Always Reforming

In Part 3 of this series I talked about the diversity or catholicity found within Anglicanism.  This catholicity is in part based upon their traditionalism, which is what I'd like to discuss today.  Anglicans understand that being truly catholic--truly ecumenical--means being connected not only to the Church throughout the world , but also the Church throughout time . The history of the Anglican Church is quite unique.  It is undeniably a product of the Protestant Reformation, but England's Reformation was very complicated way.  As Henry VIII's three children ascended to the throne in turn, their favored theological persuasions rose and fell with them.  Edward was staunchly Reformed, while his older sister, Blood Mary, earned her nickname by persecuting those who opposed the Roman Catholic Church.  Elizabeth, the young Virgin Queen, set the precedent for moderation that still defines Anglicanism today. Long before the Tudors arrived on the scene, howev...

The  second installment in this series, wherein I discussed the Anglican balance between Word and Sacrament, also highlighted the diversity within Anglicanism on this and many other topics.  This time I would like to spend some time speaking specifically to this topic of diversity.  Diversity has become a buzzword in our culture, much like the words  tolerance and acceptance .  When you say diversity , many conservatives hear compromise, as if one chooses unity at the expense of truth.  That is not what I mean by diversity.  E cumenism  is probably a more helpful term.  The best, most traditional word to express this idea is  catholicity, but the Roman Catholics have ruined that word for many people.  Simply put, Anglicanism is a very diverse group, and most Anglicans are okay with that. Growing up in an obscure Reformed denomination, I grew accustomed to theological isolationism.  We loved to argue about who was really Re...

In the first installment of this series I discussed how the Eucharist is central to Anglican thought and worship.  This second installment should naturally flow from and help to balance the first.  As I explore Anglican theology and worship, I am enjoying their balance between Word and Sacrament.  This balance is both hypothetical and practical, by which I simply mean that their theology intentionally strives for balance, and their worship actually accomplishes it. Growing up as a Reformed Presbyterian, I was raised with an emphasis on the Word of God.  The preaching, teaching, reading, and even singing, of the Bible was central to our Christian experience.  The Reformed mindset revolves around Sola Scriptura--the other Solas  all rely upon this one.  As my perspective has broadened, I have retained this emphasis on the Scriptures.  Even as I move towards a more traditional understanding of the Church, I am still firmly convicted that the Bible...

I recently shared my journey to Anglicanism, or, more accurately, as I am still on my journey to Anglicanism, my journey to St. John's Anglican Church.  Our family is not looking for another church body, but we are still relatively new to this particular Christian tradition, so we are still exploring its history, theology, and practice.  Anyone who has ever made such a significant change in their religious life knows that this is, or at least ought to be, an exciting and sometimes confusing process.  As I explained in my previous post, I shared this journey primarily for personal catharsis and journaling.  Blogging is a way that I organize my thoughts and develop the ideas that are bouncing around in my head.  Today I am going to begin a series called Things I Like about Anglicanism .  As I explore this rich tradition, I am finding much that is similar to the tradition in which I was raised (Presbyterianism), but I am also finding much that is different....

Why are we Americans so afraid of catastrophe? Why are we so allergic to crisis? Why has this pandemic left us so paralyzed? Our ancestors were used to incessant war, harsh winters, and poor crop yields.  They were used to pain and death.  Crises and suffering were realities of daily life in a fallen world. Now we panic buy toilet paper and binge watch ridiculous Netflix shows. We are, it would appear, not the hardiest of folk anymore. We simply cannot accept the inescapable fact that bad things happen.  When we encounter hardship, we run to Uncle Sam for help.  Decades of peace and prosperity, along with our ignorance of history, have rendered us helpless and dependent.  We believe that we should be immune to the chaos of our broken world. This weakness, so often bemoaned by the Boomers who epitomize it, defines our culture.  Our political and economic system is dominated by those who are convinced that the government should eliminate risk fr...