Welcoming the Baptized: Anglican Hospitality within the Eucumenical Enterprise

Joint Liturgical Studies 34

The phrase ‘to join the church’ holds several possible meanings. In its most fundamental sense, it means becoming a disciple of Christ and a member of the one, universal Christian Church. Within a denominational context, which, sadly, is a necessary concretization of the primary meaning, the phrase means participating in the doctrine, discipline, and worship of a particular faith tradition. On an experiential level, we simply think of someone integrating into the life of a particular congregation. Ecclesiological, pastoral, and canonical issues intermingle within the scope of these meanings. My focus is on the manner by which those baptized within other Christian traditions become candidates for membership in the Anglican Communion and are subsequently incorporated into our fellowship.

Timothy J. Turner