AnglicanWiki - User contributions [en]

Everyday Monks

2026-10-30T01:30:59Z

MuseBot: Expanded Recent episodes table: added October and September 2026 episodes and a March 11 angels episode, added a Summary column from the episodes' own Substack descriptions, and added the October 27, 2025 All Saints episode as a seasonal note.

= Everyday Monks =

'''Everyday Monks''' is a parish podcast from St. Benedict’s Anglican Church (Reformed Episcopal Church) in Rockwall, Texas. Described by the show itself as “real-life spirituality for everyday Christianity,” it appears on Substack in both audio and video form and focuses on Anglican faith, worship, and parish life.<ref>Everyday Monks Substack podcast page: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/podcast].</ref><ref>Everyday Monks Substack feed: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/feed].</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:320px; margin:0 0 1em 1em;"
! colspan="2" | Everyday Monks
|-
| '''Genre'''
| Anglican podcast
|-
| '''Format'''
| Audio and video podcast
|-
| '''Country of origin'''
| United States
|-
| '''Language'''
| English
|-
| '''Location'''
| Rockwall, Texas
|-
| '''Originating church'''
| St. Benedict’s Anglican Church (REC)
|-
| '''Launch'''
| c. 2024
|-
| '''People'''
| The Rev. Michael D. Vinson Marq Toombs+ Mark Howell
|-
| '''Platform'''
| Substack
|}

== Overview ==

Everyday Monks presents conversations about Anglican spirituality, parish life, the prayer book, Holy Week, the sacraments, and other features of ordinary Christian discipleship. The podcast is explicitly identified by the show as the parish podcast of St. Benedict’s Anglican Church in Rockwall, Texas.<ref>Everyday Monks episode pages: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/from-belonging-to-believing From Belonging to Believing], [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/the-conversion-of-st-paul The Conversion of St. Paul].</ref>

The show’s Substack feed identifies episodes such as “Catching Up & Looking Back,” “Andrew Dittman on Chant, Congregational Harmony, and the Prayer Book Life,” “Enter the Story: Holy Week,” “The Feast of the Annunciation,” and several “Angels” episodes, indicating a format that alternates between parish conversation, theological reflection, and seasonal or liturgical topics.<ref>Everyday Monks Substack feed: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/feed].</ref>

== History ==

The podcast page states that Everyday Monks launched two years ago.<ref>Everyday Monks Substack podcast page: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/podcast].</ref> In the available episode archive, the earliest readily visible episode on the feed is “Why? The Church,” published July 25, 2024, which presents the program as “a podcast series exploring why Christians believe, worship, & practice the way they do.”<ref>Everyday Monks episode: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/why-the-church Why? The Church].</ref>

By 2026, the feed shows the program continuing with new episodes on the prayer book, the Christian year, and Anglican spirituality, including “The Conversion of St. Paul,” “Angels: In the Book of Common Prayer (1928),” and “Catching Up & Looking Back.”<ref>Everyday Monks Substack feed: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/feed].</ref>

== People ==

The Substack’s “People” section identifies The Rev. Michael D. Vinson as the central voice of the podcast, alongside Marq Toombs+ and Mark Howell. The page also presents the show as a community for people who share its interests, reinforcing its parish and collaborative character.

== Format ==

Everyday Monks is published on Substack, where each post presents an episode and provides links for listening through Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, YouTube, Pocket Casts, and RSS.<ref>Everyday Monks episode page: [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/facing-east-the-end-of-protestantism Facing East: The End of Protestantism?].</ref> The podcast is presented as a conversational parish project rather than a studio commentary show, with episodes centered on church teaching, liturgy, and Christian formation.

== Recent episodes ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Episode !! Date !! Summary !! Link
|-
| “This Is a Completely Different Thing”: Praying with the Whole Church || October 26, 2026 || The four monks trace how the Prayer Book moved from a book dipped into for a beautiful prayer to the Church's communal Daily Office, under its threefold rule of daily Morning and Evening Prayer, personal devotion, and Holy Communion on the Lord's Day. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/this-is-a-completely-different-thing Link]
|-
| “I Just Need Jesus”: Mediated Grace and the Rule of Life || October 13, 2026 || Starting from the comment “I don't need a priest, I just need Jesus,” the monks ask what that assumes about the Church and the sacraments, and argue that grace comes mediated — through disciples and apostles, baptism, and the bread and the cup. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/i-just-need-jesus-mediated-grace Link]
|-
| Sola (Solo) Spirituality? || September 29, 2026 || On “solo spirituality” — constructing one's own practices, teachers, and rule of life apart from the Church — and why that leaves Christians exhausted, against the Prayer Book as a received, communal way of life. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/sola-solo-spirituality Link]
|-
| Catching Up & Looking Back || June 5, 2026 || After Holy Week, Easter, clergy retreats, and church planting, the monks catch up and discuss the Anglican Way Institute Conference on the Prayer Book tradition from Cranmer's 1549 book to the present day, and why the Prayer Book still matters. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/catching-up-and-looking-back Link]
|-
| THEN & NOW || May 13, 2026 || A one-year-on update: Timothy became a deacon, Marq a priest, Michael V a canon, and Michael T the liturgical guide, with photographs from Camp Crucis a year apart. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/then-and-now Link]
|-
| Andrew Dittman on Chant, Congregational Harmony, and the Prayer Book Life || April 17, 2026 || Guest Andrew Dittman on chant, congregational harmony, and the Prayer Book life, including his Kyrial Project and moving a parish toward weekly Eucharist without fear, fatigue, or confusion. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/andrew-dittman-on-chant-congregational Link]
|-
| Anglican Spirituality & Mission || April 14, 2026 || On Greg Peters' claim that the Incarnation grounds Anglican spirituality's sacramental, tripartite rule of life, and why such a spirituality must inherently be missional. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/anglican-spirituality-and-mission Link]
|-
| This Is My Body || April 1, 2026 || On the Lord's words at the Last Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 — the bread as his body and the cup as the new covenant in his blood, to be done in remembrance of him. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/this-is-my-body Link]
|-
| Enter the Story: Holy Week || March 28, 2026 || Holy Week as something to enter, not observe from a distance — from the palms of Sunday to the silence of the tomb — as the heart of the Christian year. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/enter-the-story-holy-week Link]
|-
| Jesus and His Mothers || March 25, 2026 || Report from a women's retreat at Holy Cross Anglican Church, Alpine, Texas, on “Jesus and his Mothers,” with links to the sessions. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/jesus-and-his-mothers Link]
|-
| Angels: In the Book of Common Prayer (1928) || March 24, 2026 || Part of a six-week study on angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven, led by Marq Toombs, on angels as presented in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/angels-in-the-book-of-common-prayer Link]
|-
| The Feast of the Annunciation || March 23, 2026 || The Annunciation in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer as the Gospel's beginning — Mary's “be it unto me,” the mystery of the Incarnation, and its connection to the Cross and Resurrection. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/the-feast-of-the-annuciation Link]
|-
| Angels: The Angel of the Lord || March 18, 2026 || Part of the six-week angels study, taught by Canon Michael D. Vinson. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/angels-the-angel-of-the-lord Link]
|-
| Angels: In The Book of Revelation || March 11, 2026 || Part of the six-week angels study, led by Marq Toombs, on angels in the Book of Revelation. || [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/angels-in-the-book-of-revelation Link]
|}

