The Way, The Truth, and the Light


There are those in the Anglican Church (and elsewhere) who decry us serious AngloCatholics who proclaim a sacramental life in order to truly lead a life of repentance and to participate in God's grace.... After all, isn't a Billy Graham altar call at one of his crusades the equivalent of baptism and reception of the Eucharist in the Church?

...For instance, if baptismal refeneration and the real presence are true, one who teaches against them is not teaching Christ, at least to that degree. Of course, since baptism and the Eucharist are taught as being things with soteriological significance, false teaching on these items can prevent someone from experiencing salvation.

There are those in the Anglican Church (and elsewhere) who decry us serious AngloCatholics who proclaim a sacramental life in order to truly lead a life of repentance and to participate in God's grace. Part of the argument goes something like, as long as people are coming to Christ, why does it have be in any particular fashion? On the surface, that seems a reasonable argument. After all, isn't a Billy Graham altar call at one of his crusades the equivalent of baptism and reception of the Eucharist in the Church? So what if he doesn't teach all of the same stuff as we do. As Hank Hanegraff loves to proclaim, the main things in Scripture are the plain things, etc. His general approach is that if its controversial it tends to be something of no great import. All that is important is plain in Scripture (hence not subject to debate, at least amongst evangelicals).

However, I would propose that if Christ is Truth, when we proclaim the Truth, we are, in effect, proclaiming him. The converse is then true. The more untruth we proclaim, the less we are proclaiming Christ. So, to the extent that anyone preaches things contrary to the truth, they are preaching contrary to Christ. This is not a trivial point. For instance, if baptismal refeneration and the real presence are true, one who teaches against them is not teaching Christ, at least to that degree. Of course, since baptism and the Eucharist are taught as being things with soteriological significance, false teaching on these items can prevent someone from experiencing salvation.

So I'll maintain that we have a responsibility to proclaim the truth, as to do otherwise is to not proclaim Christ. Certainly, the particulars of thurible use, nor the appropriate liturgical color for Advent need enter into an evangelistic context. However, the importance of participation in the sacramental life may be quite necessary. Especially if the listener would really end up being a revert .

Posted: Sat - May 10, 2003 at 12:46 PM        

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