant mind. It's sad when I look back, but it was a journey I was on.
I was passionate about God, but arrived at Wheaton after six years of intensive Bible study wondering where our religious roots were, finding many things we did and said separate from what I read in the Bible. The separatist tendencies of the Evangelical community I was a part of (I'm clearly using broad strokes here) was especially concerning to me. I had started questioning my own religious experience and background, but was unsure where to go with this growing feeling of emptiness and longing for mystery and inclusiveness. I believed the core of the Apostolic Creed and the Bible, but I questioned so much of what I had come to learn and believe about other groups and religions and I wondered how it was that we had figured it all out, while others hadn't.
That first semester I took a class from Dr Webber on Historical Theology and my eyes were opened to the greater church both present and historic in a way they had never been. His class came at the perfect time in my life. He called it the Ancient Future Church and it wasn't a specific group. For him his journey led him to the Episcopal Church and I was amazed, but happy, as it connected with my own feelings. I ate up every word he said. It gave context to what I felt and how I was floundering without an anchor. It was refreshing in the deepest way. I had started to become disillusioned to the emotionalism in the churches I was a part of and learning about the early church fathers and church history was energizing - I couldn't get enough of it!
That first year I kept re-arranging my schedule so that I could take every class Dr Webber offered. After that first year, my wife, Lilli, and I stepped into the Episcopal Church for the first time. The tradition and ritual was so healing to us and we felt at home almost immediately, even though we didn't know the words to the prayers or creeds. We spent the next few years there and it was one of the best religious experiences of our lives - growing in faith as we explored the mystery of God that had been so clearly explained before, but now was a becoming a matter of faith, mystery and wonder.
After college we ended up in the Pacific Northwest, where we've lived for the past eighteen years. I'm not sure what happened, but we ended up in a series of Evangelical churches and didn't continue in the liturgical church. Over the past two decades we've hopped from one community to the next, constantly looking for that deep sense of communion with not only those around us, but the historical family of faith who came before us. The last three years we've been part of an incredible community that we will miss greatly. An amazing group of friends who were also inclusive and exploring the mystery of faith, but this community didn't have that same feeling of connection with the ancient church liturgy that we felt those three years in Chicago so long ago and we've talked periodically about that.
So, this new edition arrived the day before we flew from Portland, OR to Morristown, NJ for a cross country move and I found myself reading it on the plane. I read it straight through, unlike the order I recommend above. The first part was a refresher of what I read years before, but it was when I hit part two that the impact hit and the tears started. Everything that resonated with me as a young college student hit me again, like fresh water on parched ground.
Tomorrow are going to visit our first church here in New Jersey and it is an Episcopal Church. We don't know where we will end up, but this book has definitely played a part in my journey - over twenty years ago and again today. I'm excited about the journey and encourage you in yours.
Whether it is an Evangelical, Episcopal, Catholic or other community of faith, may you find a place of communion with others both present and past as you explore the wonderful mystery of faith.
September 5, 2022
A narrow glimpse of mainline evangelicals moving towards the Episcopal church. (All of the testimonies are connected to St Barnabas Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn, IL. The effect of Webber is still seen on the clergy bios on their website, nearly forty years after this book was published.) I found it interesting as a sort of period piece. So much has happened in the Episcopal/Anglican church in the past four decades. This movement is perhaps stronger now than it was back then.
As a member of the Baptist-to-Anglican pipeline myself, I found something of my own story in these pages, which was illuminating. Yet, the testimonies were both uneven and disappointingly uniform. One was so navel-gazing that I found it hard to see the writer himself through the screen of his analysis of his self-examination. Nearly everyone in the book came from a low-church background, had some sort of intellectual grapple with the worship form, found the Episcopal church, and all was made well. Most of them came through Wheaton College, and like I said, they all went to St Barnabas at some point. They were all white, middle-class, college-educated, et c. It was just very same-y and not reflective of my own Anglican congregation.
I would be interested to read the updated edition, as it has new testimonies.
As a member of the Baptist-to-Anglican pipeline myself, I found something of my own story in these pages, which was illuminating. Yet, the testimonies were both uneven and disappointingly uniform. One was so navel-gazing that I found it hard to see the writer himself through the screen of his analysis of his self-examination. Nearly everyone in the book came from a low-church background, had some sort of intellectual grapple with the worship form, found the Episcopal church, and all was made well. Most of them came through Wheaton College, and like I said, they all went to St Barnabas at some point. They were all white, middle-class, college-educated, et c. It was just very same-y and not reflective of my own Anglican congregation.
I would be interested to read the updated edition, as it has new testimonies.
April 13, 2019
2 years ago we started attending and soon after were confirmed in the Anglican Church. Many of these reasons resonated with me and gave me better words to talk to friends who ask, “why the switch.” As mentioned in this republication, there are many different strains even within Anglicanism. We lean much more toward high church/Anglo-Catholic, and so I didn’t agree with everything that was said, but the overall desire for historicity, sacramental focus, and experiencing/participating in worship with more than just my mind hit home.
There was a fondness and a respect for the positives of the evangelical church. The author does not bash anyone, but desires to see an elevation in worship across the whole church universal.
Overall, a quick and helpful read for those on the “Canterbury trail” or those trying to understand someone who is. It is not a detailed explanation of doctrine or practice. Just touches on a few relevant points.
There was a fondness and a respect for the positives of the evangelical church. The author does not bash anyone, but desires to see an elevation in worship across the whole church universal.
Overall, a quick and helpful read for those on the “Canterbury trail” or those trying to understand someone who is. It is not a detailed explanation of doctrine or practice. Just touches on a few relevant points.
December 23, 2018
"Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals Are Attracted to the Liturgical Church" was an exceptional read for me. I have felt myself being drawn to the "Canterbury Trail" (although I have not previously named it as that) over the past year as I have learned more about the historical church. There were points in the book where I wondered whether I or Robert Webber had written the book because he gave voice to many of the thoughts and feelings I have been having—in many ways he physically wrote them in a way I would have written them too!
Webber, professor of Bible Theology at Wheaton College, grew up in and was a member of an evangelical denomination (fundamentalist Baptist) and migrated to the Episcopal Church after he began teaching at Wheaton. In the book, he reflects on the six primary reasons (a chapter for each one) that he has found for why evangelicals are drawn to the liturgical church. They are six needs that he believes the Anglican tradition meets for many believers; I will share a few thoughts on each one:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1) MYSTERY: A sense of mystery in religious experience
Like Webber, I found that "my experience was simply this: the more certain I became about my ability to defend God's existence and explain his character, the less real he seemed to me" (25). Christianity became to me "no longer a power to be experienced but a system to be defended" (24), and because of this "I was drying up spiritually. The reservoir of God's presence in my life was running low. But forget that. I had the answers. And, after all, I had been taught that the answers were what made the difference" (25).
I also loved the Christianity which I had created; "everything fit together so neatly and nicely" (26). And "I had developed a smug complacency about my ability to handle the mysteries of life with a touch of knowledge" (26). I really believed that "any 'true' Christian with a knowledge of the Bible and common sense would agree with me . . . Reason alone would eventually force all into conformity with my interpretation" (26). Over the past several years, it is not that I have been questioning the truth of the answers (although I have with some), but it is more that "I simply wanted to know why it was all so cold, so calculated, so rational, [and] so dead" (28). But until I began to learn more broadly about the church, I found no alternative. Recently, I have been learning that "what [I] need is not answers about God but God himself" (30).
