Reformed Anglicans

Archbishop Francisco Rodriquez of Brazil (FCE-EC), Bishop Espinoza (FCE-EC) of Chile, Hermano Renato (our translator) and I chat. 2/13/2023. 6 PM (EST)/8 PM for South America. “Viva La Reforma! Sola Scriptura!” Sola Gratia! Solus Christus! Sola Fide! Sola Deo Gloria!” We heard of the Archbishop’s seminary education for 5 years in a Roman Catholic seminary, his tour through charismatic Episcopalianism and, after reading and learning, becoming a “Reformed Anglican,” old school “Reformed Episcopalian,” a “Calvinistic Anglican.” We laughed much and yours truly invited them all to come to North America. These men has spirit, energy, commitment and joy. So refreshing to hear. There were four of us. They were rejoicing in the Reformation and are Reformed. The Archbishop appealed to the blood of the Reformers, Cranmer and others. He referred to the letter between Calvin and Cranmer seeking a joint council. Again, can they send some of these men to North America? Same for Dr. Hammond from Fro...

Dr. Peter Hammond: 2/13/2023: 10 AM EST 5 PM in Cape Town, SA We came with questions and hardly got started. This is a combat Chaplain on the frontlines. The winds of joy and power are with this Combat Brother in Jesus. I have nicknamed Dr. Hammond the “Combat Chaplain.” And this scribe does not say that lightly. A must-watch by all. He has the grit, determination, commitment and “theology of victory.” This "Combat Chaplain" is energizing and the inter-mutuality of the Holy Spirit, one on one, in talking with him is contagious, motivating and inspiring--even electrifying. We anticipate further interviews. The questions below were hardly touched. 1. Background 2. Education 3. Introduction to Frontline Fellowship frontlinemissionsa.org 4. The “mission?” Missionaries? How many? Conversions? Testimonials? 5. Books? 6. Sudan, South Sudan, Zambia, Zimbawe? 7. Church affiliations? 8. Reformed in theology? 9. Worldview course? 10. Making disciples of all nations? 11. F...

Mark Van De Molen (Attorney, URCNA Elder, and Reformed Confessionalist) and I discussed the Ten Commandments, both tables, as applicable to all without exception or exemption, including the public, government, education, and other spheres. Mark worked with the Belgic Confession, Article 36, and the explanatory note on the historical background to its revision. He cited Dr. R. Scott Clark’s obfuscation of that historical remark. Mark rebutted Dr. Clark. It is noted that Dr. Clark has refused to debate Mark. That is a standing denial insofar as the scribe views it. As for the full table of the Law for all, Mark worked backwards from the 4 th to the 2 nd commandments vis a vis public arenas and the civil magistrate. As an aside, Mark spoke of his solid, cordial and unimpaired relationship with Dr. Cornelius Venema, Dr. Mark Vander Hart and Mid-American Theological Seminary. Having been defamed by a Professor of Theology, that record was rebutted here. Additionally, we spoke of Bret McAt...

Rev. Dr. Andy Underhile and I discussed “common grace”—its origin, Augustine’s view of it, the medieval concept of nature and grace, the name and concept, its varied meanings, the relationship to Christ, general and special revelation and problems with that, election and reprobation, the lawlessness of the reprobate in God’s world, the Heidelberg Catechism and more. Of note, the promulgation of this has led to the weakening of the preaching of Law and Gospel, or, the Gospel ministry. Andy has done a diachronic analysis on hesed in the OT and xaris in the NT. Our plan is to revisit this issue of “common grace” in our next interview. Due diligence, due process, and due discovery of the Biblical text, listening to others in history as well as traveling partners in the communion of saints across the ages. God and the Bible are over all traveling partners and He is the Headman and King of the communion of the saints and Sovereign over all nations.

