2010-02-18

Historical Anglicanism

“The English Church happens to base herself in a special manner upon history–she appeals to the Scriptures and primitive antiquity for her theology, [* Articles VI., VIII., etc.] to the ancient Fathers for her ritual, [* The Preface Concerning the Service of the Church, Article XXIV., etc.] to Catholic tradition for her ceremonial; [* The Preface Of Ceremonies, Canon 30 (1603), Canon & (1640), etc.] she refers us to the second year of Edward VI for her ornaments, [* The Ornaments Rubric] and to the later middle ages for the arrangement of her chancels. [* "And the chancels shall remain as they have done in times past." (First inserted in 1552.)] [24/25] Her formularies, therefore, cannot be understood without a good deal of historical knowledge. Some people may object to this, and may ask–Why should they be bound by documents that are two or three hundred years old? But the fact remains that they are so bound, whether they like it or not; and that the whole intention of the Reformers, as shown from end to end of the Prayer Book, Articles, and Canons, was to bind them to principles that are nearer two thousand than two hundred years of age. Nor will they be released from this bondage to historic continuity till the same authority that imposed it shall have removed it,–which will not be for a long time to come. The attempts that have been hitherto made at throwing off this light yoke have not been so conspicuously successful in their results as to encourage us to proceed. Therefore I ask Churchmen to renounce those futile experiments of private judgment, and to throw themselves into the task of realising in its entirety that sound Catholic ideal which the defenders of the English Church preserved for us through the most troublous period of her history."
– The Rev'd Dr. Percy Dearmer
Loyalty to the Prayer Book

2010-02-16

Ryle on Frequent Communion & Sanctification


"The person that goes regularly and intelligently to the Lord's Table finds it increasingly hard to yield to sin and conform to the world."

~ J.C. Ryle, first Bishop of Liverpool



You will have multiple opportunities for Table Fellowship with Our Lord this Lent - on Sundays and Wednesdays. I have found that since joining a sacramental church, my personal holiness has increased. I attribute this directly to receiving the Body & Blood of Our Lord, with the assurances of an apostolic priesthood. (When I was in a non-apostolic church, we still received weekly - but I'd be more inclined to say "weakly" since it did not have the sanctifying effect it has on me now.)

2010-02-15

President's Day Tridentine Style

Fidem meam obligo
vexillo civitatum
Americae Foederatarum,
et rei publicae
pro qua stat,
uni nationi
Deo ducente,
non dividendae,
cum libertate
iustitiaque
omnibus.