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

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Theo-Lib-Watch: Worldwide Anglican Bishops Warn UK Anglicans that Only an Orthodox ABC Will Do

Takeaways from the article on Western Anglicanism: (1) The issues are not just LBGT-issues.  These are the consequences of the deeper issue:  liberal theology, creating theological indifference, relativism, incomptence and narcissism.  These are the fruits of the poisonous tree.  There should be a sign saying, “Fraudulent Advertising with Product Liabilities.” (2) The next ABC, according to these non-Western Anglican Bishops, must uphold “orthodox Anglicanism.”  This is unlikely.  Fat chance. The corruption in the West is too extensive and too deep.  (3) Western Anglicanism is increasingly irrelevant to worldwide Anglicanism, especially anything in the oddballish-mutant-mishmash of American Anglicanism, including the conservative offspring, the ACNA. Even the conservative American Anglicans have disorders. (4) The non-Western Anglican Bishops want a “voice,” a “say” and, on their view, they want a lawful and Biblical “influence.”  These Anglicans will not follow Western liberals. (5)  RA believes that liberalism’s collapse is inevitable and that the ecclesiastical chasm is unbridgeable.


Only traditionalist Archbishop of Canterbury can save Anglican church, warn primates


THE worldwide Anglican Church risks a permanent split unless someone committed to traditional values is chosen as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the leaders of 55 million churchgoers have warned

By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/
July 26, 2012

In a major intervention in the selection process, an alliance of archbishops and bishops from four continents has written directly to the selection committee urging them to choose someone prepared to halt a drift towards liberal values on issues such as homosexuality.

The next Archbishop must be willing to "uphold the orthodoxy of the Christian faith" in order to secure the "future and unity" of the church "at a foundational level", they say in a letter seen by The Daily Telegraph. Only someone with an understanding of the more traditional views of Anglicans in Africa and elsewhere and the ability to gain their "respect" would be acceptable they add.

The warning comes in a letter to Lord Luce, the chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission, which is selecting the next Archbishop, by the leaders of the Church in the so-called "Global South", who met earlier this week in Singapore. Their intervention is likely to be viewed as a boost to the chances of the Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, being selected for Canterbury, as a figure well-regarded in Africa and elsewhere. In addition to being the leader of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the titular head of the estimated 80-million strong Anglican Church worldwide.

Despite its historic ties to England, it is increasingly dominated by the fast-growing churches primarily in southern hemisphere. Most southern provinces still hold firmly to more traditional doctrines but some branches of the Church elsewhere, particularly in North America, have steered a more liberal course in recent years.

The splits were laid bare four years ago when a third of the bishops boycotted the 10-yearly Lambeth Conference in London in protest at the American church's decision to ordain its first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Since then the split has only become more entrenched.

Earlier this year an attempted unity pact on which Dr Rowan Williams staked his authority was rejected in the Church of England itself. Following the announcement of Dr Williams's retirement, leaders of African and Asian churches have privately voiced fears that their views are being ignored in a selection committee dominated by white, liberal-leaning Britons.

Earlier this month Bishop Mouneer Anis, the leader of the Church in the Middle East and North Africa, warned of a "colonial" approach to choosing the new Archbishop. In the letter, signed by 17 primates, they make clear that, as leaders of what is now the majority of the Anglican church, they "expect to be consulted".

"At a time when the Christian faith faces challenges from other religions as well as secular worldviews, the new Archbishop of Canterbury must be committed to uphold the orthodoxy of the Christian 'faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints'," they write, quoting a phrase from the New Testament.

In order to act as "Guardian of the faith" the new Archbishop must be able to enforce unity "especially on issues that have led to the present crisis in the Communion", they add.

"The new Archbishop of Canterbury should have the experience and cross-cultural sensitivity to understand the concerns and conflicts in the worldwide Communion," they add. "He has to be able to communicate effectively and gain the respect and confidence of, his fellow primates in the Global South."

But last night one senior figure in the Church of England warned that the global split could now be too deep for the new Archbishop to bridge. "Whoever it is I don't think one man can achieve it really because the splits are so deep," he said.

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