How did the early fathers regard the scriptures? The same as we Anglicans do...first, foremost, authoritative, and sufficient for one's salvation. I am currently reading St. Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechetical Lectures and found this gem: I am often blown away by how faithful orthodox Anglicanism is to the Church Fathers. In this, I would say we are closer to the spirit of the Church Fathers than even the EO, since they put the interpretations of the Fathers up on a equal footing as holy scripture where we, like St Cyril, exhort the faithful to test all things, even the claims of the holy fathers, against scripture for only it can make one wise unto salvation.
Beautiful thought there! We should be ready to present the opinions of the holy fathers overlapping Anglican theology much more than the opinions of other churches. Unfortunately no such online resource exists as of yet...
This was precisely the observation made to me by a friend that convinced me not to be EO. I was getting dangerously close But whew.
Dear Anne, There is an interesting book that I've been trying to interest people in for some time" The Judgment of the Anglican Church, ( posterior to the Reformation".) John F.Russell. Google Books. It relates the beliefs of the (chiefly Laudian, Highchurch & Nonjuror Bishops and Scholars on what used to be known as the Rule of Faith. I have a copy on my computer and as far as I can tell is easily obtainable!
Wonderful book HC! I was surprised by what I read in Rule II if the "Rules for the Conference with the Priests and Jesuits", written in 1582. The rule states that in interpreting scripture through the fathers, only those fathers prior to Gregory I should be used. Since that is when the claims to supremacy by the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Pope of Rome were first asserted. Rule 3 states that no fathers after that should be accepted, since they generally acquiesced to the pretensions of either the Emporers or the Popes. That is what's known as a bright line rule. Makes good sense to me....
Denny, in his book on Papalism, suggested that we should only accept early fathers of the first three centuries! This is on the Papacy of course and as far as I can see there are none , at least on that subject, well, only one I could find on the subject of papalism. He didn't fit the picture, he was in the fourth century! Another good book on the broad subject is 'The See of Rome and the early Church!' It is a wonderful book by an Anglican author of some skill and erudition. Dealing with the relationship of the eastern Church and the Roman See. When I was a youth it had been written for some time, but it is relevant even today as Father Pullan was a scholar of note and had researched his subject more than adequately. His book was so well written, as well as being readable, that he became the bete noir of the Roman literary class of 1900 onwards. Howandever, it came out in eight editions. He answering all the criticisms fully. I bought my copies in second hand bookshops over the years. But it was on the www, for downloading at one time.
Every time I read the Church Fathers, I become more convinced of one all-redeeming fact: not that the Church Fathers were Anglicans, but that classical, doctrinal Anglicanism is so very Patristic. That's right, I'm back. EDIT: Well not exactly. I was logged-on automatically, but I can't recall my password, so I'll make a new account. Farewell!
St. Basil of the Great - Homily on Psalm 1 (Patrologia Graeca 29:209): Πᾶσα Γραφὰ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος, διὰ τοῦτο συγγραφεῖσα παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἵνʼ, ὡσπερ ἐν κοινῷ τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρείῳ, πάντες ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἴαμα τοῦ οἰκείου πάθους ἕκαστος ἐκλεγώμεθα. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful, composed by the Spirit for this reason: namely, that we men, each and all of us, as if in a general hospital for souls, may select the remedy for his own condition.
....just want to mention that some of my favorite posts are by Consular. I regard him as something of a legend. So, uh, wow
HC, thank you so much for the book recommendation! It's on my (rather scary long) list. Thank you again!