Which Denomination?

[everbecoming2007]

If you could not be an Anglican or did not have access to an Anglican parish or body that you found acceptable which denomination would you choose?

I lean toward Lutheran although I find the feel and culture of it very different from my Anglican experience and definitely prefer the Anglican formularies over all those confessions. I don't think I would ever really be a Lutheran. Maybe Old Catholicism would work, although I have no personal experience of it so I primarily lean toward Lutheranism should I have to choose another denomination.

 

[Albion]

If you could not be an Anglican or did not have access to an Anglican parish or body that you found acceptable which denomination would you choose?

I lean toward Lutheran although I find the feel and culture of it very different from my Anglican experience and definitely prefer the Anglican formularies over all those confessions. I don't think I would ever really be a Lutheran. Maybe Old Catholicism would work, although I have no personal experience of it so I primarily lean toward Lutheranism should I have to choose another denomination.

I think I'd say pretty much what you did here. I don't think uncanonical and/or ethnic Old Catholicism would work for me at all, but the first part of your reply could probably have been written by me.

 

[CanadianAnglican]

I'm somewhat of the reverse, in that I have experience with Eastern Orthodoxy and would probably wind up there because I don't particularly have any theological objections to Eastern Orthodoxy, and most of my reasons for choosing Anglicanism are cultural (though as many of you have noted in the past there are areas where I lean to the East on certain issues where Anglicanism either in practice or in writing) and I don't think it would be a huge move for me.

I have absolutely no interest in being involved in ECLA, the Anglican Church of Canada's full communion partner. There is a more traditional Lutheran synod here I think the Lutheran Church of Canada or something like that) but I have no real experience with them and have never really had a reason to explore it. Generally, though, Protestantism isn't my bag, so I just think Eastern Orthodoxy would, doctrinally, be more comfortable for me.

 

[Yardstick]

Old Catholicism would be my preference but since the Union of Utrecht has no presence in North America I would most likely end up in a ELCA parish.

Anything else would start to feel like a bit too much of a stretch, but if I had to make due I could probably get on in a liturgical Methodist church.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I would be ELCA Lutheran, the other denomination I already belong to (my church has dual TEC/ELCA affiliations).

I'd like Old Catholic (Utrecht) too, but since they're not in the US, that's not an available option.

 

[CanadianAnglican]

I'm just curious because a number of folks have mentioned it as a choice, why would you go Old Catholic (were it an option)?

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I like liturgical services in the Catholic style. But there are a number of issues I have with the RCC that aren't present in the Oid Catholic (Utrecht) tradition. Ordination of women is one, a non-negotiable for me. So is the blessing of same sex marriages. Papal infallibility, purgatory, celibacy optional for clergy, no prohibition of artificial contraception, and private confession being offered but not mandatory are also areas where they diverge from the RCC.

That only applies to Utrecht. Other OC bodies, such as the PNCC, are at least in some ways more similar to RCC, and thus don't work for me.

 

[everbecoming2007]

I'm just curious because a number of folks have mentioned it as a choice, why would you go Old Catholic (were it an option)?

I chose Anglicanism in part because its theological method isn't confessional. I find it easier to relate to and have gradually become more Anglican. It's like aquiring a taste. On the other hand I find confessional theology much harder to absorb in part because it often concerns itself with what I consider less important details. From what I understand Old Catholicism is not confessional, it is concerned with scripture and tradition, and they are more friendly to some Protestant theology than some other Catholic groups especially since the UU had intercommunion with the Anglican Communion. I believe some parishes might even use the BCP for some of their services. From what I've read about even the contemporary Old Catholic liturgy it doesn't seem like it would distress me as so many that I've seen do.

Old Catholicism is generally not an option here in the states unless I found the Polish one which is probably pretty small. I don't know if it would work. Though I'm not opposed to women's ordination and I won't leave a church for blessing same sex marriages (even though I feel like it might be better for our gay community if you prefer the term to celebrate relationships on our own terms with our own models) I could probably adapt and respect the church's position if I aligned with it. I tend to prefer a more conservative tradition as a critique to my beliefs if nothing else. Also the more socially conservative churches are less likely at least in some cases to eradicate their entire culture, tradition, and liturgy.

