by Sebastian Milbank, The Critic
Anglicanism is replacing theology with progressive proceduralism
To be an Anglican today is not so different from being a British citizen — you feel yourself to be at the mercy of decisions made behind closed doors, by obscure committees, and using incomprehensible jargon. Perhaps there’s something curiously fitting for an established Church in this final Erastian convergence of church and state, in which a unifying progressive and proceduralist theology is inculcated in every classroom and corporate boardroom with Jesuitical zeal. The end of history is, after all, a millenarian event, and it would be sad to see the Church of England absent as the final trumpet of hegemonic liberalism sounds.
But, of course, the end of history is already over, and like all doomsday cults it has left thousands of deeply embarrassed worshippers behind, who must either shamefacedly try and slip back into normal life, or continue to assert that the end of the world is just around the corner, if only we believe hard enough. Appropriately, given that the CofE is always at least ten years out of date, it is still merrily carrying on as if a significant plurality of its own congregation weren’t preparing to vote Reform at the next election, with 38 per cent now rating their likelihood of voting for the party as high.
A growing number of ordinary Anglicans are desperately sick and tired of politically correct pieties displacing the language of Christian faith and theology. Many feel that their Christian identity, culture and heritage is under threat from the eroding forces of multiculturalism, political Islam and mass migration. Yet not only are such concerns unheard and unreflected by those who govern the church, they are actively inflamed and marginalised by a hostile hierarchy. Project Spire, a project that involves handing over £100 million in reparations for highly contested and indirect links with slavery, is going ahead despite a majority of worshippers strongly opposing the plans, and indicating that they would be less likely to donate to the Church if they proceed.