Customer Reviews

A Church for the Future: South Africa and the Future of Anglicanism

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I had long known about the work of Nelson Mandella and Archbishop Tutu in their work of ridding South Africa of apartheid. Mr. Lewis presents there two individuals (along with several others) in content and context in such a vivid manner that their personhood shines forth. They became persons rather than icons! Mr. Lewis' detailed descriptions of the various events and organizations swirling around the work of bringing equal rights,reducing racism and freeing South Africa from the abuses of apartheid are presented in the light of South Africa's history. Of particular interest to me was his explanation of "Ubuntu", an African philosophy and spiritual concept. "Ubuntu" emphasizes the connectedness of all human beings and was the basis for much of the work of the Commission on Reconciliation. The book was inspiring as well as informative.

The Rev. Hugh B. Craig

A Church for the Future: South Africa and the Future of Anglicanism

I found Mr. Lewis' book interesting; it enlarged my historical understanding of developments in the Anglican Communion. However, the interpretive viewpoint is that of liberal mainline Christianity. The book is best read alongside such authors as Thomas C. Oden (How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind). At present, the Anglican Communion is deeply divided between the liberal American vision for the future advocated by the American Episcopal Church, and the more orthodox and conservative viewpoints of many African, Asian, and South American bishops and archbishops. Let the reader beware: this is only one side of a struggle for the future of the church.