Lee on the American BCP

Posted on August 9, 2016 | 2 comments
Presiding Bishop Alfred Lee

Bishop Alfred Lee

In an exchange of open letters regarding Bp. Cummin’s 1871 resignation from the Protestant Episcopal Church, Alfred Lee (then Presiding Bishop of PECUSA) admits the comprehensive nature of the American liturgy. Given Lee’s own “high church” credentials, this tacit endorsement is akin to the proverbial ‘horse’s mouth’, essentially agreeing with Dr. Smith that the American book owes a genius from the 1689 proposed revision. Lee’s apparent agreement with Smith lets the 1785 preface speak as a kind of commentary to the present-day American preface. The ecumenical goals of the 1689 revision has previously been written about here. Lee takes the case with Cummin’s that the American book is already inclusive of historical Dissent.
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2 Comments

Posted in Protestantism

London Tower’s Seven Bishops

Posted on May 11, 2015 | 7 comments

seven bishopsBackground: In 1688 the growing crisis caused by James II, a Roman Catholic sovereign over the church of England, came to a head. James II, alongside his catholic clients, were using Indulgences granted to religious Dissent to divide Churchmen from their Presbyterian and Independent counterparts. Meanwhile, James was busy advancing the Papal Interest. However, seven Anglican bishops, galvanized by the political networks of London clergy, refused to read the King’s Declaration (an unusual request on the Crown. Normally, reading of injunctions were left to the lower clergy not Bishops). Instead, the Seven took opportunity to petition James II, explaining their intention to protect England’s constitution while uniting Protestant Dissent to the established Church. Of course, the Bishops were arrested, but their speedy trial ended with their declared innocence and subsequent release into jubilant crowds. The Petition became a high water mark for national Protestantism, resolved to halt the Romanist party and the Arbitrary Power of James II.
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7 Comments

Posted in National Church, Protestantism

UE General Convention

Posted on June 9, 2014 | 92 comments

This year my family had opportunity to attend the UECNA’s 2014 General Convention. There was an anticipation this Convention would have a tremendous bearing upon the future of the continuing church. Anglican Rose has taken liberty to infer several ideas not neccesarily shared by Bp. Robinson. 

2013 Predictions. In an earlier essay called “Post-Brockton“, I offered a few predictions regarding the ultimate failure of the ACC’s staunch non-involvement policy, namely, forbidding unity with Anglican churches which are in communion with other churches that ordain women, or “double non-involvement”. Of course, the ACC was targeting ACNA and FACA-related bodies like the APA, DHC, and especially the REC(1). I also predicted the APA and UECNA would grow restless of any hard isolationist policy, sooner or later breaking from it in favor of a larger unity with North American churches besides ACC. While much remains to be seen, the UECNA has apparently left the ACC-orbit.  Continue reading →

92 Comments

Posted in ACNA #2, National Church, St. Louis Affirmation

Schaff on Non-Establishment

Posted on February 6, 2014 | 11 comments

schaffA Prussian immigrae, Phillip Schaff (1819-1893) was committed to the idea of uniting Lutheran and Reformed churches which began in Germany under the aegis of Prince Frederick William IV. Dr. Schaff is perhaps better known for his voluminous writings on Church history and the ancient fathers. His contribution alongside John W. Nevin in making “Mercersburg Theology”(1) is also significant as a traditional Protestant answer to American revivalism. Initially scandalized by the proliferation of enthusiastic sects, Schaff gradually found a silver-lining in American disestablishment, concluding God’s Providence set aside the United States to play a crucial role in forging an Evangelical Christendom by voluntaristic means. His change of opinion on freedom of religion is worth study, answering questions perhaps vexing for Anglicans-abroad who normally are ambivalent about their Republican advantages and not-too-distant past with Royal Supremacy.  Continue reading →

11 Comments

Posted in July 4rth, National Church

Two Province Solution

Posted on November 27, 2013 | 11 comments

dmaSince 1977 personality conflict has stereotyped division in the continuing movement (1). Ironically, complicating ecclesiastical fragmentation in the Continuum has been the keeping of rigid geographic dioceses. Thankfully, this prejudice is beginning to erode as extra mural Anglicans are consciously redefining dioceses in ‘relational’ rather than geographic terms– allowing congregations to align themselves to like-minded Bishops . Last August, the APA–DMA standing committee voted to postpone reunion with ACA. Some worry the APA-ACA merger process might be derailed. But, we ask, “why not let DMA remain a relatively independent diocese while the rest of the APA/ACA press forward, permitting a non-geographic option?” This may be a last ditch solution, but it could also preserve a broad church identity while the rest of APA rushes toward a more rigid ‘anglo-catholic’ identity.  

