Who am I?
I am Fr Daryl McCullough, an Anglican parish priest living in Western NSW. I am married with three children and am also a proud Aboriginal man and serve as the secretary of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anglican Council. This blog is my space to express my personal view on anything and everything. But it will all be written through the lens of my faith as a priest who is both catholic and evangelical.
Catholic and Evangelical?
You may well ask what does it mean to say that someone is catholic and evangelical?
The truth is that there are several ways the question could be answered depending on the context in which it was asked. For example a Roman Catholic with passion for evangelism might well argue that they are both catholic and evangelical. However for the purpose of this blog let me explain what I mean when I say it,
I am a priest in the Anglican Church of Australia. I am validly ordained in apostolic succession (though other jurisdictions may disagree with that assertion). I accept the branch theory which places the Anglican church as one branch of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic feast - however do not accept the Roman doctrine of transubstantiation, rather I simply take Jesus at his word when he says 'This is my body... This is my blood...' without attempting to define how God can do such a miracle. I accept that there are seven sacraments, two sacraments of the Gospel being Baptism and Holy Communion and five of the church - Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the sick.
That all sounds very 'catholic' doesn't it! However I also fully agree with the view that we are saved by the grace of God alone through faith. I accept that all that is necessary for salvation is found in the words of the Bible. I believe that the Holy Scriptures are the word of God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. I believe that we are called to proclaim the Good News of salvation to all who would hear it. I believe that whilst traditional ways of liturgical worship are beautiful and provide an excellent grounding in faith and give honour to God, we must be willing to offer new ways of worship and fellowship which can appeal to contemporary society - without compromising on the truth of the Gospel. I hold to a conservative theological position on issues of Christology, Soteriology and Christian ethics.
So that's it... that's what it means to me to be catholic and evangelical, and this blog will be written from and shaped by that perspective. Do note however that the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of my church or any other organisation I am affiliated with.
The truth is that there are several ways the question could be answered depending on the context in which it was asked. For example a Roman Catholic with passion for evangelism might well argue that they are both catholic and evangelical. However for the purpose of this blog let me explain what I mean when I say it,
I am a priest in the Anglican Church of Australia. I am validly ordained in apostolic succession (though other jurisdictions may disagree with that assertion). I accept the branch theory which places the Anglican church as one branch of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic feast - however do not accept the Roman doctrine of transubstantiation, rather I simply take Jesus at his word when he says 'This is my body... This is my blood...' without attempting to define how God can do such a miracle. I accept that there are seven sacraments, two sacraments of the Gospel being Baptism and Holy Communion and five of the church - Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the sick.
That all sounds very 'catholic' doesn't it! However I also fully agree with the view that we are saved by the grace of God alone through faith. I accept that all that is necessary for salvation is found in the words of the Bible. I believe that the Holy Scriptures are the word of God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. I believe that we are called to proclaim the Good News of salvation to all who would hear it. I believe that whilst traditional ways of liturgical worship are beautiful and provide an excellent grounding in faith and give honour to God, we must be willing to offer new ways of worship and fellowship which can appeal to contemporary society - without compromising on the truth of the Gospel. I hold to a conservative theological position on issues of Christology, Soteriology and Christian ethics.
So that's it... that's what it means to me to be catholic and evangelical, and this blog will be written from and shaped by that perspective. Do note however that the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of my church or any other organisation I am affiliated with.