Ancient Anglican Evangelism
There is a perception that Anglicans in North America don’t have our own history of evangelism. Or, at minimum, that comes from within our own tradition—not true! The church in England began with a powerful evangelistic mission to spread the message and evangelize, following Jesus’ commands in Luke’s Gospel. The Anglican tradition contains a powerful story of evangelism and mission that we can follow today in North America.
When Jesus sent out the 72 as witnesses, he gave them a roadmap for their evangelism: speak peace, eat and drink with people, and stay in their homes. Heal the sick, proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near, leave the unrepentant to God; do not be offended, because God is the Judge. Pope Gregory in A.D. 569 and the monk Augustine of Canterbury took this roadmap seriously. As told by the Venerable Bede in theEcclesiastical History of the English People, Pope Gregory sent Augustine (not the Bishop of Hippo) and a team to Britain.
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Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and Speaking Peace
Upon arrival, they told King Ethelbert that they “had come from Rome with a joyful message which assured those that listened to it everlasting joys in heaven and a kingdom that would never end with the living and true God.” Ethelbert’s wife was a Christian, so he had already heard some of it. When the king invited them to talk, Bede records:
They came with divine, not magic power, carrying a silver cross for their banner, and the image of our Lord and Savior painted on a board. Chanting litanies, they offered up their prayers to the Lord for eternal salvation—both their own and of those to whom they had come. In obedience to the king’s command, they sat down and preached to him and his attendants the Word of life.
In this way, they proclaimed the Kingdom of God and also spoke peace to the king and the people. He wasn’t ready to convert, yet they didn’t attack him or take it personally. This is a vivid illustration of what it means to evangelize.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. . . . Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:12-13, 17-18
Evangelizing Among the People, Eating, and Drinking
Their message and their peace prompted him to say:
Since you have come a long way and are strangers in my kingdom, apparently wishing to impart to us what you believe to be true and beneficial, we do not want to harm you. We will be hospitable and make sure you have every necessity. You may preach and convert as many people as you can.
Then, in a move that changes Anglican history, “the king gave them accommodation in the city of Canterbury, the capital of all his dominions, and did all he had said.” Bede remarks: nothing in their work of evangelization was inseparable from their daily interactions with the people.
They prayed and fasted constantly, and preached the Word of life to as many as they could. They despised all worldly things and received nothing from those they taught except the food they needed. . . . Some people, impressed by their blameless simplicity of life and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine, believed and were baptized.
Let God be the Judge: It’s Not About Our Righteousness
Bede says:
As they approached the city, with the holy cross and the image of our sovereign Lord and King, Jesus Christ, they sang this litany: “We beseech thee, O Lord, for Thy great mercy, that Thy wrath and anger be turned away from this city, and from Thy holy house, for we have sinned. Hallelujah.”
They didn’t blame “those pagans,” but they confessed “we have sinned”, another move of peacemaking. They identified with the people as fellow fallen human beings. They saw it as showing people what Jesus and the Gospel do to transform us and bring peace. They recognized God’s authority, rather than asserting their own power. To evangelize is to direct others to his mercy, rather than withholding that Word of grace.
Gospel Healing and Conversion Through Evangelism
The king’s conversion is worth a longer quote:
Eventually, the King believed and was baptized, attracted like others by the pure life of these holy men and their gracious promises, which they confirmed by many miracles. More people every day flocked to hear the Word and have fellowship in the unity of Christ’s Holy Church, forsaking their pagan rites. It is said that, while he rejoiced at their conversion and their faith, the King never forced anyone to embrace Christianity—he only showed more favor to the believers, as to his fellow citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven. For he had learned from those who had instructed him and guided him to salvation, that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not by compulsion. Before long, he gave these teachers a permanent residence suitable to their status in Canterbury.
The “many miracles” show them healing the sick—being a healing presence among the people, and the king recognized we do not coerce anyone into the Faith of Christ; how very relevant for today. Ultimately, to evangelize is to invite freely, not impose.
Follow the Same Steps Today When Evangelizing!
- Speak peace
- Eat and drink with people and stay in their homes
- Heal the sick
- Proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near
- Don’t take rejection personally
- Let God be the Judge
There are many other stories of evangelism in Anglican history, such as those of George Whitefield, the Wesley brothers, William Grimshaw, and others. This foundational one gives us a great roadmap, however. Evangelism really can’t be done any other way. It is incarnational, personal, and takes time. It involves eating, drinking, listening, praying, rejoicing, and mourning with people. If you evangelize in tranquility, with no coercion or trickery, you will follow the true spirit. It has to be proclaiming the Kingdom of God—not hiding it or obscuring it. It can’t be a personality program; it must be about the Gospel and not our own agendas. We need to bring healing, and we need to let God be the Judge.
Likewise, it is visible. Church buildings, worship, prayer meetings, websites, and books are all part of demonstrating that the kingdom of God has come near. Human nature hasn’t changed since Jesus sent out the 72 or since Pope Gregory sent Augustine’s missionary team 1400 years ago. Let’s follow the Anglican way and evangelize North America together.
Image: St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury by Colin Smith via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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