Letter to the Sunday Telegraph expressing support for the views expressed by the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, on Truth and Unity.
29 June 2006
Writing in the Daily Telegraph about the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in America, the Bishop commented:
'Unity for Christians is precious and not easily given up but we cannot have unity at the expense of truth. If the truth is seen so differently by the various groups, and there is little hope of convergence, let alone agreement, would it not be better to take different paths rather then pretending to be on the same one? I sincerely pray that it does not come to this and that, even in the face of such differences, there will be the determination to walk in the same way. But if not, separation may actually lead to less bitterness, a greater willingness to converse and, perhaps, even some scope for cooperation in areas where this is possible.'
The Evangelical Alliance has sent the following letter to the Sunday Telegraph:
'Dear Sir,
The Evangelical Alliance welcomes Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali’s perceptive analysis of the current crisis within the Anglican Communion.
He is right to point out that the comprehensiveness of ‘catholic’ traditions like Anglicanism must be a principled comprehensiveness, defined by the authority of Scripture, the ecumenical creeds and the proclamation of Christ’s uniqueness.
He is also right to note that current ultra-liberal tendencies within the Episcopal Church, from nature mysticism and neo-pantheism to the neglect of human sin and the endorsement of gay marriage, represent a distinct form of religion seriously at odds with classical Christianity.
We note that the divisions highlighted by the Bishop are not confined to Anglicans, but run through a number of ‘mixed’ denominations. In the Evangelical Alliance we maintain a strong commitment to diversity, drawing our membership from a wide range of Christian churches and groups.
But we also seek to embody a unity which is grounded in the revealed, historic truths of the Christian faith. Sadly, some elements of the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and the Church in general, are departing from these truths so radically that they are effectively pursuing another gospel. In such circumstances, Bishop Nazir-Ali is right to conclude that theological integrity must take precedence over structural uniformity.'
Joel Edwards, General Director, Evangelical Alliance.
Notes to editors: The Evangelical Alliance UK, formed in 1846, is an umbrella group representing over one million evangelical Christians in the UK and is made up of member churches, organisations and individuals. As part of a movement ‘uniting to change society’, the Alliance promotes unity and truth, acts as an evangelical voice to the state, society and the wider Church, and provides resources to help members and other evangelicals live out their faith in their communities.
