James Clark is the author of The Witness of Beauty and Other Essays, and the Book Review Editor at The North American Anglican. His writing has appeared in Cranmer Theological Journal, Journal of Classical Theology, and American Reformer, as well as other publications.
It is widely recognized that the term “sacrament” has historically been a flexible one, even after the early church adopted it from the broader milieu of Roman culture into a specifically Christian context: “The commoner use of the word is either for a sacred rite in general, an outward sign of some more hidden reality—or…
It is a matter of historical fact—invoked by the Article and observed by Browne—that the early church conducted its public prayers in tongues “understanded of the people”: Greek, Latin, and Syriac were languages spoken by the great bulk of the nations first converted to Christianity; and therefore the earliest liturgies and translations of the Scriptures…
Concerning the practice of ordaining women, Browne is silent. This is not unusual for the time in which he wrote, when it was rare, but at least a couple of other commentators do touch on the subject. Thomas Rogers writes that those ordained “are to be men, not boys nor women,” and that they are…
In articulating what it means for ministers to be “lawfully called,” Article XXIII makes no mention at all of bishops: “The latter portion of the Article is somewhat vaguely worded…. It is but generally asserted, that lawful calling can only be given by those, ‘who have public authority in the Church to send labourers into…
Defending Sin: A Response to the Challenges of Evolution and the Natural Sciences. By Hans Madueme. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2024. 368 pp. $61.53 (hardcover), $29.99 (paper). For many years now, Christians who aspire to be thoughtful and informed have sought to emphasize the harmonious consistency of Christianity and science. On this perspective, conflicts between…
Much like image veneration, invocation of the saints has been justified by Anglo-Catholics on the basis of the purported ecumenical authority of the Second Council of Nicaea. The nature of the Council’s support for the practice has at times been a source of confusion, though—some have alleged that the Council outright anathematizes “the denial of…
It was previously shown in the commentary on general councils that the Second Council of Nicaea is often claimed by Anglo-Catholics to be ecumenical. On this basis, it is urged that Anglicans should embrace (or at least allow) the practice of venerating images as affirmed by that same council.[1] As we have seen, however, the…
The Doctrine of God: A Defense of Classical Christian Theism. By Jordan Cooper. Weidner Institute, 2023. 236 pp. $32 (hardcover), $24 (paper). Attempting to write an entire systematic theology series grounded in the Protestant scholastic tradition is an ambitious undertaking, but Jordan Cooper is already a third of the way through accomplishing it. The first…
In the previous commentary, it was established that some versions of the Book of Common Prayer still used by traditional Anglicans require (or at least allow) prayers for the dead, on the basis that the faithful departed are capable of spiritual growth and purification. It might initially appear that this belief in purification—that is to…
Article XXII—which condemns “the Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, worshipping and adoration, as well of images, as of reliques, and also invocation of saints”—does not mention prayer for the dead. Yet the practice of praying for the dead has historically been so intertwined with the doctrine of purgatory as it developed in the Church of…
