Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Anglicanism's Sickness

We changed our logo and description.

We examine Reformed Theology in conversation with other Catholics of the Reformation--Reformed and Lutheran. We are liturgical. We are committed to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer with changes. However, we must shift from adulterous, conflicted and confused Anglicanism. We are Calvinistic Anglicans, like the English Reformers. But, given the absence of serious Anglican leadership, fundamental integrity and Confessional maturity, we head to safety...we must recommend that course to others for biblical safety. We still since we adhere to a modified Thirty-nine Articles (1571), Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Irish Articles (1615), Canons of Dordt (1619), and Westminster Standards (1646). We also love the essential Lutheran Confessions but, increasingly, we're not impressed with Anglicanism anywhere.

With regret we post this, but we think it wisest for parents with children to get to an OPC, even PCA, URC, WELS or LCMS congregation. As a Reformed Churchman, the first three are preferred. We cannot, in good conscience, refer someone to a mish-mash Manglican--who knows what doctrine you get?--ACNA outfit. The ACNA is a micro-Anglican split-off from the liberal TEC, much puffed by http://www.virtueonline.org/ but without consequence we suspect.

What are the righteous to do when the foundations are shaken? Four things. 1) Get with solid believers in a Confessional Reformational Church. 2) Read the Bible widely. 3) Use the old BCP. 4) Don't listen to Anglican clerics during the homilettes, but read one of the volumes from the 55-volume Parker Society series instead while the homileteer homileticizes...much better. Then, for the years to come, during the homilies, take one of Calvin's or Luther's commentaries...preferrably Romans and Galatians. When the cleric gives his homily, read the classic instead.

Childen and grandchildren will not be catechetized in sound theology in ACNA flocks, insofar as we can see. Forget the widely liberal TEC. Go where the theology is sound and Confessional.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please, by all means, take your Calvinism somewhere else.

wcbpolish said...

WOW. I've never heard this before. I just got married, and as result, my new wife and I are looking for a church to raise our family in. I'm a theological hodgepodge- Baptized in the Anglican Catholic Church as an infant, raised (and rebaptized) in a GARBC Baptist church, influenced deeply by Calvinism/Reformed doctrine while in college, attended a Roman Catholic Church for 2 years (no other church option), and my wife was raised UMC Methodist. When we were looking for a church, I looked for something conservative Reformed (PCA, OPC, URC, etc.) or something of the continuing Anglican type. Instead we ended up at a LCMS church, and we both love it. I want to get out my father's (RIP) old BoCP when I next go to my mother's. I still feel a draw to high church Anglicanism.