There are many articles on the Internet that are examining the major migration of believers from Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic churches to the High Churches of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and more. High Churches is a jargon for any church that conducts a mass style service with liturgies, clergy in robes, Communion (Eucharist), and formalized worship. But why are people returning to a more Medieval to Post-Reformation/Renaissance format? What is compelling people to leave in droves the Evangelical and Pentecostal circles? The answer if four fold.
I. Community
Despite that many Protestant Evangelical and Pentecostal churches call themselves "community churches" and "assemblies," there is no sense of community. Members in these churches feel more like supporters of political candidate known as the Pastor, cheering for them every Sunday, and to even get to know people, members or visitors have to find "cell" groups, and enroll in programs at the church to cultivate relationships. Even then is it unlikely, because the model of Evangelical, Pentecostal, Assembles of God, and other like churches is business, and so intimacy is not commonplace. Those in Evangelical congregations find themselves deprived of feeling like brothers and sisters in Christ, and more akin to pawns of the pastor and elder board. In the High Churches, community is commonplace. Catholics, wither Roman, Eastern, or Charismatic, can call each other across the countries family. In the confines of the cathedral, chapel, or mission, members of High Churches feel a sense of close knitted community, where the parish priest, vicar, reverend, or minister is one of them and caring for them as shepherd. Because the entire congregation participates in prayers, vigils, picnics, holy days, and more; a bond is formed even if their numbers exceed the smaller parishes. While the Catholic Church may have many sub sects, the Church in Rome recognizes them all, and so "a Catholic is a Catholic." In contrast, in the Evangelical and Charismatic circles, there are schisms and divisions within one denomination. For example, if you are Assemblies of God or Baptist there are over 100 Million separate and distinct churches, none of them unified and each espousing that the other 99 Million are false and in doctrinal error. You can then not even experience community because being Baptist, Pentecostal, or Evangelical does not mean you are part of every church with those names, when the case with Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and Presbyterian (although this is splitting into ECCO Pres and regular Pres churches now). More simplified, a Catholic is a Catholic wither Roman or Charismatic, but a Baptist is not a Baptist, but must choose which of Millions of churches it will solely connect to or even simpler, High Churches say, "We are family all over world, despite differences, Roman and Charismatic Catholic are family, while Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Charismatics are more like clubs that break into smaller clubs and smaller clubs, never willing to align, join, or be part of any club save their own little one, and excluding even those with same supposed denominational leaning."
II. Consecrated Life
Most Evangelical, Baptist,and Pentecostal type churches can boast a proud knowledge of Scripture and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but fall short in character. There is no insensitive, or call for Christians in Evangelical and Pentecostal churches to "deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me," (Matthew 16:24), nor is there an emphasis on holy living as the Apostle Paul said, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6:1-3). Many High Churches excel in modeling holy living with actually orders dedicated to monasticism, and devotions for layperson. The Eastern Orthodox Church is exemplary on doctrine of consecrated life, it is expected all members, not just clergy, to live a wholehearted life after The Way, The Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches tend to view High Churches as dead churches, "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." (2 Timothy 3:5, NASB). They argue that this consecrated and holy living is merely "religion" and bondage to Pharisees, "They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads (religious demands) and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them," (Matthew 23:4), and that they block people from really experiencing the presence of God, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:13). While the criticism of Evangelical and Charismatic churches is valid, we as Christians do not want pseudo-piety that puffs up like Pharisees, but a lack of character, integrity, and walking blamelessly before Lord is becoming a pandemic in Evangelical and Charismatic circles. While Catholic Churches surely must be held accountable for the child abuses, similar evils are transpiring in Charismatic churches and Evangelical assemblies. The difference is that the Catholic Church and other High Churches try to live to a high standard of holiness: "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight," (Ephesians 1:4), "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life," (1 Thessalonians 4:7), "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours," (1 Corinthians 1:2), and "He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.." (2 Timothy 1:9). Scripture clearly says we must live holy lives, but the Evangelical and Assemblies circles are now declaring, "We are church of sinners, you are welcome as you are, be broken with us."