2) WORSHIP: A Christ-centered worship experience
This is about the center of our Sunday morning worship (church service) not being about evangelism per se or about education per se but being about Christ. "I have been put off by the narcissism of much contemporary worship. In this setting the orientation of worship appears to center around me, my feelings, and my experience, rather than around God, his person, and his work in Jesus Christ" (40). I too have had a desire for more than just the consumer "me-me-me mentality" of much of worship.
3) SACRAMENTS: A sacramental reality
This has not been a strong initial pull for me, but it is a slowly growing desire as I am understanding what it means bit-by-bit. "Because of my [evangelical] background, the words 'becoming sacramental' still have an odd ring. And on occasion a red flag goes up in response to such words as liturgical or Eucharist . . . There was a time I would have tossed [these] idea[s] out as heretical . . . I would have dismissed any hint of a visible or tangible sign of this meeting as dangerous and non-biblical" (47).
I am having to come to grips with the idea that "a supernatural Christianity based on 'God with us' in Jesus Christ and a sacramental Christianity that recognizes God's continued presence with us in the church through visible signs are really two sides of the same coin" (49). "I'm no longer willing to look at my world through the eyes of Enlightenment rationalism. I'm convinced that there is more to life than what can be seen by the naked eye, by literalism, or by reason. A conviction to the supernatural calls me to see what is behind the literal, to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of life" (49).
"I no longer regard the sacraments as magical or pagan. Rather, I have come to believe they are visible means through which the saving and healing action of God through Jesus Christ is communicated to his people. The sacraments do not save us. They are vehicles through which the salvation of the world accomplished by Christ is extended to us. They bring Christ to us and touch us with his healing power" (55-56).
4) IDENTITY: A historical identity
This point and the next have been the strongest pulling factors for me away from evangelicalism, hands down. Although I have not become an Episcopalian, this quote by Melody Patterson really captures my recent feelings well: "In the past I felt as though Christianity began a few years before I became a Christian. I began to sense a real need to belong to my Christian heritage. When I became an Episcopalian (for me: as I have studied more about the church), I added a new dimension to my faith that I had never experienced before. I now feel my connection with all those Christians that have gone before me" (57).
Webber goes on to speak for me: "I wanted to belong to church history—to feel myself a part of the past. I wanted to stand in the tradition of those who had gone before me. I felt separated from the past and conscious only of my immediate present" (58). "I had always looked back on the history of the Church in a judgemental manner. Somehow, I felt that where I was in time and space was better than where anyone else had been. Now, because of the link with the apostles, I wanted to stand within history and march forward. I felt like I had found my family tree in the attic. I had this overwhelming urge to discover for the first time my Christian lineage" (61-62).
Growing up, no one in my church ever spoke about the many Christians who came before us. They were never quoted, they were never looked to for wisdom or guidance, their wonderful stories of faith were never shared, their thoughts were not even critiqued—it was like they didn't exist! I have been increasingly realizing (on my own) that the TWO THOUSAND YEARS of Christians who have come before us have been incredible thinkers, leaders, theologians, pastors, martyrs, etc. from whom there is so so so much to learn. Was it possible that some of them actually understood the faith better than I do? I truly believe it is a tragedy that so many Christians are being raised and nurtured in environments which neglect the rich history of the church, OUR history.
5) ENTIRE CHURCH: A feeling of being a part of Christ's entire church
Growing up, I thought, "How could I, a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical, a Christian committed to Protestant Christianity, have anything in common with a Roman Catholic? How could we pray together, read and discuss scripture and fellowship together? Can Jerusalem and Babylon have anything in common? . . . Maybe, I thought, I could be a witness to these pagans and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ . . . Would these Mary-worshippers, these advocated of works righteousness, these saint worshipers, and pray-ers for the dead know anything about true Christianity? Would they be so steeped in tradition, so warped by liturgy, and so attached to their beads that discussion of Scripture, personal prayer, and fellowship would be foreign to their experience?" (62-63).
I had somehow developed the idea that our Protestant, evangelical Christianity was the only true expression of the faith. All other denominations or groups had erred terribly somewhere along the way and needed to be saved; Literally, I believed they didn't know Jesus. I hesitated to include Catholics under the umbrella of Christianity at all. "All of this worked very neatly for me and I felt most comfortable with it until I actually met Arminians, Lutherans, Anabaptists, and Roman Catholics (may I add Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Eastern Orthodox) who were devout Christian people. The neat little lines I had drawn to assure my identity were beginning to crumble" (60-61).
"As time went on my prejudices against the Roman Catholics (and other Christians) began to fall by the wayside. I had encountered real people who were deeply committed to Christ as his church—people who expressed their faith in a tradition different than mine, but people whom I had to admit challenged me in my own faith experience. I felt that they loved Christ more than I did, that they knew more about the Christian faith than I did, that they cared deeply about prayer and spirituality, and that they were deeply devoted to the poor, the hungry, and the outcasts of this world . . . There is one thing I have become convinced of. It is this: evangelical Christians do not have a monopoly on the faith. God has his people in every expression of the faith—Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, fundamentalist, evangelical, Holiness, [and] charismatic" (64).
"My experience of God's people who were of a completely different tradition than mine gave me pause for reflection. 'Where,' I had to ask myself, 'is my identity? Am I an evangelical, a fundamentalist? What am I? Where do I belong? I remembered Paul's admonition to the Corinthian church: 'For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely men?' (1 Cor.. 3:4). Could it be, I asked, that we need to hear Paul's admonition today in a fresh way? Is the situation in today's church an expanded version of the Corinthian problem? Are we putting our labels before Christ? I was convinced that I had done this and I was resolved to find a way to overcome my failure to affirm the whole church" (64).
"My problem with those who fight against the unity of the church is that they often do so on the grounds of secondary issues. We may not all agree that the Bible is inerrant, but we can agree that it is the authoritative apostolic witness to Jesus Christ. We may not be able to agree on our specific interpretation of bread and wine, but we can at least agree that they are the symbols of Christ living, dying, and rising again for our salvation. We may not be able to agree on our specific interpretation and practice of baptism, but we ought to be able to agree that this is God's sign to us of his grace and love toward us. We may not be able to agree on the specifics of the end times, but we can agree on the coming again of Christ" (74).
"In this [Episcopal] tradition we recognize that that which hold the church together is more important than that which divides the church . . . My choice is to stress this unity and acknowledge our differences as the human and cultural element of the church. I want to both affirm all God's people everywhere and seek to understand, affirm, and enjoy the differences between us" (74).
"God saves us not because of the label we wear, but because of what he has done in Jesus Christ for us all. When we truly affirm that confession, then we have found our identity with the history of all God's people. Our family tree begins not with the Reformation or the twentieth-century evangelical movement but with Jesus Christ, and it continues through the Apostles, the primitive Christian community, the Apostolic Fathers, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Church of the Reformation, and all who say 'Jesus is Lord' . . . To affirm our identity with all God's people everywhere is to recover from historical amnesia and to discover our identity. We belong to a great company of saints . . . Together we are one in Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters in the community of faith with Christ as our head. Thanks be to God!" (65-66).
