The Commons: 10/03/2026
Just a quick survey…what, if any, faith group do you identify with?
I’m an Anglican in exile…
What else is on your mind today?
Just a quick survey…what, if any, faith group do you identify with?
I’m an Anglican in exile…
What else is on your mind today?
Non-denom evangelical. Not MAGA by any stretch of the imagination. Stupid that I feel the need to add that qualifier.
My wife and I met in the Episcopal Church, continue to identify as Episcopal, and love the Prayer Book tradition and Anglican liturgy. We are members of nearby Lancaster City’s thriving Episcopal parish, Saint James, though we rarely get to worship there since my wife’s work as supply musician keeps us most Sundays in local Lutheran parishes.
I’ve been part of a PCA church that switched to the ACNA several years ago. Presbyterian/Anglican has been my scene for the better part of 20 years. The caveat that would preclude me from being considered Truly Reformed is my continuationism that I retained from my Pentecostal upbringing.
I’m with the liberal version of Lutheranism (ELCA).
I’m a mutt. I’ve been all over the place, including none, and back.
I currently have some form of reformed, SBC, charismatic, and Calvinist in me, but no Truly Reformed. I may also have some Anglican as well. But I would mainly identify as a follower of Jesus Christ who’s trying to hold on until I pass on into eternity…
Michael,
If I may ask: what do you mean when you say you’re an Anglican in exile? How so?
Robert F,
The Church of England and the Episcopal Church have mostly abandoned traditional Anglicanism in favor of identity politics.
ACNA…well…many of them are Calvary Chapels with robes…sometimes.
I have no home…no church near me that is faithful to traditional Anglicanism.
Michael,
The parish that we are members of here in Central PA is one of the outliers in the Episcopal Church that focuses on traditional liturgy and spiritual practices and disciplines along with service to the urban community. When the mainline denominations have died of attrition I hope that somehow the few surviving parishes and congregations that have not died but continued to attract members across generations will somehow learn how to connect with each other to keep the Great Tradition going — just as that Great Tradition survived in monasteries during the Early Middle Ages in Europe. It’s an unrealistic hope, but it will have to suffice.
Robert F,
Being that you are in a significantly conservative area, it would seem to make sense that there would be some mainlines there that have not been as prone to be enamored with liberal identity politics.
Non-denom within the calvary chapel stream. For the moment. 20 years now. I think I like non denom and will stay non denom. Why? (1) Because I have opportunities to disciple people, experience community, and do a lot of mercy ministry (social gospel). Second, because a non demon allows me to explore and mature, and yet not feel attacked for changing beliefs. There are days I’m presbyterian in theology, and other days Roman Catholic (I was baptized Roman Catholic). Some days I feel universalist, other days annihilationist, and then I go back to my roots in ECT.
The one thing that keeps me in a local church is the sacrament of community. As I transform, my theology transforms. I’ve accepted this. Theology is shifting shift sand for me. It’s the creedal essentials + community that are foundational to me. It’s experiencing Jesus that means everything to me. And, contrary to most people I interact with, I think that this might be true spirituality. I wonder if Peter, Paul, James, or John had the same perspective. I’ve grown more open to the critical theory that the apostles created their own tradition within their churches (Johannine, Petrine, Pauline, etc.). I feel very at home with a Johannine church, if that makes any sense to you. I probably would feel very uncomfortable in a Petrine church.
As much as the Eucharist (the body of Christ) is central to my theology, so is the community (also the body of Christ).
Feasting on the body of Christ is my theology until he returns in the flesh.
I felt inspired to write a little more than maybe the question posed.
Looking forward to meeting y’all on the new earth, where denominationalism will be over
I belong to an EV Free church that doesn’t make a big deal out of being EV Free. Weo
We’re slightly on the Reformed side, but not overly so (no aggressive church discipline, over-bearing leadership, or outlandish leadership demands). I am expecting some changes since we have a new senior pastor, but nothing earthshaking as he worked with the previous pastor for two years and seems to be carrying on many of his policies. We have a good elder board that does not allow for one-man rule.
@Lin.
If I lived in orange county, I would definitely be at EV Free. (Out here in Texas).
I loved the non denom feel and plurality of elders. I felt very comfortable there. I liked the theological openness.
@Lin.
If I lived in orange county, I would definitely be at EV Free. (Out here in Texas).
I loved the non denom feel and plurality of elders. I felt very comfortable there. I liked the theological openness.
Mainstream Episcopalian.
Converted from Roman Catholicism in the mid 2010s so the various flavors of breakaway Anglican denominations were established enough by then for me to consider but not find theologically rigorous enough.
As I’ve mentioned before I am likely more theologically liberal than most here so I don’t often comment. But I respect the thoughtful perspectives challenging me to move beyond stereotypes of fellow Christians on the journey.
Different Calvary Chapels, a community church, even a Foursquare and EV Free for awhile.
Now it’s my wife and I and our dog. We pray, worship and read the Bible as we see fit. Attend only as we deem necessary, funerals mostly at our age.
Tony R (The Bondsmith),
“As much as the Eucharist (the body of Christ) is central to my theology, so is the community (also the body of Christ).”
May your tribe increase…
Tec-Dan,
You should comment more often…I’m not exactly conservative on some things…
I love the responses…thanks to all and keep ’em coming…
I’m a lifelong Evangelical who is quite dismayed at where much of the movement has gone. For the last 4 years I have been part of a Non-Denom/Evangelical/Reformed/Liturgical church that is part of a small network of churches primarily in the Philadelphia area and I just love it because they major on the majors of the faith and focus on being a church, not a political body or entertainment complex.
