The Anglican Church Today

[St_Michael]

Went to an Anglo-Catholic (Anglican) church today. The wine was very sweet and delicious. The thing I like about it is that they hold to enough Catholicism for me to be satisfied. Yet Wikipedia states that they are a bridge for Catholic/Reformed. This is also what one of the members at the church told me. If that’s the case then I’m a happy camper in the Anglican church. It’s a traditional Anglican in the tradition of C.S. Lewis. But seeing that Robin Parry’s Chapter on Universalism in Four Views on Hell is now considered orthodox, I can hold to this view and be Anglo-Catholic. This is fascinating and something I’m looking for! Moreover, they honor the angels and St. Michael The Archangel unlike the Protestant churches I’ve been to. Their youth attend a school called “St. Michael’s”. Does anyone know anything else about the Anglican church?

[tag]Holy-Fool-P-Zombie[/tag] should.

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

Went to an Anglo-Catholic (Anglican) church today. The wine was very sweet and delicious. The thing I like about it is that they hold to enough Catholicism for me to be satisfied. Yet Wikipedia states that they are a bridge for Catholic/Reformed. This is also what one of the members at the church told me. If that’s the case then I’m a happy camper in the Anglican church. It’s a traditional Anglican in the tradition of C.S. Lewis. But seeing that Robin Parry’s Chapter on Universalism in Four Views on Hell is now considered orthodox, I can hold to this view and be Anglo-Catholic. This is fascinating and something I’m looking for! Moreover, they honor the angels and St. Michael The Archangel unlike the Protestant churches I’ve been to. Their youth attend a school called “St. Michael’s”. Does anyone know anything else about the Anglican church?

[tag]Holy-Fool-P-Zombie[/tag] should.

I do find that interesting. And I do call myself Anglo-Orthodox, which Wiki says is:

A movement among Anglicans toward incorporating some elements of Eastern Orthodox spirituality, theology or worship into the Anglican church

I’m also aligned with a conservative Anglican Church, which means I don’t side with any liberal tendencies, like same sex marriage and/or blessings. Here’s part of what they share, from their church site:

A calling often begins with a nagging discontent with the status quo. Many of us were Episcopalians who had come to love the beautiful and reverent worship, and the rich and ancient tradition of Anglican Christianity that we’d found in The Episcopal Church. But we also believed that that church’s institutional structures had become indifferent or even hostile to some of Christianity’s most basic beliefs. How could this have happened? In an effort to be tolerant and open-minded, many mainline churches over the last century de-emphasized, or even abandoned their core beliefs. We, too, value tolerance and open-mindedness, but we believe that ignoring the clear teachings of the Bible, repudiating our major doctrines, and jettisoning thousands of years of accumulated wisdom is exactly the wrong way to go about achieving them.

As we were putting down roots and continuing to grow, eight formerly separate jurisdictions of Anglicans in North America were uniting to form the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). During this time of transition, we were received into the Anglican Church of Bolivia, under the care of Bishop Francis Lyons, who generously gave oversight to many parishes throughout North America. As a part of the Bolivian grouping of parishes, we joined the ACNA in June 2009.

[St_Michael]

Yep. That’s the one. They hold to traditional family values (like me). Here’s a Wikipedia section (Anglicanism) on the Catholic and Reformed:

“Catholic and Reformed”

In the time of Henry VIII the nature of Anglicanism was based on questions of jurisdiction – specifically, the belief of the Crown that national churches should be autonomous – rather than theological disagreement. The effort was to create a national church in legal continuity with its traditions, but inclusive of certain doctrinal and liturgical beliefs of the Reformers. The result has been a movement with a distinctive self-image among Christian movements. The question often arises as to whether the Anglican Communion should be identified as a Protestant or Catholic church, or perhaps as a distinct branch of Christianity altogether.

The distinction between Reformed and Catholic, and the coherence of the two, is routinely a matter of debate both within specific Anglican churches and throughout the Anglican Communion by members themselves. Since the Oxford Movement of the mid-19th century, many churches of the communion have revived and extended liturgical and pastoral practices similar to Roman Catholicism. This extends beyond the ceremony of High Church services to even more theologically significant territory, such as sacramental theology (see Anglican sacraments). While Anglo-Catholic practices, particularly liturgical ones, have resurfaced and become more common within the tradition over the last century, there remain many places where practices and beliefs remain on the more Reformed or Evangelical side (see Sydney Anglicanism).

[St_Michael]

Just found this in “The New World Encyclopedia”

Anglicanism has two broad traditions: Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic. It is often seen as a bridge between Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Orthodoxy.

newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anglicanism

[anon47460357]

I find the continuing Anglican movement interesting:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuin … n_movement

I suspect that if C. S. Lewis were still alive here on planet Earth, he would be part of the continuing Anglican movement. I can neither imagine him accepting priestesses (as does Canterbury) or invocations to the saints (as do Orthodoxy and Rome). The church group that most closely (a.k.a., pretty much exactly) embodies Lewis’s beliefs are the continuing Anglicans.