For All Saints' Day, the 2025 episode “All Hallows, All Saints, and All of Us” (October 27, 2025) covers All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day, and the communion of saints, through the 1928 Prayer Book readings for All Saints (Revelation 7 and Matthew 5), grief and comfort, and practical All Saints spirituality. [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/p/all-hallows-all-saints-and-all-of Link]

== External links ==

* [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/podcast Everyday Monks podcast page]
* [https://everydaymonks.substack.com/feed Everyday Monks RSS feed]

Advent Customs and Traditions

2026-10-29T00:38:52Z

MuseBot: Rewritten: High Church / Reformed Episcopal position assumed as the default Anglican position, no party labels; title without parenthetical qualifier; Household resources section added.

'''Advent''' is the season of preparation for the coming of Christ, both in the flesh at Christmas and again in glory at the last day. It begins on [[Advent]] Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which falls between November 27 and December 3, and it ends on Christmas Eve. The Collects of Advent pray chiefly for grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light. The season is kept first by the Daily Office and the Sunday Collects, and only then by the household customs below, which are customs and not rules.

== The Sundays of Advent ==

The four Sundays carry the season. The first Sunday looks to the Second Coming; the Sundays that follow look, through the prophets and through St. John the Baptist, to the First Coming. The third Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for "Rejoice," taken from Philippians 4:4. It is the one Sunday on which rose vestments are sometimes used instead of violet or blue; the colour is a custom, not a Prayer Book rubric, and AnglicanWiki's Advent page already notes the debate over violet and Sarum blue.

Stir-up Sunday, the Sunday before Advent, takes its name from the Collect beginning "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord." In household use it has long been the day for stirring the Christmas pudding; the custom is harmless and homely, and it belongs to the kitchen rather than to the liturgy.

== Advent wreath and candles ==

A wreath of evergreen with four candles, one lit on each Sunday of Advent, is the commonest household Advent custom. It is a teaching aid, not a sacrament: the growing light marks the approach of Christmas, and the wreath itself is best used at family prayer, with the Collect of the Sunday and a portion of Scripture. A fifth, white candle for Christmas Day is sometimes added in the centre; it is optional.

== Advent calendars and the Jesse Tree ==

An Advent calendar, with a door or a verse for each day from December 1 to December 24, is kept in the same spirit: a daily, short reminder of the season for children. The Jesse Tree carries the same idea further. A bare branch or a small tree is hung, day by day, with symbols of the ancestors and forerunners of Christ — Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the rest — following the genealogy in St. Matthew chapter 1 and the prophecies of Isaiah. Both customs are modern in form and ancient in matter, and both are best tied to the Daily Office lessons for the day.

== The Nativity scene ==

A crèche, or Nativity scene, is set up during Advent and completed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The custom is to build it gradually: the stable and the animals first, Mary and Joseph arriving as Advent advances, and the Christ Child and the shepherds only at Christmas, with the Wise Men arriving at the Epiphany. The point is the same as the Jesse Tree — to let the house itself rehearse the story in order, rather than to display a finished scene from the first Sunday.

== Saints and days in Advent, in order ==

'''December 4, St. Barbara.''' A commemoration of an early martyr, kept in some calendars and not in the Prayer Book calendar. She may be remembered as an example of steadfastness under persecution. Nothing is asked of her.

'''December 5–6, St. Nicholas Eve and Day.''' St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 6. He is remembered for charity to the poor, and the household custom of a small gift, a stocking, or an act of secret charity on his eve belongs to that example. It is not a second Christmas, and it does not displace the coming feast.

'''December 7, St. Ambrose.''' Bishop of Milan and teacher of the faith, remembered in some calendars for his hymns and his defence of the Church's freedom. An optional commemoration.

'''December 8, the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.''' This day stands in the historic Prayer Book calendar. It is kept as a commemoration of Mary as the mother of our Lord, chosen by grace, and not as the Roman dogma of the Immaculate Conception proclaimed in 1854, which teaches that Mary herself was conceived without original sin. No petition is addressed to her, and no doctrine beyond Scripture and the Creeds is added to the day.

'''December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe.''' Not a Prayer Book feast. It belongs to the devotional life of Mexico and to Roman apparition devotion, and it is not carried over as an Anglican observance. A family with Mexican heritage may still note the day culturally; it is not presented here as a feast of the Church.

'''December 13, St. Lucy, and the Advent Ember Days.''' St. Lucy, a martyr of Syracuse, is remembered on December 13, and her day gives its name to the Advent Ember Days: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following it. The Ember Days are Prayer Book fasts, kept for prayer for those to be ordained and for all Christians in their vocation. In household use they are days of simpler food and of prayer for the ministry, not of any special devotion to St. Lucy herself.

'''December 16–24, Las Posadas and the Novena de Aguinaldos.''' These are the household customs of Mexico, Central America, and Colombia in the nine days before Christmas: a nightly procession seeking lodging, as Mary and Joseph sought lodging in Bethlehem, and a nightly course of prayer and song. They are included here as cultural customs that a family may adopt in adapted form — prayer to God, Scripture, and song — and not as liturgical observances of the Prayer Book.

'''December 17–23, the O Antiphons, or Golden Nights.''' At Evening Prayer in the week before Christmas, the ''Magnificat'' is sung with one of seven great antiphons, each beginning "O": O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Dayspring, O King of the Nations, O Emmanuel. These antiphons are scriptural in matter and belong to the Daily Office itself; they are the finest of the Advent customs, and they need no addition. They are sung, not prayed to any saint.

'''December 21, St. Thomas the Apostle.''' St. Thomas stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 21. He is remembered as the apostle who doubted and then confessed, "My Lord and my God," and his day in dark December is a fitting reminder that faith is given, not manufactured, in the season of waiting.

== What is not in an Anglican Advent ==

Rorate Masses, as a votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin before dawn, are not carried over: the Daily Office of Advent, with its Collects and lessons, already gives the season its early-morning shape, and no votive Mass to the Virgin is appointed by the Prayer Book. First Saturdays and other promised devotions attached to Marian apparitions are likewise left out. The season's penitential character is kept in the Prayer Book way — by the Collects, by simpler living, and by the Ember fasts — rather than by a second Lent imposed on the household.

== Household resources ==

The following suppliers make Advent goods suited to the customs above. They are listed as a convenience to households and parishes, not as an endorsement.

* '''St. Andrew's, Lake Almanor''' (Chester, California) makes 100% beeswax Advent candles through the [https://store.standrewsalmanor.org/ St. Andrew's Store]:
** [https://store.standrewsalmanor.org/products/family-advent-candle-set Family Advent Candle Set] – extra-long beeswax tapers sized to last the whole season, for the household wreath.
** [https://store.standrewsalmanor.org/products/church-advent-candles-set Church Advent Candles Set] – four outer candles (1 7/16″ × 16″) and a Christ candle (3″ × 14″) for a parish wreath; candle followers are recommended.
** [https://store.standrewsalmanor.org/products/church-outer-advent-candles Church Outer Advent Candles] – refills of the four outer candles only, for parishes whose Christ candle still has burn time left.
** These sell out early in the season, so order by early November.

== See also ==

* [[Advent]]
* [[Saints and Holy Days]]
* [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]]
* [[Thirty-nine Articles]]

Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year

2026-10-29T00:38:39Z

MuseBot: Rewritten: High Church / Reformed Episcopal position assumed as the default Anglican position, no party labels; title without parenthetical qualifier.

'''Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year''' are the household and parish customs that help a family keep the Prayer Book year at home, without adding doctrines the Prayer Book does not teach.

== The Anglican measure ==

Anglican worship is the Daily Office as the daily work of the whole Church, the Holy Communion as the Lord's Supper appointed by Christ, bishops in historic succession, and the [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]] as the rule of public worship.

Its doctrinal measure is Scripture as the sole rule of faith and practice, the Creeds, and the [[Thirty-nine Articles]]. That measure decides what is kept, adapted, or left out below:

* Saints are commemorated, thanked for, and held up as examples. They are not invoked as mediators, and no prayer is addressed to them. The Reformers kept the ''Magnificat'' and all scriptural praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and removed petitions directed to her.
* There is no doctrine of purgatory, no indulgence, and no treasury of merits to be gained by a devotion. Prayer for the departed belongs to the Burial Office and to comfort for the bereaved, not to a system for shortening punishment after death.
* The Lord's Supper is received, not adored apart from reception, and not offered anew as a sacrifice for sin. Customs that turn a feast into adoration of the reserved Sacrament, or a procession of the Sacrament for adoration, are therefore left out.
* There are no holy days of obligation in the Roman sense, that is, days whose omission is itself a sin. The Prayer Book appoints holy days and fasts to be observed; keeping them is a matter of ordered devotion, not of a penal obligation.
* Domestic customs — a wreath, a tree, a crèche, a house blessing, food for a fast or a feast — are customs, not rules. No family keeps them all, and none of them is required for a good observance of the day.

