Christian formation is the process of being formed in Jesus Christ, as understood through our Anglican heritage, its history, traditions, and communal experience and reason. It is the process of being formed and shaped in the heart and mind of Christ as understood and expressed through the Church, the Body of Christ in time and space. In the past twenty-five years, the Church has placed a strong emphasis on lay ministry. Its primary articulation has been through a series of episcopal licensing for liturgical participation, the shared and older practice of church governance, and the very important contributions of volunteers on every level of church life. But function and formation are not the same.
Christian formation is both spiritual and educational.
During this quarter century, there have been many fine programs for spiritual development that have enriched the life of the Church. But the further empowerment of the laity resides in a recommitment to educational formation that will lead to a revitalization of ministry in all its forms. My experience at General Convention in 1997 and the Lambeth Conference in 1998, suggests that without a clear understanding of our beliefs as received by this branch of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church, we shall surely rely on emotionalism, the influence of the mass media, and those sound bites of biblical reference that neglect the fullness of God's Word. Even with a rich program of adult Christian education there will be profound differences of opinion. And, so it has been for 2,000 years.