6) HOLISTIC SPIRITUALITY
"It is not unusual to find people leaving the liturgical tradition because of its failure to stress conversion adequately. On the other hand, it not unusual to find evangelicals leaving evangelical churches because they overstress conversion and inadequately emphasize growth in Christ" (76-77). It is this overstressing of conversion and neglecting of the CONTINUAL transformative power of Christ in our lives each day FOLLOWING our conversion that pushes me away from classical evangelicalism. I am mournful at the many Christians who sit in the pews of our churches each week who—because they are "saved" and are "nice" people—believe that there is nothing more to the Christian faith! Rather, there is a LIFETIME of growth, of journeying with our Risen Lord! The Spirit is with us transforming us as we seek God in deeper and deeper ways throughout our lives. Justification without sanctification may be faith, but it is faith that is hollow and empty.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The second half of the book contains the personal stories of six different individuals who found themselves on a path to the liturgical church as well. These were not just fascinating to read, but there were a number of points where my thoughts and feelings linked with the thoughts and feelings they wrestled through as they made this journey.
Although Webber does not hold back in critiquing the weaknesses of evangelicalism, in all of it, he maintains that "Christianity is like a diamond. To see it in all of its fullness and beauty, we must see it from all of its sides. Anglicanism has a side to it that is not found within the evangelical church. And the opposite of this is true. Evangelicalism has strengths that can enrich and strengthen the Anglican tradition as well" (p. 12). He spends a large portion of the final chapter of the book naming the strengths of evangelicalism and the ways in which it has much to bring to the Anglican church and liturgical church at large. The strengths he sees are evangelicals' 1) sense of personal conversion, 2) deep concern to be orthodox, 3) attachment and love for the scripture, and 4) a sense of mission (170).
He calls not for a radical casting-off of one for the sake of the other, but, rather, a symbiotic relationship where we (evangelical and liturgical) learn and grow from the strengths of one another. He contends that we can no longer live "in our own spiritual ghettos" (167), and he is prompting the church towards a new era, not of divisiveness and tribalism—as has been present in our denominationalism—but to an era marked by unity and by a "convergence of the evangelical and catholic traditions" (165).
"Evangelicals and the liturgical tradition need each other. We can no longer remain behind the walls of separation we have built against each other. We can no longer perpetuate the caricatures we have drawn of each other. Yes, there will be some on both sides who will continue the myths. But we must rise above them, above pettiness, above spiritual pride, and affirm the whole church of Christ and our need for each other" (171).
Webber, professor of Bible Theology at Wheaton College, grew up in and was a member of an evangelical denomination (fundamentalist Baptist) and migrated to the Episcopal Church after he began teaching at Wheaton. In the book, he reflects on the six primary reasons (a chapter for each one) that he has found for why evangelicals are drawn to the liturgical church. They are six needs that he believes the Anglican tradition meets for many believers; I will share a few thoughts on each one:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1) MYSTERY: A sense of mystery in religious experience
Like Webber, I found that "my experience was simply this: the more certain I became about my ability to defend God's existence and explain his character, the less real he seemed to me" (25). Christianity became to me "no longer a power to be experienced but a system to be defended" (24), and because of this "I was drying up spiritually. The reservoir of God's presence in my life was running low. But forget that. I had the answers. And, after all, I had been taught that the answers were what made the difference" (25).
I also loved the Christianity which I had created; "everything fit together so neatly and nicely" (26). And "I had developed a smug complacency about my ability to handle the mysteries of life with a touch of knowledge" (26). I really believed that "any 'true' Christian with a knowledge of the Bible and common sense would agree with me . . . Reason alone would eventually force all into conformity with my interpretation" (26). Over the past several years, it is not that I have been questioning the truth of the answers (although I have with some), but it is more that "I simply wanted to know why it was all so cold, so calculated, so rational, [and] so dead" (28). But until I began to learn more broadly about the church, I found no alternative. Recently, I have been learning that "what [I] need is not answers about God but God himself" (30).
2) WORSHIP: A Christ-centered worship experience
This is about the center of our Sunday morning worship (church service) not being about evangelism per se or about education per se but being about Christ. "I have been put off by the narcissism of much contemporary worship. In this setting the orientation of worship appears to center around me, my feelings, and my experience, rather than around God, his person, and his work in Jesus Christ" (40). I too have had a desire for more than just the consumer "me-me-me mentality" of much of worship.
3) SACRAMENTS: A sacramental reality
This has not been a strong initial pull for me, but it is a slowly growing desire as I am understanding what it means bit-by-bit. "Because of my [evangelical] background, the words 'becoming sacramental' still have an odd ring. And on occasion a red flag goes up in response to such words as liturgical or Eucharist . . . There was a time I would have tossed [these] idea[s] out as heretical . . . I would have dismissed any hint of a visible or tangible sign of this meeting as dangerous and non-biblical" (47).
I am having to come to grips with the idea that "a supernatural Christianity based on 'God with us' in Jesus Christ and a sacramental Christianity that recognizes God's continued presence with us in the church through visible signs are really two sides of the same coin" (49). "I'm no longer willing to look at my world through the eyes of Enlightenment rationalism. I'm convinced that there is more to life than what can be seen by the naked eye, by literalism, or by reason. A conviction to the supernatural calls me to see what is behind the literal, to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of life" (49).
"I no longer regard the sacraments as magical or pagan. Rather, I have come to believe they are visible means through which the saving and healing action of God through Jesus Christ is communicated to his people. The sacraments do not save us. They are vehicles through which the salvation of the world accomplished by Christ is extended to us. They bring Christ to us and touch us with his healing power" (55-56).
4) IDENTITY: A historical identity
This point and the next have been the strongest pulling factors for me away from evangelicalism, hands down. Although I have not become an Episcopalian, this quote by Melody Patterson really captures my recent feelings well: "In the past I felt as though Christianity began a few years before I became a Christian. I began to sense a real need to belong to my Christian heritage. When I became an Episcopalian (for me: as I have studied more about the church), I added a new dimension to my faith that I had never experienced before. I now feel my connection with all those Christians that have gone before me" (57).
Webber goes on to speak for me: "I wanted to belong to church history—to feel myself a part of the past. I wanted to stand in the tradition of those who had gone before me. I felt separated from the past and conscious only of my immediate present" (58). "I had always looked back on the history of the Church in a judgemental manner. Somehow, I felt that where I was in time and space was better than where anyone else had been. Now, because of the link with the apostles, I wanted to stand within history and march forward. I felt like I had found my family tree in the attic. I had this overwhelming urge to discover for the first time my Christian lineage" (61-62).
Growing up, no one in my church ever spoke about the many Christians who came before us. They were never quoted, they were never looked to for wisdom or guidance, their wonderful stories of faith were never shared, their thoughts were not even critiqued—it was like they didn't exist! I have been increasingly realizing (on my own) that the TWO THOUSAND YEARS of Christians who have come before us have been incredible thinkers, leaders, theologians, pastors, martyrs, etc. from whom there is so so so much to learn. Was it possible that some of them actually understood the faith better than I do? I truly believe it is a tragedy that so many Christians are being raised and nurtured in environments which neglect the rich history of the church, OUR history.
