An Apologetic Challenge to Aigner's "Rascally Millennials".

I'd like to take opportunity to answer a wonderfully honest article by Jonathan Aigner entitled "An open letter from one of those millennials you can't figure out." Please click and read it. It's worth your time and it certainly is worth an answer from one who agrees. What's a little reading if it means gaining eternity?

Entertainmentanity

Aigner cites a litany of their marketing gimmicks and his generation's apathy toward the effort. His experience with "cool, hip, youth-group-glorifying, theology-eschewing McCongregation" fell short of authentic conciliar Christianity and left him unfulfilled and disconnected.

Aigner sums up his  love / hate relationship with contemporary religion:

I love the theology, but I hate the expectations of pseudo piety.
Love the gospel, hate the patriotic moralism.
Love the Bible, hate the way it’s used.
Love Jesus, but hate what we’ve done with him.
Love worship, but hate Jesusy entertainment.

 Further, he asks 'if this all worked would there be any real Church left?'  "Would we see a Cross?"  Good question.

This is the very stuff we traditional Anglicans also reject and at have done so at great cost. Please read on and allow me to elaborate.

"DON'T GIVE US ENTERTAINMENT,  GIVE US LITURGY"

Tacky Wars

If your standard of entertainment gives you no need of "pathetic" theatrics, neither does ours.  If, as Aigner also says, you aren't concerned about "busy-program" and want a natural, gritty, authentic setting with both old and new faces, ethnicities, races" drawn together by God rather than marketing ploys- so do we.  We are ethnically and racially divergent yet commune in one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Antiquity, consensus, and universality- the early undivided Church is our standard and yes, you will most definitely see the Cross.

If "Big Box" buildings and arrays of amplification are a distraction we don't have it. We worship in truth in a house, displaced by the very objections listed in Jonathan's article. The first Christians worshipped in houses as well. They didn't do theatrics with big screens and 'lock-ins' generally meant martyrdom. They broke bread and prayed together and so do we.

WE HAVE LITURGY.
Liturgy literally means 'the work of the people' revering God in an order. No "pseudo piety, patriotic moralism, misuse of the Bible, retail Jesus, and syrupy entertainment" here.  We never traded away the Liturgy faithfully preserved for us by the same saints that also handed on the Scriptures "generation to generation."

Liturgy is true worship passed down through the centuries as God desires and uses to sanctify his people, bringing us into remembrance.  Liturgy doesn't indulge the self-help self-centered culture, but focuses right worship Godward and grace returns manward. God created us in good order, and likewise, in the same manner,  prepares us for the coming of our Savior. This is the function of liturgy- so that we may grow in holiness and ultimately approach Him.

The story of the preparation of Israel for salvation is the story of our preparation as well, just as an athlete or musician increase in skill through repetition so the Liturgy prepares you for your eternal state.  It is this heritage we preserve for you.  Unlike Esau, we didn't trade it away for a bowl of lentils.

WE HAVE THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE- THE BODY AND THE BLOOD.
The sacraments are channels of grace given by Jesus Christ to sustain us and prepare us for what awaits us all in the greater life.  The sacraments cannot be explained away by the philosophies of men that seek to box God into mundane formulas rather than magnify Him in the fullness of faith. We preserve it from the very earliest Christians to ensure it is offered to you.

OUR CHAPEL

WE HAVE THE TOUGH ANSWERS TO TOUGH QUESTIONS.
Can you ask tough questions?  Good, that's biblical.  Can you accept tough answers? Many cannot. If you demand a church where no question is out of bounds you should also appreciate a church where answers will stretch and challenge and make you uncomfortable- often contradicting coveted presuppositions.  You'll get it straight up here.

A CHALLENGE FOR YOU.
Jonathan raises valid questions, has eagerness to dispense with superficialities and "Jesusy cliches" but what good is it if one doesn't act to rectify these problems?  If you agree with him you should be ready for real spiritual food he seeks and we have a challenge: spend a year abiding with us on a demanding path of prayer and spiritual formation/catechism - just as the early Christians, that is "uncool, radical, and different."  Come run the race, put on the new self, and be transformed by the renewal of your mind.  You can do it.

Heavy Lifting For The Soul

Live in the fullness of the 'faith once delivered', be the prodigal son,  come home and reclaim your heritage.  We await you in love and joy.

THE FAITH WE STRIVE TO DELIVER:

'We have the Word of God, the Faith of the Apostles, 

the Creeds of the Primitive Church, 

the Articles of the general Councils, 

a holy Liturgy, excellent Prayers, 

perfect Sacraments, 

Faith and Repentance, 

the Ten Commandments, 

and the Sermons of Christ, 

the precepts and counsels of the Gospel; 

the necessity of good works, 

a holy life,

obedience to God, 

and are ready to die for him, 

do as He requires us so to do; 

We speak honourably of his most holy Name, 

we worship him at the mention of his Name, 

we confess his Attributes, we love his Servants, 

we pray for all Men, 

we love all Christians, even our most erring Brethren, 

we confess our sins to God and to our Brethren and to God's Ministers,

and we communicate (Eucharist) often.

Our Priests absolve the penitent, our Bishops ordain Priests, 

and confirm baptized persons,

 and bless their people and intercede for them; 

and what could here be wanting to Salvation?"

 - Jeremy Taylor 1613 – 67