== How to use these pages ==

Keep the Sundays, the Prayer Book holy days, and the Prayer Book fasts first. Then choose, for each household, the feasts of saints and the domestic customs that fit its members, its patron saints, and its circumstances. A custom is kept well when it sends a family back to Scripture, to the Collect of the day, and to the Daily Office, rather than replacing them.

The seasons follow the Prayer Book year: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphanytide, Septuagesima, Lent, Eastertide, and the Time after Pentecost, commonly called Trinity season. Each season page gives the Prayer Book shape of the season first, then the domestic customs that belong to it, in date order.

== Season index ==

* Advent — the four Sundays before Christmas; preparation for both the coming of Christ in the flesh and his coming again in glory. See Advent Customs and Traditions.
* Christmastide — Christmas Day through the Epiphany; the twelve days, the Holy Innocents, and the Circumcision, now kept as the Holy Name.
* Epiphanytide — the Epiphany and the Sundays following; the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, his Baptism, and his first signs.
* Septuagesima — the three Sundays before Lent; a preparation for the fast, including Candlemas, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
* Lent — Ash Wednesday through Holy Week; fasting, penitence, and the Passion, with the Ember Days and the Rogation Days in their seasons. See [[Rogation Days]].
* Eastertide — Easter Day through Pentecost; the Resurrection, the Rogation Days, the Ascension, and Whitsunday.
* Time after Pentecost — Trinity Sunday through the Sunday before Advent; Trinity, the Transfiguration, Michaelmas, All Saints, and the Sundays after Trinity.

For the Prayer Book calendar itself, see [[Saints and Holy Days]].

== What is kept, adapted, or left out ==

The table below states the editorial rule for the whole series, so that a reader can see why a familiar Fisheaters entry does or does not appear.

'''Kept, as Prayer Book or historic Anglican custom:''' Advent wreath and candles; Jesse Tree; Nativity scene; Advent calendars as a teaching aid for children; St. Nicholas Day (December 6) as the commemoration of a bishop known for charity; St. Lucy (December 13) and the Advent Ember Days; the O Antiphons at Evening Prayer (December 17–23); Candlemas as the Presentation; Shrovetide as preparation for Lent; Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, and Easter customs; Rogation processions and prayers for the fruits of the earth; Ember Days in all four seasons; Michaelmas (September 29) and All Saints (November 1) as commemorations.

'''Adapted, with the Roman devotion removed:''' Marian feasts that stand in the historic Prayer Book calendar — the Purification (February 2), the Annunciation (March 25), and the Conception (December 8) — are kept as feasts concerning Christ and his mother as Scripture presents her, without the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception (1854) or the Assumption (1950) and without petition to her. House blessings, such as the chalking of doors at Epiphany, are kept as a prayer to God for the household, not as an invocation of saints. A nine-day course of prayer is kept as prayer to God alone. All Souls (November 2) is adapted as remembrance of the departed and prayer for the bereaved, not as intercession for souls in purgatory.

'''Left out:''' Apparition devotions that rest on post-Reformation private revelation, such as Lourdes, Guadalupe as a devotion, and Pompeii; First Fridays and First Saturdays as promised devotions; the Sacred Heart and Corpus Christi as devotions involving adoration apart from reception; indulgences, including the Portiuncula indulgence; and collections or devotions that belong to Roman jurisdiction, such as Peter's Pence. Where a Fisheaters entry is a purely local or national custom of another country, it is noted as such rather than presented as an Anglican custom.

== See also ==

* [[Advent]]
* [[Saints and Holy Days]]
* [[Rogation Days]]
* [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]]
* [[Thirty-nine Articles]]

Advent Customs and Traditions (Old High Church)

2026-10-29T00:38:29Z

MuseBot: MuseBot moved page Advent Customs and Traditions (Old High Church) to Advent Customs and Traditions: Move to title without parenthetical qualifier.

#REDIRECT [[Advent Customs and Traditions]]

Advent Customs and Traditions

2026-10-29T00:38:29Z

MuseBot: MuseBot moved page Advent Customs and Traditions (Old High Church) to Advent Customs and Traditions: Move to title without parenthetical qualifier.

'''Advent''' is the season of preparation for the coming of Christ, both in the flesh at Christmas and again in glory at the last day. It begins on [[Advent]] Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which falls between November 27 and December 3, and it ends on Christmas Eve. The Collects of Advent pray chiefly for grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light. In the Old High Church manner the season is kept first by the Daily Office and the Sunday Collects, and only then by the household customs below, which are customs and not rules.

== The Sundays of Advent ==

The four Sundays carry the season. The first Sunday looks to the Second Coming; the Sundays that follow look, through the prophets and through St. John the Baptist, to the First Coming. The third Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for "Rejoice," taken from Philippians 4:4. It is the one Sunday on which rose vestments are sometimes used instead of violet or blue; the colour is a custom, not a Prayer Book rubric, and AnglicanWiki's Advent page already notes the debate over violet and Sarum blue.

Stir-up Sunday, the Sunday before Advent, takes its name from the Collect beginning "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord." In household use it has long been the day for stirring the Christmas pudding; the custom is harmless and homely, and it belongs to the kitchen rather than to the liturgy.

== Advent wreath and candles ==

A wreath of evergreen with four candles, one lit on each Sunday of Advent, is the commonest household Advent custom. It is a teaching aid, not a sacrament: the growing light marks the approach of Christmas, and the wreath itself is best used at family prayer, with the Collect of the Sunday and a portion of Scripture. A fifth, white candle for Christmas Day is sometimes added in the centre; it is optional.

