Anglican Acceptance of Difference

"Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive". Colossians 3:13

Those of us from the United Kingdom,have always had a strong sense of history. Whether your social status or upbringing is of the more wealthy or the extreme poor; history is around you. In regards to church history, those who regard themselves as Anglicans feel honoured as well as privileged of the fact that they worship in some very grand and beautiful parish churches, feeling the awe of knowing that your ancestors worshiped where you worship.
While we always try to adapt to our surroundings, we "British" do not take kindly to either:changing what we have done for centuries and second, being told what to think or what to do. Many of us related to both the High and Low church emphasis and the Church of England has always been a great expression of this, going back to Cranmer and the English martyrs,such as Ridley and Latimer.
Traditional Anglicanism has always meant something different in England compared to the rest of the Anglican world. But I, as an English Anglican in the United States, see the differences. What ever your churchmanship, Preaching has always has a high emphasis in England, but here in the US, it is limited to those who firmly belong to the Evangelical camp. In addition to this, Ecumenical fellowship is not only something that Priests in England work towards, but actually have to work within,as it is not only a progression towards acceptance of others, but also a way of life,especially in small English villages, where "community" is the key.
So it saddens me, to see all the fighting in the United States, where "Break Away"Anglican churches,all of whom claim to have come out of ECUSA, yet very few actually are willing to talk to each other!
If we are to express the Love of God through Christ, in the world, then we should be better than the world that focus's upon the Devil's work of condemnation and hate, instead of focuses upon the teaching of Jesus, of whom through Christ Jesus there is no condemnation.
We are to show the true signs of Christ in our lives while many of us are too eager to see what we must see in those who are in opposition to, yet fail to embrace in love.
So as we minister to those who reach out, we must continually be aware of the fact that our authority is given to us through Jesus Christ and many of those who seek and are crying out,following the condemnation of the world as well as the church,and if we continue to join in the fight of hate of those who are theologically different from us; how are we any better. So let us all embrace what is good, embrace our Anglican heritage and as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, see the continued building of the Kingdom of God here on earth.