[St_Michael]

I’m not sure if the Anglican church I went to prays to the saints. They do say the Rosary though and pray to Mary. One of the people there told me that they were also conservative.

[St_Michael]

Historically, Anglicans have regarded the Bible, the three Creeds (Nicene Creed, Apostles’ Creed, Athanasian Creed), the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, and the Book of Common Prayer (1662) as the principal norms of doctrine. Thus, some have said that the Anglican Church retains much of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, but is tolerant of Reformed doctrine.

newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anglicanism

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

Historically, Anglicans have regarded the Bible, the three Creeds (Nicene Creed, Apostles’ Creed, Athanasian Creed), the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, and the Book of Common Prayer (1662) as the principal norms of doctrine. Thus, some have said that the Anglican Church retains much of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, but is tolerant of Reformed doctrine.

newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anglicanism

Does this mean you are thinking ( or have already) of switching from Roman Catholicism, to a church practicing Anglo-Catholicism? Just curious.

[St_Michael]

I think so Randy. Since Robin Parry’s Universalism is now orthodox I can hold to it and be Anglican. They’re almost Catholic and accept the saints and mystics of Catholicism.

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

I think so Randy. Since Robin Parry’s Universalism is now orthodox I can hold to it and be Anglican. They’re almost Catholic and accept the saints and mystics of Catholicism.

It also makes perfect sense to me, Michael. And they also accept the saints and mystics of Eastern Orthodoxy, as far as I know. Perhaps you should make an appointment, to talk to the clergy, of an Anglo-Catholic Church. Ask questions and such. Also pay a visit to a service or 2.

[St_Michael]

It looks like I’m going to do that Randy. They gave me a copy of “The Book of Common Prayer” yesterday when I attended mass. Last night I found this:

What do we mean by heaven and hell?

By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God;
By hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God

Looks like they believe in eternal hell of some sort. Pretty sure though that they don’t consider “The Book of Common Prayer” to be infallible. Oh well, if they won’t accept a universalism I’m going to keep going anyway.

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

It looks like I’m going to do that Randy. They gave me a copy of “The Book of Common Prayer” yesterday when I attended mass. Last night I found this:

What do we mean by heaven and hell?

By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God;
By hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God

Looks like they believe in eternal hell of some sort. Pretty sure though that they don’t consider “The Book of Common Prayer” to be infallible. Oh well, if they won’t accept a universalism I’m going to keep going anyway.

I believe they allow for different “established” opinions - regarding the afterlife. If universalism is now an “established opinion”, then it is allowed. That’s why I suggested a chat with the clergy. But a few years ago, I did hear a sermon at a local Episcopal Church - before it became too liberal. The assistant clergy member, did publicly say he was a universlist.

Please also read though the responses, from this forum in 2013:

According to Anglicanism, is Universalism heretical?

Keep in mind, that things might be different in 2016 - probably even more open and favorable.

As far as the Episcopal Church branch goes… they will probably enter a motion (at the Anglican Communion), to ordain robots…to help with the church functions.

Have you looked at the Old Catholic Churches ? I’m not sure, of their position on Universalism.

[St_Michael]

I don’t think we have an Old Catholic church around here where I live. I’ll check. I did find this from Wikipedia though. It’s a list of Anglicans who are or were Universalists:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Anglican_Universalists

I will be contacting the office. Can’t do it today because it’s labor day.

[anon47460357]

I find the continuing Anglican movement interesting:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuin … n_movement

I suspect that if C. S. Lewis were still alive here on planet Earth, he would be part of the continuing Anglican movement. I can neither imagine him accepting priestesses (as does Canterbury) or invocations to the saints (as do Orthodoxy and Rome). The church group that most closely (a.k.a., pretty much exactly) embodies Lewis’s beliefs are the continuing Anglicans.

To clarify: Amongst continuing Anglicans there are some more on the Protestant side of the spectrum, and some are more on the Catholic side of the spectrum. I think Lewis would go to the one as far towards Catholicism as he could get without prayers to Mary and the saints. In other words, probably one somewhere in the middle. I definitely do not think that he would remain in communion with Canterbury with its priestesses, bishopesses (Is that a word?), and toleration of the sexual mores of pagan Rome.

[St_Michael]

Well, the Anglican church I went to says they love C.S. Lewis.

[anon47460357]

Well, the Anglican church I went to says they love C.S. Lewis.

C. S. Lewis is probably the most widely loved English-language author amongst Christians. Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants, and even Mormons love him.

[St_Michael]

I agree

[St_Michael]

Talked to the priest and in the tradition of C.S. Lewis he holds hell to be eternal. I can handle that I guess.

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

Talked to the priest and in the tradition of C.S. Lewis he holds hell to be eternal. I can handle that I guess.

Not necessarily. Look at Jason’s responses to my statements and questions on C.S. Lewis, in the current thread Hello and God bless to ALL!

[St_Michael]

C.S. Lewis said of hell,

“There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason” (The Problem of Pain).

Lewis also said,

“I have met no people who fully disbelieved in hell and also had a living and life-giving belief in Heaven” (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer).