Why being Anglican matters

[Iosias]

Why being Anglican matters | The grumpy bishop | Blogs

Nobody invented Anglicanism. It is the result of over 1500 years of ups and downs, challenges, opportunities and disasters. It is and continues today to be highly contested; especially now that Anglicanism is free from the Royal Supremacy of the Church of England and finds itself existing in diverse cultures and circumstances around the world. And now the Anglican Communion, (a kind of ecclesiastical version of the Commonwealth of Nations) is facing irrevocable change with the loosening of ties and divisions that are going to last, sadly.

All is not lost. There is a heart to Anglicanism even if there is fuzziness at the edges. Its identity is found firstly by being a church of Jesus Christ. Only by being his will we know who we are. And then there are historic characteristics that still work for us; the place of Scripture for all things necessary for salvation and freedom in adaption of church customs as expounded by Cranmer and then Hooker. As well as that, a message for the world of God's love for the unworthy.

In fact, surprisingly you can't go much past the Fundamental Declarations of the 1961 Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia for a good centre for Anglican identity. All three of them.

 

[gord44]

Interesting. I was baptized Anglican as an infant. Always enjoyed their services.

 

[AndOne]

Seems like the only real Anglicans left are over in Africa..

 

[JM]

Seems like the only real Anglicans left are over in Africa..

...a few left in Asia as well.

 

[gord44]

...

 

[AndOne]

...a few left in Asia as well.

Praise God - I was unaware of that...

 

[JM]

J. I. Packer left the Anglican Church that was in communion with Canterbury...I think...now that's a good Anglican. ;-)

 

[AndOne]

J. I. Packer left the Anglican Church that was in communion with Canterbury...I think...now that's a good Anglican. ;-)

I wonder if C. S. Lewis would...

 

[JM]

...

I wonder if C. S. Lewis would...

Probably not. He wanted Rome and Protestantism to reunite and thought little of Calvinism. He also leaned toward universalism.

 

[Iosias]

There are Anglicans all over the globe, and not the fake variety...what would a fake Anglican look like?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

There are Anglicans all over the globe, and not the fake variety...what would a fake Anglican look like?

[bemused]I think they wear those "Fake Anglican" baseball caps and "Fake Anglican" Tee Shirts[/bemused] i think what makes things real is that there is no "fake" of it .. everyone with their flaws that is it .. is part of it .. it just is what it is .. when people start saying .. they're not really [insert label here] then the whole thing becomes really excessively fake .

 

[AndOne]

Probably not. He wanted Rome and Protestantism to reunite and thought little of Calvinism. He also leaned toward universalism.

Yea - but Rome would never embrace some of the liberal things that are going on in most of Anglicanism today. But I agree with you regarding Lewis and his leaning toward universalism - makes me wonder why the next Desiring God conference is highlighting him. I think many in Calvinist circles give Lewis too much credit...

 

[gord44]

There are Anglicans all over the globe, and not the fake variety...what would a fake Anglican look like?

Who knows. Some folks look down on those that don't agree with them. It's hard not to when all you read and all you hear is that your way is right and everyone else is wrong (i have been there once upon a time). It's hammered into you week after week. Any deviation is considered falsehood. The ego can be an ugly thing, especially when it's disguised as godliness.

The priest at the Anglican parish I used to attend here and there was a 'real' Anglican. The man had a heart for Jesus and loved and served. Although I am sure many here would cut him down because of his theology.

 

[JM]

Like the title of the blog...its for the love of truth and the souls of those being lead stray.

Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu prefers Hell to the God of the Bible | For the Love of His Truth

 

[AndOne]

Like the title of the blog...its for the love of truth and the souls of those being lead stray.

Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu prefers Hell to the God of the Bible | For the Love of His Truth

Yea - saw this the other day. Scary stuff - need to pray for him.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

G.K. Chesterton was an Anglican most of his life....until he converted to Catholocism...which isn't surprising, the leap from Anglican to Catholocism can be quite small. James Ussher was a good Anglican as far as I know.

 

[AndOne]

J. I. Packer I think is my favorite Anglican...

 

[lesliedellow]

There are Anglicans all over the globe, and not the fake variety...what would a fake Anglican look like?

Well, according to the Anglo Catholics, it is the Calvinists, and according to the Calvinists, it is the Anglo Catholics.

 

[AndOne]

Well, according to the Anglo Catholics, it is the Calvinists, and according to the Calvinists, it is the Anglo Catholics.

The ones who ignore scripture are the fake ones...

 

[lesliedellow]

The ones who ignore scripture are the fake ones...

Sitting light to scripture is a deplorable trend in liberal theology. At the beginning of the twentieth century, I think its original inspiration was to try and outrun atheist critics, and say, "See. We got there first, and we hold XYZ to be compatible with Christianity." But its unfortunate end point has been the likes of John Selby Spong.

There has to be some kind of reaction, and the inspiration of scripture is a doctrine which needs to be back on the table, but I can't pretend that I like YEC.