Fresh Expressions in the Mission of the Church: Report of an Anglican-Methodist working party

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Fresh Expressions and the Church

1.1 Fresh Expressions

1.1.1  The Church of England and the Methodist Church of Great Britain share in a common mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in ways that take account of the circumstances and needs of contemporary British society. While social and theological commentators differ among themselves in their analysis of the current situation, there is a substantial body of opinion among Christians that the steep decline in participation in mainstream Church life in Britain throughout the second half of the twentieth century, combined with the increasing secularisation of Western society, calls for an innovative approach to Christian mission in the twenty-first century.

1.1.2  The publication in 2004 of the Church of England report Mission-Shaped Church: church planting and fresh expressions of church in a changing context was a landmark in the development of a new strategy for Christian mission in Britain by Anglicans, Methodists and others.¹ A direct outcome of the report was the setting up of the ecumenical Fresh Expressions initiative, which has since led to the development of ‘fresh expressions of church’ (or simply ‘fresh expressions’) in a large number of Anglican parishes and Methodist circuits.

1.1.3  As defined by the Fresh Expressions initiative:

A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church:

It will come into being through principles of listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples;

It will have the potential to become a mature expression of church shaped by the gospel and the enduring marks of the church and for its cultural context.²

1.1.4  The Methodist Church was represented in the working party that produced Mission-Shaped Church and subsequently endorsed its recommendations by becoming an enthusiastic partner with the Church of England in the Fresh Expressions initiative. ‘Encouraging fresh ways of being Church’ is ranked among the ‘Priorities for the Methodist Church’.³

1.1.5  Throughout this present report, ‘Fresh Expressions’ written with capital letter refers to the official ecumenical initiative; whereas ‘fresh expressions’ written in lower case refers to individual mission projects within either the Church of England or the Methodist Church which come under the umbrella of the Fresh Expressions initiative.

1.1.6  While some theological commentators regard fresh expressions as part of a wider phenomenon generally known as ‘emerging church’, there are important distinctions to be made between the two. Since there are no commonly agreed definitions, this present report reserves the term ‘fresh expression’ to refer to those mission projects sponsored by one of the denominations participating in the Fresh Expressions initiative, as distinct from post-denominational mission projects led by independent groups and individuals, some of whom are disaffected with the historic churches. It is these latter communities that are referred to here as ‘emerging church’. Such communities are more common in North America, where post-denominationalism is an established feature of the religious landscape, though the phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in Britain. Since fresh expressions are intended to be new forms of church within one of the historic churches in Britain, it is potentially misleading to regard them as part of the emerging church scene.

1.2 Practical questions arising from fresh expressions

1.2.1  The existence of fresh expressions in the Church of England and the Methodist Church gives rise to a number of practical questions, as the following general examples illustrate:

An Anglican fresh expression for bikers operates across the whole of an Anglican Deanery. How does its ministry relate to the ministry of the parish churches in the deanery, each of which seeks to offer a pastoral ministry to the people living in its parish?

A Methodist fresh expression ministering to the surfing community in a coastal resort would like to start celebrating Holy Communion on a regular basis. Should it be obliged to observe Methodist discipline concerning presidency at Holy Communion or should its lay leaders be permitted to preside because of their relationship with the community?

A confirmation service at an Anglican fresh expression involves a celebration of the Eucharist at which all are invited to receive the bread and wine. As a result, several people who have not been baptised receive the bread and wine. While this ‘open table’ approach is contrary to Church of England practice, is it perhaps a justifiable exception on a particular occasion where it might have evangelistic benefit?

A fresh expression in a Methodist circuit results in a flourishing ministry to young people. Should that fresh expression be regarded as a youth work project of the circuit or as a church in its own right?

1.3 Theological questions arising from fresh expressions

1.3.1  Behind these practical questions lie important theological questions concerning the nature of the Christian Church, its structures and authorized forms of ministry. Some of these questions were already foreseen in Mission-Shaped Church; others have been posed subsequently. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive but illustrates the kind of theological questions about the Church which arise in relation to fresh expressions of church.

Can fresh expressions properly be regarded as churches or are they Christian communities that have the potential to become churches?

If fresh expressions are churches as such, are they entirely new forms of the Church for the twenty-first century or are they reformed, renewed or purified manifestations of existing forms of the Church?

If fresh expression are not churches as such but have the potential to become churches, by what process and at what point in their development do they become churches in the true sense of the term?

Can a Christian community properly be described as being a fresh expression of church without it necessarily also beingachurch?

How do fresh expressions relate to Anglican parish churches or local Methodist churches in the overall mission and ministry of the Church of England and the Methodist Church?

Given that the Church of England and the Methodist Church have been shaped by their respective histories, how might fresh expressions develop a spiritual and sacramental life in a way that respects what has been received from the past, while recognising and affirming their pioneering context?

To what extent is it appropriate to interpret fresh expressions as part of an historical pattern of renewal movements that arise from time to time in the life of the Church in response to changing circumstances?

