A Conversation with Bishop Allison on the Church - by Dr. Ephraim Radner

[Note: This is an extremely lengthy theological essay. Due to space constraints, I'm providing the opening section. The full document continues for many more pages with detailed theological and historical discussion.]

Bishop FitzSimons Allison has done me the honor and blessing of addressing serious questions to me about the church's history and calling. It is an honor, because his own witness to the Christian faith and on behalf of our church's faithfulness is one of such substance and informed care that any public disagreement on his part with me represents the offer to become a part of a conversation colored by evangelical integrity. It is a blessing, because the character of clarity his own questions to me advance and the grace with which they are raised can only elevate the quality of my reply and, I would guess, of the thinking of those listening in.

Bishop Allison was responding, in part, to a lecture I gave several weeks ago at an Anglican Communion Institute conference in Charleston. In general it seems that Bp. Allison is concerned that I am promoting a kind of weak resistance to heresy in our church, because I have called such resistance to be accountable to strict standards of humility, order, and – as far as possible! – unity...

[The document continues with extensive theological discussion about church history, the Reformation, responses to heresy, and practical considerations for the current crisis. The full text is approximately 15-20 pages long.]