 

[graceandpeace]

I've thought about this before, & honestly I'm not entirely sure.

My first inclination would be toward a liturgical, traditional ELCA or Moravian church, since those are both in communion with TEC & are probably the most similar in certain aspects.

The Old Catholics would probably be a good fit, but to my knowledge there are no official bodies here in the US.

After those options, it gets tricky. Eastern Orthodoxy is still an appealing tradition to me, with its beautiful liturgy & I accept much of the theology, but I would struggle with some of their practices & viewpoints that I don't agree with. I could possibly survive in a liturgical, Eucharistic-focused United Methodist Church, but parishes like that seem scarce & I might have other issues there.

In order, from first choice to last:

-Old Catholicism, if it were a choice
-ELCA
-Moravian
-UMC
-EOC or even OOC

 

[Gregoire de Nazianze]

Somebody said that l'm Lutheran, other, crypto-Calvinist, because I recognize the Wittenberg Concordia (1536), as the dogmatic end of the Nicene creed's true explanation. In fact, I receive the original Nicene creed and the Bible as historic Holy Ghost testimony, according to Ac.5/33-42, Jd.3, Eph.4/4-7 or Heb.13/8-9. So, according to the scriptures alone, Nicene creed must be explained. There is four issues in this creed, One God and the Trinity, resolved between 325-381, One Lord and Incarnation, between 431-681, One baptism and Sola Fide, by the unaltered Augsburg confession, in 1530, and One church, unity in faith, by the Wittenberg Concordia, agreed by Calvin, Bucer, Luther and Melanchthon, between 1536-1538. I'm a little bit buceran, nor plainly Lutheran nor Calvinist. Is choice an obligation?...

 

[QWERTY]

Probably Catholic for me.
I disagree with them on a number of matters, and there are churches (such as ELCA and UMC) that are closer to my leanings, but I don't feel as close to God in their services as I do in both the Episcopalian and Roman Catholic Mass. I don't know why that is, exactly, but that's how it is.

I'd have to just put aside my differences and join.

I would be such a bad Catholic, though haha... I support gay marriage, use of birth control, women ordination, ect.
Oh well, I guess I'd be no worse a Catholic than Stephen Colbert.



Let's pray Episcopalian Mass continues to be an option for a long, long time!

 

[Shane R]

I may be a little unique, as I have been chrismated in the Coptic Orthodox Church and I was confirmed in the LCMS. With that in mind, I think of where I am able to commune. I am, more often than not, quickly rejected by EO churches. I am never refused communion by Roman or Eastern Catholics. I am also welcome at the altar of LCMS churches. Most of the other liturgical options practice open communion.

So, I seek the best liturgy, in English. That is typically RC but sometimes Lutheran, if one can find a high-church Lutheran parish. Of course, I have an affinity for OO but that is seldom strictly an English liturgy outside of the largest metropolitan congregations. I would consider EO if the priest would commune me, but very few will.

But soon it will be a non-issue: I will be in Holy Orders as an Anglican.

 

[Shane R]

As an aside, a friend of mine - an ACNA priest - told me not so long ago that if he could not have been ordained as an Anglican he would have turned to the NALC (North American Lutheran Church). My limited experience with the NALC has been underwhelming, to be kind.

 

[seeking.IAM]

I came from the United Methodist Church and I could go back if I could find one that had not crept so headlong into "contemporary" worship. I also have an affection for Eastern Orthodoxy and might turn there. Two very different choices, I know.

That said, I have no intention of going anywhere else. I like being a part of my Episcopal Church.

 

[everbecoming2007]

I may be a little unique, as I have been chrismated in the Coptic Orthodox Church and I was confirmed in the LCMS. With that in mind, I think of where I am able to commune. I am, more often than not, quickly rejected by EO churches. I am never refused communion by Roman or Eastern Catholics. I am also welcome at the altar of LCMS churches. Most of the other liturgical options practice open communion.