Alternatively, to what extent is it appropriate to interpret fresh expressions as an unprecedented and radical innovation in the life of the Church such that they require the development of an entirely new theological understanding of the Church?

What theological (and practical) implications do fresh expressions hold for the way in which the Church of England and the Methodist Church currently justify the deployment of scarce resources of authorized ministers and finance?

What theological (and practical) issues of accountability arise in relation to fresh expressions?

1.4 The task of the working party

1.4.1  This present report is presented to the General Synod of the Church of England and to the Methodist Conference by the Joint Anglican-Methodist Working Party on the Ecclesiology of Emerging Expressions of Church. In the spirit of joint collaboration envisaged in the Anglican-Methodist Covenant, this working party was convened under the auspices of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Advisory Group (now the Faith and Order Commission) and the Methodist Faith and Order Committee to investigate the explicit and implicit theological understanding of the Church which underpins fresh expressions. ⁴ It cannot be stated too strongly that an evaluation of the Fresh Expressions initiative is beyond the remit of the working party.

1.4.2  The members of the working party wish to record their gratitude for the assistance received from those members of the Fresh Expressions leadership team who have been consulted in preparing this report. We have been impressed by the way in which they and fresh expressions practitioners are willing to engage with the theological issues arising from their work. It is evident that the Fresh Expressions initiative is inspired by a deep concern for the vitality of the Church of England and the Methodist Church, and by a strong desire to engage in Christian mission among that substantial section of the population for whom Anglican parish churches and local Methodist churches are unattractive.

1.4.3  As has already been noted, since ‘fresh expressions’ is still a relatively new term, there is as yet no commonly accepted vocabulary in place. Therefore, as a contribution towards the development of a standard vocabulary, as well as to assist the reader, the working party has compiled a glossary of key terms as they feature in this report. ⁵

1.4.4  It is fair to say that, in a short period of time, Mission-Shaped Church and Fresh Expressions have generated a significant amount of secondary literature from supporters and critics alike.⁶ Judging by the passionately held convictions expressed in much of this material, Anglicans and Methodists are far from indifferent towards Christian mission in contemporary British society, though opinion remains divided concerning what constitutes an appropriate mission strategy.

1.4.5  Regrettably, the entirely legitimate debate about fresh expressions easily becomes muddied by mutual suspicion, vested interest and divergent perspectives. For instance, fresh expressions practitioners sometimes express concern that their communities are subject to far greater scrutiny than Anglican parish churches or local Methodist churches. Conversely, critics of Mission-shaped Church sometimes express concern that the prevailing climate within the Church of England and the Methodist Church discourages objective scrutiny of fresh expressions. Such concerns on either side may not be wholly without foundation. Nevertheless, all parties to the debate must be willing to acknowledge the integrity of positions other than their own.

1.4.6  Following a reference by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, it has become commonplace for Anglicans (and Methodists) to talk of a ‘mixed economy’ whereby fresh expressions and Anglican parish churches (or local Methodist churches) co-exist and co-operate in advancing the Church’s mission. ⁷ Opinion among commentators is divided as to whether and how fresh expressions can properly be regarded as churches in the true sense of the term. Some commentators (and many practitioners) readily describe fresh expressions as new or alternative forms of the Church on an equal basis with Anglican parish churches or local Methodist churches. Other commentators, while affirming in principle the value of fresh expressions within a broad mission strategy, believe that they lack some or very many of the essential ecclesial elements that make them recognizable as churches in the true sense of the term.

1.4.7  The difference between these positions is theologically more significant than a mere matter of terminology. It concerns the ecclesial reality of fresh expressions within the Church of England or the Methodist Church. If a fresh expression can properly be said to be ‘a church’, then it must contain the fullness of the universal Church and thus contain everything that is required to sustain a spiritual and sacramental life in communion with other local churches. If a fresh expression cannot properly be said to be a church, then it must lack the fullness of the universal Church and thus lack some of the essential elements that are required to sustain a complete spiritual and sacramental life in communion with other Christian communities.

1.4.8  The question of whether it is appropriate to describe a fresh expression as a church is very sensitive. To say that a fresh expression is not a church in the true sense of the term would appear to involve an adverse judgement. For this reason, fresh expressions practitioners are often reluctant to accept that fresh expressions may not be churches. However, without prejudging the matter, such a conclusion need not be interpreted negatively. On the contrary, it would enable the Church of England and the Methodist Church to determine how fresh expressions can acquire the ecclesial elements that together would identify them as churches.

1.4.9  This joint Anglican-Methodist Working Party is acutely aware of the strongly expressed convictions relating to fresh expressions. The members of the working party themselves represent different theological perspectives, though each brings relevant expertise and experience to its appointed work. Collectively and individually, members of the working party recognize that it is their duty to investigate the ecclesiological or ‘churchly’ nature of fresh expressions in a way that is impartial, thorough and constructive.