5) ENTIRE CHURCH: A feeling of being a part of Christ's entire church
Growing up, I thought, "How could I, a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical, a Christian committed to Protestant Christianity, have anything in common with a Roman Catholic? How could we pray together, read and discuss scripture and fellowship together? Can Jerusalem and Babylon have anything in common? . . . Maybe, I thought, I could be a witness to these pagans and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ . . . Would these Mary-worshippers, these advocated of works righteousness, these saint worshipers, and pray-ers for the dead know anything about true Christianity? Would they be so steeped in tradition, so warped by liturgy, and so attached to their beads that discussion of Scripture, personal prayer, and fellowship would be foreign to their experience?" (62-63).
I had somehow developed the idea that our Protestant, evangelical Christianity was the only true expression of the faith. All other denominations or groups had erred terribly somewhere along the way and needed to be saved; Literally, I believed they didn't know Jesus. I hesitated to include Catholics under the umbrella of Christianity at all. "All of this worked very neatly for me and I felt most comfortable with it until I actually met Arminians, Lutherans, Anabaptists, and Roman Catholics (may I add Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Eastern Orthodox) who were devout Christian people. The neat little lines I had drawn to assure my identity were beginning to crumble" (60-61).
"As time went on my prejudices against the Roman Catholics (and other Christians) began to fall by the wayside. I had encountered real people who were deeply committed to Christ as his church—people who expressed their faith in a tradition different than mine, but people whom I had to admit challenged me in my own faith experience. I felt that they loved Christ more than I did, that they knew more about the Christian faith than I did, that they cared deeply about prayer and spirituality, and that they were deeply devoted to the poor, the hungry, and the outcasts of this world . . . There is one thing I have become convinced of. It is this: evangelical Christians do not have a monopoly on the faith. God has his people in every expression of the faith—Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, fundamentalist, evangelical, Holiness, [and] charismatic" (64).
"My experience of God's people who were of a completely different tradition than mine gave me pause for reflection. 'Where,' I had to ask myself, 'is my identity? Am I an evangelical, a fundamentalist? What am I? Where do I belong? I remembered Paul's admonition to the Corinthian church: 'For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely men?' (1 Cor.. 3:4). Could it be, I asked, that we need to hear Paul's admonition today in a fresh way? Is the situation in today's church an expanded version of the Corinthian problem? Are we putting our labels before Christ? I was convinced that I had done this and I was resolved to find a way to overcome my failure to affirm the whole church" (64).
"My problem with those who fight against the unity of the church is that they often do so on the grounds of secondary issues. We may not all agree that the Bible is inerrant, but we can agree that it is the authoritative apostolic witness to Jesus Christ. We may not be able to agree on our specific interpretation of bread and wine, but we can at least agree that they are the symbols of Christ living, dying, and rising again for our salvation. We may not be able to agree on our specific interpretation and practice of baptism, but we ought to be able to agree that this is God's sign to us of his grace and love toward us. We may not be able to agree on the specifics of the end times, but we can agree on the coming again of Christ" (74).
"In this [Episcopal] tradition we recognize that that which hold the church together is more important than that which divides the church . . . My choice is to stress this unity and acknowledge our differences as the human and cultural element of the church. I want to both affirm all God's people everywhere and seek to understand, affirm, and enjoy the differences between us" (74).
"God saves us not because of the label we wear, but because of what he has done in Jesus Christ for us all. When we truly affirm that confession, then we have found our identity with the history of all God's people. Our family tree begins not with the Reformation or the twentieth-century evangelical movement but with Jesus Christ, and it continues through the Apostles, the primitive Christian community, the Apostolic Fathers, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Church of the Reformation, and all who say 'Jesus is Lord' . . . To affirm our identity with all God's people everywhere is to recover from historical amnesia and to discover our identity. We belong to a great company of saints . . . Together we are one in Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters in the community of faith with Christ as our head. Thanks be to God!" (65-66).
6) HOLISTIC SPIRITUALITY
"It is not unusual to find people leaving the liturgical tradition because of its failure to stress conversion adequately. On the other hand, it not unusual to find evangelicals leaving evangelical churches because they overstress conversion and inadequately emphasize growth in Christ" (76-77). It is this overstressing of conversion and neglecting of the CONTINUAL transformative power of Christ in our lives each day FOLLOWING our conversion that pushes me away from classical evangelicalism. I am mournful at the many Christians who sit in the pews of our churches each week who—because they are "saved" and are "nice" people—believe that there is nothing more to the Christian faith! Rather, there is a LIFETIME of growth, of journeying with our Risen Lord! The Spirit is with us transforming us as we seek God in deeper and deeper ways throughout our lives. Justification without sanctification may be faith, but it is faith that is hollow and empty.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The second half of the book contains the personal stories of six different individuals who found themselves on a path to the liturgical church as well. These were not just fascinating to read, but there were a number of points where my thoughts and feelings linked with the thoughts and feelings they wrestled through as they made this journey.
Although Webber does not hold back in critiquing the weaknesses of evangelicalism, in all of it, he maintains that "Christianity is like a diamond. To see it in all of its fullness and beauty, we must see it from all of its sides. Anglicanism has a side to it that is not found within the evangelical church. And the opposite of this is true. Evangelicalism has strengths that can enrich and strengthen the Anglican tradition as well" (p. 12). He spends a large portion of the final chapter of the book naming the strengths of evangelicalism and the ways in which it has much to bring to the Anglican church and liturgical church at large. The strengths he sees are evangelicals' 1) sense of personal conversion, 2) deep concern to be orthodox, 3) attachment and love for the scripture, and 4) a sense of mission (170).
He calls not for a radical casting-off of one for the sake of the other, but, rather, a symbiotic relationship where we (evangelical and liturgical) learn and grow from the strengths of one another. He contends that we can no longer live "in our own spiritual ghettos" (167), and he is prompting the church towards a new era, not of divisiveness and tribalism—as has been present in our denominationalism—but to an era marked by unity and by a "convergence of the evangelical and catholic traditions" (165).
"Evangelicals and the liturgical tradition need each other. We can no longer remain behind the walls of separation we have built against each other. We can no longer perpetuate the caricatures we have drawn of each other. Yes, there will be some on both sides who will continue the myths. But we must rise above them, above pettiness, above spiritual pride, and affirm the whole church of Christ and our need for each other" (171).
January 10, 2020
An odd little book. The edition I read was somewhat dated (1985); much has happened in the Anglican Communion since then. In summary, this book describes the movement by the author, a late Professor at Wheaton College, and others, to join the Episcopal Church from various evangelical backgrounds. Almost all have some connection to Wheaton College (a Christian college) and apparently went to the same Episcopal Church (St. Barnabas). I am happy for them, but this seems in many regards to be the result of a hothouse-like effect among people who take religion very seriously. I don't know how applicable it will be today among people who don't go to religious colleges/seminaries, or are in clergy positions.
Note: the newer edition has all new testimonies.
Note: the newer edition has all new testimonies.
July 23, 2018
I didn't finish reading this book. I got about halfway through this book, and since I wasn't enjoying it at all decided to move on - there are too many books in the world to waste time.
