The Middle Way
The Middle Way
The sun glistened on our lake this morning. My husband and I pondered our life with gratitude for the gift of life each day in a lovely, peaceful part of God’s creation.
Others in the world long for such peace. So many regions of God’s creation are suffering from war, poverty, or oppression.
How can there ever be a realization of the mission of the Church – to restore all people to unity with God and with each other in Christ?
I believe that as Christians we can do our part, to bring the Good News of Jesus to all we meet, to show love, compassion, and understanding, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, to respect the dignity of every human being, as we vow in our Baptismal Covenant.
Our Episcopal/Anglican tradition of the “middle way” strengthens and supports us on our journey.
On this day (November 3) we remember Richard Hooker, 16th century Anglican priest whose writings solidified our concept of the three-legged stool, that we live our faith through Scripture, Tradition, and Reason.
Anglicanism is grounded in Scripture, the Holy Bible, whose two overarching sacred stories, that of the Old Covenant, God’s promise to the people of Israel, his chesed, his steadfast love, for the Israelites who were forever forsaking Him, and of the New Covenant, the fulfillment of God’s promise in the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because the meaning of scripture may be unclear or silent, tradition and reason offer direction.
Anglicanism expresses faith through Tradition, through liturgy which harkens to the early Roman church and professes the ancient creeds, yet incorporates the spirit of the Reformation and the Renaissance. Anglicans believe in common prayer and worship.
Anglicanism relies on Reason to interpret Scripture and express Tradition. Richard Hooker, the 16th century theologian and voice of the via media, countered the Puritan belief that the Bible was the absolute and sole authority insisting “on the necessary role of reason and the need for expedient practical decisions in the many situations for which God’s Word provided no specific commandment.” (The Middle Way: Voices of Anglicanism, p.16) He rejected the Roman Catholic claim of divine right of the papacy with the view that “various national Christian communities throughout the world had supreme earthly authority over their own religious practices.” (The Middle Way: Voices of Anglicanism, p.16)
Why is this important? The beauty of Anglicanism is that we are a community, whether in a parish, a diocese, a province, or globally in the Anglican Communion, we find strength in our holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Our three-legged stool is steady, sure, and constant, even when the world is trembling with uncertainty, turmoil, and confusion. As Jon Meacham noted at Diocesan Convention years ago, our Anglicanism allows us to navigate the murky waters of our time. Anglicans possess a generous soul. We may have different perceptions of the world, but centered in God’s love, we treat all with respect and dignity. Anglicans are open to the concerns of the world. This enables Christ’s love to shine as we serve others in our life, work, and ministry.
Let us pray the prayer for Richard Hooker:
O God of truth and peace, you raised up your servant Richard Hooker in a day of bitter controversy to defend with sound reasoning and great charity the catholic and reformed religion: Grant that we may maintain that middle way, not as a compromise for the sake of peace, but as a comprehension for the sake of truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
May God’s peace be with us all, Judy Q+
