Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Summer 2012 Issue | Page 3

A VISION OF IT ALL
THE RT. REV. SHANNON S. JOHNSTON
Dear Diocesan Family,
I’ve just returned from a conference; not just any conference,
but one that was attended by almost 4,500 people from 92
countries. Its focus was Christian leadership. The scope and
ambition of the conference was bold and wide-ranging. I could
write page after page detailing what was offered, the actual
content of sessions, etc., but I want simply to offer a reflection
on one small scene from that stage.

On the second morning of the conference we heard, one
right after the other, an evangelical mega-church pastor, a
Benedictine monk, the bishop of London, a female pentecostal
preacher, and then Rick Warren (author of the best-selling book
The Purpose Driven Life). It was a riveting three hours. Even
so, I did not fully realize until later that afternoon just what I
had seen and heard in that succession of Christian witnesses:
it was a good long look at the breadth of the Church. To put it
in a big way, we saw “the whole Church.” And though coming
from vastly differing perspectives and presenting in widelyvarying styles, all of these leaders were explicitly pointing to
the essential unity we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. They were
all clear that what unites us is far greater and stronger than
what seeks to divide the Body of Christ, the Church. This was, I
was told by conference organizers, the broader purpose of the
conference itself.

All of that has brought me into a deep, rich sense of my
vision and hopes for us as the Diocese of Virginia (and for the
entire Episcopal Church and our whole Anglican Communion,
for that matter). I’m more convinced than ever that “it takes us
all” to be the Church that God intends. Conservatives, liberals,
evangelicals, charismatics, mainline, low-church, high-church,
broad church: whatever the label, expression or experience
I say bring it all on. And, to me, there’s no doubt that our
Anglican tradition is comprehensive and strong enough to hold
it all, perhaps uniquely so.

Closer to home, what do I mean for our Virginia
congregations? I’m saying that we need, as a diocesan
community, all of those experiences and expressions of faith
in Jesus Christ to be fully the Church. We need the broadest
possible spectrum of Christian faith to be a diocese that is, well,
whole. Frankly, I believe that whether the world knows it, this
fullness is what the world is looking for in us as the Church.

Of course, this isn’t tidy or simple. Profound
disagreement will exist, even distaste or outright offense.
But the great mystery of the unity we have in the ministry,
death and resurrection of Jesus is a gift of the grace of God
and it surpasses all else. I’m not so naive as to think that we
can realize this unity in the fullest way in this mortal life. I do

deeply trust that we shall
know it in eternal life, but I
fervently urge us to strive
continuously for the very
best we can do. And I think
we know what that looks
like and what it doesn’t.

Naturally, I’m aware
that the Diocese of Virginia
has “conservative”
congregations and
Photo: Austin Bartenstein
“progressive” ones. Mostly,
Bishop Johnston preaches
we have congregations
at Church of the Epiphany,
that hold both ends of
Richmond for the Reaffirmation
that tension in cohesive
of Ordination Vows service
community. We have
during Holy Week.
individuals on the “left”
and others on the “right”
who’d rather keep it to themselves (I pray it’s not because they
don’t feel safe in expressing themselves), and we have persons
who will tell you just exactly what they think in any parking lot.
Our moderates, surely the majority in the Diocese of Virginia,
hold equally strong convictions but by personal disposition
must allow for the sense that “on the other hand …”

OK. As one of my favorite hymns (#51) declares, “all find
a welcome.”

What I envision is this: conservatives, liberals and
moderates, evangelicals, catholics, charismatics and mainliners
all being genuinely accepted in our communities of faith for
who they are now, while they themselves remain seekers
as to what the Holy Spirit works in them. I want all of our
congregations – from conservative to liberal to everything inbetween – to be as strong as they can be: to thrive and to grow
and to be absolutely compelling in their witness. I want every
person to be confident about giving “a reason for the hope
that you have” (I Peter 3:15).

Is there room enough in Episcopalian Christianity for all
of this? Is there room for you? You bet. The Diocese of Virginia
must be the whole Church–whole. t
In Christ,

tShannon

Summer 2012 / VIRGINIA EPISCOPALIAN

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