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11 Comments

Posted in ACNA #2, St. Louis Affirmation

Serving the Altar

Posted on June 8, 2013 | 8 comments
tabernacle

The Ark’s Procession

I’ve been reading Barbara Gent and Betty Sturges’ handbook for Altar Guilds, published in 1982. The handbook partly deals with the history of the Sacristan and how it’s changed since the Victorian era. Until now, I haven’t pondered the orthodoxy of women serving at the Altar. Instead, I assumed anything that involved folding or cleaning linen was ‘servile’ or ‘housekeeping’– thus, no overthrow of male headship. But male headship has its limits, and it does not answer why altar service was first targeted by early feminists. Until I read Gent’s guide, I had no idea how recent an innovative were women-led Altar Guilds. The phenomena of female ordination might be blamed upon the loss of the Altar (or even sanctuary) as a focal point for public worship?
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8 Comments

Posted in Consubstantiation, St. Louis Affirmation

Home Oratories

Posted on December 5, 2012 | 4 comments
whole duty

Necessary for Families

This post is partly a response to a few requests I’ve had about my attempt at making a Home Oratory with my family: Queen Anna’s Prochapel. Posts at Anglican Rose are coming to a trickle with Post-Brockton being one of the last (of regular frequency).  At minimum, I’ve chosen to postpone further commentary until developments in pan-Anglicanism become more settled. Meanwhile, study resources will be added at this post (and elsewhere) that expand upon the idea of building “Little Giddings” in Anglican households.
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4 Comments

Posted in Methodism

Post-Brockton

Posted on December 5, 2012 | 22 comments
Lady of the Snows

Lady of the Snows

This post is the last of a four-part series on the future of the Continuing movement and it potential impact on North American Anglicanism. The earlier commentary can be read at “Continuing Politics” under AR’s Scriptorium. 

Otherwise known as the World Consultation, the Anglican futures conference held in Brockton, MA in 2011 may have been the most important event to hit the Continuing Anglican movement since the 1998 REC-APA unity talks. While the precise consequence of the Brockton conference is elusive, two possible outcomes that impact North American Anglicanism seem immanent. ”Post-Brockton” not only can unite the majority of the continuum, but it also risks cutting ties with ACNA (more specifically the REC-FiFNA coalition inside ACNA). Some of these contours have already been examined in the earlier yet equally lengthy article: the Bartonville Factor.
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22 Comments

Posted in ACNA #2, St. Louis Affirmation

Sabbath Days

Posted on November 27, 2012 | 4 comments

Christ is Risen

Sabbaths and Holy Days are interchangeable concepts. Puritans understood the Christian Sabbath largely as a continuation of the OT Mosaic code translated to Sunday observance.  Anglicans took a more nuanced view, retaining the general idea of “rest” but putting aside the ceremonial strictness of the OT. Such a treatment of Sabbath-keeping gave Anglicans leeway to establish other holy days aside from fixed Sundays, revealing a pastoral sensitivity toward Sabbath-keeping as well keeping the proper division of ecclesiastical vs. divine law. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in CPW

Shorter Affirmation

Posted on November 25, 2012 | 2 comments

Despite appearances to the contrary, Anglican Rose acknowledges the good of the St. Louis Affirmation. The Affirmation was a needed antidote to the 1970’s civil rights mania infecting the church, correcting the tide of feminism by appeal to Tradition.  However, when the Affirmation is taken in a ‘confessional’ sense, it narrows churchmanship on strict anglo-catholic lines (1). Against this insertion of “old catholic” doctrine, the main of continuing churches have kept a broad ethos. Yet, the Affirmation is hardly a solution to illicit Anglican comprehension since the Accord generates its own set of disagreements. A shorter version of the Affirmation better represents the broad orthodoxy (historically characteristic) of the continuing movement.  Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in St. Louis Affirmation

Catholic International

Posted on November 19, 2012 | 9 comments

Bubble Map

In the 2012  Forward in Christ October issue (vol. 5, #2, p. 18), Fr. Kevin Donlon mapped various relationships and interconnections among both Canterbury-aligned and extra mural Anglican churches, lamenting increasing fragmentation and fission.  Yet, Fr. Donlon believes disintegration can be reversed by “the shadow web” of often-conflicting and mutable “spheres of activity” within the Anglican Communion. Among the ecclesiastical bubbles (map to the left) inclined to cooperate, Donlon seems to think anglo-catholics might forge a New Oxford Movement to steadily reverse women’s ordination and other egalitarian disorders by the “fullness of catholic teaching”. As a consequence, liberal Evangelicals may soon find themselves on the defense against the mustering of Tradition for the reading of Scripture.    Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in ACNA #2