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

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Wheaton, IL: Anglican Realignment "Reshuffles" Protestants

Reshuffling of the deck, or, "realignment" causes Virtue to "enthuse," as usual...for David.  ACNA is evangelizing, largely, amongst un-informed Protestants.  That's why they are in Wheaton, IL. And there goes Bob Duncan again, like an undeveloped cleric that he is, talking about the "transforming love" of Jesus.  That's Bob's historic one-liner.  Of course, Rome would agree.  Of course, on it's face, that's never been denied here;  what is affirmed is that if you love His Triune Majesty, you read, study, mark, learn, inwardly digest, accept, embrace, confess and stand in the Reformation faith, the Reformed Confessions, the old Prayer Book, and evince that you "really understand the Bible" and take it seriously.  We're way beyond childish God-talk. What Bob doesn't understand is the Reformation or even the Bible in depth, width or breadth.  The ACNA is fraught with unresolved and inherited problems for those who've watched this odd phenomenon for awhile.  "Sigh in silence" noted one prophet.  Indeed, we do.

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=17279

WHEATON, IL: Anglican Realignment Draws Hundreds Hear Call to Plant 1000 New Churches
By David W. Virtue in Wheaton, Il.
www.virtueonline.org
March 5, 2013

The realignment of the Anglican Church in North America took yet another turn as more than 700 Anglicans gathered at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton near Chicago to hear speakers push to plant 1000 new Anglican congregations in North America. All this is as The Episcopal Church implodes, grappling with the need to restructure itself as congregations age and shrink.

The summit on church planting heard Anglican Church in America (ACNA) Archbishop Robert Duncan describe the "perilous season we went through," with many congregations losing their properties after leaving a morally and theologically bankrupt Episcopal Church. "Who could have imagined so many new churches would be planted," he told an excited audience ready to move out on his command.

In 2009, Duncan called to found 1000 new churches. It has since created 230 churches, with ACNA now totaling 950 churches. "Who could have imagined so many young people catching the remarkable disease known as Anglican fever," Duncan said. Addressing his listeners in the new Church of the Resurrection that draws 1,000 weekly to its services and is host of the conference, Duncan noted wryly, "This maybe the first time I've preached in a factory."

Duncan cautioned that, "Some will not receive you" and emphasized that effective church planting depends "wholly on The Lord." He said planters are called "to reach America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ."

Alan Hawkins, a leading ACNA church planter, called ACNA's new church starts "pretty amazing for a bunch of Anglicans." He emphasized that the 1000 new churches goal is a "starting point," and "not a finish line." Hawkins also implored that church planting not be seen as a means for expanding the institution, but a way for "Gospel proclamation" and "reaching the lost." He also challenged each ACNA congregation to plant a church in the next 3 years, "If you want to see something last throughout eternity, plant churches."

Alan Hirsch, a Jewish convert, author and church plant innovator, said missiology always informs ecclesiology.

END

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