What is the state of reformed Anglicanism today?

Status
Not open for further replies.
There are no truly reformed (there are some that are Calvinistic in soteriology to an extent) Anglican churches left in the Church of England today that I know of (in England itself anyway) - here is a link to the Church of England (Continuing) which might be helpful:

CofEC | The Church of England (Continuing)
 
And Donald Philip Veitch is what I would call TA! Truly Anglican. I like him. Once a Marine always a Marine they say. Well, he is Truly Anglican and a U. S. Marine.​
 
There are small communions in the US that call themselves Reformed Anglican or Reformed Episcopal. Those that I know who are part of these movements are at least Calvinistic in their soteriology. The worship, however, trends toward highly liturgical smells and bells. I don't know much about them after that.
 
And Donald Philip Veitch is what I would call TA! Truly Anglican. I like him. Once a Marine always a Marine they say. Well, he is Truly Anglican and a U. S. Marine.​

Ha, I've had brief conversations with him in Facebook groups before. To answer the OP there are several Anglican offshoots in the Continuing Movement (which are Anglicans outside the Communion), some of them are Reformed. A few Episcopalian dioceses are theologically Reformed and the Anglican Communion outside of Great Britain and North America is also conservative and may or may not be Reformed depending on individuals.
 
Of modern authors, I really love Dr. J. Alec Motyer. Here is a paragraph about him from this blog article: Alec is a product of an Anglicanism that is a significant part of our tradition, but which is perfectly happy to have full fellowship with those beyond our tradition, particularly on the conservative and Protestant end of the spectrum. He is a low churchman who is still happiest celebrating the Lord's Supper from the north end of the communion table, and who believes pulpit takes priority over sacrament. While most orthodox American Anglicans might regard the Catholics as their nearest denominational neighbors, for Alec it is Presbyterians of a more conservative color. He is very much a product of the definitely Reformational Church of Ireland in which he was reared.

And below are some links --

Banner of Truth Trust General Articles (an article in the Banner of Truth)
Richard Bewes and Alec Motyer in conversation : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia (a video interview)
CFP | Welcome to Christian Focus Publications | Books with the Real Message (some of his books: the first two listed, Isaiah by the Day and Roots are excellent and very readable)
http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/name-index/a/J_Alec_Motyer/ (sermons online)
Alec Motyer | Learn Reformed Theology from trusted theologians and teachers at Ligonier.org (articles in Tabletalk)

(I turned all of this up in a quick internet search so I'm sure there is more.)
 
I don't know of any Reformed Anglican/Episcopal denominations per se except for the "Protestant Episcopal Church, US". The REC used to be reformed, but are now High-Church and part of the Anglican Church of NA. There are *congregations* within the various Anglican branches who would profess Reformational theology, but as a whole most Anglicans anymore seem buy into the fiction that "No, the Church of England was never Protestant, they were independent and just 'united' w/ Rome, then 'left' Rome and are truly Anglo-Catholic."
 
The AMIA pastor I've known was too. He preached out of the Reformation Study Bible, was a five-pointer, and wasn't too keen on being called "Father." The AMIA is perhaps the most open to Reformed theology of the major groups.
 
Let's not forget the mighty Sydney diocese here in Australia, of course, although they tend to be more four-pointers rather than five-pointers. One of the most solidly evangelical dioceses in the Western world, right from colonial beginnings.
 
I remember being gently told by an ordinand at Wycliffe Hall that "Evangelical Anglicans are just Presbyterians with bishops."
 
Every reformed Anglican church I have ever seen has practiced paedocommunion. I am sure there are ones that do not but I am just saying what I have seen in my limited exposure.
 
I would think that sacerdotalism in reformational Anglicanism is going to be more pervasive in America where the CofE is not the traditional national church, than in reformed/evangelical movements in the CofE in England, where it is? (For we have our own native reformed denominations; and it seems the reasons to prefer England's native reformed denomination in that situation are rather limited?) But that is a guess, and may be a very ignorant one. I am certain the low church/evangelical views of someone like Dr. Motyer are not the pulling force to some American reformed I know who have gone to Anglicanism.
 
and it seems the reasons to prefer England's native reformed denomination in that situation are rather limited

This is sadly true. English Presbyterianism went Unitarian in the 18th Century and the United Reformed Church is even more liberal than the CofE (which is starting to pull more of its clergy from Africa).
 
Heidi's post really nails it. Anglicanism in England and in Commonwealth countries is quite distinct, I think, to the North American situation. You have to understand its sheer presence, even where, as in Australia, it is not the official national church. It is the largest non-Catholic church, and has to be accounted for in all of its diversity. I know a young American Reformed pastor who has ministered here in Australia for the past few years, and has been struck by the difference in attitude of reformed people to the Anglican church here as opposed to Episcopalians back in America. "You still all think of her as the mother Church," was his comment to me.

That means a vibrant evangelical Anglican tradition, alongside the liberal and Anglo-Catholic. I'm interested by the high-liturgical, even FV tendencies of so-called 'reformed' Anglicanism in North America - it is so the opposite over here! If anything, Sydney Anglicans are almost too low-church - they have discarded the prayer book largely, and are even campaigning for lay presidency of communion. I remember once visiting St Andrew's Cathedral, and it is the only cathedral I have ever visited where the only things on sale were sermon tapes and good theology books! Presbyterians and evangelical Anglicans cooperate in many ministries, especially to university students. There are very many links between the two.
 
and it seems the reasons to prefer England's native reformed denomination in that situation are rather limited

This is sadly true. English Presbyterianism went Unitarian in the 18th Century and the United Reformed Church is even more liberal than the CofE (which is starting to pull more of its clergy from Africa).