This may be a helpful book to someone who is trying to define their attraction to liturgical worship, or someone who wishes to better understand someone who is making the switch. However, having been there/done that myself, I didn't really need to read a whole book about what I'd just done. Much of the discussion of differences between evangelicalism and more orthodox worship is presented as worse/better. This left a poor taste in my mouth. I could say it was a craving for something unmet in evangelicalism that had me looking across the aisle, but it's difficult to pinpoint exactly why a soul moves between the denominations and other categories we've laid out. Perhaps it is mostly our own discomfort at being categorized as we worship an uncategorical God.
This may be a helpful book to someone who is trying to define their attraction to liturgical worship, or someone who wishes to better understand someone who is making the switch. However, having been there/done that myself, I didn't really need to read a whole book about what I'd just done. Much of the discussion of differences between evangelicalism and more orthodox worship is presented as worse/better. This left a poor taste in my mouth. I could say it was a craving for something unmet in evangelicalism that had me looking across the aisle, but it's difficult to pinpoint exactly why a soul moves between the denominations and other categories we've laid out. Perhaps it is mostly our own discomfort at being categorized as we worship an uncategorical God.
August 7, 2017
Rather dated at this point, but a good and concise look at the author's faith story.
September 1, 2014
The late Robert Webber was one of the most prominent proponents of the “ancient-future faith.” Through his works, along with that of others such as Thomas Howard and Thomas Oden, many low-church evangelicals have become attracted to the liturgical churches. “Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail” specifically focuses on Webber’s own pilgrimage into the Episcopal (Anglican) Church, although in the introduction he also notes that there is also a movement of Protestants streaming into more historically-rooted denominations such as Presbyterianism and Methodism.
Webber’s explanations are persuasive and clear. He is incredibly humble in his discussion of low-church evangelicals, acknowledging his own debt to his fundamentalist background. This humility acknowledges that God uses diverse approaches and styles in His Church. Webber explains how he was attracted to traditional liturgy, sacraments, experience, etc…
Webber’s most perceptive statement regards the role of the church service. He states that Evangelical churches think of the church service in an evangelistic way – as the entry point for “saving souls.” Because of this, the service is made accessible and down-to-earth, especially mindful of being “seeker-sensitive.” Walk into an Evangelical church today and you will hear modern music with electric guitar and drums, a sanctuary that is barren of any adornment save perhaps a large cross and a pastor dressed in a casual shirt or, at worst, perhaps a suit. In contrast, liturgical churches uphold many traditions that are radically counter-cultural to modern society but that are rooted in historic practice (e.g. kneeling, corporate, recitation of prayers, vestments, incense). The question that must be asked is is one approach better than the other (here I cannot help think of Paul’s writing in 1 Cor. 9:20, that “to a Jew I became a Jew, etc…”; I myself prefer the rich hymnody of the Wesleys, Isaac Watts, and others, but Evangelicals seek to bring people to Christ while refiguring the church’s style and methods to suit contemporary needs and tastes).
The 2012 edition of this book is timely because since its original publication, much of North American Anglicanism has changed (e.g. founding of the ACNA). This edition also features accounts from others who have traversed down the Canterbury trail. These are interesting and offer a diverse array of narratives, but I preferred the first half written by Webber more. One unfair criticism of some of the contributors is that they seem to suggest that Evangelical services are “pastor-centered” because they tend to have longer sermons, as opposed to the briefer homilies in liturgical churches which are more focused on Jesus and the Eucharist. I hardly think a forty-minute sermon means a church is “pastor-centered” over Jesus-centered. The pastor is proclaiming the great work of the Word of God, of Jesus Christ. They are recounting Biblical narratives and explaining them in a way that is made clearer to those in the pews (after all, no one would ever say the Bible is always easy to understand). Some contributors also expressed an aversion to witnessing which made them feel distant from Evangelicalism; of course, not all are called to be evangelists as the Bible says, but can the problem ever be the individual as opposed to the witnessing? David Madeira’s account reminds us that Anglicanism’s full-bodied worship engages both our physicality as well as our minds (though, perhaps to a smaller degree, modern worship does acknowledge our physicality; how many Christians sing worship songs with their hands/arms upraised as a sign?).
My concern for the unchurched in a very post-Christian culture links me to Evangelicalism, despite the fact that there is a beauty and rhythm to traditional liturgy (because even Evangelicals have liturgy) that seems especially good at formation. At the same time that low-church evangelicals are crossing the Bosphorus, roaming to Rome or traipsing down the Canterbury trail, it is also interesting to note the charismatics are ALSO embracing a sacramental and ancient-faith spirituality (one of the draws of the liturgical churches is there emphasis on the sacraments), as priest Barry Taylor notes in the afterward. For instance, I think of Peter Scazzero’s advocacy of contemplative spirituality. My current church is a C&MA alliance but every Sunday evening we partake of communion while a local Anglican church that meets at the same time does not. We use bread, while they use wafers (isn’t fresh-baked bread more earthy than tasteless wafer?). My C&MA church also anoints the newly-baptized with oil and at the Ash Wednesday service we receive ashes on our forehead. Thus, I think many charismatic Christians are embracing the ancient-future faith in their own way. This book has helped me appreciate the strengths of both Anglicanism and low-church evangelicalism and made me think about how the two can complement and correct one another.
Webber’s explanations are persuasive and clear. He is incredibly humble in his discussion of low-church evangelicals, acknowledging his own debt to his fundamentalist background. This humility acknowledges that God uses diverse approaches and styles in His Church. Webber explains how he was attracted to traditional liturgy, sacraments, experience, etc…
Webber’s most perceptive statement regards the role of the church service. He states that Evangelical churches think of the church service in an evangelistic way – as the entry point for “saving souls.” Because of this, the service is made accessible and down-to-earth, especially mindful of being “seeker-sensitive.” Walk into an Evangelical church today and you will hear modern music with electric guitar and drums, a sanctuary that is barren of any adornment save perhaps a large cross and a pastor dressed in a casual shirt or, at worst, perhaps a suit. In contrast, liturgical churches uphold many traditions that are radically counter-cultural to modern society but that are rooted in historic practice (e.g. kneeling, corporate, recitation of prayers, vestments, incense). The question that must be asked is is one approach better than the other (here I cannot help think of Paul’s writing in 1 Cor. 9:20, that “to a Jew I became a Jew, etc…”; I myself prefer the rich hymnody of the Wesleys, Isaac Watts, and others, but Evangelicals seek to bring people to Christ while refiguring the church’s style and methods to suit contemporary needs and tastes).
The 2012 edition of this book is timely because since its original publication, much of North American Anglicanism has changed (e.g. founding of the ACNA). This edition also features accounts from others who have traversed down the Canterbury trail. These are interesting and offer a diverse array of narratives, but I preferred the first half written by Webber more. One unfair criticism of some of the contributors is that they seem to suggest that Evangelical services are “pastor-centered” because they tend to have longer sermons, as opposed to the briefer homilies in liturgical churches which are more focused on Jesus and the Eucharist. I hardly think a forty-minute sermon means a church is “pastor-centered” over Jesus-centered. The pastor is proclaiming the great work of the Word of God, of Jesus Christ. They are recounting Biblical narratives and explaining them in a way that is made clearer to those in the pews (after all, no one would ever say the Bible is always easy to understand). Some contributors also expressed an aversion to witnessing which made them feel distant from Evangelicalism; of course, not all are called to be evangelists as the Bible says, but can the problem ever be the individual as opposed to the witnessing? David Madeira’s account reminds us that Anglicanism’s full-bodied worship engages both our physicality as well as our minds (though, perhaps to a smaller degree, modern worship does acknowledge our physicality; how many Christians sing worship songs with their hands/arms upraised as a sign?).
