MOOSE JAW (Qu’A) — If you think bishops in the Church of England are stern, stiff-lipped, starched and ruffled, then an encounter with Stephen Cottrell will set you straight.
While formally styled as the Most Reverend and Right Honourable, the Lord Archbishop of York and Primate of England, the recent Fall Lutheran and Anglican Gathering (FLAG) discovered that Bishop Cottrell is far from the staid, laced-up formality implied by his titles. He’s jovial and engaging — and a poet! — even when discussing the finer points of doctrine and practice. He also doesn’t even like being addressed with his string of titles.
Archbishop Cottrell was in Saskatchewan as part of a cross-Canada tour.
FLAG is an annual conference of Lutheran and Anglican clergy, offering collegial support and idea-sharing. The conference is also a learning opportunity, as it often features a guest speaker from away offering their unique perspective and personal experience from a different cultural context. This year it was held in Moose Jaw from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
For his first session, Archbishop Cottrell offered a new way of thinking about evangelism — a Lutheran and Anglican way. The term evangelism has become somewhat of a dirty word for many, due to its links with the messages of exclusion and hellfire of certain fundamentalist churches in the United States. Bishop Cottrell reminded us that evangelism is the primary role of all Christians — the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations.
The Christ-like dimension of Lutheran and Anglican evangelism is that it should reflect Christ’s radical acceptance of all, no matter who they are, or where they are in their life or faith journey. Christianity, and Christian Scripture, he said, is not about finding doctrinal orthodoxy, a singularity of praxis (practice), but about love. The criteria by which we will be judged is not doctrinal orthodoxy — because most of us, even with the very best intentions, will get things wrong — but by our love.
Cottrell also reminded us that the church and the whole people of God are the body of Christ, and that just as the elbow cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” we cannot turn away those who we judge as not worthy of Christ’s love. Whether we like it or not, we are called to love one another, despite our disagreements and differences. In this way, we are called to model a different way of handling disagreement to a deeply divided world. Indeed, it is this kind of love that will show people that we are truly disciples of Jesus.
The archbishop reminded us that we never walk alone because God is always with us. No matter what the challenge or change before us, we are deeply loved by God, who will strengthen and lead us.
Cottrell also noted that there has been a “prevalent whiteness” in Western Christianity, which is inaccurate globally, and in Canada is shown in the beauty of the indigenous dimensions in the Canadian church. But, he reminded us, diversity is “a biblical imperative: the means by which we will best be able to evangelise the world … .” As a diverse church reflecting a diverse world, we will be better able to attract and serve the beautiful diversity of God’s people.
The Church should not just be available, but welcoming, to all people in all places, and rooted in the love of Christ… because things change and happen when we are rooted in Christ.
The bishop also spoke of the importance of discipleship in our own lives. In 2009, Bishop Cottrell wrote a book “Hit the Ground Kneeling.” While the common phrase is “hit the ground running,” and he encountered it in his own career, he also learned that it is critically important that we work not just for God, but with God. We need to pray and listen to the voice of God as He directs our steps as we undertake the work of evangelisation and missionary discipleship.
Bishop Cottrell’s final session began with a reminder that God’s ways and timing are not ours — beautifully articulated in one of his poems, A Rebuke to the Strategic Planners. While it may be frustrating, waiting for those who need God to finally encounter the Source of Love; for the church — both the institution and the members — to change as we can see it must; for the hearts of all to turn to peace; we need to have faith, knowing that God uses all things for good.
Because “as the crow flies” — commonly understood to mean the straightest, shortest path — is not true; the crow does not fly that way, nor does God necessarily work that way.
And so, with faith, despite the twists and turns, we are to continue the work of evangelisation, and of sharing the good news of God’s love with all whom we meet.
