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Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Tradition. Edited by Steven Croft, Ian Mobsby, and Stephanie Spellers. New York: Seabury Books, 2010. xv + 182 pp. $22.00 (paper).
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's foreword to this collection of essays expresses succinctly the enterprise that all church leaders, regardless of their association with what has come to be known as "Fresh Expressions," hope to facilitate: "Authentic Christian communities . . . demonstrate a hospitality that invites others in, seeking to discern their own gifts and in the process luring tourists to become fellow travelers on The Way of Jesus" (p. ix). On the whole the writers of the various essays contribute to our understanding of how such "tourists" may be lured into becoming "fellow travelers."
The opening section of the book contains a series of essays focusing on "The Big Picture." Archbishop Rowan Williams and Brian McLaren set the conversation in the context of the "marks" of the church: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. In particular Williams looks at what the catholic characteristics of the Christian tradition are and articulates a guiding principle for new ecclesia! communities: "A good catholic theology of the Church starts well back beyond any issues around institutions; it starts by asking how a community embodies, practically and visibly, some of the things we've been thinking about. It starts by acknowledging that 'church' is an event - a calling together" (p. 2). McLaren, in his turn, provides...