I’m at an EV Free.
I grew up Calvary Chapel, went to CCBC, spent time in the CRC, now EV Free.
@ Ever study.
How was your experience in the CRC?
Tony,
I loved it. We were super involved in a small CRC church. With the way the LA Classis started to move regarding LGB stuff, I don’t know how long I would have stayed in the CRC locally. But I did like it.
Everstudy
My most consistent descriptor is this: I’m a follower of Christ. I was at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in the early days (’71-’80.) Then we moved + went to Greg Laurie’s church, which seemed more relevant/modern than CCCM at the time. Then Calvary Capo Beach (Chuck Smith Jr.’s church ), also quite relevant and thought-provoking. We spent some years at a good seekers’ church. But the pastor suddenly flipped out, fired most of the staff and damaged the faith of many people…so we left. A few years ago I visited CC Costa Mesa and was impressed with the many changes. The lead pastor is now Char Brodersen, who brings solid scholarship to his studies + an emphasis on spiritual formation.
I have fellowshiped with brothers and sisters across a wide spectrum of groups though I never wanted to identify exclusively with just one place. started out in the 70’s in a Christian missionary Alliance place where the pastor took a personal interest in disciplining the young people who were heading off to college – he taught me how to pray with the Word and encouraged me to memorize scripture (I came to Christ at age 18) I don’t remember his name but he gave me the best gift of my young life.
Then at college I met with the Intervarsity student group. Attended St Lukes in Ballard – Episcopalian / Charasmatic with Father Dan Bennett on the weekends
Back home over the summer I started out at the local Episcopalian church but the congregation seemed more socially related than gospel related so I switched to the local Pentecostalgroup.
Back to St Lukes which was home for a number of years
Then when the preaching seemed to fade, I moved on to a free group that i encountered through some friends at work
Then I joined a group that seemed doctrinally rich, and everyone full on for Good but it turned out to also be very high control and hierarchical. Itsounds very similar to how CC has been described here. That lasted many years and I enjoyed much of the teaching and time focused on the word but eventually some things were just too much
In the past years I’ve been to a Foursquare Church in Beaverton Oregon (where I met some women in Bible study that I’ve continued to meet with for the last 14 years), a Presbyterian Reformed meeting, and now I’m attending a non- denominational group with a plurality ofof elders, women pastors, and amazing teaching through the Bible each week.
I came across this site as I was attempting to understand my experience in that high control group and have stuck around because of the conversation that addresses so many topics i never hear about elsewhere. Much appreciation for all the contributions and thoughtful insights here
The faith group I identify with is none, as I am an atheist.
I have found a home with the PCUSA. I’m continuously surrounded by people spiritually and politically left and right of me, in spite of its reputation as the liberal Presbyterian church. I have made friends who are former Lutheran, Baptist, Charismatic, and a few lifelong PCUSA folk.
A local ACNA church welcomed me 3 years ago. It is very small with less than 100 people. The priest is a humble servant. Coming from an Evangelical background, church leadership was someone far away on a stage or behind the scenes. It is a very unique and eye opening experience to know the priest, deacon and acolytes who administer the sacraments. I’m grateful to be part of the family.
I am basically a mix of primitive Catholicism and kingdom anabaptism
By primitive Catholicism I mean literal body and blood in the Eucharist and weekly Lord’s Day taking of it. I also hold to the Davidic Queenship of Mary in heaven and that the church is the Davidic Kingdom on earth. I deny much of Roman Catholicism hence primitive Catholic.
Raised Catholic, pre Vat 2 as a kid. Calvary Chapelite for 20 years, left quite a many years ago.. visited Baptist, Lutheran, Evangelical Covenant..weary of the Corporate churchy rock concert and Ted Talk, same bible studies and programs year after year. And the casual Sunday lobby chit chat while sipping a latte..the latest sermon series, the newest worship song, the next big program.
Ended up at High Latin Mass ( Catholic) at a Traditional parish close to my house. Much to the chagrin and ridicule of my Evangelical friends I feel God’s Presence there. I even wear a veil when I attend ( sorry, not sorry) .It certainly seems like the more historic Church early writings were about.
No Im not accepting all RCC doctrine but I can agree with some of it, ( I do believe in the actual body and blood Eucharist) and I no longer agree with some Protestant teaching either, so Im in the middle. Let God sort it.
Jim Bakker has passed.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/05/us/televangelist-jim-bakker-dies-hnk
@BlueSky,
The Latin Mass is majestic, I attend one every once in a while, at. St. Theresa’s in California. Beauty is truth
Anglican alumni in an Evangelical Covenant Church now that I have a family. (ACNA church was awesome, just a long drive). The two can have some similarities, both I’ve been in have been quite gracious to other denominations (including mainline) and don’t come off as reactionary — which is a big plus.
FWIW, the ACNA’s been called Calvary Chapel in Robes, Southern Baptist in Robes, Catholics who really like Billy Graham, Vineyard in Robes, wannabe Africans, “Woke,” and generally contrarian. Some of these can be true, and none of it can be true. Now that the honeymoon period is long over and rude awakenings are setting in, they’re going to be figuring out if they can hold it together. Like a lot of church groups there’s some growing up to do and some naivete that is being harshly exposed.
Trump is going to livestream the military execution by firing squad on Dec 2. Deadly violence as spectacle of power — we are living in ancient Rome, folks, or, as Bob Marley would say, in Babylon System. Our government has become the face evil.