I love a good theological conference, and my favorite among those that I have attended through the years has been Mere Anglicanism, an annual (most years) gathering held in Charleston, South Carolina, each January. Mere Anglicanism was previously known as SEAD, which stood for either Scholarly Engagement With Anglican Doctrine or Society for Ecumenical Anglican…
Dear Right Reverend Fathers in Christ, The creation of the Anglican Church in North America was a momentous event by our Lord Jesus Christ. He called and created a united body of His Church to address, rebuke, and refute the erroneous and heretical doctrines of the Episcopal Church and abroad. Our union constitutionally necessitated an…
“By virtue of being a kind of natural knowledge of God, beauty can prepare non-Christians for the supernatural grace of Christ that is found in the Gospel. Granted, the same could be said for other kinds of natural knowledge, but I believe beauty is particularly suited to our age as a means of witness.” …
Section II. — The Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. THIS is a most extensive subject, and of primary importance in the controversy between the Churches of Rome and England. For, if once the supreme authority of the Roman Patriarch is conceded, all other Roman doctrines seem to follow as of course. And so it…
“The most important intellectual rediscovery in contemporary thought, however paradoxical it may sound, is the rediscovery of the classical and Christian understanding of the reality of beauty. As Hans Urs von Balthasar once argued, beauty is the precondition for truth, for goodness, for the very intelligibility of being. And yet, for centuries, our civilization has…
Why Disinvite Calvin Robinson from ‘Mere Anglicanism’ 2024? ere Anglicanism 2024 takes the prize for the best conference I have ever attended. The worship was sublime, and the speakers were both academically rigorous and engaging. As a Rector, it brought me much joy to have a sixth of my parishioners with me to journey…
The late Anglican theologian Robert Crouse (1930–2011) may be one of Canada’s best kept secrets. An Anglican priest, teacher, contemplative—not to mention a musician and gardener—Crouse was an understated authority in patristic and medieval theology, especially the writings of Augustine and Dante. He wrote with a humble style that belied an extraordinary spiritual depth, calling…
What does it look like when a defender of pluralistic liberalism critiques Christian nationalism (i.e., Christendom) without resorting to charges of racism, kinism, and so forth? Sober criticism of this sort has been scarce in the year since Stephen Wolfe’s book on Christian nationalism was published. As it so happens, though, an attempt at serious…
The declaration contained in Article XX—that “the Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith; and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything that is contrary to God’s word written”—has been much attacked by Puritans both old and new. As Browne observes, “The origin of…
This is an essay about the place of Scripture in the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). The characterization of the ACNA in this paper comes from my own observation as a member of it and as a student at one of its more recognizable seminaries, Trinity School for Ministry. My observations probably say more…