If one were to believe certain corners of the internet, the Apostolic Fathers exist primarily as Catholic bait. The claim is simple: read them honestly, and you will inevitably discover that Protestantism is a tragic misunderstanding foisted upon the Church sometime between Constantine and Luther. The Fathers, we are told, clearly believed in a sacerdotal…
Mother of God: Anglicans and the Marian Dogmas
How do Anglicans view the Marian dogmas, and what differences exist between our view of dogma and Rome’s?
Does the Pope Matter for Anglicans?
Jesus once asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” It was Peter—bold, impetuous Peter—who stepped forward with the answer: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In response, Jesus made a staggering promise: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18). It was…
The Anglican Way: Both Catholic and Reformed
“What is Anglicanism?” I’ve heard all kinds of answers. Some define it as catholic. Others speak of it as reformed. Then most offer the “middle way” (via media) for a definition. Via Media? It’s true that via media has often become the primary identifier for Anglicanism. But it is not a positive definition. It was…
Anglicans & Roman Catholics
Anglicans are sometimes said to be “a little bit Protestant and a little bit Roman Catholic.” That’s probably true to some extent as a description of what people see in a worship service. We Anglicans see ourselves as both fully catholic and as a church of the Reformation at the same time. Because we are…
Is Anglicanism Catholic or Protestant?
Roman Catholic? Reformed? Protestant? Most American evangelicals experience a church world that is either protestant and Reformed or Roman Catholic. You have to be one or the other. For many, ‘catholic’ means “Roman Catholic”; ‘Reformed’ means “Calvinist.” “Protestant” means “Non-Roman Catholic.” The Eastern Orthodox churches in these discussions are largely unconcerned. Anglicanism, however, had a unique, rich history…