They say 40% of the Church of England is "evangelical" now. God willing the next Archbishop (seeing as Rowan Williams as resigned) will be a step in the right direction.
 
They say 40% of the Church of England is "evangelical" now. God willing the next Archbishop (seeing as Rowan Williams as resigned) will be a step in the right direction.

I'm praying for them. Evangelicalism is more generally liberal over there than here, but still the fact that there are still major debates in the CofE over homosexuality and women's ordination gives me hope. The front-runner for Archbishop is John Sentamu, a Ugandan who is fairly conservative, theologically.
 
They need to understand the basis of Christ's rebuke to Thyatira - they must not only have a place for orthodox teaching, they must positively and authoritatively judge and exclude those who teach error.
 
They say 40% of the Church of England is "evangelical" now. God willing the next Archbishop (seeing as Rowan Williams as resigned) will be a step in the right direction.

I'm praying for them. Evangelicalism is more generally liberal over there than here, but still the fact that there are still major debates in the CofE over homosexuality and women's ordination gives me hope. The front-runner for Archbishop is John Sentamu, a Ugandan who is fairly conservative, theologically.

I'm praying for them too.
 
Amia

The AMIA pastor I've known was too. He preached out of the Reformation Study Bible, was a five-pointer, and wasn't too keen on being called "Father." The AMIA is perhaps the most open to Reformed theology of the major groups.
I am sure that their are exceptions; but every AMIA Congregation I am familiar with is pentecostal. Most AMIA congregations use a modern liturgy that has little in common with 1549 Book of Common Prayer or the 1662 BCP or the 1928 BCP. They are historically affiliated with the Anglican Church of Rwanda. The East and Central African Communions have been badly infected with pentecostalism.

As others have mentioned The Diocese of Sidney in Australia is generally reformed. The large Anglican Church of Nigeria is generally reformed.

Among the separated Anglican denominations in North America you will find reformed individuals is almost all of the separated communions. As far as congregations that are reformed their are:

Some congregations of the Orthodox Anglican Church are reformed.

Some congregations of the United Episcopal Church are reformed.

Some congregations of the Reformed Episcopal Church are reformed.

A group called the Protestant Episcopal Church USA is reformed in the 39 Article sense of the word.
 
I even found a blog by a Reformed Methodist. I know the Welsh strain of Methodism is typically Reformed, but they seem even rarer than Reformed Anglicans.

Watchdog of God

I wonder what's next...Reformed Lutherans? Reformed Pentecostals?
 
Orombi not really reformed

The large Anglican Church of Nigeria is generally reformed.

I've heard good things about Uganda as well (Henry Luke Orombi spoke one year at Covenant).
Henry Luke Orombi is something of a mixed bag: in one sense a conservative, & orthodox but not reformed. He is tolerant of pentecostals in the Church of Uganda. The pentecostal infection in the Church of Uganda is long standing, and thus predates Archbishop Orombi's leadership. The Church of Uganda ordained females as far back as 1983. I am not aware of his ever publicly questioning women's ordination.
Archbishop Orombi and the Church of Uganda did consecrate a bishop to provide ecclesiastical oversight to North American low churchmen who left the Episcopal Church over the consecration of a homosexual bishop. When the Anglican Church of North America was formed in 2009; the Church of Uganda transferred all of its clergy and congregations to the Anglican Church of North America. The Anglican Church of North America ordains women and tolerates modern liturgies that are more charismatic Romish then Reformed.
 
Archbishop Sentamu is probably the least liberal of a very liberal bunch. He allows York Minister to have the relics of St Theresa of Lisuex (not sure re spelling) lay in state, there was also some sort of service for her and roses were sold (her sign) at £6 each ($8-9) to be scattered over said relics. He also has African dancers as part of his services and allows Manchester cathedral, under his control, to have a spiritual festival with tarot readers and such like.

This gives you some idea as to the real liberal bishops.
 
Archbishop Sentamu is probably the least liberal of a very liberal bunch. He allows York Minister to have the relics of St Theresa of Lisuex (not sure re spelling) lay in state, there was also some sort of service for her and roses were sold (her sign) at £6 each ($8-9) to be scattered over said relics. He also has African dancers as part of his services and allows Manchester cathedral, under his control, to have a spiritual festival with tarot readers and such like.

This gives you some idea as to the real liberal bishops.

Ouch.
 
The Archbishop of York is a liberal. The fact that he is not as liberal as the Archbishop of Canterbury not with standing.

---------- Post added at 10:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 PM ----------

The Church of England still has a few Diocesan Bishops that are orthodox.

---------- Post added at 10:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:31 PM ----------

Every reformed Anglican church I have ever seen has practiced paedocommunion. I am sure there are ones that do not but I am just saying what I have seen in my limited exposure.
The practice of paedocommunion is widespread but not universal. Many of the continueing Anglican Churches in North America do not permit paedocommunion. This is a major issue that separates Anglo-Catholics from the canonical Eastern Orthodox.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top