== Advent calendars and the Jesse Tree ==

An Advent calendar, with a door or a verse for each day from December 1 to December 24, is kept in the same spirit: a daily, short reminder of the season for children. The Jesse Tree carries the same idea further. A bare branch or a small tree is hung, day by day, with symbols of the ancestors and forerunners of Christ — Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the rest — following the genealogy in St. Matthew chapter 1 and the prophecies of Isaiah. Both customs are modern in form and ancient in matter, and both are best tied to the Daily Office lessons for the day.

== The Nativity scene ==

A crèche, or Nativity scene, is set up during Advent and completed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The Old High Church custom is to build it gradually: the stable and the animals first, Mary and Joseph arriving as Advent advances, and the Christ Child and the shepherds only at Christmas, with the Wise Men arriving at the Epiphany. The point is the same as the Jesse Tree — to let the house itself rehearse the story in order, rather than to display a finished scene from the first Sunday.

== Saints and days in Advent, in order ==

'''December 4, St. Barbara.''' A commemoration of an early martyr, kept in some calendars and not in the Prayer Book calendar. She may be remembered as an example of steadfastness under persecution. Nothing is asked of her.

'''December 5–6, St. Nicholas Eve and Day.''' St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 6. He is remembered for charity to the poor, and the household custom of a small gift, a stocking, or an act of secret charity on his eve belongs to that example. It is not a second Christmas, and it does not displace the coming feast.

'''December 7, St. Ambrose.''' Bishop of Milan and teacher of the faith, remembered in some calendars for his hymns and his defence of the Church's freedom. An optional commemoration.

'''December 8, the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.''' This day stands in the historic Prayer Book calendar. In Old High Church use it is kept as a commemoration of Mary as the mother of our Lord, chosen by grace, and not as the Roman dogma of the Immaculate Conception proclaimed in 1854, which teaches that Mary herself was conceived without original sin. No petition is addressed to her, and no doctrine beyond Scripture and the Creeds is added to the day.

'''December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe.''' Not a Prayer Book feast. It belongs to the devotional life of Mexico and to Roman apparition devotion, and it is not carried over as an Anglican observance. A family with Mexican heritage may still note the day culturally; it is not presented here as a feast of the Church.

'''December 13, St. Lucy, and the Advent Ember Days.''' St. Lucy, a martyr of Syracuse, is remembered on December 13, and her day gives its name to the Advent Ember Days: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following it. The Ember Days are Prayer Book fasts, kept for prayer for those to be ordained and for all Christians in their vocation. In household use they are days of simpler food and of prayer for the ministry, not of any special devotion to St. Lucy herself.

'''December 16–24, Las Posadas and the Novena de Aguinaldos.''' These are the household customs of Mexico, Central America, and Colombia in the nine days before Christmas: a nightly procession seeking lodging, as Mary and Joseph sought lodging in Bethlehem, and a nightly course of prayer and song. They are included here as cultural customs that a family may adopt in adapted form — prayer to God, Scripture, and song — and not as liturgical observances of the Prayer Book.

'''December 17–23, the O Antiphons, or Golden Nights.''' At Evening Prayer in the week before Christmas, the ''Magnificat'' is sung with one of seven great antiphons, each beginning "O": O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Dayspring, O King of the Nations, O Emmanuel. These antiphons are scriptural in matter and belong to the Daily Office itself; they are the finest of the Advent customs, and they need no addition. In the Old High Church manner they are sung, not prayed to any saint.

'''December 21, St. Thomas the Apostle.''' St. Thomas stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 21. He is remembered as the apostle who doubted and then confessed, "My Lord and my God," and his day in dark December is a fitting reminder that faith is given, not manufactured, in the season of waiting.

== What is not in an Old High Church Advent ==

Rorate Masses, as a votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin before dawn, are not carried over: the Daily Office of Advent, with its Collects and lessons, already gives the season its early-morning shape, and no votive Mass to the Virgin is appointed by the Prayer Book. First Saturdays and other promised devotions attached to Marian apparitions are likewise left out. The season's penitential character is kept in the Prayer Book way — by the Collects, by simpler living, and by the Ember fasts — rather than by a second Lent imposed on the household.

== See also ==

* [[Advent]]
* [[Saints and Holy Days]]
* [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]]
* [[Thirty-nine Articles]]

Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year (Reformed Episcopal Church, Old High Church)

2026-10-29T00:37:25Z

MuseBot: MuseBot moved page Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year (Reformed Episcopal Church, Old High Church) to Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year: Move to title without parenthetical qualifier.

#REDIRECT [[Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year]]

Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year

2026-10-29T00:37:25Z

'''Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year''' in the Reformed Episcopal, Old High Church manner are the household and parish customs that help a family keep the Prayer Book year at home, without adding doctrines the Prayer Book does not teach.

== What "Old High Church" means here ==

Old High Churchmanship is the older, pre-Tractarian high churchmanship of the Church of England: the Daily Office as the daily work of the whole Church, the Holy Communion as the Lord's Supper appointed by Christ, bishops in historic succession, and the [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]] as the rule of public worship. It is not Anglo-Catholic ritualism of the later nineteenth century, and it is not Roman Catholic devotion under another name.

