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 PrintableVersion NEAC: Anglicans stand firmAnglican evangelicals converged for a rare get-together in September to focus on what unites, rather than what divides...Hundreds of delegates at a landmark gathering of Anglican evangelicals have been challenged to renew their passion for the essentials of evangelical belief - and to trust one another more. Around 2,000 people, including about 30 bishops from Britain and abroad, attended the Fourth National Evangelical Anglican Conference (NEAC4) in Blackpool over five days to hear dozens of speakers focus on the theme 'Bible, Cross and Mission'. Participants at the huge event - the first of its kind for 15 years - were encouraged to be confident in Scripture, humble before the cross, and passionate in evangelism. Elected delegatesThe conference was organised by the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), which has representatives from Anglican evangelical organisations plus delegates elected by local evangelical fellowships. Speaking to Evangelicals Now after the congress, CEEC Chairman and Archdeacon of Exeter, Paul Gardner, said: 'We were thrilled at the way God answered prayer and brought us together in a genuine unity around the full trustworthiness of Scripture and the substitutionary death of Jesus. The passion for reaching an unchurched nation was evident to all. 'It was great to see just how close on these matters of core evangelical faith the main speakers really were. This Congress has started building trust again between evangelicals. It has laid a foundation on which we must now build as we tackle some of the differences between evangelical groupings. God has greatly blessed us and we left the Congress more convinced than ever that we should be working together.' John Stott, the elder statesman of Anglican evangelicals, who was much involved in the first NEAC in 1967 and the second at Nottingham in 1977, said: 'For the future I long that we go away from Blackpool with a new determination to work together as evangelicals.' Among the many highlights of the Congress were: * A session on confidence in the Bible in a post-modern age given by Dr. David Peterson, Principal of Oak Hill, London, and Bishop Graham Cray. * A powerful talk on the atonement by Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney. * A sermon on the theme 'Washed through his most precious blood' by Wallace Benn, CEEC president and Bishop of Lewes. * A presentation on the suffering church, including a moving contribution from Josiah Fearon, a Nigerian Archbishop. * Daily Bible readings from Paul Gardner, who especially highlighted the dangers of false teaching. * A thoughtful session on homosexuality, including presentations from Canadian Professor Edith Humphrey, Professor Gordon Wenham and Dr. Andrew Goddard from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. Healing, not blessing...In her talk, Professor Humphrey said that liberals wanted 'to put skewed human experience in the place of Jesus, Paul, and the historic church, and declare that we have transcended the clear voice of Scripture on this issue. In place of the communion of saints and the teaching of the apostles, they put a new gospel of so-called inclusivity, and tell us to bless what needs to be healed'. The steering committee of NEAC told delegates they were sending a letter of support to Anglican parishes in North America, especially New Westminster, who were defending orthodox teaching on homosexuality in the face of the liberal onslaught there. In a later session, Professor Alister McGrath, Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, said events in America showed 'a liberalism which has lost its way, with arguments that cannot be sustained except by sheer political power. We need to make sure it doesn't happen here'. In addition to the main conference sessions, which usually began at 9.00 am and finished shortly before 10.00 pm, there were 18 seminars and more than 54 forum events to choose from, including Islam, communion, marriage, music, Christian womanhood and manhood, divorce, discipling new Christians, cloning, the workplace, church planting, youth evangelism, small groups, women bishops and 'loving your vicar'. Other speakers included: Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St. Ebbe's, Oxford; John Irvine, the Dean of Coventry; David Holloway from Jesmond Parish Church; Bishop Colin Buchanan; Anthony Thistleton, Emeritus Professor of Christian Theology at Nottingham University; Mark Stibbe from St. Andrew's, Chorleywood; and James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool. One particular treat was the inspirational epilogue given each night with warmth, wit and biblical incisiveness by Richard Bewes of All Souls, Langham Place. Another highlight was an outstanding seminar on building bridges with the local community to share the gospel. This was hosted by Mark Melluish, a leading figure in the New Wine network, and minister of St. Paul's, Ealing, which has experienced explosive growth in recent years. ControversyOne moderately controversial event at NEAC4 was the announcement by Dr. Francis Bridger, Trinity College, Bristol, of another evangelical pressure group, this one entitled 'Fulcrum'. The group subscribes to the CEEC basis of faith, and has a traditional view on homosexuality. It says its aim is 'renewing the evangelical centre'. This congress was designed primarily to be a devotional and social event focused on Bible teaching and fellowship, rather than a campaigning, political conference. There had been controversy beforehand about the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to open in prayer and 'bring a greeting'. About 30 delegates went to a separate prayer meeting, but the Archbishop's words were brief and uncontroversial. It was unfortunate that some of the press interpreted his words - and a helpful devotional talk by the Archbishop of York, David Hope - as coded political attacks on evangelicals. This was not how they came across at the time. Encouraging feedbackIt is hard to sum up such a huge event as NEAC. But if the aim of the Congress was to 'make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification' (Romans 10.19) among evangelicals then it was highly successful - and hopefully merely the beginning of greater unity in the truth. Paul Perkin, Vicar of St. Mark's, Battersea Rise, and a member of both the NEAC Steering Group and the council of the campaigning group Reform, offered his personal reflection saying: 'The congress was marked by a gracious interaction, listening to one another and encouraging each other. Despite no doubt many variations of views on different secondary areas of doctrine, there was a remarkable convergence on those beliefs that have traditionally marked evangelical convictions.' Simon Vibert, Chairman of the Fellowship of Word and Spirit - a network of Anglican evangelicals committed to promoting biblical theology - commented: 'Overwhelmingly I came away fed and nourished in the Word, enthused for mission, and, yes, positive that the Church of England and Anglican Communion is, under God, redeemable and worth fighting for.' 'I spy'One area of concern was that NEAC delegates were overwhelmingly white and middle-class. On the Blackpool seafront I played a 'spot the NEAC delegate from a distance' competition with my friends James Dudley-Smith and Andy Telfer. It was easy to identify the conference participants and thus win a point, since they (and the three of us) generally looked and sounded quite different from most local residents and holiday-makers, an indication perhaps of the generally narrow social make-up of Anglican evangelicals. By the way, I won the contest - after awarding myself a bonus 100 points for spotting John Stott from afar drinking a jumbo cup of Coca-Cola. I believe a photograph is available! David Baker,
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