III. Communion (Sacraments)
Another reason High Churches are being filled by Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Baptists, and more is the Sacraments. In most Protestant circles the only two sacraments preached and practiced is Communion (Lord's Supper, Eucharist) and Baptism. Protestants tend to only practice Communion once a month, and Baptism is only a one time event. Catholics and Orthodox Christians, along with many Anglicans and Lutherans practice the Eucharist (Lord's Supper, Communion Meal) every Sunday. High Churches observe the Communion as a command, "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-21). Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and other High Churches take the "do this in remembrance of me," as command. They also observe it a memorial because of Paul's passage, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26). Most High Churches have a service on Saturday or Friday to prepare congregates to receive The Host (Bread and Wine) because of this Bible verse, "Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning (honoring) the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died (fallen asleep, which means death, see 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16)." (1 Corinthians 11:28-30).
The argument over Transubstantiation and Baptizing babies has divided High Churches and Evangelicals, but the point is many people flocking to the older churches want to practice Communion weekly, want to see the beautiful iconography, burning candles, stained glass, crosses, statues, and many of them want to affirm their faith in the Nicene Creed or Apostle's Creed every week. The High Churches get "sound doctrine" right, but often lack the Presence of the Lord. Those who have been raised and lived as Charismatics, are now willing to sacrifice that presence and manifestations of the Holy Spirit to stay in sound doctrine and not fall into, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3).
IV. Contribution (Legacy)
Perhaps one of the most alluring features of the High Churches is legacy. For those who adore the Medieval Times, are chivalric, and love cathedrals, crosses, and more; the High Churches provide all the symbols of those times, even the architecture, and artwork. The High Churches capture periods of time and enclosed them within wood and stone, allowing people to reconnect with those times and practice their faith as if they were a Crusader Knight, Carthusian Monk, Carmelite Nun, Crusading King, and more. This legacy also contains a repository of knowledge from 33 A.D. to 1600 A.D. Almost the entire life of the Church since the Apostle's. Names like St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Anthony of Egypt, St. Basil(ius), St. Francis of Asssi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Louis IX, St. Joan of Arc, St. Nilus, St. Nicholas (Santa Claus), St. Jerome (first translator of the Bible into Latin Vulgate and Pope), St. Xavier (major missionary), St. Chrysostom, St. Hildegard of Bingen, Thomas A Kempis, and many more were patron saints of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Many of these patron saints are considered to be sages, scholars, and scientists in the service of Savior. Their knowledge, and piety alone draw many Evangelicals into the deep fathoms, libraries, museums, and manuscripts of the High Churches. The Protestants are not without a legacy either, they have their own High Churches: Anglican Church, Lutheran Church, Anabaptist Churches (have new names now), and Presbyterian Church with scholars and sages by the names of Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, John Wycliffe, John Bunyan, John Calvin, Jan Hus, John Fox, John Wesley, William Gurnall, Zinzendorf, Zwingli, and many more. The point is the High Churches on both spectrums of Catholic-Orthodox and Protestant have the sages. An exception in Evangelical circles is the Norman Giesler the Apologist, who has become the expert and sage on how to refute false doctrines, other religions, and heresies. Where St Paul, St. Augustine and Martin Luther left off, Norman Giesler has picked up.
V. Conclusion
There you have it. The reason many are leaving Evangelical, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Charismatic churches is to join the High Churches because they offer Community, Consecrated Living, Communion, and Contributions. The only place in which High Churches may lack is Bible Studies, and Apologetics, because their apologies (defenses) of the faith are dated, while Evangelical and Charismatic churches can boast being current and with the times on latest scholarship. Although there is an argument to be made that older scholarship, and even sticking to Bible means to go back to older and more proven scholarship and arguments, which then can negate recent scholarship and make the Evangelical data banks bankrupt of any gains. Corruption exists in all the churches at this point, and they arguments have merit, but if only Paul's words, "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function," (Romans 12:4), "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ," (1 Corinthians 12:12), and Christ's words, "I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one--as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me," (John 17:21, NLT) could be realized. If only our Lord's words and those of his apostle Paul were heeded, then congregations could benefit from a blend of the old and new, the presence of God and the pen of God's scholars. Amen.
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