What is a "High Church" Anglican?

[GKC]

The definition of High Church has been a moving target over the past few decades. At one time, at the Church of the Advent in Boston, there was a lively correspondence between the bishop and the rector over the rector’s use of a surplice when preaching. It was considered too Catholic. The bishop thought he should wear an academic gown, something essentially never seen in the Episcopal Church these days. Now, nearly every Anglican church uses Eucharistic vestments. So things have gotten higher and higher.

High Church Anglicanism has several connotations:

1. Liturgical practice that resembles that of the Roman church. This can mean the celebration of Holy Communion every Sunday as the principal service, it can mean the use of Eucharistic vestments, it can mean the use of certain atmospherics like incense and bells (“smells and bells”).

Nowadays, most Anglican churches celebrate Holy Communion as the principal service each Sunday. It is quite rare to find Morning Prayer. Indeed, with the exception of incense and bells, most churches have become fairly “high” by the standards of 100 years ago.

1. Beliefs that mirror to a greater or lesser extend those of the Roman church. For example, a belief in seven, not two, sacraments, a belief in the sacramental effect of absolution, a belief in the Real Presence and Transubstantiation. Also a veneration of the saints and especially Mary. In really high churches there are prayers for the Pope, and in the UK, use of the Novus Ordo (truly amazing to this left-coast yank).

There are some peculiar little things that tend to identify Anglo Catholics, especially the clergy. Most Anglo Catholics (High Church Anglicans) do not support female clergy. Most tend to wear cassocks that have buttons down the front, in contrast with the Anglican cassock, which is double breasted and buttons on the side. Anglo Catholic clergy tend to like a bit of lace on their albs and surplices, and they often, though not always like the “fiddleback” chasuble. Also they like to wear the biretta whenever they can.

You describe my late rector well.

While the categories of “High” and “Anglo-Catholic” are overlapping to a considerable degree, my reading of the history of the terms makes me divide them. Anglo-Catholic is centered on doctrine, and relates to the Oxford movement and the Tractarians. High Church relates more to"churchman-ship" and comes more from the Ritualist movement of the late 1800s.

But it is a rather fine point of distinction.

GKC

 

[Contarini]

1. Beliefs that mirror to a greater or lesser extend those of the Roman church.

That’s certainly the case in many instances, some of which you note. But on the whole I think it’s more accurate to say that the doctrinal core of Anglo-Catholicism is agreement with the “undivided Church” of the first millennium, that is, with those points Catholics and Orthodox have in common. Which in fact means that doctrinally A-Cs are closer to the Orthodox than to Catholics (note: I’m using “Orthodox” and “Catholics” not in theologically loaded ways but as common designations for two important Communions).

Of course, it’s tricky, because we Anglicans are Westerners, so there are points (the Filioque being the most obvious) where we agree with Rome against the Orthodox or just follow Rome because that’s the form of the Catholic tradition we know (this is, of course, most often the case liturgically–and appropriately so).

Edwin

 

[GKC]

That’s certainly the case in many instances, some of which you note. But on the whole I think it’s more accurate to say that the doctrinal core of Anglo-Catholicism is agreement with the “undivided Church” of the first millennium, that is, with those points Catholics and Orthodox have in common. Which in fact means that doctrinally A-Cs are closer to the Orthodox than to Catholics (note: I’m using “Orthodox” and “Catholics” not in theologically loaded ways but as common designations for two important Communions).

Of course, it’s tricky, because we Anglicans are Westerners, so there are points (the Filioque being the most obvious) where we agree with Rome against the Orthodox or just follow Rome because that’s the form of the Catholic tradition we know (this is, of course, most often the case liturgically–and appropriately so).

Edwin

Concur.

GKC

Anglicanus-Catholicus

 

[Izdaari]

Remember when there was a GM (I think Chevy) named for the Beretta?

Can you imagine anything more sacrilegious?

Yeah, I do remember that. I didn’t think it was sacrilegious, never having heard of the “biretta” before. I only knew the Italian firearms maker. But since their guns are highest quality, and the Chevy model was only average, I didn’t think it deserved the name.

 

[Izdaari]

A bIretta with an I is a black hat with sort of “fins” and a pom-pom on top. They used to be worn by Catholic and high Anglican priests. Ulta-conservative Catholic clergy still wear them at times. But I have only seen them in pictures and old movies. I think Bing Crosby wore won in THE BELLS OF SAINT MARYS.