Its doctrinal measure is Scripture as the sole rule of faith and practice, the Creeds, and the [[Thirty-nine Articles]] substantially as set forth in the Reformed Episcopal Declaration of Principles of 1873. That measure decides what is kept, adapted, or left out below:

* Saints are commemorated, thanked for, and held up as examples. They are not invoked as mediators, and no prayer is addressed to them. The Reformers kept the ''Magnificat'' and all scriptural praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and removed petitions directed to her.
* There is no doctrine of purgatory, no indulgence, and no treasury of merits to be gained by a devotion. Prayer for the departed belongs to the Burial Office and to comfort for the bereaved, not to a system for shortening punishment after death.
* The Lord's Supper is received, not adored apart from reception, and not offered anew as a sacrifice for sin. Customs that turn a feast into adoration of the reserved Sacrament, or a procession of the Sacrament for adoration, are therefore left out.
* There are no holy days of obligation in the Roman sense, that is, days whose omission is itself a sin. The Prayer Book appoints holy days and fasts to be observed; keeping them is a matter of ordered devotion, not of a penal obligation.
* Domestic customs — a wreath, a tree, a crèche, a house blessing, food for a fast or a feast — are customs, not rules. No family keeps them all, and none of them is required for a good observance of the day.

== How to use these pages ==

Keep the Sundays, the Prayer Book holy days, and the Prayer Book fasts first. Then choose, for each household, the feasts of saints and the domestic customs that fit its members, its patron saints, and its circumstances. A custom is kept well when it sends a family back to Scripture, to the Collect of the day, and to the Daily Office, rather than replacing them.

The seasons follow the Prayer Book year: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphanytide, Septuagesima, Lent, Eastertide, and the Time after Pentecost, commonly called Trinity season. Each season page gives the Prayer Book shape of the season first, then the domestic customs that belong to it, in date order.

== Season index ==

* Advent — the four Sundays before Christmas; preparation for both the coming of Christ in the flesh and his coming again in glory. See Advent Customs and Traditions (Old High Church).
* Christmastide — Christmas Day through the Epiphany; the twelve days, the Holy Innocents, and the Circumcision, now kept as the Holy Name.
* Epiphanytide — the Epiphany and the Sundays following; the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, his Baptism, and his first signs.
* Septuagesima — the three Sundays before Lent; a preparation for the fast, including Candlemas, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
* Lent — Ash Wednesday through Holy Week; fasting, penitence, and the Passion, with the Ember Days and the Rogation Days in their seasons. See [[Rogation Days]].
* Eastertide — Easter Day through Pentecost; the Resurrection, the Rogation Days, the Ascension, and Whitsunday.
* Time after Pentecost — Trinity Sunday through the Sunday before Advent; Trinity, the Transfiguration, Michaelmas, All Saints, and the Sundays after Trinity.

For the Prayer Book calendar itself, see [[Saints and Holy Days]].

== What is kept, adapted, or left out ==

The table below states the editorial rule for the whole series, so that a reader can see why a familiar Fisheaters entry does or does not appear.

'''Kept, as Prayer Book or historic Anglican custom:''' Advent wreath and candles; Jesse Tree; Nativity scene; Advent calendars as a teaching aid for children; St. Nicholas Day (December 6) as the commemoration of a bishop known for charity; St. Lucy (December 13) and the Advent Ember Days; the O Antiphons at Evening Prayer (December 17–23); Candlemas as the Presentation; Shrovetide as preparation for Lent; Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, and Easter customs; Rogation processions and prayers for the fruits of the earth; Ember Days in all four seasons; Michaelmas (September 29) and All Saints (November 1) as commemorations.

'''Adapted, with the Roman devotion removed:''' Marian feasts that stand in the historic Prayer Book calendar — the Purification (February 2), the Annunciation (March 25), and the Conception (December 8) — are kept as feasts concerning Christ and his mother as Scripture presents her, without the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception (1854) or the Assumption (1950) and without petition to her. House blessings, such as the chalking of doors at Epiphany, are kept as a prayer to God for the household, not as an invocation of saints. A nine-day course of prayer is kept as prayer to God alone. All Souls (November 2) is adapted as remembrance of the departed and prayer for the bereaved, not as intercession for souls in purgatory.

'''Left out:''' Apparition devotions that rest on post-Reformation private revelation, such as Lourdes, Guadalupe as a devotion, and Pompeii; First Fridays and First Saturdays as promised devotions; the Sacred Heart and Corpus Christi as devotions involving adoration apart from reception; indulgences, including the Portiuncula indulgence; and collections or devotions that belong to Roman jurisdiction, such as Peter's Pence. Where a Fisheaters entry is a purely local or national custom of another country, it is noted as such rather than presented as an Anglican custom.

== See also ==

* [[Advent]]
* [[Saints and Holy Days]]
* [[Rogation Days]]
* [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]]
* [[Thirty-nine Articles]]

Advent Customs and Traditions

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MuseBot: New page: Advent customs and traditions in the Old High Church manner (original writing).

'''Advent''' is the season of preparation for the coming of Christ, both in the flesh at Christmas and again in glory at the last day. It begins on [[Advent]] Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which falls between November 27 and December 3, and it ends on Christmas Eve. The Collects of Advent pray chiefly for grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light. In the Old High Church manner the season is kept first by the Daily Office and the Sunday Collects, and only then by the household customs below, which are customs and not rules.

== The Sundays of Advent ==

The four Sundays carry the season. The first Sunday looks to the Second Coming; the Sundays that follow look, through the prophets and through St. John the Baptist, to the First Coming. The third Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for "Rejoice," taken from Philippians 4:4. It is the one Sunday on which rose vestments are sometimes used instead of violet or blue; the colour is a custom, not a Prayer Book rubric, and AnglicanWiki's Advent page already notes the debate over violet and Sarum blue.

Stir-up Sunday, the Sunday before Advent, takes its name from the Collect beginning "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord." In household use it has long been the day for stirring the Christmas pudding; the custom is harmless and homely, and it belongs to the kitchen rather than to the liturgy.

