The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Reformed Episcopal Church

Dear William,

well, I thought I might as well ask some questions here. Maybe you can answer them.

I note the REC has recently agreed plans to merge with the APA. Am I right in understanding the APA is Anglo-Catholic in theology? If this is so what has motivated this tie-up amongst the REC and what place does an evangelical doctrine of scripture and salvation hold in its churches?

As an aside, are you aware of the schism which has recently occurred within the REC's sister denomination in England, the Free Church of England? If so, can you shed any light on it?

Please note this post is not intended as an attack on the REC being historically reformed in character. It is focussing on present actions of the REC which seem to call its reformed character into question.

I look forward to your comments.

In Christ,

James.

I'll do my best. I am going to be very busy today and tomorrow, and after that, I should have time to address some of your questions. I think maybe you should define Anglo-catholic better, though. I consider myself reformed anglo-catholic. I am unsure exactly what the dilemma is that you are referring to. Thanks.


God bless,

william

Something else you may wish to do is explain what Reformed means exactly. We tried this once and got dismal results. It seems everybody continuously reformulates the meaning of reformed to fit their preferences. While doing this, please cite some authoritative documents or early reformers. Personal opinions won't do for this one. Thanks.


God bless,

william

I'm writing froma British perspective here so I'm struggling to see "Reformed Anglo-Catholic" as anything other than an oxymoron.I am not principally referring to High Church practices but to the doctrine of salvation and the authority of scripture. Anglo-Catholicism shares the errors of Roman Catholicism on these topics (obviously minus views on the being part of the Roman Catholic church and the papacy).

High church practices flow from these beliefs. As examples one could cite viewing presbyters as sacrificing priests, transubstantiation, praying to saints, reserving the elements, use of the Apocrypha on a par with scripture, vestments, low view of peraching and commnesurately short and insipid sermons, processing the elements etc.

My question focuses on the doctrines of scripture and salvation which are distorted in Anglo-Catholicism and are the cess-pit from which these other abominations flow.

In Christ,

James.

I understand. let me clarify some of those concerns. Most of this can be found here, REC beliefs


This Church condemns and rejects the following erroneous and strange doctrines as contrary to God's Word:

Second, that Christian Ministers are "priests" in another sense than that in which all believers are a "royal priesthood:"


Third, that the Lord's Table is an altar on which the oblation of the Body and Blood of Christ is offered anew to the Father:


I did not find anything concerning this at a quick glance, but I have never seen it.


If you mean only letting church members partake of communion of one kind, we don't practice that. We are offered wafer and wine at every service.


Section 6 of the 39 Articles covers this, and I assure you this is NOT the case with the REC.


Yes. When we do use tradition, and we all do, we prefer it from an earlier perspective than 1600.


Not that I've noticed, but I am sure every parish is different.


You'll need to clarify, please. Thanks.


God bless,

william

Dear William,

you really have failed to answer my question about the REC and APA. Will you do so?

Jaes.

I'm going to jump in there with both feet only because I want this thread to be nothing more than a source of information concerning the official beliefs of the REC. This is what you asked previously:

Before you actually asked this question, you gave a list of errors, here called "abominations" which you say "Anglo-Catholics" [both high and low church it seems] believe and/or practice. And William evidently thought by giving an answer to those issues, it would have sufficed to answer your more general question re: "scripture and salvation". For the record, he answered by saying that all but one item, "Vestments", the REC rejects all of the above.

Now, perhaps it would be helpful if you were a bit more specific in your questions. For example, in regard to Scripture, are you wanting to know if the REC holds to divine inspiration? 66 canonical books? sole biblical authority? etc. And as to the matter of "salvation", perhaps you could also be more specific. One could write a tome on either subject. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/giggle.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,

Dear Jeff,

here's the original question I asked. I also asked it on the Church Locator Forum but didn't get a reply.

"I note the REC has recently agreed plans to merge with the APA. Am I right in understanding the APA is Anglo-Catholic in theology? If this is so what has motivated this tie-up amongst the REC and what place does an evangelical doctrine of scripture and salvation hold in its churches?"

William replied by asking me to define Anglo-Catholicism which I naively did.

In my second post I clarified what I was focussing on:

"I am not principally referring to High Church practices but to the doctrine of salvation and the authority of scripture."

rather than on particular habits in worship.

To answer as William has done really does not address my questions one whit.

If William wants to say he doesn't know the answer to my question, that's fine. But I don't really want answers to questions I'm not asking.

I hope this clarifies things.

In Christ,

James.

James,

Well, I'm not William and I have little knowledge of the REC. But just for the purposes of further clarification, I would think that if William were to supply relevant sections of the REC's "official" statement of faith, e.g., from their Confession, Catechism, etc., that would suffice? Granted, we are not so naive as to believe that a denomination's "official" statement of faith is what the actually believe in practice contemporarily. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/giggle.gif" alt="" /> For example, we could consider the PCUSA which says it holds to the WCF.

What is happening currently in the REC is something which only William could answer with any accuracy. But as I said also in the Church Locator Forum..... within each denomination one is going to find both acceptable and unacceptable congregations.

Okay.... I'll let William take it from here and hopefully answer your two questions, concerning the "doctrine of salvation" and "scripture". <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,

Maybe you should be more specific. I answered nearly every concern you posted above. Maybe you could also address this thread, What is reformed? and provide the definition we need to work with. Otherwise, I feel I might be on a goose chase, as I'm interested in simply defending the reformed status of my denomination. I'm sure you'll understand. Thanks.


God bless,

william

I need to explain to you that I am not currently attending a REC parish. The closest one is in St. Louis, Missouri, which is about a three hour drive. I also explained elsewhere that I have been visiting various churches due to a custody issue with a daughter I only recently started seeing; after seven years. However, if you could be a little more specific I will be in St. Louis on August 1st, to have my daughter baptised and will gladly ask at that time. If the answer is too brief (I will be travelling with three kids and a wife that works weekends/third shift, I will be returning about six weeks later when the bishop visits, something I always do. I will be more than happy to ask him as well. Hopefully, I can adequately address your concerns. In the mean time, maybe you could answer that thread about the definition of reformed so we are at least working together. Thanks.


God bless,

william

Dear Jeff,

indeed, as you realise, and I hope William does too, I am not querying the 39 Articles! I am querying an official tie up between a church which claims to exist to uphold them and a church whose ethos may be different.

James.

Dear William,

I think our posts crossed but mine serendipitously answered your question.

From your description of your situation you may not be in a position to answer my question.

Take it from a friend who has a fair bit of knowledge of the Church of England and evangelicals in it, that there is a great deal of difference between the Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical parties in Anglicanism.

BTW, you described yourself as "Anglo-Catholic and Reformed". Did you mean "Catholic and Reformed"? If so, I understand. If not, could you tell me what you understand by the term Anglo-Catholic?

In Christ,

James.

I think before we go much further you need to define your terms. Try this thread What is reformed? and when we have a decent definition we can go forward. Thanks.


God bless,

william

Dear William,

I'll leave it there thanks.

James.