That The 39 [Articles of Religion] are a true confession is seen clearly in how it is that they interpret the Book of Common Prayer and not the other way around. The Gorham Trial affirmed in law that The 39 [Articles] give the correct reading of the doctrine of the BCP and not vice-versa. This limits the ‘High Church’ readings of some BCP passages by keeping their official doctrinal meaning firmly within the boundaries of the theology of The 39 [Articles]. The 39 Articles according to their subtitle were written and made legally binding for the “avoiding of diversities of opinion and for the establishing of consent touching true religion” that is to say, they are a confession of faith which on matters of dispute rule which side is Anglican and in so doing establish the contents of ‘true religion’ - that is Anglicanism. The declaration of Charles II which is prefaced to the Articles shows their confessional nature in crystal clear language in that it requires all ‘loving subjects’ of the King to “continue in the uniform Profession thereof, and prohibiting the least difference from the said Articles”. You don’t get more confessional than that. Classical Anglicanism is Confessional Anglicanism - it affirms and declares proudly the faith as set forth in the 39 Articles and witnessed to in the correct reading of the BCP and Ordinal. To disagree with The 39 [Articles of Religion] is to disagree with Anglicanism. You truly can measure how ‘Anglican’ a person is by how faithful they are to the inheritance of faith laid out in the Historic Formularies. - Revd Adam Young, Emmanuel Church in Saltburn, UK
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 04:35:32 +0000
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