So, I seek the best liturgy, in English. That is typically RC but sometimes Lutheran, if one can find a high-church Lutheran parish. Of course, I have an affinity for OO but that is seldom strictly an English liturgy outside of the largest metropolitan congregations. I would consider EO if the priest would commune me, but very few will.

But soon it will be a non-issue: I will be in Holy Orders as an Anglican.

Generally speaking a person is not to commune in the Catholic Church in a Western or Eastern rite unless that person is a practicing Catholic. There are some exceptions that would apply to someone who is Oriental Orthodox although those exceptions would not apply to someone who left the Oriental Orthodox communion for Anglicanism or who communes in Protestant churches. It sounds to me like you ask the priest if you are allowed to receive the Sacrament. I'm not too surprised a Roman Catholic priest would commune you, but it is interesting that an Eastern Catholic priest will as they tend to be much more conservative than Roman Catholics and I'd think they wouldn't take lightly to communing someone who will freely receive Communion in Anglican and Lutheran parishes. Do Eastern Catholic priests then tend to take softer stances than the Eastern Orthodox on who may be permitted to receive Communion? I did come across one other Eastern Catholic online whose priest will commune anyone who believes in the real presence Protestant or not, and he didn't seem too keen to define the theological details required to meet that standard.

Do the Eastern and Western Catholic priests who take this softer stance toward permitting one to receive the Sacrament still require a private confession? When I've heard of Roman Catholic priests permitting anyone to receive Communion or at least any baptized Christian I've never heard of them requiring confession despite the official rules.

 

[Destiny2015]

I came from the United Methodist Church and I could go back if I could find one that had not crept so headlong into "contemporary" worship. .

Same here.

 

[Soma Seer]

I came from the United Methodist Church and I could go back if I could find one that had not crept so headlong into "contemporary" worship.

That's exactly why I've held back from considering the UMC; I know, from perusing enough churches' websites, that the UMC's gone more Evangelical-ish than not. It's very disappointing to someone who really likes/appreciates the beliefs of the UMC but strongly dislikes a secular-type worship service.

 

[Shane R]

It sounds to me like you ask the priest if you are allowed to receive the Sacrament. I'm not too surprised a Roman Catholic priest would commune you, but it is interesting that an Eastern Catholic priest will as they tend to be much more conservative than Roman Catholics and I'd think they wouldn't take lightly to communing someone who will freely receive Communion in Anglican and Lutheran parishes. Do Eastern Catholic priests then tend to take softer stances than the Eastern Orthodox on who may be permitted to receive Communion? I did come across one other Eastern Catholic online whose priest will commune anyone who believes in the real presence Protestant or not, and he didn't seem too keen to define the theological details required to meet that standard.

Perhaps oddly, in our limited experience with Eastern Catholics, my wife - who self-identifies as Anglican, was confirmed by the TEC Bp. of Connecticut, and has never even investigated Eastern Christianty - has never been refused communion by an Eastern Catholic priest. Where she has experienced fierce opposition is in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. To my knowledge, she has never attended a Novus Ordo mass. My own experience is that most Catholic priests take a pragmatic view of what I have done in my own practice and choose to acknowledge my chrismation regardless of my current affiliation. As for the confession question, they would be inconsistent if they required me to meet a standard that most of their own flock hardly adhere to.

 

[everbecoming2007]

Where she has experienced fierce opposition is in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

Why do they feel the need to be fierce?

To my knowledge, she has never attended a Novus Ordo mass.

Well that's probably good. I've had horrible experiences with them myself and some of their clergy too.

My own experience is that most Catholic priests take a pragmatic view of what I have done in my own practice and choose to acknowledge my chrismation regardless of my current affiliation. As for the confession question, they would be inconsistent if they required me to meet a standard that most of their own flock hardly adhere to.

This is true. Some Catholics I've known could probably in many respects be comfortable in a liberal sacramental Protestant tradition as far as their theology is concerned, but culturally they are Catholics through and through and that's where they will stay, period.

 

[Shane R]

Why do they feel the need to be fierce?

I am not generalizing for the whole ordinariate, only the particular priest we briefly had some doings with. I suspect he suffered from a convert's need to prove himself orthodox, which really led to being hyper-dox.