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Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals Are Attracted to the Liturgical Church

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The language of St. Paul haunted me as an Evangelical. He wrote that our lives as Christians should be lived out in "fear and trembling" but the worship and language at the churches I attended betrayed those words.We approached Christ as a pal, a coach of the team, and a guidance counsellor for our problems. His handbook was the Bible and it contained all the answers. There was no mystery to our faith, no big questions that didn't have little answers. Faith was simple and our personal relationship with the God of the Universe was defined by our needs and the felt needs of the congregation. There were times when more awe was given a visiting pastor with a certain amount of national fame then weekly was shown toward Jesus. We sang songs asking to see God's face without ever contemplating what that actually meant. My movement toward Anglicanism was prompted by the question of what St. Paul meant by "fear and trembling" and this book tells the stories of others who moved toward the liturgy, worship as defined by the Apostles who knew Christ personally and whose personal relationship with Christ was defined by the One Lord Himself. The authors also speak highly of their roots in Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism. Without rancor or bitterness they appreciate, as I do, the love and the truth of the Gospel expressed in those traditions. But they discovered something richer in the Liturgical Tradition of Anglicanism that didn't diminish what they believed before, but gave it context and depth. For fellow seekers from Evangelicalism I recommend this book.

The transference of allegiances from one Christian tradition to another can often be a source of pain the converts' friends and family. A particular sore point is when one leaves for a Church that is viewed in one's former tradition as "highly suspect." Robert E. Webber understands these emotions well. Webber, a former Bob Jones University graduate who left the Evangelical Protestant movement for Anglicanism, was one of the first in a wave of prominent Evangelicals discovering liturgical worship. Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail is not as much a call for all Evangelicals to make a similar move, but an explanation - using his own experience as an example - as to why an Evangelical would make such a move. The overall tone is very irenic and seeks to promote a greater understanding among faithful Christians of all traditions.

The first part of the book is a description of Webber's conversion to Anglicanism. Rather than giving a strictly chronological telling of his trek, he approaches it from six different aspects of the Christian Faith (mystery, worship, sacraments, spiritual identity, the Church, spirituality) he came to believe were inadequately expressed in Evangelical Protestantism. The turning point in much of his discussion was his discovery of the Church Fathers. In them, he saw a far more balanced vision of Christianity - one he found expressed well in Anglicanism and the worship of the Book of Common Prayer.

The second part of the book consists of the personal testimonies of converts to Anglicanism. Although generally kind towards their former homes, it is obvious the deficiencies of modern Evangelical Protestant worship had taken its toll. A strong point here is each of the testimonies are sufficiently different in background and experience to avoid repetition of the same points. This also gives a sampling of the breadth of the movement to historic Christianity.

Webber returns to finish with a call for Evangelicals and those in the liturgical Churches to grow to know each other better as fellow Christians. While pointing out the factors leading to his move to Anglicanism, Webber recognizes strengths in Evangelicalism (strong personal faith, commitment to orthodoxy, love of Scripture, and concern for mission and evangelism) that would benefit the liturgical Churches. He predicts a convergence of traditions in the next century as the old wounds of the Church finally begin to heal.

In the nearly twenty years since the publication of Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, much has happened relating to the points Webber raised - and many of his predictions now seem prophetic. The move to the historical Churches has grown considerably with Evangelical converts bringing their strengths with them to their new homes. Also, there have been many points of honest discussion and a detente of sorts along the ecclesiological front lines (although like other cessations of hostilities it is neither appreciated or observed by all).

Oddly though, Webber's own Anglicanism has not been a major beneficiary. Although the Anglican Communion is growing rapidly in Africa and Asia - where it is orthodox in its beliefs - the Episcopal Church (the U.S. province of the Anglican Communion) has declined and is increasingly both apostate and irrelevant. An obvious choice for a Protestant looking for a liturgical Church, its political correctness is anathema to someone looking for the faith once delivered. Thus most of the converts to historic Christianity have ended elsewhere.

Webber is not to blame for the folly of his Church. His book was the first sign of an important change in the Christian landscape. Although in some points it is now dated, Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail still affords the reader a rich understanding of both Christian worship and spirituality and a glimpse on the early stages of a significant movement of God.

I had been drawn to the Anglican Church for about a year before I joined. I think it all started when I visited a Catholic church (followed by an Orthodox one) and experienced a deep sense of mystery. Then I started reading the Church Fathers of the 1st Millennium, as well as mystics. However, there were certain doctrines of the Catholic and Orthodox churches I could not accept (though don't get me wrong I believe they are Christians!). The next logical step of my yearning for mystery, and love of the church fathers was the Episcopal Church.

My story (with the Catholic visits and church fathers) resembles Webber's and the others' testimonies. While mine is slightly different it is not too far off. Webber came from a fundamentalist Baptist tradition (I was a United Methodist), which believed the church went apostate around 100 AD. Webber was also a die hard 5-point Calvinist (as he said '1st a Calvinist, then a Christian'). He also had negative attitudes toward mainline denominations, and especially Catholics. But he found the evangelical church lacking. There was no mystery; it all seemed either too rational or too emotionally subjective. He felt like many things were missing, namely mystery and symbolic worship (such as signing the cross, and anointing with oil). He said he had never felt the resurrection until he went to a Roman Catholic service. Until then the Resurrection was just a cold doctrine he felt like he had to defend.

