By John Cole

    "..hiding behind the pillars.."

Almost the sole activity which brings anyone together in this church is the worship. What goes on inside church on Sunday is what matters. People put enormous energy into planning and organising the church services.

In this kind of church the relationship with God is everything - and, of course, nothing could be more important. Our relationship with God as individuals is right at the heart of what it means to be a Christian disciple: and good corporate worship, especially the sacrament of Holy Communion, is a powerful means by which this relationship can be deepened.

But this can easily be private cultic religion. It becomes obviously absurd when a traditional Anglican priest facing east at the altar at the ‘early service’ on a Sunday morning turns round and can see no one in the congregation! In fact they are all hiding behind the pillars pursuing their private devotions!

For all the spiritual riches of this tradition, and for all the important insights it has about the holiness of God and our continuity within a Christian tradition, this narrow self-indulgence is a typically ‘catholic’ failing.

Back to 'One Eyed Churches' ~ Introduction