== Advent wreath and candles ==

A wreath of evergreen with four candles, one lit on each Sunday of Advent, is the commonest household Advent custom. It is a teaching aid, not a sacrament: the growing light marks the approach of Christmas, and the wreath itself is best used at family prayer, with the Collect of the Sunday and a portion of Scripture. A fifth, white candle for Christmas Day is sometimes added in the centre; it is optional.

== Advent calendars and the Jesse Tree ==

An Advent calendar, with a door or a verse for each day from December 1 to December 24, is kept in the same spirit: a daily, short reminder of the season for children. The Jesse Tree carries the same idea further. A bare branch or a small tree is hung, day by day, with symbols of the ancestors and forerunners of Christ — Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the rest — following the genealogy in St. Matthew chapter 1 and the prophecies of Isaiah. Both customs are modern in form and ancient in matter, and both are best tied to the Daily Office lessons for the day.

== The Nativity scene ==

A crèche, or Nativity scene, is set up during Advent and completed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The Old High Church custom is to build it gradually: the stable and the animals first, Mary and Joseph arriving as Advent advances, and the Christ Child and the shepherds only at Christmas, with the Wise Men arriving at the Epiphany. The point is the same as the Jesse Tree — to let the house itself rehearse the story in order, rather than to display a finished scene from the first Sunday.

== Saints and days in Advent, in order ==

'''December 4, St. Barbara.''' A commemoration of an early martyr, kept in some calendars and not in the Prayer Book calendar. She may be remembered as an example of steadfastness under persecution. Nothing is asked of her.

'''December 5–6, St. Nicholas Eve and Day.''' St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 6. He is remembered for charity to the poor, and the household custom of a small gift, a stocking, or an act of secret charity on his eve belongs to that example. It is not a second Christmas, and it does not displace the coming feast.

'''December 7, St. Ambrose.''' Bishop of Milan and teacher of the faith, remembered in some calendars for his hymns and his defence of the Church's freedom. An optional commemoration.

'''December 8, the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.''' This day stands in the historic Prayer Book calendar. In Old High Church use it is kept as a commemoration of Mary as the mother of our Lord, chosen by grace, and not as the Roman dogma of the Immaculate Conception proclaimed in 1854, which teaches that Mary herself was conceived without original sin. No petition is addressed to her, and no doctrine beyond Scripture and the Creeds is added to the day.

'''December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe.''' Not a Prayer Book feast. It belongs to the devotional life of Mexico and to Roman apparition devotion, and it is not carried over as an Anglican observance. A family with Mexican heritage may still note the day culturally; it is not presented here as a feast of the Church.

'''December 13, St. Lucy, and the Advent Ember Days.''' St. Lucy, a martyr of Syracuse, is remembered on December 13, and her day gives its name to the Advent Ember Days: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following it. The Ember Days are Prayer Book fasts, kept for prayer for those to be ordained and for all Christians in their vocation. In household use they are days of simpler food and of prayer for the ministry, not of any special devotion to St. Lucy herself.

'''December 16–24, Las Posadas and the Novena de Aguinaldos.''' These are the household customs of Mexico, Central America, and Colombia in the nine days before Christmas: a nightly procession seeking lodging, as Mary and Joseph sought lodging in Bethlehem, and a nightly course of prayer and song. They are included here as cultural customs that a family may adopt in adapted form — prayer to God, Scripture, and song — and not as liturgical observances of the Prayer Book.

'''December 17–23, the O Antiphons, or Golden Nights.''' At Evening Prayer in the week before Christmas, the ''Magnificat'' is sung with one of seven great antiphons, each beginning "O": O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Dayspring, O King of the Nations, O Emmanuel. These antiphons are scriptural in matter and belong to the Daily Office itself; they are the finest of the Advent customs, and they need no addition. In the Old High Church manner they are sung, not prayed to any saint.

'''December 21, St. Thomas the Apostle.''' St. Thomas stands in the Prayer Book calendar on December 21. He is remembered as the apostle who doubted and then confessed, "My Lord and my God," and his day in dark December is a fitting reminder that faith is given, not manufactured, in the season of waiting.

== What is not in an Old High Church Advent ==

Rorate Masses, as a votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin before dawn, are not carried over: the Daily Office of Advent, with its Collects and lessons, already gives the season its early-morning shape, and no votive Mass to the Virgin is appointed by the Prayer Book. First Saturdays and other promised devotions attached to Marian apparitions are likewise left out. The season's penitential character is kept in the Prayer Book way — by the Collects, by simpler living, and by the Ember fasts — rather than by a second Lent imposed on the household.

== See also ==

* [[Advent]]
* [[Saints and Holy Days]]
* [[Book of Common Prayer (1928)]]
* [[Thirty-nine Articles]]

Customs and Traditions of the Liturgical Year

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MuseBot: New page: REC Old High Church customs and traditions of the liturgical year (original writing, season index and adaptation rule).