Like Webber, I can still call myself an evangelical, but I don't mean it in the same way I used to. Like Webber, I have come to appreciate diversity in the church (as long as the creeds can be said honestly).One thing Webber learned was that there is such a thing as the universal and apostolic church, one that transcends denominations, including the Anglican Church.

Like the testimonies in the book, I have no malice toward my old church tradition, in fact I am proud of it in many ways. However, many who know I have become Episcopal often ask "Why?" The best thing I could do would be to point them to this book.

For those who are looking at joining the Anglican Tradition then this book is a must read, though the reader must be warned that this book is not a staunch, detailed defence of Anglicanism over other evangelical denominations. Webber has a love for all evangelical traditions, though for him the Anglican Tradition met six important needs that other traditions did not. He explaines those within the book.

In my opinion Webber's book touches upon a more important issue that is rampant within conservative evangelicalism: rationalism.

For the conservative evangelical who is only concerned about his neat, ordered, boxed up theology, this book will not serve that purpose. Webber's journey into the Episcopal Church could also be titled "An Escape From Rationalism." He like myself have discovered that there is a whole lot more to Christianity than getting our theologies perfect.

One of Webber's reasons for joining the Anglican Tradition was needing what he called "a sense of mystery in religious experience", in other words this was saying that God cannot and will not be boxed up in some theological system.

I like Webber have also made the pilgrimage to Canterbury, I encourage others to explore also and to discover the beauty of the Anglican Tradition for themselves.

As a Bob Jones graduate and former Baptist, I found this book intriguing and consuming. While I appreciate my upbringing, I found it wanting; I found it lacking in providing me a direction to an intimate relationship with God. While helpful, it was as if I received only half of what I really needed for my Christian life. The book captured the feelings of dispair, questioning and longing I have felt for years. If you want more - if you are searching for meaning in your encounters with God - if you sense a quality of relationship and life missing between you and God, READ THIS BOOK! This book is highly recommended by one who has searched for years to find meaning. A word to Dr. Webber: THANK YOU! Thank you for your courage to reveal your inner feelings. It has helped so many.

Seeking greater depth in the Christian pilgrimage and an escape from the predominant 'plastic Christianity' in America today lead this seeker to explore, embrace and exalt in liturgical Christianity. The Book of Common Prayer is one of the greatest devotional classics ever and an excellent framework for daily enriching and deepening one's walk with Christ. Liturgy edifies and uplifts and if you are a Baptist or any other evangelical label and you are in search of depth, read and enjoy Webber's book. I'd recommend his new book too 'Ancient-Future Faith' and his 'Liturgical Evangelism.' All the harping against Anglicanism/Episcopalians by my contemporaries has proven false. IF you are interested in returning to the true worship of our forefathers go and see for yourself in a Anglican/Episcopal church and devour'Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail'

Why are so many Evangelicals leaving their trendy, contemporary churches? Webber, a Wheaton College professor of Theology, explains his personal pilgrimage toward Canterbury. He also lets about a half-dozen other Evangelicals take a few pages and share their story. All have ended up in the Episcopal/Anglican communion. It's a compelling, thought-provoking book. While not every Evangelical who reads it will want to join an Episcopal church, anyone who reads the book will understand those who do! Highly recommended!!

I found mention of Robert Webber's book while I searched online about Anglican/Episcopal/Liturgical topics. The church I currently attend is utilizing the "seeker-sensitive"/"purpose-driven" model for worship and it has begun to wear thin on me lately. There has got to be more to Sunday worship than a few songs, a drama and the use of a multi-media screen. And I have to say that Webber's book has made a great impact on my growing interest in the value of liturgy in general and the Anglican tradition in particular.

If you want a great book that makes an impressive case for the importance of liturgy, I highly recommend this book. It also includes the tesimonies of six other evangelical who have entered the Episcopal church and every short essay will ring true to what you are feeling.

I would consider this book a "must read" for anyone who has given consideration to liturical worship.

Without ever meeting Robert Webber, I was convinced that when I did, he would understand how I maintained my evangelical theology but not the mainstream US evanglical style. When I was faced with major trauma in my life, I found that my traditional spiritual experience was insufficient to explain my personal spiritual yearnings. I could put no label on them but reading this book, was if Dr.Webber had walked in my shoes and had found new life within a different worship framework that I knew. This book will help the conservative Christian understand why anyone might seek the Anglican tradition of worship. I experienced the Lord deeper within this worship style and especially through the music and the Eucharist than I had ever done in my younger life. I recommend this book with no reservations.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who may be considering visiting or joining a Liturgical Church. The stories by people who have left Evangelical Churches are worth the price of the book alone. There is nothing like hearing a personal story you can really identify with. I found myself nodding my head during parts of most of the book.