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BrethrenBoy
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Can anyone explain the Anglican Beanch Theory to me? I understand it says many groups make up the one true church? How can that be? Can’t you only have one true church?
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codefro
Guest
In a simple explanation, Anglicans hold this to be three branches of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. Mostly agreed, The Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglicans place themselves in that list. Some also include the Oriental Orthodox Churches. This is a view of Anglo-Catholics. Some Anglicans do not see the need for this, as they do not feel the need to be viewed as Catholic. These would be low-church Anglicans most likely. Some Anglicans saw problems with this, such as Bl. John Henry Newman, who converted to Catholicism soon after discovering the error of this thought.
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ltwin
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According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the “branch theory of the Church” is:
“…the theory that, though the Church may have fallen into schism within itself and its several provinces or groups of provinces be out of communion with each other, each may yet be a branch of the one Church of Christ, provided that it continues to hold the faith of the original undivided Church and to maintain the Apostolic Succession of its bishops. Such, it is contended by many Anglican theologians, is the condition of the Church at the present time, there being now three main branches…”
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BrethrenBoy
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O.K. I understand that. But how can an Anglican claim that their church is part of this, if they only exist because of a king wanting to day say he wasn’t really married.
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ChurchSoldier
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That’s sort of like saying “How can the Catholic Church claim to be the church when they’ve had so many corrupt Popes?”. What does one have to do with another?
It claims to be the church due to Apostolic Succession. There have been many threads which you can read for more detailed information.
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concretecamper
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Corrupt Popes are a given because they are men with a fallen humans nature. They do not have to be impecable…but in the matters of faith and morals, they ARE infallible as guaranteed by Christ himself.
Posted from Catholic.com App for Android
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concretecamper
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Peter_J
Guest
OK, that’s fair enough. I myself am bothered by the way that many Catholics seem to think that talking about Henry VIII is the be-all and end-all of criticism of Anglicanism. (And I guess many protestants think so too – BrethrenBoy possibly being one, although I don’t really know him well enough to say for sure.)
Personally, I based my low opinion of Anglicanism on a lot of things, not just what I know about Henry VIII.
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BrethrenBoy
Guest
I don’t really have a problem with Anglicanism (Ever since I disconvered C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien I’ve had a strange obsession with anything British). It just seems to me that The Church of England can not claim to be part if the one true church, if there is such a thing, when it’s origins seem to be mainly political on the part of the British monarchs.
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GWright
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Tolkien was a Catholic (his mother converted), Lewis was as good as a Catholic and likely would have converted if death had not got in the way!
100% correct.
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GWright
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You are exactly right - there is only one true church.
The idea that the “one” true church is actually made up of tens of thousands of different churches, with wildly differing beliefs, is obviously a protestant nonsense.
The nonsense started at the reformation, when excuses had to be found for the existence of multiple protestant churches, in addition to the Catholic church.
The branch theory is also the root of why people (even Catholics) mislabel the Catholic Church as the “Roman” Catholic Church.
Although some people validly use “roman” to mean “latin” when discussing liturgical rites, the origin of the term “roman catholic” is actually a protestant heresy intended to give the impression that there are different types of Catholic (so they can, of course, then position themselves as being one of these types of Catholic).
Catholic means “Universal” and so it is obviously a nonsense to place any kind of qualifying statement (eg ‘Roman’) in front of it. Something is either universal, or it is not. There are no degrees of universality.
I always refer to myself as a “Catholic” and detest the term “Roman Catholic”. Sadly many Catholics, and indeed the Church itself, have fallen into the habit of using these terms as though they were directly interchangeable.
Cheers
GWright
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GKC
Guest
Been a Lewis collector, as a Tolkien collector, for over 40 years. In my informed opinion, Lewis would not have gone to Rome.
GKC
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Gaelic_Bard
Guest
That and his rather noted dislike of anything having to do with the papacy.
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GKC
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It’s subject that comes up frequently around here. Seems to fascinate folks.Sadly, I agree with you…maybe.
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GKC
Guest
Several weeks before Lewis’ death, Tolkien and his son, Fr. John, visited him. Given Tolkien’s disappointment, throughout their friendship, that Lewis never made the jump to Rome, Fr. John’s presence might suggest that something like that was in JRRT’s mind. But nothing is known. They spent the visit discussing Lewis’ readings, esp, MORTE D’ARTHUR.
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Denise1957
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Here’s an interesting article on Lewis’ non-Conversion to Catholicism. It suggests that in addition to the intellectual difficulties, Lewis’ personality and Ulster Protestant background may have also played a part in his decision not to convert.
catholic.com/quickquestions/why-didnt-cs-lewis-and-other-christian-intellectuals-become-catholic
catholic.com/quickquestions/why-didnt-cs-lewis-and-other-christian-intellectuals-become-catholic
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GKC
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A topic I’ve posted on often here. Derrick’s thesis is based largely on Tolkien’s opinions. Pearce’s C.S.LEWIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH covers it in detail.
IMO, it is poisoning the well. Lewis did not become RC. He stated, in several places, why (though he was studiedly not a sectarian).
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Peter_J
Guest
I too find Lewis’ non-Conversion to Catholicism an interesting topic, in a way. I wonder how many of his fans, when they met him, opened conversation with "I’ve heard that you’re thinking about not converting to Catholicism … "
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