Mere Anglicanism 2026: A view from the pew

 This year's Mere Anglicanism Conference in Charleston, South Carolina was happily free from the controversy of 2024's gathering. With 650 people in attendance, the theme this year was, "You Are Not Your Own: Gospel Identity in an Age of Expressive Individualism." 

I must admit that I had never heard the term "expressive individualism" and was a little pessimistic as to whether or not I would get anything out of attending this year, but a couple of days in the Holy City with fellow believers was reason enough to go.

I was not disappointed as the weather was excellent, the speakers were excellent, and we enjoyed a wonderful Eucharist on Friday night at historic St. Philips Church. 

We had a great bookstore set up by Westminster Bookstore where one could purchase books written by the speakers and others.

I shall summarize my observations about the presentations below.

1) Carl Trueman gave a thorough overview of the history and definition of expressive individualism along with the philosophical and social movements that led us to where we are now. He pointed out that in pre-enlightenment times if one was asked the question, "Who are you?" they would say, "My family is so and so, from the village of such and such, and I am a blacksmith." Identity was often based on what one did to provide for your family. Now if you ask a young person the same question, they do not have a solid answer. They are more likely to talk about their feelings than their purpose in life. 

2) Al Mohler gave one of the more entertaining talks. He introduced himself as "Baptist by theology, Anglican by taste," a meme picked up by many subsequent speakers. He said that we should be like the tribe of Issachar, 

...men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do-200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command (1 Chronicles 12:32)

That is to say that it is our duty to understand the times and to know what to do. He described the times as the age of "hyper modernity." 

He said that he would not reiterate Carl Trueman's talk so traced the origins of expressive individualism to Immanuel Kant's radical break from pre-enlightenment thinking and a switch from a focus on the object to a focus on the subject, or the known to the knower which is exactly where expressive individualism takes us. 

Moving on to Marx and others, Mohler made the comment, "Elites always understand oppression better the people who are being oppressed do".

He made the point that we teach our children well or they will be lost, 

Dueteronomy 6:4-6 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  

 Being lost is the end result of expressive individualism.

3) Michael Nazir Ali went next which was much to his disadvantage as the previous speakers had covered so much. 

4) Mary Eberstadt last spoke to us 11 years ago. Her subject this time was, "Life, liberty, and the human body: the wages of our defiance." She said that modern identity crisis was in large part due to the collapse of the family which could be traced to the sexual revolution and its battle cry. "I am my own!"

This led to what she called "subtractions" such as abortion (subtracting babies), the pill, divorce, single parenting, small families, all of which leads to fewer people in one's life to learn from and from whom to form an identity, a collapse of social knowledge, loneliness, drops in marriage, increase use of porn, and a decreased ability to love. 

She sees hope in more research being reported on the results of the sexual revolution and increases in college conversions, homeschooling, and charter schools.

5) Justin Early gave a talk without notes about the importance of friendships.

Genesis2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

He said that you were "made for people," and "you cannot become yourself by yourself." 

Expressive individualism leads to restless wandering, 

"I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." - Cain in Genesis 4

Modern America is proof that Genesis was right, expressive individualism leads to death.

We need to have "covenant friendships" built on vulnerability and commitment like Jesus had with his disciples.

A good quote,

"Internet friends are snacks. Embodied friends are a meal."

On Saturday morning we had two more speakers. The Rev. Jeffery Miller gave the introductions with an amusing preface explaining why he missed Morning Prayer today, 

" I was worshipping at St. Mattress and the Springs." 

6) Stephen Pressley spoke on the early church and its relevance to today. The ancient world has come back to us with numerous religions to choose from, paganism, and the rise of the "nones." 

He hearkened to Ireneus and the importance of catechesis, citizenship, virtuous leadership, and hope in order to engage with the world. 

A football analogy was made: You have to first learn the basics, blocking and tackling before you go into the arena.

"We are heavenly citizens engaging in a public world."

"What the soul is to the body the Church is to the world." - the Epistle to Diognetus.

7) Vaughn Roberts started off with naming expressive individualism a "false gospel."

"A human being wrapped up in himself makes a very small package."

"Modern identities are insecure, and that is why they are defended so vigorously."

We have four gifts:

• A secure identity in Christ
• A glorious destiny
• An inclusive diversity
• A captivating purpose

He named three priorities:

• Proclaim a BIG Gospel
• Pray for progress
• Present a big challenge

Pewsterspouse and I had to leave before the final panel discussion in order to get home before a predicted ice storm.

