Theological Principles of Traditional Anglicanism

Yesterday I was dining with a couple of priests and an aspirant in the diocese of Fort Worth, and the topic of possible Prayer Book revision within the Network came up. I think most traditionalist Anglicans would concur that there are some problems with the 1979 Prayer Book, though I use it without serious qualms myself. I was told that there have been discussions about producing a new BCP to handle these perceived difficulties of the 1979 Book. Apparently these Network liturgists (if they have undertaken or will soon undertake this work) would use the C of E's 1662 Book of Common Prayer as the basis for the revision. While one of my lunch partners yesterday thought this would be a step backward (presumably because it is too "Protestant" for his tastes), I spent considerable time with the 1662 BCP this morning and have concluded that this would make a fine foundation for a new Book. There is much to be said for a return ad fontes for Anglican worship. In any proposed new North American province, a new common liturgy would help to bind Evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics together (providing that this new Book allowed for the full range of expression of traditionalist Anglican worship practices, as I am sure it will). A modernized and adapted BCP based upon the 1662 Book would reflect our common heritage as Anglicans and emphasize what we have in common with other orthodox Anglicans around the world (since the 1662 Book is the liturgy we have in our common heritage), cementing our relationships with these overseas brothers and sisters.

With this in mind I reviewed the proposed theological statement produced by the Common Cause Partners, the new alliance of orthodox Anglicans in North America created by the Network and various continuing Anglican jurisdictions. The proposal was amended to take into account the concerns of many Anglo-Catholics (particularly with regard to the use of the Thirty-Nine Articles as a basis for discipline). I find this willingness of accommodate co-religionists across the Evangelical/Catholic divide to be a great encouragement. It appears we can in fact all work together for a common orthodox future. As amended I find this a fine statement, one which all but the most Tridentine-leaning Anglo-Catholics should be able to endorse.

The statement may be found here.

THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT OF THE COMMON CAUSE PARTNERS

We believe and confess Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one comes to the Father but by Him. Therefore, the Common Cause Partnership identifies the following seven elements as characteristic of the Anglican Way, and essential for membership:

1. We confess the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation, and to be the final authority and unchangeable standard for Christian faith and life.
2. We confess Baptism and the Supper of the Lord to be Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself in the Gospel, and thus to be ministered with unfailing use of His words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him.
3. We confess the godly historic Episcopate as an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice, and therefore as integral to the fullness and unity of the Body of Christ.
4. We confess as proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture the historic faith of the undivided church as declared in the three Catholic Creeds: the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian.
5. Concerning the seven Councils of the undivided Church, we affirm the teaching of the first four Councils and the Christological clarifications of the fifth, sixth and seventh Councils, in so far as they are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures.
6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.
7. We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1562, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and as expressing the fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.

In all these things, the Common Cause Partnership is determined by the help of God to hold and maintain as the Anglican Way has received them the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ.

“The Anglican Communion,” Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher wrote, “has no peculiar thought, practice, creed or confession of its own. It has only the Catholic Faith of the ancient Catholic Church, as preserved in the Catholic Creeds and maintained in the Catholic and Apostolic constitution of Christ’s Church from the beginning.” It may licitly teach as necessary for salvation nothing but what is read in the Holy Scriptures as God’s Word written or may be proved thereby. It therefore embraces and affirms such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the Scriptures, and thus to be counted apostolic. The Church has no authority to innovate: it is obliged continually, and particularly in times of renewal or reformation, to return to “the faith once delivered to the saints.”

To be an Anglican, then, is not to embrace a distinct version of Christianity, but a distinct way of being a “Mere Christian,” at the same time evangelical, apostolic, catholic, reformed, and Spirit-filled.

Proposed to the Partners
August 18th, 2006