My concern for the unchurched in a very post-Christian culture links me to Evangelicalism, despite the fact that there is a beauty and rhythm to traditional liturgy (because even Evangelicals have liturgy) that seems especially good at formation. At the same time that low-church evangelicals are crossing the Bosphorus, roaming to Rome or traipsing down the Canterbury trail, it is also interesting to note the charismatics are ALSO embracing a sacramental and ancient-faith spirituality (one of the draws of the liturgical churches is there emphasis on the sacraments), as priest Barry Taylor notes in the afterward. For instance, I think of Peter Scazzero’s advocacy of contemplative spirituality. My current church is a C&MA alliance but every Sunday evening we partake of communion while a local Anglican church that meets at the same time does not. We use bread, while they use wafers (isn’t fresh-baked bread more earthy than tasteless wafer?). My C&MA church also anoints the newly-baptized with oil and at the Ash Wednesday service we receive ashes on our forehead. Thus, I think many charismatic Christians are embracing the ancient-future faith in their own way. This book has helped me appreciate the strengths of both Anglicanism and low-church evangelicalism and made me think about how the two can complement and correct one another.
January 9, 2022
Webber’s book is perhaps best summed up by it’s subtitle, “Why Evangelicals are Attracted to the Liturgical Church.” This is a great book for any non-denominational / free church / or generic American evangelical who is drawn to something more than the “4 songs, a sermon, announcements, and then chipotle with friends” kind of a church. It’s also helpful for those who are friends with those who have liturgical leanings, because we can seem a little strange (especially to ex-Catholics).
In this classic work, Webber shares his own story of moving from a baptist fundamentalist “Wheaton Evangelical Christian,” to the Episcopal Church. He does this by talking through 6 subjects or reasons that drew him into more ancient church practices: mystery, worship, sacraments, historic identity, ecclesiastical home, and holistic spirituality. This is a great summary of the reasons you’ll find many evangelicals make their way into liturgical traditions.
What’s great about his approach is that it’s a very gracious one. He isn’t trying to convince all evangelicals to walk the Canterbury trail, but he does make a compelling case. This particular edition also includes other stories from evangelicals who have made their way into anglicanism. In particular, I really enjoyed reading his own daughter’s journey. I’m knew to learning about anglicanism, but every other author I’ve read (Bishop Todd Hunter, Thomas McKenzie, and Winfield Bevins) have mentioned this work. It’s kind of the like the classic text when it comes to evangelical’s making their way in the anglican Church.
Here are some quotes from his book.
In his first chapter—on mystery—he talks about moving from a reformed, “I have all the answers,” seminarian to being dissatisfied with a simply rational faith. As he was learning systematic theology and the expectation was a closer walk with God he said,
“…the opposite happened to me. I felt as though I was following after the God on the blackboard, the God in the textbook. My experience was simply this: The more certain I became about my ability to defend God’s existence and explain his character, the less real he seemed to me,” (8).
On communion and the sacraments, he notes how in the church he grew up in they often emphasized 1 Cor. 11:27-32. Which is about making sure one takes communion in a right manner. Of course that’s a good instruction to heed. However, we should remember that it’s in the context of a church gone wild. People were using the communion wine to get drunk! Often this text gets so laid on God’s people that it creates a fear of taking communion. The focus becomes, “Did I take communion right or am I good enough to take it,” instead of freely receiving what has been freely given. In the Episcopal church, with it’s focus on the sacraments Webber notes,
“All these worries rolled away when I was set free by understanding that the bread and wine are God’s symbol’s of love toward me. They now speak to me of the mystery of my salvation. Rather than sending me into myself in search of this or that sin to confess, the Eucharist makes me aware that I never have been and never will be worthy. But more than that, the Eucharist tells me that I am acceptable to God because of Jesus Christ. He has done all that needs to be done to make me acceptable to the father,” (41).
There’s more I could say, but this is getting long. If you’re interested in Anglicanism, I’d suggest beginning with “Simply Anglican,” by Winfield Bevins as a companion or even as a book to read first.
In this classic work, Webber shares his own story of moving from a baptist fundamentalist “Wheaton Evangelical Christian,” to the Episcopal Church. He does this by talking through 6 subjects or reasons that drew him into more ancient church practices: mystery, worship, sacraments, historic identity, ecclesiastical home, and holistic spirituality. This is a great summary of the reasons you’ll find many evangelicals make their way into liturgical traditions.
What’s great about his approach is that it’s a very gracious one. He isn’t trying to convince all evangelicals to walk the Canterbury trail, but he does make a compelling case. This particular edition also includes other stories from evangelicals who have made their way into anglicanism. In particular, I really enjoyed reading his own daughter’s journey. I’m knew to learning about anglicanism, but every other author I’ve read (Bishop Todd Hunter, Thomas McKenzie, and Winfield Bevins) have mentioned this work. It’s kind of the like the classic text when it comes to evangelical’s making their way in the anglican Church.
Here are some quotes from his book.
In his first chapter—on mystery—he talks about moving from a reformed, “I have all the answers,” seminarian to being dissatisfied with a simply rational faith. As he was learning systematic theology and the expectation was a closer walk with God he said,
“…the opposite happened to me. I felt as though I was following after the God on the blackboard, the God in the textbook. My experience was simply this: The more certain I became about my ability to defend God’s existence and explain his character, the less real he seemed to me,” (8).
On communion and the sacraments, he notes how in the church he grew up in they often emphasized 1 Cor. 11:27-32. Which is about making sure one takes communion in a right manner. Of course that’s a good instruction to heed. However, we should remember that it’s in the context of a church gone wild. People were using the communion wine to get drunk! Often this text gets so laid on God’s people that it creates a fear of taking communion. The focus becomes, “Did I take communion right or am I good enough to take it,” instead of freely receiving what has been freely given. In the Episcopal church, with it’s focus on the sacraments Webber notes,
“All these worries rolled away when I was set free by understanding that the bread and wine are God’s symbol’s of love toward me. They now speak to me of the mystery of my salvation. Rather than sending me into myself in search of this or that sin to confess, the Eucharist makes me aware that I never have been and never will be worthy. But more than that, the Eucharist tells me that I am acceptable to God because of Jesus Christ. He has done all that needs to be done to make me acceptable to the father,” (41).
There’s more I could say, but this is getting long. If you’re interested in Anglicanism, I’d suggest beginning with “Simply Anglican,” by Winfield Bevins as a companion or even as a book to read first.
November 1, 2018
I downloaded this out of curiosity, wondering if I could learn anything from someone leaving evangelicalism yet heading in a different direction than I am. Turns out this direction toward Anglicanism, while not ending up where I want to end up shares several of the same roads. The liturgical, ritual roads that Anglicans take - at least as described in this book - appeal to me. The idea of using your whole body, not just your mind, to experience God is one I have embraced. Although I am a budding contemplative and mystic, I am now interested in attending some Episcopal services - particularly around Easter.
