O U R A N G L I CA N H E R I TA G E
Charismatic Anglicanism Has Lasting Influence
F
or centuries, the difference of opinion in theology has caused numerous splits and factions in the Christian community. For the past 60 years, a blending of theologies and ideals has created a unique movement: charismatic Anglicanism. Episcopalian Dennis Bennett is viewed as one of the charismatic movement’s early influencers in America. In 1960 during his time as rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California, Bennett astonishingly announced one Sunday morning that he had received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
in tongues, raising their hands in worship and operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as described in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10: “utterance of wisdom,” “utterance of knowledge,” “faith,” “gifts of healing,” “working of miracles,” “prophecy,” “discernment of spirits,” “various kinds of tongues” and “interpretation of tongues.” By contrast, the Anglican faith is steeped in rich sacramental traditions. “What sacramental life and charismatic life have in common
More recently in the United Kingdom, the charismatic movement within the Church of England has firmly taken hold. London’s Holy Trinity Brompton has been influential locally in the movement. And current Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been widely considered charismatic for years.
“Not only is Jesus revealed,” Brewer continued, “I also see myself in a different way as the recipient of what it is that Jesus is giving. And I not only see myself as the recipient, but the steward, even as He is giving Himself so freely to me through bread and wine. And I receive that gratefully as a member of His body that is supposed to flow through me into the lives of the people that God sends my way. It also shapes the way I see the world, how I pray. All of that is the work of the sacramental life. The same at the baptism, and the same is true for the manifestation of the Spirit. “I really see them in some ways as seamless, which is why I believe a charismatic, sacramental evangelical church forms something in us that is incomplete without all of those components,” Brewer said.
Combining the liturgical traditions of the Anglican Church with charismatic Christianity may seem unlikely. Charismatics are widely known for speaking
22 Central Florida EPISCOPALIAN
is that both are vehicles that God uses to manifest the life of His Son in us and around us, so that when we come to the table to receive the bread and wine, Jesus is revealed,” said The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer when interviewed recently for a podcast.
Although many believe the charismatic
•
Sept / Oct 2020
movement began around 1960, a turning point in Pentecostalism can be traced back to the Azusa Street Revival in Van Nuys, California, in 1906. There, people witnessed the manifestation of God’s hand instantly and spontaneously moving in individuals, something that, although often the source of controversy, is still seen today. Brewer said he experienced much of the same in 1970 at a charismatic conference where he witnessed firsthand the gifts of the Spirit: speaking in tongues, interpretation, prophetic words and effusive worship with genuine joy. He said the event “was the beginning of a different way of thinking about life.” A few decades after the Azusa Street Revival, two organizations— The Order of St. Luke and Alcoholic Anonymous (AA)—were formed based on the belief that God could change someone’s life. The Order of St. Luke was created in 1932 by The Rev. John Gaynor Banks, an Episcopal priest, as a healing ministry. The Rev. Sam Shoemaker, also an Episcopal priest, ministered to founding members of the fledgling AA, formed in 1935, to help those suffering from alcoholism. Both organizations still exist today. “Anglicanism has been involved in renewal in some sense or another for a long, long time. The open door was the healing ministry,” said Brewer. “We’ve always had room within Anglicanism, even in our most cessationist Reformed moments, to see God operate, particularly through the power of prayer.” www.cfdiocese.org
