2.4 Raw Definitions of Apostolicity
How might we change? First of all, referring again to the passage from Acts, we need to be an Apostolic Church and the Report rightly puts this at the centre of its thinking; but to infer from this that the outward sign of Apostolicity is numeric growth is at least problematic. In order to dispel the nostalgia, let us draw the antitheses between what we were and what we are imperfectly trying to be:
- An affirming rather than a conforming church, exemplified by voluntary rather than compulsory attendance at worship
- A rationalist rather than a superstitious church, exemplified by scholarship and exploration
- A neighbourly rather than a hierarchical church, exemplified by a better understanding of St. Peter's concept of the Royal Priesthood
- A repentant rather than a triumphalist church, exemplified by ecumenical and inter faith dialogue; and, in spite of terrible setbacks along the way
- A loving rather than a judgmental church, exemplified by inclusiveness and tolerance, not of the sin but of the sinner
- A church which gives primacy to motive over outcome.
This is a relatively raw set of definitions but the Apostolic Church was raw, raw with the power of the Holy Spirit. Like all major organisations we have used too much of our energy to achieve institutional refinement as an inadequate substitute for trust.