Rev. Underwood speaks about the future with joy, super-widened vision, and with a positive ministry with Front Line Fellowship, Cape Town, South Africa. In the video before this, he spoke of his former seminary (REC and RES) with facts, truth, balance and decency. It was very popular and received wide thanks, although a few immoderate nut-jobs and ecclesiastical pariahs objected. We thank Ryan for his honest and eye-witness report. For that, our gratitude for his honesty, courage, plain-talking and his eye-ear witness reporting. But, this video is not that. Rather, this is about Ryan's future in South Africa, leaving behind an insular, half-confessional, American Anglican context (each fishing in each others ponds) for a ministry with vision, college work, frontline missions, and more. It's an healthy, positive and joyful outlook. https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/about-us.html. A wonderful transition to leadership as an Assistant to Dr. Peter Hammond, a combat veteran turne...

Rev. Aaron Long (UECNA) and I chatted about Dr. Cranmer’s request for a Pan-Protestant Council in a letter to Calvin. I believe the letter was to Reformed participants to gather (possibly with the exception of Melancthon who had switched to Calvin’s view of Eucharistic Presence)—a letter seeking to gather learned and discreet divines to gather and respond to the Council of Trent (1545-1563).. The specific issue was Trent, a continuing Confession by Romanist leaders. It still is the controlling document in the Vatican. It still justifies the divorce of Rome with Canterbury, Geneva, and Zurich amongst others. Calvin answered Dr. Cranmer a month later in March 1553 (1552?...but memory is faltering here).The meeting never occurred although Cranmer was “willing to cross a 1000 seas” to join the effort. In 2023, we would add that the current theological climate, doctrinal non-Confessionalism, post-modernism, ecumenism and the “niceness police” have tossed St. Paul’s specific, bold and strong...

AN ORTHODOX, CALVINISTIC, REFORMED, SCOTS EPISCOPALIAN EMBRACING THE 1560 SCOTS CONFESSION. OH NO! VIVA LA REFORMA! Rev. Dr. Wayne Pearce (Church of Scotland) and I chatted. Refreshing in the communion of saints with Christ PRESENT (not ABSENT as New Oxfordians allege). Before we start, a side note: Dr. Pearce was born in Peebles, Scotland whence a certain Robert Veitch came from—a direct descendent of this Robert Veitch (CoS then CoE in Canada, Robert Veitch (1808-1891)). Back on point. Dr. Pearce discussed his undergraduate and doctoral work, Ph.D., on the Archbishop of St. Andrews, a Church of Scotland Episcopalian, John Spottiswood (1565-1639), buried in Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop’s father, another John Spottiswoode, was one of the six Johns who crafted the Scots Confession of 1560, itself, a close cousin to the French Huguenots’ Confession crafted by Calvin. Dr. Pearce reminded us all that all these men—Episcopalians included—were “orthodox Calvinists.” The Scots Confessi...

Rev. Grahame Wray (Free Church of England—Evangelical Connexion) and I chatted about “ecumenism” as a controlling force in the Free Church of England under Mr. Fenwick, the FCE’s Primate. Old Catholicism did not occur this morning, but some sort of ecumenical move with the Tridentistic Old Catholics? Removal of Reformed Theology? Baptismal regeneration and Real Presence in the Holy Communion are held by the FCEers including a stress on Apostolic Succession. Of note, it is reported that Mr. Fenwick puts tradition on par with Biblical supremacy. He stormed out of an interview with Bishop Arthur Bentley-Taylor in his doctrinal exam as switching from the CoE to the old FCE. Ex operate operato and opus operatum appear to be operative under priestly commands. The new FCE, like the Reformulated Episcopal Church (new REC), disdain the historic past and claim to “be the only voice” for their histories; that has an agenda. Those without the histories and theology of the Reformed past—the naïve—...

VIVA LA REFORMA! AMEN! Bishop Jesus Espinoza (Free Church of England—Evangelical Connection), Mariano Salguero (our translator) and I chatted. It was difficult at times, but a big picture emerged. The Bishop was in the Anglican Church in Chile and educated under its auspices but turned to the FCE-EC to obviate ecumenical, Anglo-Catholics and un-Reformed ideas. The FCE-EC has twenty parishes in South America. The Bishop has had communications with Rev. Grahame Wray (FCE-EC). He supports and uses the FCE-EC BCP including the “Declaration of Principles”—he views those as Protestant and Reformed. He embraces the Thirty-Articles also. When asked if he was a “Calvinist,” he said if I understood it aright, “Completemente” or “Completely.” He believes in unconditional election, predestination, and definite atonement. He’s a Cranmerian monergist. The Bishop understands that the Reformulated Episcopal Church (the correct name rather than the hi-jacked name) has turned against its history counte...