1.4.10  The particular task before the working party in this present report is to state the criteria by which it is possible for the Church of England and the Methodist Church to recognize fresh expressions as churches, according to their respective teaching concerning the nature of the Church. It is for those who exercise a ministry of oversight to determine the extent to which a particular fresh expression actually fulfils those criteria. Again, this kind of judgement need not be interpreted in a negative sense. A fresh expression that does not possess all the essential elements of the Church may still develop in a way that leads towards this objective or else legitimately continue as a mission project.

1.4.11  Although the working party necessarily focuses its attention on fresh expressions, this does not mean that such communities are more in need of scrutiny than Anglican parish churches or local Methodist churches. The working party neither makes nor implies any value judgement on fresh expressions. For the purpose of this present report, it is not the quality or effectiveness of Christian mission represented by an individual fresh expression that is at issue, but whether and how a fresh expression has, or might acquire, those elements that enable it properly to be called a church, as this term is understood and used by the Church of England and the Methodist Church.

1.4.12  The working party does not intend to address ecclesiological issues raised by the widespread use of the internet for spiritual and religious purposes. The intriguing idea of ‘virtual’ or ‘internet’ church therefore lies beyond the scope of this present report. The Methodist Church has established a separate working party to address this issue.

1.5 Reference point for theological reflection on the Church

1.5.1  The reference point or corner stone for theological reflection on the nature of fresh expressions in relation to the Church is provided by the respective doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church. While this may seem obvious, it needs to be stated because of a possible tendency to assume that the nature of the Church is an entirely open question among Anglicans and Methodists. On the contrary, the Church of England and the Methodist Church each has its official standard of teaching concerning the Church itself.

1.5.2  Nevertheless, some would argue that doctrinal standards formulated in previous generations should not be permitted to constrain current developments that are manifestly inspired by the Holy Spirit. The situation in which these doctrinal standards were originally formulated, it is suggested, was very different to that facing the Church today. The contemporary context of Christian mission in Britain calls for a radical departure from the past in favour of an innovative theological understanding of the Church and its mission, in keeping with the needs of the present age.

1.5.3  From this perspective, the doctrinal legacy inherited from previous generations should be set aside so that new forms of the Church can develop under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Those who adopt this position often distinguish between so-called ‘inherited’ or ‘traditional’ church and ‘emerging’ church, of which fresh expressions are thought to be one particular strand.

1.5.4  Such an argument, on examination, is seen to be flawed. The Church does not receive its identity exclusively, or even primarily, from contemporary theological reflection in response to the perceived realities of a particular missionary context. Essentially, the Church is a divine creation, whose nature is a matter of belief. Anglicans and Methodists profess their faith using the words of the Nicene Creed: ‘We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.’ The respective doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church are intended to preserve their belief concerning this one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Thus the doctrinal standards state the criteria by which Anglicans and Methodists respectively can be confident that a particular Christian community is visibly and recognizably a church, in which is present the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Adherence to the doctrinal standards is intended to guard against developments that would compromise the integrity of the Church.

1.5.5  For these reasons, the doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church are not to be discarded as irrelevant at the present juncture. Not all practical or theological trends among Christians can be attributed uncritically to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Church of England and the Methodist Church have a duty to test the various spirits at work in the life of the Church (1 John 4.1–6) in order to discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One of the purposes of this present report is to contribute to that process of discernment, which properly belongs to the authorized ministries of oversight in the Church of England and the Methodist Church.

1.5.6  It would be incorrect to suppose that the doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church impose a straitjacket on discernment so that only traditional forms of the Church could ever be recognized as such. On the contrary, the doctrinal standards of both churches provide a degree of flexibility when it comes to identifying where the Church is concretely located in the world. Thus the working party must determine whether and how the doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church could permit fresh expressions to be identified as particular churches, and equally whether and how the existence of fresh expressions prompts new interpretations of these doctrinal standards.

1.5.7  Since the doctrinal standards of the Church of England and the Methodist Church are central to the study being undertaken in this present report, we now turn our attention to them before describing the theological method adopted in the report.

1.6 Doctrinal standards: the Church of England

1.6.1  The doctrinal standards of the Church of England are set out in Canons A5 and C15. Canon A5, ‘Of the Doctrine of the Church of England’, states that:

The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.

1.6.2  Canon C15, ‘Of the Declaration of Assent’, contains a declaration made by ordained ministers and some authorized lay ministers at the start of their ministry or when taking up a new appointment. This Canon begins with a short Preface that explains the self-understanding of the Church of England:

The Church of England is part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church worshipping the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It professes the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds, which faith the Church is called upon to proclaim afresh in each generation. Led by the Holy Spirit, it has borne witness to Christian truth in its historic formularies, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. In this declaration you are about to make will you affirm your loyalty to this inheritance of faith as your inspiration and guidance under God in bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making Him known to those in your care?

In response to this Preface, the person making the Declaration of Assent then replies:

I, A.B, do so affirm, and accordingly declare my belief in the faith which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds and to which the historic formularies of the Church of England bear witness; and in public prayer and administration of the sacraments, I will use only