Good statement on invocation of the Saints, by Rev. Peter Toon

The Hackney Hub · Sep 10, 2012

Here's a good statement on the invocation of saints by the late Peter Toon.

http://pbs1928.blogspot.com/2006/08/avoid-majoring-on-minors-keep-to.html

highchurchman · Sep 10, 2012

I have every respect for Father Toon. Perhaps it might be better if we all read, or re-read CB Moss as well.

"The Anglican Church in i930 commenting on the Discussion with the Old Catholic Churches via the Lambeth Conference profess the faith of the Primitive Church of the First thousand years.

"The Lambeth Conference at that time ,'unanimously accepted decisions of the primitive Church, specified by precisely by the unanimous decisions of the Oecumenical Councils of the first thousand years.' With this the Lambeth Conference of all the Anglican Bishops formally declared that the Second Council of Nicaea defined nothing contrary to Anglican Doctrine" (Sev. Oec. Council. Sorry not paginated. Obtainable on Project Canterbury.)

We must not lapse into the Pentecostal Practices of every man interpreting for himself without recourse to the Church!

The Hackney Hub · Sep 10, 2012

I like Toon's statement because it allows church recusants to have their practices while maintaining the integrity of classical Anglicanism by reasserting the alienness of the practice to our system.

Scottish Monk · Sep 10, 2012

highchurchman said: ↑

We must not lapse into the Pentecostal Practices of every man interpreting for himself without recourse to the Church!
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highchurchman...

Interesting observation.

...Scottish Monk

Toma · Sep 10, 2012

May I just intrude, to add another historical and venerable voice to this?

The system of saint-worship, including both Hagiology and Hagiolatry, developed itself at the same time with the worship of Mary; for the latter is only the culmination of the former.

The New Testament is equally ignorant of both. The expression ἅγιοι, sancti, saints, is used by the apostles not of a particular class, a spiritual aristocracy of the church, but of all baptized and converted Christians without distinction; because they are separated from the world, consecrated to the service of God, washed from the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ, and, notwithstanding all their remaining imperfections and sins, called to perfect holiness. The apostles address their epistles to “the saints” i.e., the Christian believers, “at Rome, Corinth, Ephesus,” &c.

After the entrance of the heathen masses into the church the title came to be restricted to bishops and councils and to departed heroes of the Christian faith, especially the martyrs of the first three centuries. When, on the cessation of persecution, the martyr’s crown, at least within the limits of the Roman empire, was no longer attainable, extraordinary ascetic piety, great service to the church, and subsequently also the power of miracles, were required as indispensable conditions of reception into the Catholic calendar of saints. The anchorets especially, who, though not persecuted from without, voluntarily crucified their flesh and overcame evil spirits, seemed to stand equal to the martyrs in holiness and in claims to veneration. A tribunal of canonization did not yet exist. The popular voice commonly decided the matter, and passed for the voice of God. Some saints were venerated only in the regions where they lived and died; others enjoyed a national homage; others, a universal.

The veneration of the saints increased with the decrease of martyrdom, and with the remoteness of the objects of reverence. “Distance lends enchantment to the view;” but “familiarity” is apt “to breed contempt.” The sins and faults of the heroes of faith were lost in the bright haze of the past, while their virtues shone the more, and furnished to a pious and superstitious fancy the richest material for legendary poesy.
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Good statement on invocation of the Saints, by Rev. Peter Toon

The Hackney Hub Well-Known Member

highchurchman Well-Known Member Anglican

The Hackney Hub Well-Known Member

Scottish Monk Well-Known Member

Toma Well-Known Member Anglican