December 5, 2015
This is a very interesting personal narrative by a Wheaton scholar who journeyed from Evangelicalism to the Episcopal church during the late 1960's. It also includes narratives from several others who have made the journey down the Canterbury Trail more recently. The terminology can be a little confusing, since categories and affiliations within this branch of Christianity have changed quite a bit over the last several decades, but a later chapter in the revised edition of the book helps to clarify things. The tone is charitable, which I greatly appreciated.
August 11, 2020
This was a significant book for me when I first read it in the summer of 2013, just before visiting Christ Church Anglican in Phoenix for the first time that September. It's been rewarding to revisit a book that shaped so many of my early impressions of the tradition that has now become our own.
July 6, 2022
This is one of those books I want to make all of my friends read!
December 8, 2021
This book was recommended to me by a very dear friend during a time when both of us found our worlds turned upside down, unearthing our uncertainties about our evangelical traditions. That friend helped guide me to into an Anglican Church where I found tremendous healing before jumping into the deep pool of Eastern Orthodoxy. I will always have a deep fondness for the Anglican Church. They were monumental in transitioning me out of evangelical Christianity and into the larger, historic church of the Apostles, most importantly by giving me my first experience of a truly sanctified Eucharist which literally changed my life. I appreciated reading this book that helped further validate my faith journey and the need for something more to soothe my soul: namely the real Presence of Christ in a liturgical church.
This is the author's story of how he, a Baptist preacher's kid and Wheaton College professor, found himself in a crisis of faith that ultimately led him out of evangelicalism and into the Anglican church. It also includes the stories of other individuals who have made similar journeys and gives an explanation of what it is about high, liturgical churches that is attracting evangelicals today.
This is a very respectful and honest account of a life seeking more of God, unsatisfied with just an intellectual knowledge of Him, and willing to question the stereotypes often thrown at those of other faith expressions. Even though I'm not Anglican, I resonated with everything the author said about why he left his evangelical church. Those are all the same reasons I left. The evangelical churches are not bad, just lacking, and the author is very careful to say that one can have a true relationship with Christ in any denomination. It's not our place to judge. But for the author, and for me, there are aspects of evangelical Protestantism that just do not resonate with the larger history of the faith or with a true experience of God or even depictions of worship in Scripture! It's not enough for us.
It was also refreshing to read a book by a Western Christian author who has at least studied Eastern Orthodoxy (and apparently taught classes on it at Wheaton? What a thought!). He even quotes a section of our Divine Liturgy and has obviously read St. John Chrysostom and the Church Fathers. Kudos! Even though our traditions are very different, aspects of Anglicanism are very similar to Orthodoxy, so I could relate to a lot of what he said.
I'm not sure about the layout of the book. Half of it is the author's story and half are stories from other people, one of which is very heady. On the one hand, it's nice to read about a variety of experiences. On the other, it got a little repetitive towards the end. Also, I didn't really get a good grasp on what Anglicanism is from this book, but it's also not written for that purpose. It's written primarily about why high church liturgics are important to the overall faith, and that can encompass many denominations.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The Anglican church I was part of was in the Wheaton area, where this author worked and lived, so there's a high likelihood that I'm loosely a spiritual child of his through the work he did with people in that town. Very cool! If you're an evangelical, Protestant Christian and are feeling lost, left out, or dissatisfied with your spirituality, consider reading this book. You may find a kindred spirit with a similar experience who can help you find the path to Christ again.
This is the author's story of how he, a Baptist preacher's kid and Wheaton College professor, found himself in a crisis of faith that ultimately led him out of evangelicalism and into the Anglican church. It also includes the stories of other individuals who have made similar journeys and gives an explanation of what it is about high, liturgical churches that is attracting evangelicals today.
This is a very respectful and honest account of a life seeking more of God, unsatisfied with just an intellectual knowledge of Him, and willing to question the stereotypes often thrown at those of other faith expressions. Even though I'm not Anglican, I resonated with everything the author said about why he left his evangelical church. Those are all the same reasons I left. The evangelical churches are not bad, just lacking, and the author is very careful to say that one can have a true relationship with Christ in any denomination. It's not our place to judge. But for the author, and for me, there are aspects of evangelical Protestantism that just do not resonate with the larger history of the faith or with a true experience of God or even depictions of worship in Scripture! It's not enough for us.
It was also refreshing to read a book by a Western Christian author who has at least studied Eastern Orthodoxy (and apparently taught classes on it at Wheaton? What a thought!). He even quotes a section of our Divine Liturgy and has obviously read St. John Chrysostom and the Church Fathers. Kudos! Even though our traditions are very different, aspects of Anglicanism are very similar to Orthodoxy, so I could relate to a lot of what he said.
I'm not sure about the layout of the book. Half of it is the author's story and half are stories from other people, one of which is very heady. On the one hand, it's nice to read about a variety of experiences. On the other, it got a little repetitive towards the end. Also, I didn't really get a good grasp on what Anglicanism is from this book, but it's also not written for that purpose. It's written primarily about why high church liturgics are important to the overall faith, and that can encompass many denominations.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The Anglican church I was part of was in the Wheaton area, where this author worked and lived, so there's a high likelihood that I'm loosely a spiritual child of his through the work he did with people in that town. Very cool! If you're an evangelical, Protestant Christian and are feeling lost, left out, or dissatisfied with your spirituality, consider reading this book. You may find a kindred spirit with a similar experience who can help you find the path to Christ again.
May 19, 2021
Exploring the Trail
Not sure yet where my own trail will lead, but Webber’s thoughts along with the stories of others has given voice to my own present experience. I began using the ACNA 2019 Book of Common Prayer in November of 2020, and at the time didn’t realize I was beginning at the beginning of the church calendar year. Through the BCP, Robert Webber, Winfield Bevins, Thomas McKenzie, Greg Goebel & Joshua Steele from anglicancompass.com, and others I have been exploring the Canterbury Trail and have been very attracted to this expression of the Christian life and worship. Highly recommend this book for those wanting to see how the ancient traditions connect with the present. I also recommend for those attracted to tradition, but who, like me, have been overly cautious because of the many who have influenced me to be “free” from the liturgical traditions. I think you will find in Webber, and the other stories, a love for the the beautiful liturgical traditions that provide a liturgy for all of life. For that reason I recommend to everyone else. Allow yourself to peek at one expression of the Christian life, that I find to be quite beautiful, and you may find yourself taking stroll down the Canterbury Trail also. Look for me…I’ll likely still be around!
Not sure yet where my own trail will lead, but Webber’s thoughts along with the stories of others has given voice to my own present experience. I began using the ACNA 2019 Book of Common Prayer in November of 2020, and at the time didn’t realize I was beginning at the beginning of the church calendar year. Through the BCP, Robert Webber, Winfield Bevins, Thomas McKenzie, Greg Goebel & Joshua Steele from anglicancompass.com, and others I have been exploring the Canterbury Trail and have been very attracted to this expression of the Christian life and worship. Highly recommend this book for those wanting to see how the ancient traditions connect with the present. I also recommend for those attracted to tradition, but who, like me, have been overly cautious because of the many who have influenced me to be “free” from the liturgical traditions. I think you will find in Webber, and the other stories, a love for the the beautiful liturgical traditions that provide a liturgy for all of life. For that reason I recommend to everyone else. Allow yourself to peek at one expression of the Christian life, that I find to be quite beautiful, and you may find yourself taking stroll down the Canterbury Trail also. Look for me…I’ll likely still be around!
