http://www.leanderharding.com/blog/2007/12/01/response-to-andrew-goddard/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:25:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.leanderharding.com/blog/2007/12/01/response-to-andrew-goddard/#comment-364 The Rev. Bill Pierce, Ph.D. Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:56:02 +0000 http://www.leanderharding.com/blog/2007/12/01/response-to-andrew-goddard/#comment-364 Dear Prof. Harding, Grace and peace to you. Thanks for clearing the air. I believe your article to be on target. "Full inclusion" is a done deal in the American church (even in my church, the ELCA). However what you call "the new idol of experience" is what I fear most, as this trajectory continues to pound away at the bed rock of the Gospel and erode the sacramental witness of the Church. Speaking in Lutheran terminology the theology of the cross has been repalced by the theology of "homo incurvatus se/the theology of glory." Blessings, Pr. Bill Pierce Dear Prof. Harding,
Grace and peace to you.
Thanks for clearing the air. I believe your article to be on target. “Full inclusion” is a done deal in the American church (even in my church, the ELCA).
However what you call “the new idol of experience” is what I fear most, as this trajectory continues to pound away at the bed rock of the Gospel and erode the sacramental witness of the Church. Speaking in Lutheran terminology the theology of the cross has been repalced by the theology of “homo incurvatus se/the theology of glory.”
Blessings,
Pr. Bill Pierce

]]> http://www.leanderharding.com/blog/2007/12/01/response-to-andrew-goddard/#comment-360 Craig Uffman Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:48:13 +0000 http://www.leanderharding.com/blog/2007/12/01/response-to-andrew-goddard/#comment-360 Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Dr. Harding. It is your typically sharp and insightful contribution to what I think is an important debate. I have linked to it at Covenant to invite broader comment. My only substantive concern is that you seem not to see much of a presence for those of us trying to claim a space for the evangelical center. That seems based upon a calculus of power, measured in terms of presence in the political structures of TEC and its dissenters. I think you are correct in pointing to the polarity that is present and most visible. However, my own reading is that there is in fact a growing, perhaps "powerless" evangelical and catholic center, and that that center actually constitutes a very large segment of those who call themselves Anglican in North America. Hence I remain, in spite of the angry voices that deny the existence of a faithful and valid center, optimistic that God is acting and will continue to act to preserve our fellowship, perhaps in different forms than in the past, but acting among us nonetheless. Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Dr. Harding. It is your typically sharp and insightful contribution to what I think is an important debate. I have linked to it at Covenant to invite broader comment. My only substantive concern is that you seem not to see much of a presence for those of us trying to claim a space for the evangelical center. That seems based upon a calculus of power, measured in terms of presence in the political structures of TEC and its dissenters. I think you are correct in pointing to the polarity that is present and most visible. However, my own reading is that there is in fact a growing, perhaps “powerless” evangelical and catholic center, and that that center actually constitutes a very large segment of those who call themselves Anglican in North America. Hence I remain, in spite of the angry voices that deny the existence of a faithful and valid center, optimistic that God is acting and will continue to act to preserve our fellowship, perhaps in different forms than in the past, but acting among us nonetheless.

]]>