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OPINION: THINKING BIG .. What stops Anglicans thinking big?
By WAYNE BRIGHTON*
May 4, 2008

DISCUSSION: Baptist church figure, the Revd Tim Costello, shows his 'white-board skills' during a session on 'Strengthening Community' at the 2020 Summit in Canberra. Image courtesy of the Australian Government, Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet. * WAYNE BRIGHTON is a lay assistant at St John's Glebe, Sydney, and is a co-convener for CONVERSE, an interdenominational network for the Emerging Church.

Does factional point-scoring and the weight of institutional momentum prevent the Anglican Church thinking outside the square?  Probably, writes WAYNE BRIGHTON*, so it's up to individual Anglicans to 'think big'.     

'Think big' was the challenge presented to delegates attending last month's Australia 2020 Summit. 

A handpicked group of Australia's 'best and brightest' gathered in Canberra (19-20 April) to consider our nation's future over chicken wraps and Hugh Jackman's vox pops. 

According to the Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, such an event was needed because, "government, irrespective of its political persuasion, does not have a monopoly on policy wisdom." 

The weekend focused on what Australians could do to build a stronger nation. Groups were to assiduously avoid being prescriptive or even to consider how ideas might be delivered. 

McKinsey consultants worked flipcharts furiously, reducing the big ideas to the equivalent of T-shirt slogans.

Many of the themes were familiar - climate change, greater national consistency in policy and infrastructure and more investment in human capital, particularly early childhood and skills development. 

Some like Democrats Senator Lyn Allison expected more.  The statements and ideas produced had "been around for years," she said.  Alexander Downer, the former government minister, was dismissive, slamming it as a "leftist gabfest." 

Of course, any resemblance with another body known for well-meaning resolutions - the Uniting Church - was purely accidental.

It was the call to strengthen civil society that struck me as the biggest idea of all.  In a peculiarly Australian twist, the major news outlets implied that it was up to the government to make everything happen.

In a departure from ALP tradition, the report indicated that, "not every problem can or should be solved by government."  It needed to encourage society, "to trust in its own judgement, and act in its own right." 

The government modestly acknowledged that it was not the only change agent in Australia. The report presents a benign, even liberal slant on government's role as, "creating opportunities... enabling rather than controlling, as encouraging rather than prescribing." 

It is ironic to think that an ALP government may be markedly more liberal in its approach that its coalition predecessor.  After all, this government acknowledged that many people now, "expect business and not-for-profit organisations to play more prominent roles in Australia."

What role should churches play in strengthening civil society? 

It will depend partly on whether their membership is active and engaged or aged and declining.

Are they capable of using the new forms of social mobilisation like SMS or weblogs? Or will they continue to rely on tired methods like denominational committees, protest marches and stern letters to parliamentarians?   

Pentecostal and emergent churches are leaving their pietistic cloisters and redefining the link between faith and service. 

Tom Sine, a keen observer of this trend, calls it, "a conspiracy of compassion." Hospitality and inclusion feature strongly in open, Jesus centred communities. 

Faithworks, Make Poverty History and Stop the Traffik are prime examples of how Christians can organise to strengthen civil society in fresh ways.  They are profoundly faith driven movements where church growth is an indirect benefit of pursuing a larger social good than an end in itself. 

As Christians connect with the Kingdom of God, the church shows signs of becoming more mission-shaped.

My concern is that old styled institutional churches will ultimately fail to recognise this as an opportunity for thinking big.  Instead, we'll continue squabbling over who of us are the 'real' Anglicans, much to the disinterest of a troubled world.

No doubt, many evangelicals will reheat the left-over arguments against the 'social gospel.'

Sadly, their leaders will dismiss it as a distraction from the critical task of preaching and teaching the Gospel all the while their young people trickle out from a desire to live the Gospel and not merely hear about it as something completed 2000 years ago.

Sadly, many of the middle-roaders will snipe too. 

The church has always been committed to compassion and inclusion, they'll say, as if it washes away the ineffectiveness of their bureaucratic approach.    

Australia desperately needs a stronger civil society. 

However, the days when social change could be effected by bishops has gone.  Our committees are too slow and the synodical processes peddle resolutions that pass on the voices and go ignored until the next meeting.

If faith is to shape Australian society, it will not be through our bureaucratic processes.  Neither will it be through concerted campaigns to (re)elect Christian parliamentarians. 

It will take Christians rediscovering message of Jesus and the power of the Kingdom he guarantees personally. 

Only Christians who are prepared to make a vital contribution as private individuals will make a difference.  Faith groups that are brave enough to act in broad coalition with other 'private' interests might yet awaken conscience still.

My only question is, can Australian Anglicans think that big? 

* WAYNE BRIGHTON is a lay assistant at St John's Glebe, Sydney,  and is a co-convener for CONVERSE, an interdenominational network for the Emerging Church.

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