Reformed Anglicans

During the Reformation and post-Reformation period, the Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed Churches were closely linked to civil magistrates, who played a significant role in governing and regulating these religious institutions. However, the Anabaptists and Congregationalists emerged as important advocates for religious freedom and autonomy. This ultimately led to the break in the connection between the churches and the civil authorities. The Nicene Creed was the primary standard for defining the faith during this time. Additionally, the preaching and teaching of the Canonical Scriptures were regarded as fundamental to the faith. The proper administration of the sacraments was also deemed critical. Church discipline, advocated by Calvin, Bucer, and the Belgic Confession, was seen as an essential aspect of maintaining doctrinal purity. Church discipline served to correct doctrinal errors, prevent moral corruption, and ensure the purity of the Church. In conclusion, during the Reforma...

Historical Theology (Dr. Allison): Church in the Middle Ages (574ff.). Thomas Aquinas, a celebrated philosopher and theologian, is known for his significant contribution to the concept of viewing the church from three distinct perspectives. He proposed that the church could be perceived as the church militant, which symbolizes the church at war and fighting, the church triumphant, which represents saints in heaven, and the church expectant, which signifies Purgatory, where people expect further cleansing and transfer to heaven. Aquinas was renowned for his opposition to Rome's growing involvement in secular matters such as government, economics, power grabs by Popes, and the growing immorality. This conflict with Rome led to the emergence of new ecclesiologies, each with its unique perspective on the church and its governance. For instance, Joachim's apocalyptic vision of the Old Testament, New Testament, and a new age with hermits and preachers, was one of the ecclesiologi...

Nigel Wilson set forward a draft document of 6 affirmation for discussion--affirmations. See: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox?projector=1. We got through the overview but stayed on point one. Paul Slish offered many good points, but his presentation on Dr. Colvin's view of the myth of diaconal succession in Acts 6 was postponed until the next meeting of Saturday, 6 April 2024, at 10 EDT/3 PM (British summer time). The zoom link for URS #5 is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuuprj8sHdxgjb88My_1pQKQ9XBoPezh . Nigel offered Canon Ashley Null's comments on Dr. Cranmer's view of apostolic succession. A wonderful confab. Grahame Wray and others underscored "apostolic orthodoxy and othopraxy." Phil (Don) Veitch stressed the NT as the "last will and testament" of the NT writers, wishing to lay down the record for all generations. We commented on the corruption of monarchialism. Joe Mahler and I noted that "apostolic succession" ...

Iconolatry, iconoclasm, Charlemagne’s emergence, the 1054 schism, bickering over place and power, and Western Papalism emerges. 

I/we believe...in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. Apostolicity applied to tier 1 and tier 2 churches—the first as direct plants (by apostles) and tier 2 as offspring of apostolic doctrine and practice. Apostolic succession = apostolic doctrine, nothing more, nothing less. The mustard seed parallel obtains as does the tares and wheat of Matthew 13. The Constantinian church involves changes as did the collapse of the Roman empire, an aspect developed by Augustine in his City of God.

In the modern period, women’s ordination, complementarianism, and egalitarianism have emerged as modern issues. The Pentecostal and Baptacostals (several) led the way in the late 19 th -early 20 th centuries. The mainliners followed suit in the last half of the 20 th centuries. Multi-site churches and megachurches following the business model of sales and marketing also developed.

Three views of church government with variants have informed church history: (1) 3 tiers of Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons (some with Cardinals and the Pope); (2) 2 tiers of Presbyters and Deacons (yet with Synods for regional governance); and, (3) Congregationals with Elder/s and Deacons with local governance only. Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, Cyprian of Carthage, and Jerome are put forward. The 2-order view dominated while Ignatius and Cyprian advanced a more 3-tiered view. Jerome strongly argued for a 2-tiered view based on Biblical exegesis, his strong skill-set. Also, a Bishops was largely viewed as co-equal with Presbyters or Primus inter Pares. Cyprian argues with Stephen of Rome over Petrine supremacy, Novatianism, and rigorism regarding the lapsed—Cyprian against Petrine and Stephen for. Constantinople 381 and 451 Chalcedon noted Rome’s primacy of honor, yet their equality with Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch closely behind. This bo...

Calvin thoroughly develops God’s sovereignty in relation to redemption. Arminianism, Dordt, Wesleyan-Romanism like Trent, Finneyist-Tridentinism, Edwardseanism, the 1740 and 19 th century revivals are discussed.

Apostolic Succession? What is it? What is it not?

Soteriological monergism would appear, disappear, and reappear in various permutations through the Middle Ages down to the days of the Reformation. Luther was monergistic until he wasn’t (e.g. baptismal regeneration like the Anglo-Papists and Anglo-Babylonians), while Calvin, the WCF, and the old RECers were soteriologically monergistic with coherence, consistency and cogency. Calvin thoroughly developed God’s sovereignty in relation to redemption. Shame about the Anglo-Babylonians though.

Augustine’s (or the Bible’s) view of original sin, predestination, human depravity and total inability, effectual grace, and the gifts of saving faith and repentance are set off again Pelagius and Cassian, a crypto-Pelagian or half-Pelagian. The 417 Council of Carthage followed Cassian. However, the Word and sovereign God converted Clovis and the pagans of Boniface’s times, believing that God’s Word and instruction were the instruments of God’s working. These issues would appear and reappear through the middle ages down to the days of the Reformation.

Regeneration, Conversion and Effective Calling (474-497).  Faith, repentance unto life, regeneration, being born again, effectual calling, and the instruments of God’s Word and sacraments (God’s Word enacted externally but internally to the elect) are closely allied. Monergism strongly characterizes the early church: the NT itself, Barnabas, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Theophilus and Augustine stress the divine Giver, effectual communication of faith and repentance, and monergistic regeneration. Slippage to synergism and theft of the divine glory will creep into the woodwork over time. 

1552 BCP. The Parliament of 1552 passed the Act of Uniformity for Dr. Cranmer’s third project—a 1552 revision of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. As early as 1550, Dr. Cranmer was consulting with Bucer and Vermigli. Objections were raised about vestments, prayers for the dead, invocation of the Holy Spirit in the Prayer of Consecration. The Communion service was altered from “The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve they body and soul unto everlasting life” to “Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.” This reflected Cranmer’s view from Christ-in-the-crumbs to Christ-in-the-heart of believers. This was an “assault” on Babylonian (and Lutheran) views. In 1559, Elizabeth put both statements back-to-back. The 1552 funeral rite precluded influence upon the departed by prayers by the living. Stone altars on the eastern end were replaced by wooden Tables, rood screens were removed, the Agnu...

Aramaic and possibly dialects were used by Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to a Syrian-Phoenician woman. Hebrew was also used in the synagogues. Greek and Latin were used variously, but Aramaic and dialects were widely used in provinces of Palestine and locales. Yet, the Gospels were taken into Greek within a few decades, e.g. Syrian Antioch. The twelve Apostles used Aramaic.