Date: September 7, 2023
Last night, we had a fabulous discussion with Fr. Mark Michael and the Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver. They reflected on the work of The Living Church Foundation. Everything from the cover selection (it is to do with the theme of the issue) to their advocacy for a more Anglo-Catholic sense of the faith was shared and discussed. The questions were thoughtful; the issues were important.
One can judge the vitality of a tradition in many ways. However, one that I consider important is whether the tradition can continue to support a magazine devoted to its news and approach. The Episcopal Church has the Episcopal News Service (which is the vehicle for dissemination from the national church) and The Living Church. It is good that we are strong enough as a tradition to still support this magazine.
One feature that I really appreciated about the discussion was the commitment to civility, unity, and a gentleness. Naturally, they want to tell the news with clarity and truthfulness, but they do not want to be ugly. In a world of ruthless partisan news reporting, I really appreciated this commitment to do the work differently and in a way compatible with the values of the Gospel.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and President of The General Theological Seminary