The Rev. Zac Neubauer (TEC) and Rev. Donald Veitch (WCF-BCP-TFU) discuss the “Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion” (EFAC). Of note, ZAC is still in the TEC as is yours truly for the last 23 years. Zac discussed his background, heritage at Moody Bible Institute, his marriage, their 3-4 years in Kent, England in a CoE parish (that sounded like Reformed Anglicanism), his time at Trinity Evangelical School of Ministry, their associations with CoE Evangelicals and conferences, and their arrival at a parish in northern California. He speaks of an electric lecture, that is, a very motivating lecture, given by the Rev. Dr. Lee Gatiss at one conference. Also, a brief history of EFAC going back to the 1960s and the Rev. Dr. John Stott, EFAC's ups and downs after Robinson's consecration, and a future EFAC conference in October 2023 in an ACNA parish in Jacksonville, FL. A wonderful 35ish minutes in the communion of saints under the supervision of His Majesty, hearing of God’s...

CRANMER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (STOLEN IDENTITY, AGAIN) The Rev. Dr. Mark Winder (Ex-REC/now OPC) has discussed factual misrepresentations on the library, accreditation and the historical foundations of the REC (historic name). Also, he described a course on St. Mary and the saints which was more about the Cult of Mary without definition as historical retrieval or REC doctrine. The scholarship of some Professors was wanting. Bishop Sutton was teaching baptismal regeneration and baptismal justification. They were given large guidance for reservation of the elements at Holy Communion, preparation of the elements and surrounding pieties, including bowings to the Cross and the necessity of candles. Dr. Winder stressed his initial excitement to study at CTH initially, but 1 year was enough. False witness against Dr. Winder was by Bishop Sutton and Dr. Crenshaw, accompanied by threats, intimidated him as a 30-something looking to a future in the REC. “Huff and bluff” was the game. Of note, se...

Rev. Ryan Underwood (Ex-REC/UECNA) is a fellow and missionary with the Frontline Fellowship ( https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/) . Ryan is a graduate of the Reformulated Episcopal Seminary, formerly known as the Reformed Episcopal Seminary although the name has been stolen and its historical identity cancelled and marginalized. Cancel Bishop Cummins and Bishop Cheyney, wouldya? Get 'em outta here! The Bishops want 'em go, so "Obey the Bishop." We want Romanizing soteriology, ACNA liberalism (WO, half-hearts on the 39 Articles), baptismal justification, Jesus's Corporal Presence in bread, and Anglo-Romanism. Most interestingly, a senior Bishop told a senior Professor to never teach Dortrechtianism and TULIP. Very senior Bishop of the Reformulated Episcopal Church, shall we say. Hence, in truth and with honor, we’ve given this new outfit an honest name—Reformulated Episcopal Church and the Reformulated Episcopal Seminary. Ryan retails some stories from his sem...

Professor Engelsman and I discussed “Federal Vision.” Prof. Engelsma, BA (Calvin), BD (Protestant Reformed Seminary), ThM (Calvin on “Trinity and the Covenant). Prof. Engelsma was a Pastor for 25 years and Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at Protestant Reformed Seminary for 20 years. A total of 45 years in ministry. He’s written several books, including one on “Federal Vision: Heresy at the Root.” Our discussion dealt with the origins of “Federal Vision” in Professor Norman Shepherd’s view of the “conditional covenant” (Schilderian? Canadian Reformed?) resulting in the “Federal Vision Movement” in the wider Reformed world. Tyler, TX (including Mr. Sutton of the Reformulated Episcopal Church), Dr. Peter Leithart and others were noted. The “root cause,” which the Professor stressed, is the definition of the covenant of grace. Of note, the Westminster Standards side with Prof. Engelsma. The Westminster Standards and the Gorham Decision of 1850 (CoE) hold that the covenant is est...