Definitely not the same thing. This was more what I had in mind:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[martininthefiel]

In TEC Anglo-Catholic parishes typically use the “Anglican Missal” in place of the BCP for Mass. The former retains elements of the Catholic Mass omitted from the BCP, such as the ‘Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium’ (May the Lord receive…) the Ecce Agnus Dei, (Behold the Lamb of God…) and the Domine, non sum dignus (Lord, I am not worthy…). The translations, btw, are similar to those in the “Third Roman Missal”.

 

[GKC]

In TEC Anglo-Catholic parishes typically use the “Anglican Missal” in place of the BCP for Mass. The former retains elements of the Catholic Mass omitted from the BCP, such as the ‘Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium’ (May the Lord receive…) the Ecce Agnus Dei, (Behold the Lamb of God…) and the Domine, non sum dignus (Lord, I am not worthy…). The translations, btw, are similar to those in the “Third Roman Missal”.

My parish (not TEC) routinely uses a blending of the 28 BCP and elements of the Missal, as noted here, including the Confiteor.

GKC

Anglicanus-Catholicus, posterus traditus Anglicanus

 

[johnnyjones]

A church built on an elevated platform catering to fisherman.

 

[Contarini]

In TEC Anglo-Catholic parishes typically use the “Anglican Missal” in place of the BCP for Mass. The former retains elements of the Catholic Mass omitted from the BCP, such as the ‘Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium’ (May the Lord receive…) the Ecce Agnus Dei, (Behold the Lamb of God…) and the Domine, non sum dignus (Lord, I am not worthy…). The translations, btw, are similar to those in the “Third Roman Missal”.

Martin, there seem to be hardly any"Missal parishes" left in TEC. I’m not sure there were ever that many of them.

Edwin

 

[martininthefiel]

Martin, there seem to be hardly any"Missal parishes" left in TEC. I’m not sure there were ever that many of them.

Edwin

Depends what part of the country, and which seminary most of the clergy attended, although they are becoming rarer. I was once told by my rector that Anglo-Catholicism was “not the growth part of the church”.

A number of bishops really do not like Anglo-Catholic parishes. It reinforces my belief that TEC has always seen itself as primarily Protestant. I know a lot of Episcopalians who resent being called ‘Catholic’.

 

[martininthefiel]

I once had a rector in an Episcopal parish in Michigan ask me why I didn’t just become a Roman Catholic.This was after we had a discussion about the Altar of Repose on Maundy Thursday. That ‘discussion’ consisted of my explaining to him what the Altar of Repose is.

“Too Popish,” was his response. (Not kidding!)

When I explained to him that I had routinely spent the wee hours of Good Friday morning in vigil before the Sacrament, saying Rosaries and praying from the ‘St. Augustine’s Prayer Book’, he looked at me as if I had grown a second head. (Not sure if he knew what the SAPB is.)

This was in a parish that was not especially ‘Low Church’, and in which one of the associates’ daughters had joined an Anglican religious order in Boston.

Another one of the staff members is a Lutheran minister, who is permitted to Consecrate the Eucharist. I do not know if he was re-ordained to bring him into Apostolic Succession. I suspect he was not.

 

[GKC]

I once had a rector in an Episcopal parish in Michigan ask me why I didn’t just become a Roman Catholic.This was after we had a discussion about the Altar of Repose on Maundy Thursday. That ‘discussion’ consisted of my explaining to him what the Altar of Repose is.

“Too Popish,” was his response. (Not kidding!)

When I explained to him that I had routinely spent the wee hours of Good Friday morning in vigil before the Sacrament, saying Rosaries and praying from the ‘St. Augustine’s Prayer Book’, he looked at me as if I had grown a second head. (Not sure if he knew what the SAPB is.)

This was in a parish that was not especially ‘Low Church’, and in which one of the associates’ daughters had joined an Anglican religious order in Boston.

Another one of the staff members is a Lutheran minister, who is permitted to Consecrate the Eucharist. I do not know if he was re-ordained to bring him into Apostolic Succession. I suspect he was not.

You would have felt at home in my parish. We used to sell the SAPB. Among other points.

GKC