Hi! I’m a new convert to Christianity, and I’ve been writing down questions I’ve had. I’ve been asking Anglican friends/clergy questions, but I’ll probably irritate them if I keep asking. I wonder if anyone here would be willing to answer some. Thanks a lot! 1. Which of the Marian dogmas do you believe in? 2. How much influence do reason and tradition have on doctrine in comparison to Scripture? 3. The Episcopalians I know say the 39 Articles are no longer important. Why are Episcopalian and orthodox Anglican views on the 39 Articles so different? 4. What are you views on the Sacramental Union and on consubstantiation? 5. Why do the 39 Articles say you shouldn’t lift up and worship the Eucharist? 6. Why do the 39 Articles say you should avoid the excommunicated? 7. What are you views on free will? 8. Why doesn’t the Book of Common prayer have babies and adults asked the same number of questions when being baptized? 9. Why should the coffin be closed before a burial service? 10. Why is the host broken after rather than before the words of institution are said? 11. How should Scripture be interpreted? 12. Do saints in heaven pray for us? 13. How does God command us to treat plants and animals? 14. What’s natural? 15. Why don’t you number the commandments the same way Jews or Catholics do? 16. Are the liturgy and lessons of an Episcopal service inseparable? Is one more important than the other? 17. What roles, if any, does the British monarch play in your faith? 18. I’ve seen Baptists draw parallels between the Waldenses and themselves, Jehovah’s Witness between the Arians and themselves, and Lutherans between the Hussites and themselves. Would you say there are any ancient sects you’re compare to Anglicanism? 19. Are the major problems today with how the Roman Catholic Church administers the sacraments? 20. Who are your favorite Anglican musicians and writers? 21. Why are bishops important? 22. Why is apostolic sucession important? 23. What are things you like about your church’s liturgy that you’d wish were in more churches? 24. Are you monergist or synergist? 25. Do you think the Episcopal Church, Church of England, or other similar churches will ever regain orthodoxy?
1. I assert with Scripture our Lord's virginal conception. I reject the doctrine of the virgin birth, which holds that the mother of Jesus gave birth to him without birth pangs. I reject the doctrines of the immaculate conception and assumption. 2. Tradition and reason must be applied when interpreting Scripture. But the Scriptures are primary. 3. The 39 Articles remain important, though they have never been binding in the Episcopal Church, except for the part of Article 6 to which ordinands must assent. 4. The Lutheran doctrine of sacramental union is one possibility for understanding the mystery of the Eucharist, but not the only possibility. 5. The article is a reproof to those Episcopalians who practice the benediction of the blessed sacrament. 7. I believe that mankind has free choice. 8. Adult candidates and godparents are asked the same questions on p. 302-303 of the Book of Common Prayer. 9. A funeral is primarily about God, and only secondarily about the deceased. 10. The bread used to be broken during the words of institution in the American rite. But an appreciation of the fraction as a separate Eucharistic action led to the practice we now have. 12. I don't know if the saints in heaven are aware of those on Earth, though I hope they can pray for us. 15. Who says we have to do it the same way as others do? 16. The "Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist" and the other Eucharistic rites in the BCP require readings. More to follow.
