Mr. (Abp) Wabukala: ACNA, 39 Articles, Tractoes, & Armoes

12.04.2013

Archbishop Wabukala Defends the 39 Articles

Archbishop Wabukala

Archbishop Eliud Wabukala recently delivered an address where he outlined the role of the Anglican Articles of Religion in relation to the GAFCON movement. Wabukala delivered this address on American soil, which is significant given the overrepresentation of Anglo Catholicism in the leadership ranks of ACNA. 
Archbishop Wabukala described the origin of the Articles as follows: 

Thirty-nine Articles which were themselves intended by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer as the articulation of that which had been buried beneath layers of mediaeval scholasticism. 

This take on the Articles is refreshing to hear given how accustomed we are in America to seeing the Articles swept under the proverbial rug, even amongst the 'conservatives' of ACNA. Wabukala himself points out that the Articles have been given short-shrift globally: 

Until recently, the default position throughout the Communion seems to have been to treat the Articles as of merely historical interest. In the Church of England itself, although the Articles still have legal status in defining doctrine, the clergy are not required to subscribe to them and in my own Anglican Church of Kenya our constitution merely gives individual dioceses the option of require subscription to the Articles. 

Thanks to GAFCON, there is now renewed awareness of the Articles. It may seem strange to you that I as an African Primate am advocating a document that emerged out of the ecclesiastical and political crisis of sixteenth century England, but simply to dismiss the Articles because of their distance from us in time and space would be a superficial judgment. They are not of course on the same level as Scripture — indeed perhaps their greatest value is the assertion that the Church and its Councils are always themselves under the authority of Scripture — but like the Scriptural text, we must approach the Articles on their own merits and seek to understand the mind of the author, not impose our prior assumptions and prejudices. 

Wabukala's position stands in sharp contrast to that of voices such as that of Father Kevin Donlon who said, "the Articles of Religion are to be given their due place with regard to some conflicts of the 16th century, but not the 21st century." This is essentially the Anglo-Catholic position for obvious reasons.  
Archbishop goes on to stand by a firmly Augustinian position on regeneration as laid out by the Articles: 

In his loving mercy and grace, God calls the dead to life through Jesus Christ. The Gospel is not a call for moral reform and improvement. We are utterly unable to help ourselves and the power of God is displayed in the gift of new life as he reconciles lost humanity to himself in Christ. The influence of Augustine is very clear in the recognition given to the bondage of the human will. 

Can you imagine the majority of ACNA bishops or clergy talking like this? Arminian views of grace run rampant in the segments of ACNA that I am familiar with.

 

For the rest, see:

http://livingtext.blogspot.com/2013/12/archbishop-wabukala-defends-39-articles.html