An Anglican Ecclesiology
By Colin Buchanan
Darton, Longman & Todd. 356 pages plus notes.
ISBN 0 232 52134 4
Brilliant, frustrating, erudite, short-sighted, biblical, idiosyncratic, radical, conservative - it must be Colin Buchanan's latest book. Is the Church of England biblical? is a typical Buchanan broadside, aimed to supplement a perceived lack of an ecclesiology that is authentically Anglican and evangelical.
So he provides major sections on the biblical doctrine of the church, on how far the early church should be appealed to as a model (not much, given the absurdities and scandals he carefully records), on the intentions of the reformers, on the contemporary profile of the Church of England and what is realistic for the future (at least, what is realistic to him - not many of his Episcopal colleagues will agree). Along the way there are wonderful asides, which educate, alarm and irritate by turn. Fans of lay presidency will even find a thinly-veiled hint on how to proceed to undermine the House of Bishops' report 'Eucharistic Presidency'. Bishop Colin has produced a typically masterly volume.
