Anglican Priestly Absolution Theology

Discussion in 'Faith, Devotion & Formation' started by David, Jun 5, 2021.

Tags:
  1. David

    David Member Anglican

    Posts:
    41
    Likes Received:
    16
    Country:
    England
    Religion:
    Anglican
    Hello all and God bless.

    I am trying to articulate how we view our 39 articles especially the salvific articles which teach the wholesome doctrine of faith alone alongside the theology of absolution through a priest both which are present in scripture and our BCP.

    Layman's terms if possible please

    David
    Yorkshire
     
  2. Stalwart

    Stalwart Well-Known Member Anglican

    Posts:
    2,723
    Likes Received:
    2,563
    Country:
    America
    Religion:
    Anglican
    One of the best ways I’ve seen it formulated is that while we teach justification by faith, we don’t teach that salvation is by faith alone. So for instance our good works, while they don’t justify, they are meritorious. Baptism, not an act or faith or justification, is necessary for salvation. The sacrament, not an act of faith or justification, is necessary for salvation. So there are actually many things necessary for salvation, as mediated through the choice, and even the knowledge of justifying faith is given to us by the teachers of the Church. Similarly absolution is something which restores us to the baptismal state, and without it we run the grave risk of receiving the sacrament to our damnation.
     
    PDL and David like this.
  3. David

    David Member Anglican

    Posts:
    41
    Likes Received:
    16
    Country:
    England
    Religion:
    Anglican
    Many thanks Stalwart.
     
    Stalwart likes this.
  4. Stalwart

    Stalwart Well-Known Member Anglican

    Posts:
    2,723
    Likes Received:
    2,563
    Country:
    America
    Religion:
    Anglican
    Mediated through the church*

    sorry typo.
     
  5. David

    David Member Anglican

    Posts:
    41
    Likes Received:
    16
    Country:
    England
    Religion:
    Anglican
    Good morning.

    It's been a couple of years since I asked this question originally.

    Hope all are well.

    Woth regards this answer how would one respond to the thief on the cross being saved? If baptism were a definite requirement for salvation?

    Kind regards

    David.
     
  6. Rexlion

    Rexlion Well-Known Member

    Posts:
    4,188
    Likes Received:
    2,122
    Country:
    USA
    Religion:
    Christian attending ACNA
    I think they say something like, if a person is prevented by circumstances from being baptized, God excuses him from the requirement.
     
    David likes this.
  7. Shane R

    Shane R Well-Known Member

    Posts:
    1,138
    Likes Received:
    1,181
    Country:
    USA
    Religion:
    Anglican
    There is also a contrast between ordinary means of grace and extraordinary means of grace. To disdain or refuse to operate within the framework of the ordinary means of grace (ie. baptism, eucharist) is to quench the Spirit and maintain an attitude of rebellion rather than obedience.
     
    Stalwart and David like this.
  8. Fr. Brench

    Fr. Brench Well-Known Member Anglican

    Posts:
    242
    Likes Received:
    351
    Country:
    United States
    Religion:
    Anglican (ACNA)
    In addition to the excellent answers above, Baptism is being crucified with Christ (see Romans 6), and the Thief on the Cross was most certainly crucified with Christ, receiving his word of promise!
     
    Br. Thomas, Stalwart, David and 2 others like this.
  9. PDL

    PDL Well-Known Member Anglican

    Posts:
    1,086
    Likes Received:
    839
    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Religion:
    Church of England
    I'd like to see a fuller response to your question than has already been given. This is an area in which I have little to no knowledge. I do understand that not everyone who lived prior to Christ's Inarnation is damned simply because they were born before Our Lord instituted the sacrament of Baptism.
     
    David likes this.
  10. Tiffy

    Tiffy Well-Known Member

    Posts:
    3,323
    Likes Received:
    1,626
    Country:
    UK
    Religion:
    CofE
    I would say there is a definite difference between simply being unbaptised and a refusal or reluctance to BE baptised. St Paul did not seem to place a huge importance on baptism by comparison to hearing and responding to the Gospel and thus receiving the Holy Spirit as demonstrated by the following texts.

    Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Ga′ius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Steph′anas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 1 Cor. 13-17

    O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain?—if it really is in vain. Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Gal.3:1-5

    I am not suggesting that baptism is a 'work of the law', but the biblical account of the thief on the cross being promised by Christ an immediate entrance to paradise that very day, upon death demonstrates at least one case of a possibly unbaptised person gaining access to the heavenly realm, so it must be possible that there may be others, who in certain circumstances, (acceptable to God), also make the grade. I say possibly unbaptised, because the possibility exists that the malefactor may have been baptised by John the Baptist for 'the remission of sins' and if anyone thinks that was not the reason for baptism for everyone but Christ himself, I can't think of any other reason for being baptised, can you?

    The question, as far as a cognizant adult may be concerned, to someone who refuses baptism would have to be, 'What is your objection to being baptised, since you claim to be following our Master Jesus Christ. It was his command to his disciples that all those taught in Christ's ways should also, (if possible), be baptised, as an outward demonstration evidencing their Covenant Vows to him as Lord and Saviour. So why will you not submit'?
    .
     
    David likes this.
  11. Stalwart

    Stalwart Well-Known Member Anglican

    Posts:
    2,723
    Likes Received:
    2,563
    Country:
    America
    Religion:
    Anglican
    The Church Fathers taught that alongside the regular Baptism of water, there is also the Baptism of desire.

    All those who would wish to be baptized, such as a catechumen who dies before receiving Baptism, can be safely thought as having received the fruits of baptism from God directly.
     
    David likes this.
  12. Shane R

    Shane R Well-Known Member

    Posts:
    1,138
    Likes Received:
    1,181
    Country:
    USA
    Religion:
    Anglican
    He mentioned the rite in nearly all of his epistles.
     
    David likes this.
  13. Tiffy

    Tiffy Well-Known Member

    Posts:
    3,323
    Likes Received:
    1,626
    Country:
    UK
    Religion:
    CofE
    It had long since become a widespread and common practice within the Jewish tradition, especially signifying the entrance into the 'Christian' sect of adults and their infants from Judaism demonstrating a change of heart and trust in Christ. Acts 2:21, Acts 2:36, Acts 2:38-39 This later became the case also for Gentiles, who embraced the philosophy of Christ and his disciples, later Apostles. Thus St Paul mentions baptism frequently and almost always in connection with either a change of heart or cleansing from the effects of an 'uncircumcised' heart. In one case at least Paul links it symbolically and sacramentally with circumcision itself. What Paul does not suggest though, is that one cannot be a 'Christian' without it. That, in scripture, is at most, only implied. It is clearly wrong for any Christian sect or denomination to insist upon a ceremony of baptism BEFORE accepting as a believing member of the community of the church, someone who has faith and can relate the Gospel, thus clearly demonstrating that they understand the basis upon which their salvation is predicated.

    That is not to say however that the sacrament of baptism should not be offered to anyone of the faith who knows they have not yet been baptised or who does not know or is unsure, and cannot discover if they had been baptised in early infancy.
    .