September 29, 2018
I was honestly hoping for some a little more. . . substantial. Instead, the reader is treated to an emotivist account of why a professor at a mainline Christian college decided to join the Anglican church.
As an ex-Evangelical Christian, my problem with this book is that I disagree with the author; rather, my problem is that there is not much for ex-Evangelical Christians who are drawn to liturgical practices to learn about. Most of Dr. Webber's account (Part 1 of the text) describes his conversion in terms of his "experience" rather than, say, how doctrine is best communicated in this way, etc., etc.. Webber also tends to leave the reader hanging; for example, he describes a time when he gave a lecture on Reformation day only to reveal that he had doubts about the Reformation. Does he still have doubts about the Reformation? If so, why should I (or anyone else, for that matter) be Anglican instead of Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox?
As an ex-Evangelical Christian, my problem with this book is that I disagree with the author; rather, my problem is that there is not much for ex-Evangelical Christians who are drawn to liturgical practices to learn about. Most of Dr. Webber's account (Part 1 of the text) describes his conversion in terms of his "experience" rather than, say, how doctrine is best communicated in this way, etc., etc.. Webber also tends to leave the reader hanging; for example, he describes a time when he gave a lecture on Reformation day only to reveal that he had doubts about the Reformation. Does he still have doubts about the Reformation? If so, why should I (or anyone else, for that matter) be Anglican instead of Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox?
October 21, 2022
Truly enjoyed this book. Webber writes candidly and thoughtfully, opening up his journey into the Episcopal Church to honest and careful reflection. As a 20-something navigating my own Canterbury trail in the last few years, I appreciated Webber’s wise and measured approach to the beauties of both the Episocopal and Evangelical traditions, and the need for both to inform one another in Christ-centered spirituality. Thought it was also cool to hear from six other individuals and their unique perspectives entering the realm of liturgical practice, although there was some overlap (especially considering many, if not all, attended the same Episcopal church).
Note: I borrowed the original edition from a friend; I didn’t realize there was an updated copy. This review only applies to the older version, and I see how it would be helpful to read a more relevant edition that addresses the changes in the Anglican/Episcopal church of the last couple decades.
Note: I borrowed the original edition from a friend; I didn’t realize there was an updated copy. This review only applies to the older version, and I see how it would be helpful to read a more relevant edition that addresses the changes in the Anglican/Episcopal church of the last couple decades.
January 3, 2019
I didn't end up finishing this book because it was so lackluster. The author documents and analyzes his gradual change from Evangelical to Anglican and it was so similar to almost everyone's journey along these lines that it struck me as dull. I didn't need to read a book about what just happened to me, it was rather fresh! That being said, if you are looking to define your longing for liturgy and having trouble articulating your hopes for the evangelical church, or are looking to understand someone else's spiritual journey along these lines you may find the book helpful. I disliked the overgeneralizations in general and the lack of critique of the Anglican church, though there was plenty of the Evangelical (though it was spot on).
January 14, 2019
A solid little book outlining some of the reasons the author, and others in evangelical churches, would consider Anglicanism to be attractive. The first part of the book is the "meat," where the author outlines the attractiveness of Anglicanism. Part 2 are shorter stories by others who journeyed into Anglicanism, highlighting their similarities with the author's experience. Part 3 contains three short essays, more or less, that add other perspectives on the Canterbury Trail.
This is a good book if you're interested in Anglican tradition, or if you're curious as to why people would want to leave evangelicalism for a more ancient or liturgical expression of Christianity.
This is a good book if you're interested in Anglican tradition, or if you're curious as to why people would want to leave evangelicalism for a more ancient or liturgical expression of Christianity.
May 30, 2022
As I read the author's own journey, I could see myself in almost everything he described. Having been raised in the Baptist denomination, I too left the fold in search for something deeper and meaningful. After several stops I finally found new meaning when I joined the Anglo-catholic form of worship in the Anglican Church. There are nevertheless new challenges faced by the Anglican Church not experienced by the author - ordination of women as bishops, admission of LGBTQA+ as members of clergy and so on.
In all a good book to open the conversation about what it means to be a Christian first then the individual/corporate label next.
In all a good book to open the conversation about what it means to be a Christian first then the individual/corporate label next.
November 1, 2022
Older book describing the reasons for moving from fundamentalist/evangelical context to Episcopal while retaining evangelical commitments. Identifies six reasons: mystery, worship, sacraments, spiritual identity, ecumenicity, and holistic spirituality.
Part 2 shares stories of individuals who also made the move to Episcopal/Anglican community.
Though the book released shy of 40 yrs ago, the reasons for this move remain popular among non-denominational evangelicals or other evangelical folks today. For this reason, the book sheds insight.
Part 2 shares stories of individuals who also made the move to Episcopal/Anglican community.
Though the book released shy of 40 yrs ago, the reasons for this move remain popular among non-denominational evangelicals or other evangelical folks today. For this reason, the book sheds insight.
April 16, 2020
Outstanding update of a classic
I read this book as part of my introspection of what God is doing in my life. The ancient future means of faith formation so beautifully written about in this revision of Bob Webber's classic book resonated with me. I recommend this book to anyone who considering the Anglican way as their means to delve into the rich history of liturgy in order to become a more relevant Jesus worshiper and follower.
I read this book as part of my introspection of what God is doing in my life. The ancient future means of faith formation so beautifully written about in this revision of Bob Webber's classic book resonated with me. I recommend this book to anyone who considering the Anglican way as their means to delve into the rich history of liturgy in order to become a more relevant Jesus worshiper and follower.
May 4, 2023
For those following current events within the Anglican Communion, this book might be a little outdated. It is, however, still a relevant look at a movement of mainstream and modern evangelicals who longed for something more, for a bit of grit, a taste of historicity, a grasp of tangible tokens of faith, a link to the fathers, a connection to the universal church and her saints, and the solidity and dependability of the creeds. That's actually not outdated at all, and more and more Christians are discovering the timeliness of a counter-cultural movement that has been tried and tested around the globe and across the centuries.
March 23, 2018
I gulped up most of the book, but then the last couple of chapters (by outside writers, after the fact) - meh. This really is perfect for anyone on a journey out of the Evangelical Church, toward the Anglican umbrella.
January 31, 2021
As I was leaving the Evangelical church and finding my home in the Anglican communion (The Episcopal Church), this book was the most helpful resource to me. It gave words to so much that I was feeling, and helped me find beauty in elements of the liturgical church that were still mysterious to me.
December 5, 2017
This book was fine but it was a very surface level exploration of the merits of liturgical settings like Anglicanism. I had hoped for more depth.
December 31, 2018
Very interesting. As a person raised Baptist who has become an Episcopalian I found much of what I felt in this process given form in Dr. Webber’s book.
June 29, 2020
Interesting but a bit dated
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March 26, 2024same
November 14, 2025
I wish this had been given to me when I was being confirmed several years ago. It is a great collections of insights and personal stories about joining the Anglican church.
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