Differences between us and Anglicans

[GKC]

I’m afraid your understanding is wrong. Although perhaps some others might disagree, Episcopalians see themselves as fully Anglican.

And so they are. It is difficult for some folk to get this concept. Over 10 years ago, it was part of the first post I ever made, anywhere, trying to help some bewildered RCs sort it all out.

GKC.

 

[GKC]

Well I’ve heard other Anglicans express it completely thje opposite. Sort of like how the orthodox communion works. Like I am in the greek orthodox church, but I’m not Greek. Or to put it another way, the Russians and the Greek church are in communion, but the greeks are not Russians orthodox and the Russians are not Greek orthodox, but they are all orthodox.

At least thats what I’ve understood it as, that there are differing communions nwithin the wider church, anglican episcopalian and the like, and that they are defined as being in communion through being in communoin with the Bishop canterbury.

BTw, I don’t mean to make it sound like I have this huge dislike for anglicans, because I happen to like NT Wright and CS lewis. I just think your church is in a mess.

I’ve been a Lewis fan and collector for close to 50 years. Good for you.

I think some Anglicans are a mess, myself.

GKC

 

[guanophore]

Interestingly, the Anglican Church began with essentially no changes from Catholic doctrine aside from the primacy of the pope, which was due to political reasons rather than doctrinal. Most of the “Protestant” aspects, so to speak, of the church, crept in after Henry VIII’s death. In fact, he adamantly defended the Mass and the Real Presence to his death, writing a request for a Mass to be said for the repose of his soul everyday in perpetuity. If I recall correctly, the only part of the Mass changed during Henry VIII’s life was the references to the pope, the rest of the more “Protestant” changes coming later.

The Anglican Church today is much different from its beginnings. Some historians theorize that Henry VIII did not intend for a permanent break with Rome.

I don’t think he meant for a permanent, or any, break with Catholic faith. He just wanted to get married again.

You make a good point about how the Anglican communion continues to drift and fracture. When people want to know what the point is of having a Pope, I often state that he is the visible sign of unity on earth of the faith. I guess Anglicans don’t have any substitute for that visible sign of unity, so the fracture and drift continues. Now we have the Episcopal faith which descended from it, and is becoming hardly recognizable to traditional Anglicans. I am sure the Bishops of Henry viii time would have thought they left the faith!

 

[Deegie]

Well I’ve heard other Anglicans express it completely thje opposite. Sort of like how the orthodox communion works. Like I am in the greek orthodox church, but I’m not Greek. Or to put it another way, the Russians and the Greek church are in communion, but the greeks are not Russians orthodox and the Russians are not Greek orthodox, but they are all orthodox.

At least thats what I’ve understood it as, that there are differing communions nwithin the wider church, anglican episcopalian and the like, and that they are defined as being in communion through being in communoin with the Bishop canterbury.

Sorry, but I’m having trouble understanding what you’re trying to say. If you go to the official website for the Anglican Communion, you will see that it consists of 80 million Christians in 44 churches in 165 countries. One province of the Anglican Communion is the Episcopal Church.

BTw, I don’t mean to make it sound like I have this huge dislike for anglicans, because I happen to like NT Wright and CS lewis. I just think your church is in a mess.

You named two of my favorites. Please understand that they are much more representative of my church than Jack Spong. Yes, TEC has some issues right now. But there have also been some great things going on.

 

[GKC]

I don’t think he meant for a permanent, or any, break with Catholic faith. He just wanted to get married again.

You make a good point about how the Anglican communion continues to drift and fracture. When people want to know what the point is of having a Pope, I often state that he is the visible sign of unity on earth of the faith. I guess Anglicans don’t have any substitute for that visible sign of unity, so the fracture and drift continues. Now we have the Episcopal faith which descended from it, and is becoming hardly recognizable to traditional Anglicans. I am sure the Bishops of Henry viii time would have thought they left the faith!

Hank and Clement were playing a game of chicken. Charles V was not.

GKC

 

[Izdaari]

There’s no difference between me and Anglicans. I am one. And for that matter, one Anglican, C.S. Lewis, deserves most of the (human) credit for my being a Christian at all.