Bray, Gerald. The Faith We Confess: An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles. London: Latimer Press, 2009.
This impoverished 229-page volume is very meekly serviceable to get oriented, briefly, to the Thirty-nine Articles. The volume is available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Faith-Confess-Exposition-Thirty-Nine/dp/0946307849/ref=pd_sim_b_2
VIII. Of the Creeds.
"The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture.
"The original Article given Royal assent in 1571 and reaffirmed in 1662, was entitled "Of the Three Creeds; and began as follows, "The Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed ..."
We get 4 pages here. Prof. Bray notes that the Apostles Creed occurs in the Morning and Evening Prayer of the Book of Common Prayer. He might well have added that no or very few congregations even use that anymore. We’re told that the Nicene Creed occurs in Holy Communion which is true and, thanks to the TFOs, has trumped Morning and Evening Prayer, so they can eat bones and drink hemoglobin. Never mind that pesky Black Rubric or the Reformed theology of the English Reformers before the Arminian-Caroline Captivity of the 17th century. He does give a tiny brief on backgrounds—brief at best. Note the bibliography, the one small virtue in this volume.
We get a small brief on the Athanasian Creed, or, the Quicunque vult. But, while it appears in the 1662 BCP, who ever uses this anymore? Didn’t the Americans in 1789 ditch it? I—in person and with my own ears--heard it once in an REC parish in 1991. Who really believes in damnation amongst them? Ms. Schori? Mr. (ABC) Welby? "Damnation" and "salvation" are two words that are repugnant to Western Anglican contexts, largely. Say either word and watch closely for involuntary furrowing of eyebrows and belabored breathing. Here's the opening and ending of the Athansian Creed.
"(Beginning): Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which faith, except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
(End): This is the Catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved."
Prof. Bray’s book is entitled, The Faith We Profess. He ought be frank about Anglicans and just admit it: The Faith We Don’t Profess very much, very often or very believingly. We say we do, but with a firm-tongue in cheek. At least be honest.
He claims that the English Reformers were well-acquainted with all three Creeds. Hence, the inclusion in Article VIII. Fair enough, but that was the 16th century. We've evolved. Ahem.
Again, we get a rather brief bibliography suitable for 100-level college course—maybe, a big maybe.
The bibliography is included here so one can save money and move on to better volumes…which, to the Prof’s credit, he names some names. Finally, something of merit.
Bray, Gerald. Creeds, Councils and Christ. Leicester: IVP, 1984. Reprint Fearn: Mentor, 2009. http://www.amazon.com/Creeds-Councils-Christ-Christians-misrepresent/dp/1845505131/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392162753&sr=8-1&keywords=bray+creeds%2C+councils+and+christ
Kelley, J. N. D. Early Christian Creeds (3rd Ed.) London: Continuum, 2006. http://www.amazon.com/Early-Christian-Creeds-J-N-D-Kelly/dp/0826492169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392162990&sr=8-1&keywords=kelly+early+christian+creeds
-------The Athanasian Creed. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1964. http://www.amazon.com/The-Athanasian-Creed-Paddock-Lectures/dp/B0000CMBPP/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1392163022&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=kelly+athansian+creed
IX. Of Original or Birth-Sin.
"Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, phoneme sarkos, (which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh), is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized; yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin."
We get 6 pages here. Original sin, he notes, “sounds so negative and off-putting.” It would sound that way to uncatechetized chaps. He does a quick flyby on Pelagius with that capacity for self-recovery. Prof. Bray affirms that Pelagius was well-received in the East, but Augustine launched a “major offensive.”
The treatment here is unremarkable, not very serious, and—after noting Luther’s Bondage of the Will—a volume he then fails to include in his little bibliography. Let it also be noted that he fails to mention Calvin or any of the English Reformers or Confessions of this same period.
This volume cannot be taken too seriously. I’ve been pondering this—this has all the marks of hastiness and sounds like an ad hoc lecture that a student transcribed. After the transcription, the Prof. affixed a few books, a few questions, a few Bible verses here and there and thus hustled off to a publisher willing to trade on the scholarly name. Compared to his other scholarly works, this is in a parallel universe of—yes, shoddiness.
Again, bibliography included so you can save money by not buying this volume by Prof. Bray. But even then, slim pickings. He has to turn to Reformed sources for help too. Where heck is Canterbury? Oh yeah, I forgot, "Sodomites and Buggerers" is the current fad of that reprobatish cast on the bench.
Blocher, H. Original Sin: Illuminating the Riddle. Nottingham: Apollos, 1997. http://www.amazon.com/Original-Sin-Illuminating-Biblical-Theology/dp/083082605X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392163528&sr=8-1&keywords=blocher+original+sin
Lundgaard, K. The Enemy Within. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1998. http://www.amazon.com/The-Enemy-Within-Straight-Defeat/dp/0875522017/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392163570&sr=8-1&keywords=lundgaard+the+enemy+within
Shuster, M. The Fall and Sin: What We Have Become as Sinners. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004. http://www.amazon.com/The-Fall-Sin-Become-Sinners/dp/0802809944/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392163614&sr=8-1&keywords=shuster+the+fall+and+sin
X. Of Free-Will.
"The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith; and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will."
We get 3 pages, a few books and he doesn’t say much of weight. This levity of treatment is insufferable in a scholar. When’s the last time you heard a good sermon on election, predestination, original sin and bondage of the will? At Mere Anglicanism? At an AMiA conference? Alpha Courses? Cursillo Courses? ACNA Conferences? The ACNA Catechism? Prof. Bray ought just come clean and say, The Faith Anglicans Don’t Profess: Non-Expositions on the 39 Bit Pieces We’ve Tossed. To his credit, in the first chapter he does confess that no one confesses these things anymore. And tell us again, Prof. Bray, about Arminians, Semi-Pelagians and the Caroline Captivity? Or, Wesley and others? Well, to his credit, he turns to a few Reformed sources to give him help. But where’s Luther and Calvin? Or Cranmer? Or other Continental Reformed Confessions?
Anglin, W.S. Free Will and the Christian Faith. Oxford: Clarendon, 1990. Shuster, M. The Fall and Sin: What We Have Become as Sinners. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004. http://www.amazon.com/The-Fall-Sin-Become-Sinners/dp/0802809944/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392163614&sr=8-1&keywords=shuster+the+fall+and+sin
Cowburn, J. Free Will, Predestination, and Determinism. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 2008. http://www.amazon.com/Free-Will-Predestination-Determinism-Cowburn/dp/0874627540/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392164807&sr=8-1&keywords=cowburn+free+will%2C+predestination
Peterson, R.A. Election and Free Will: God’s Gracious Choice and our Responsibility. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2007. http://www.amazon.com/Election-Free-Will-Responsibility-Explorations/dp/0875527930/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392164849&sr=8-1&keywords=peterson+election+and+free+will
Sproul, R.C. Willing to Believe: The Controversy Over Free Will. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1997. http://www.amazon.com/Willing-Believe-Controversy-over-Free-ebook/dp/B005UFUS9I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392165233&sr=8-1&keywords=sproul+willing+to+believe
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