Creeping High Church-ism

When I published my most recent list of the Characteristics of the CGGC Brand, I added a sixteenth characteristic: "Creeping High Church-ism."
I noted the increased number of CGGC clergy people who wear clerical collars and large, highly ornamented crosses and who promote elements of the high-church, such as the unbiblical, Church calendar and Advent and Lent and Holy Week. Epiphany? EASTERTIDE?!!
That faint rumble you hear is not a 2.0 earthquake, it's John Winebrenner rolling over in his grave. Did you know that in the day that the Church of God was a Spirit-empowered movement that what's now the ERC held Conference Sessions over December 25 at least one time? Because, to our founders, Christmas was merely one of many Catholic Holy Days which has no support in the New Testament?
Since then, I speculated that, while Ed Rosenberry practiced high church-ism, I didn't believe Lance, the new CEO, would. And, so far, I believe I hit that nail squarely.
I also wondered, in print, if, following Lance, high church-ism would fade away in the CGGC. Clearly, I was wrong there.


I have noted, however, that, for decades, East Penn, now the ERC, home office leaders have been theologically conservative Lutheran wannabes. And, as far as I can tell, that trend is expanding across the Conference. Here, at least, we are more high churchy than, perhaps, ever.


I won't say that it is theologically impossible for groups which emphasize the importance of tradition and the power of the clergy to make disciples out of everyone in the church, as 3DM attempts. I am tempted to say that.
But, what I will do is speak from my knowledge as a student of the history of revivalism, and say that vibrant movements which have had a prophetic voice in the world and which expanded the Kingdom have normally been extremely low church and that we are becoming less and less like those movements as time goes by. In fact, the tussle between the Harrisburg German Reformed Church and Winebrenner centered around the Vestry's wish that Winebrenner simply be a high church parish priest and Winebrenner's desire to abandon tradition, embrace the teachings of Jesus and the practice of the New Testament Chuch and to convert sinners and to disciple believers.


One of the things I am convinced we must repent of is this creep toward the high church.