1. Which of the Marian dogmas do you believe in?This is a complex area for a simple question. Mary's yes "Behold I am the servant of the Lord" represents the participation of humanity in God's plan of redemption, and yet when you add layers to this you run the risk of reducing the impact and force of the incarnation. 2. How much influence do reason and tradition have on doctrine in comparison to Scripture?Anglicans do not ask people to hang their brains in the narthex on their way into church. Reason and Tradition are classically understood to be required to understand the Holy Scriptures which are he primary test or rule of faith. 3. The Episcopalians I know say the 39 Articles are no longer important. Why are Episcopalian and orthodox Anglican views on the 39 Articles so different?That may be because many of them have never read them. Like all documents context is important, and to understand what the Elizabethan Settlement was trying to achieve suggests that we would all be better off if we read them and understood them. 4. What are you views on the Sacramental Union and on consubstantiation?It is not unreasonable, though I think the Anglican Position is more orthodox. 5. Why do the 39 Articles say you shouldn’t lift up and worship the Eucharist?I think that the point of the article is about the primary purpose of the blessed sacrament. Again context in important, and part of the context was a seeming idolatrous view as seem in some of the medieval practices around Corpus Christi Processions and the like. 6. Why do the 39 Articles say you should avoid the excommunicated?So people don't get misled. Excommunication is an extreme measure and normally would indicate rank evil living or more likely heresy. 7. What are you views on free will?It is part for he nature of humanity made in the image and after the likeness of God. 8. Why doesn’t the Book of Common prayer have babies and adults asked the same number of questions when being baptized?Not an area that has grabbed by attention, so I don't know. 9. Why should the coffin be closed before a burial service?Probably a good idea however not all practices and ceremonies are necessarily like. 10. Why is the host broken after rather than before the words of institution are said?In the place I worship, the practice is to break the host at the fraction, though the earlier position (bcp) was that the fraction occurred as the words of the institution were recited. 11. How should Scripture be interpreted?With wisdom, with reason and tradition, and cohesively so that no part of scripture be expounded in a manner that in inconsistent with other parts of scripture. 12. Do saints in heaven pray for us?The whole church prays, so they ray with us. 13. How does God command us to treat plants and animals?As good stewards of that which has been entrusted to us, both as a gift and as balement for future generations. 14. What’s natural?Context required, or is this a profoundly philosophical question. 15. Why don’t you number the commandments the same way Jews or Catholics do?I don't see this a particularly significant 16. Are the liturgy and lessons of an Episcopal service inseparable? Is one more important than the other?As Anglicans, we are fed at two tables, Word and Sacrament. They are both important. 17. What roles, if any, does the British monarch play in your faith?Almost irrelevant, possibly what one might describe as a necessary non-essential. 18. I’ve seen Baptists draw parallels between the Waldenses and themselves, Jehovah’s Witness between the Arians and themselves, and Lutherans between the Hussites and themselves. Would you say there are any ancient sects you’re compare to Anglicanism? 19. Are the major problems today with how the Roman Catholic Church administers the sacraments?No 20. Who are your favorite Anglican musicians and writers? 21. Why are bishops important?Because they hold us together in the bonds of unity. 22. Why is apostolic sucession important?The principle and idea of apostolic succession is and unbroken stream of faith stretching right back to the apostles and Christ himself. I don't see to need to get bogged down in ridiculous list and the like, however their is a continuity of faith. 23. What are things you like about your church’s liturgy that you’d wish were in more churches?The Nicene-Constantipolitan Creed 24. Are you monergist or synergist?I am likely a synergist with monergistic tendencies. See my answer to question 1. 25. Do you think the Episcopal Church, Church of England, or other similar churches will ever regain orthodoxy?1832 - Thomas Arnold - The Church of England as it is today no human power can save.
Continuing, 17. The British Monarchy plays no role in my faith. 18. Anglicanism is most like the undivided church of the first five centuries. 19. I have no problems with how the RCC administers the sacraments. 20. Christopher Tye and Richard Hooker, among others. 21. All human communities have leaders. It is important to have leaders who promise to uphold the doctrine and discipline of our church. 22. The only true apostolic succession is the presence of the Holy Spirit, which we could not live without. 25. The Episcopal Church is orthodox.
25 questions, all of interest to really 'religious' people wanting to find the right denomination or sect to ensure their salvation, but all of which would probably ellicit the same answers as this one from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, were he still here on earth to interrogate. For those who fully understand the teaching and philosphy of our Saviour, being enlightened by the Holy Spirit, the answers to these 25 questions are merely a matter of general knowledge trivia when it comes to evaluating Jesus Christ's requirements of true discipleship for one of His true disciples. Almost all 25 are ethically irrelevant when it comes to behaving as a regenerate follower of The Way. .