Living within the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) can be quite confusing. Diocese to diocese (even parish to parish within the same metro area) often results in the jarring reality that doctrine differs across the province. This is magnified globally across Anglicanism. It becomes quite wearisome and can edge wary parishioners and clergy alike…
The ACNA Fundamental Declarations begin with a preamble. It prefaces the present by rooting the Declarations firmly in the past. These roots are not dead roots, but are firmly digging deep into the spring of life. This spring bubbles eternally and enlivens the tree that draws up its life-giving waters, so the Church grows until…
We confess the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation, and to be the final authority and unchangeable standard for Christian faith and life. – Point 1, Fundamental Declarations, ACNA As noted in my prior installment, at the coming together of…
We confess Baptism and the Supper of the Lord to be Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself in the Gospel, and thus to be ministered with unfailing use of His words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him. – The Fundamental Declarations, Point 2 The Fundamental Declarations of the ACNA pivot from the source…
We confess the godly historic Episcopate as an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice, and therefore as integral to the fullness and unity of the Body of Christ. Point 3, The Fundamental Declarations The episcopacy is the ministry of overseeing the Church. It is a ministry found within Holy Scriptures and evolved from…
[T]hat if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. — Romans 10:9-10 (KJV) We confess the faith that…
5. Concerning the seven Councils of the undivided Church, we affirm the teaching of the first four Councils and the Christological clarifications of the fifth, sixth and seventh Councils, in so far as they are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures. – Point 5, The Fundamental Declarations The great Councils of the Church, before the split…
6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship. – Point 6, The Fundamental…
7. We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1571, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and as expressing fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief. The Fundamental Declarations The final enumerated point of The Fundamental Declarations rests upon the 39 Articles…
In all these things, the Anglican Church in North America is determined by the help of God to hold and maintain, as the Anglican Way has received them, the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to our posterity. We seek to be and remain in full communion with all…