We did.

All in all it was a great conference, but I shall have to start a diet after all of the fine meals we had in Charleston.

 

 

 

The Galilean Fishermen

This Sunday's lesson from Matthew 4:12-23 sees Jesus withdrawing to Galilee. This reminded me of our visit there in 2022 and the ancient boat that dates from the time of Jesus that was discovered.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

 ‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,

   on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

 the people who sat in darkness

   have seen a great light,

and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death

   light has dawned.’

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

I wonder if the boat I photographed was the one James and  John left behind.

Targeting Christians in Minnesota

  This weekend the unrest in Minnesota breached the sanctity of the church walls. I found an interesting tidbit in the reporting by Brandon Porter at Religion Unplugged,

"ST. PAUL, Minn. — An anti-ICE protest disrupted the morning worship service at Cities Church Sunday morning.  

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon livestreamed a portion of the event from inside the church building on YouTube.

Protestors could be heard chanting, 'Hands up, don’t shoot' and 'ICE out' throughout the video. According to Lemon, the protestors interrupted the opening prayer of the Sunday worship service."

Was the plan for the stunt leaked to sympathetic media types like Don Lemon and perhaps others so that it could be videoed and broadcast?

Lemon denies having known about it before hand but still should have done something to stop it once he figured it out such as notifying the police.

Did he even try?

Imagine what would happen if people decided to conduct a protest inside a mosque during prayer because there was an imam there who offended them.

Just imagine.

Do you think Don Lemon would be present livestreaming that?

What if the congregation of that church marched down the street and into an abortion center and led a protest?

They would be put in jail for invading the church of the holy zeitgeist.

Behold the Lamb of God

 

This Sunday's reading from John 1:29-42 immediately made me think of the above movement from Handel's Messiah with its simple, repeated message that should be told again and again, and again to a world in desperate need of peace.

The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

Former Everythings

 This past Sunday our little church had the Bishop visit who conducted a couple of confirmations and receptions into the ACNA. In talking to other church members and finding myself explaining Confirmation to some I began to see our congregation in a new light as a group of former Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, atheists, etc., most of whom are learning the Anglican traditions from our rector, our Bible study, our Prayer Book, hymns, and sometimes from myself. 

We do get a few visitors from off the street. These are mostly those who came during the week to the food pantry or the clothes closet and received a warm welcome and invitation to worship with us on Sunday. 

This is my family now, a bunch of former everythings. I love them all and am thankful to God for putting me here.

A Christian Witness

 This Sunday's reading from Acts 10:34-43 contains Peter's witness to the facts for which he himself would die.

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

What more do we need to know? 

Episcopalians supporting narco-terrorism

Soon after the U.S. special forces arrested accused narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro, the Episcopal Public Policy Network sent out an e-mail asking people to call their congressional delegation in protest.

Episcopal Church Statement on U.S. Intervention in Venezuela

January 3, 2026

Office of Government Relations

The people of The Episcopal Church offer prayers for our beloved siblings in Christ in the Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela, and for people across the region following this morning’s U.S. military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro.  

Episcopalians in Venezuela carry out vital ministries in increasingly challenging conditions, and we fear for their well-being and their church community if these military interventions, and any form of U.S. occupation, lead to more instability and violence. Episcopal Church Center staff have spoken with and offered support to the Rt. Rev. Cristobal León Lozano, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Litoral and bishop provisional of Venezuela; the Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras and president of Province IX; and to standing committee leadership.  

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention has long-standing policy that “condemn[s] in any nation the first use of armed force in the form of a preventive or pre-emptive strike that is aimed at disrupting a non-imminent, uncertain military threat.” Even as we recognize that intervention in sovereign states can sometimes be necessary to prevent atrocities, we discourage “the abuse of this norm to rationalize military actions in sovereign states for political ends.”   

We urge Congress to call for an investigation and accountability for this most recent unauthorized operation, as well as the related military actions carried out in recent months. We urge all regional parties to support a peaceful transition that respects the rule of law and the will of the Venezuelan people. Join us in praying for our siblings in the Diocese of Venezuela and the Venezuelan people.

Notice that they claim that the operation was not authorized.

I don't think that claim will hold up in court. 

I am not surprised that the Episcopal organization would seem to want the United States government  to sit on its hands and allow tons of illegal drugs to be shipped into our country. 

I am shocked at the lack of understanding on how these drugs are killing people.

What would you expect from a group of people who have walked away from God's Word in so many other ways?