Shadow Gospel: an uncertain faith

Posted on May 13, 2011 
Filed under Theology

We’ve noted Charles Raven’s book – published in September 2010 – before, but it’s worth drawing attention to it again.

This week’s GAFCON Primates’ Statement from Nairobi includes these words:

“We continue to be troubled by the promotion of a shadow gospel that appears to replace a traditional reading of Holy Scriptures and a robust theology of the church with an uncertain faith and a never ending listening process. This faith masquerades as a religion of tolerance and generosity and yet it is decidedly intolerant to those who hold to the ‘faith once and for all delivered to the saints’.”

Charles Raven’s book, Shadow Gospel: Rowan Williams and the Anglican Communion Crisis, is important reading for all who want to understand the theology of the Archbishop of Canterbury and how it is informing his leading of the Anglican Communion. He writes in his introduction:

“Although I seek to show that Rowan Williams’ theological vision is so problematic that a biblically faithful future for the Anglican Communion will have to come from elsewhere, I have not set out to portray him as an Antichrist or even to suggest that the current crisis is simply ‘his fault.’ He is interesting as much for what he illustrates about the Anglican Communion and its governance structures as for what he generates, being deeply shaped by the same theological and social trends which were straining the Communion well before he came to Canterbury.”

The book is published by The Latimer Trust in the UK, and can be ordered from them, however Australian readers might find this link useful.