What Anglicans Believe: A Question from a Curious Spectator

[singlecandle]

Do Anglicans consider themselves reformed?
What is the general consensus among Anglicans of the Westminster Confession of Faith?
Thank you!

 

[ebia]

What is the general consensus among Anglicans of the Westminster Confession of Faith?

That its not sufficiently relevant to be worth having read? We're not a confessional church - we don't do things that way

 

[Laudian73]

That its not sufficiently relevant to be worth having read? We're not a confessional church - we don't do things that way

I agree. The view of the Church of England (the Mother Church of the global Anglican Communion) is that we have continued in the teachings of the Church Fathers, maintained Apostolic Succession, and overall have stayed "the course" so to speak in Western Christianity. When the Church of England became independent of Rome in the 16th century, it was more seen as not only breaking with the papacy, but going back to the original Celtic Church before Rome became involved.

Of course, individual Anglicans may see Anglicanism as more Reformed than Catholic, but that idea is generally left up to the individual to decide.

 

[everbecoming2007]

Anglicanism is described as "catholic and reformed." It is very clear from any version of the Book of Common Prayer that the Church of England underwent a reformation. However, we are not reformed in the Calvanist sense. Some Anglicans identify as Calvanists, and they are tolerated. Still, the Thirty-Nine Articles are not purely Calvanist as they indicate that salvation can be lost among other differences. The Articles represent a middle road between Calvin and Luther, so our brand of reformation is unique and distinct from other reformation churches.

 

[PaladinValer]

Do Anglicans consider themselves reformed?

Yes...and no. We are reformed in the sense that we removed superstition as well as corruptions like the Treasury of Merits. However, we did not embrace Reformed soteriology or theology, though we do believe in the Holy Writ being in the language of the people, as well as the liturgy, married clergy, more frequent reception of Holy Communion, and a more central place of the Holy Writ.

What is the general consensus among Anglicans of the Westminster Confession of Faith?

Not a very high one, given the fact that it was a product of the Puritans who drove Anglicanism underground and persecuted it.

 

[sonshine234]

Do Anglicans consider themselves reformed?
What is the general consensus among Anglicans of the Westminster Confession of Faith?
Thank you!

In my Church we do not consider ourselves reformed

 

[Iosias]

That its not sufficiently relevant to be worth having read? We're not a confessional church - we don't do things that way

That depends, tell that to the your Sydney compatriots! The Articles of Religion are part of the same family from which the WCF derived via the Irish articles.

There is also the The Reformed Episcopal Church

 

[PaladinValer]

That depends, tell that to the your Sydney compatriots!

Who are in as much hot water as others for their own violations.

The Articles of Religion are part of the same family from which the WCF derived via the Irish articles.

Not true. The Articles were Anglican; the Confession was Puritan.

 

[Iosias]

The Irish Articles of 1615 were a revision of the Thirty-Nine Articles. The Westminster Confession was based upon the Irish Articles.

 

[Albion]

Do Anglicans consider themselves reformed?

Many do. Many do not.

What is the general consensus among Anglicans of the Westminster Confession of Faith?
Thank you!

Not one in a thousand gives it any thought.