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The ACNA is going to have to move beyond 3-streams one way or another. Take the catechism for example: it continually avoids taking hard stances on particular topics. In the section on Justification it doesn't say anything about Justification by Faith Alone, but then
a page or two later gives a remarkably low theology of the Eucharist re: sanctification. Look at the section on the Apocrypha or Baptismal Reg. for more examples. It's perfectly 3-streams in that it's vague and can be interpreted in a multitude of ways.
Perhaps this truly represents the ACNA, though. Let's look at the dominant ACNA parish. They are:
1. Evangelical and ex-evangelical (but still evangelical at heart, just about different things, like woke things)âsome congregations are more one and some more the other, but either
1. Evangelical and ex-evangelical (but still evangelical at heart, just about different things, like woke things)âsome congregations are more one and some more the other, but either
way a relationship with the ethos and culture of evangelicalism is defining. There are Ravi/Metaxas congregations and Tish/Esau congregations, but these are all evangelicals really (using evangelical in a cultural sense).
2. Ritualism (describes overwhelming ACNA practice, which isnât Anglo-Catholic in theology, but of course the practice then starts pulling along some of the theology behind itâlike the preconsecrated hosts, the prayer for spiritual communion, and the live broadcast of HC).
3. Praise band worship. I almost want to say ânon-cessasionist theology,â but I think this is not at the level of theology as much as a certain kind of practice.
Each of these, however, can be fixed with real Anglicanism.
1. Gospel. The BCP presents the gospel. Itâs richer and deeper than whatâs typically on offer in the evangelical and exevangelical cultures, though it does require instruction and preaching to bridge the gap. But if it
1. Gospel. The BCP presents the gospel. Itâs richer and deeper than whatâs typically on offer in the evangelical and exevangelical cultures, though it does require instruction and preaching to bridge the gap. But if it
can be explained to you (like Isaiah had to be to the Ethiopian eunuch), then thereâs a pattern of gospel living and devotion for your whole life, from baptism to burial.
2. Ceremonies and Conformity. But a ceremonial that is more modest and fits the theological and pedagogic values of 1, and conformity that is still beautiful and gets out of the way of the real work.
3. Anglican Music Tradition. We have Wesley's hymns, Lutheran hymns, Anglican chant, the Anglican choral tradition. (Also, the Holy Spirit is more central in the doctrine of the sacraments in the Formulariesâboth baptism and communionâthan in modern 3-streams Anglicanism.)
So the 3-streams idea is really an idea about how to bring together gospel, ceremony, and music. It gets it all wrongâletâs get the gospel from 20th-century America (St. Billy Graham), get our ritual from Priest's Handbook (and put Newman in the calendar), and sing Hillsong
That's going to fall apart in the next 20 years, because it's entirely built on top of American consumerism. *Something* will have to fill the void, and the Formularies are the only thing that can really bridge the gap.
