There is a tendency for 'enlightened' folk to declare "oh I'm not an Anglican, I'm a Christian" which usually makes me want to punch them, and so I am really pleased with William Marshall for showing the basic error of treating Denominational identity with such indifference. Time and again he shows there is a division between the 'essentials' of Christian faith and what we might call the Denominational superstructure, but time and again he shows that while we can admit diversity into that superstructure it must be done with care and not indifference.
Marshall guides us from Cranmer through to a 1995 Report of a Church of England Doctrine Commission and shows the wisdom, moderation, and vigour that has characterised Anglican Theology (or at least the theology of Anglicans). Marshall is of course a sympathetic guide and he is, in a subtle way, making a strong case for a 'Broad Church' Anglicanism in the face divisive 'party' politics which threaten the very existence of the Anglican Communion (he will also, I would think, be disinclined to support the Anglican Covenant which is another tick in the box for me).
One of the things we discover is that almost every writer of note, in every generation, has been writing in response to divisive 'party' politics which threaten the very existence of the church. Some might think this is cause for despair, but I think that is wrong, what this shows is that the Christian 'Truth' is bigger that such divides but also that wrestling with the divides is a healthy part of the search for Truth (as Jacob wrestled with God).
Another of the themes which Marshall wants to bring to the fore is a believe that Truth lies at the extremes, in most cases he trys to show that those at opposite ends of which ever spectrum it was were right in what they affirmed but wrong in what they denied. That is to say for example that Evanglicals are right to assert the personal relationship with God while Catholics are right to affirm the corporate nature of the Church, the problem comes when the focus of the personal relationship becomes so individualistic that people start to act as though they have no need of the Church, or when the corporate belief of the Church results in formalism/nominalism with a a lack of innner transformation. To quote Marshall "But the truth often lies in both extremes, not half-way between them. There is a great danger in asserting one without the other, but the adventurous path of truth lies in proclaiming both with integrity..." (p249)
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