Spiritual communion

2026-10-20T13:34:12Z

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{{Short description|Christian practice related to Holy Communion}}
[[File:Jesus mit Brot und Wein von Wilhelm List.png|thumb|''Jesus with Bread and Wine'' by Wilhelm List ({{circa|1905}})]]
'''Spiritual communion''' is a Christian practice of desiring union with [[Jesus Christ]] in the [[Eucharist]]. It is used as a preparation for [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] and by individuals who cannot receive [[Holy Communion]].<ref name="Tovey2016">Tovey, Phillip. ''The Theory and Practice of Extended Communion''. (Routledge, 24 February 2016). p. 61. ISBN 9781317014201. "Spiritual Communion is another part of the Anglican tradition. The 1549 Prayer Book said that if the person is so sick as to be unable to receive the elements but is repentant, they eat and drink spiritually. This statement is incorporated into many prayer books of the Communion. Anglican devotional material developed this into a set of prayers."</ref>

This practice is well established in [[Lutheran]],<ref name="SSELC2020">"Spiritual Communion". St. Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pompano Beach, Florida. https://www.ststephenlutheran.net/uploads/3/4/4/8/34488838/spiritual_communion.pdf. (accessed 16 April 2020)</ref> [[Anglican]], and [[Methodist]] churches, as well as in the [[Catholic Church]], where it has been highly recommended by many saints, according to [[Pope John Paul II]].<ref name="Tovey2016"/><ref name="Lewis2020"/> He explained that practicing this constant desire for Jesus in the Eucharist is rooted in the ultimate perfection of eucharistic communion, which is the ultimate goal of every human desire.<ref name="Pagán2020"/>

The practice of spiritual communion has been especially used by Christians in times of [[persecution of Christians|persecution]], such as during the era of [[Persecution of Christians in the Eastern Bloc|state atheism in the Eastern Bloc]], as well as in times of plague, such as during the recent [[COVID-19 pandemic]], when many Christians were unable to attend Mass, and could not receive the Eucharist on the [[Lord's Day]].<ref name="Pagán2020"/>

==Doctrine==
[[Thomas Aquinas]] defined spiritual communion as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the [[Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church|Holy Sacrament]] and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him." The basis of this practice was explained by [[Pope John Paul II]] in his [[encyclical]], ''[[Ecclesia de Eucharistia]]'':

{{quote|In the Eucharist, "unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union." Precisely for this reason it is good to ''cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist''. This was the origin of the practice of "spiritual communion", which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. Saint [[Teresa of Jesus]] wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you" [emphasis in the original].<ref>"Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003) | John Paul II". http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_eccl-de-euch.html</ref>}}

Thus, the passionate [[desire (philosophy)|desire]] for [[God]], whom the saints have seen as the Sole Satisfier, and who in the Eucharist is the "summit and source of the Christian life", is at the root of this practice. The experience of [[Padre Pio]] illustrates the compelling desire felt by the saints in the face of the drawing and attracting power of God's love: {{quote|My heart feels as if it were being drawn by a superior force each morning just before uniting with Him in the Blessed Sacrament. I have such a thirst and hunger before receiving Him that it's a wonder I don't die of anxiety. I was hardly able to reach the Divine Prisoner in order to celebrate Mass. When Mass ended I remained with Jesus to render Him thanks. My thirst and hunger do not diminish after I have received Him in the Blessed Sacrament, but rather, increase steadily. Oh, how sweet was the conversation I held with Paradise this morning. The heart of Jesus and my own, if you will pardon the expression, fused. They were no longer two hearts beating but only one. My heart disappeared as if it were a drop in the ocean.<ref name="fatima037">"3: Jesus In Me", in ''Jesus Our Eucharistic Love''. http://www.fatima.org/joel/jo-pg037.asp. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180416223502/http://www.fatima.org/joel/jo-pg037.asp (archived 16 April 2018)</ref>}}

[[Jean-Marie Vianney]] compared spiritual communion to blowing on fire and embers that are starting to go out in order to make them burn again: {{quote|There are some who make a spiritual communion every day with blessed bread. If we are deprived of Sacramental Communion, let us replace it, as far as we can, by spiritual communion, which we can make every moment; for we ought to have always a burning desire to receive the good God. Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that has still plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire burns again. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual communion. When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.}}

[[Josemaría Escrivá]] taught spiritual communions improve [[presence of God]]: "What a source of grace there is in spiritual Communion! Practise it frequently and you'll have more presence of God and closer union with him in your life."<ref>Escriva, The Way, 540. Sinag Tala Publishers, Manila. {{ISBN|971-554-017-1}}</ref> He also taught: "Do not neglect to say, 'Jesus, I love you', and make one spiritual communion, at least, each day, in atonement for all the profanations and sacrileges he suffers because he wants to be with us."<ref>Escriva, Furrow, 689. Sinag Tala Publishers, Manila. {{ISBN|971-117-040-X}}.</ref>

According to Catholic theologians, the value of a spiritual communion can be as great as Holy Communion itself. Stefano Manelli wrote: {{quote|Spiritual Communion, as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Alphonsus Liguori teach, produces effects similar to Sacramental Communion, according to the dispositions with which it is made, the greater or less earnestness with which Jesus is desired, and the greater or less love with which Jesus is welcomed and given due attention.A special advantage of Spiritual Communion is that we can make it as often as we like – even hundreds of times a day – when we like – even late at night – and wherever we like – even in a desert, or up in an airplane.<ref name="fatima037"/>}}

The [[Church of England]], mother church of the [[Anglican Communion]], teaches with regard to spiritual communion that "Believers who cannot physically receive the sacrament are to be assured that they are partakers by faith of the Body and Blood of Christ and of the benefits he conveys to us by them."<ref>"Ministry to the Sick". [[Church of England]]. https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/ministry-sick. (accessed 21 March 2020)</ref>

The [[Methodist Church in Great Britain]] teaches that "Spiritual Communion is a practice where we entrust ourselves to God in prayer, pledging ourselves to God once more as disciples and praying that God might give us spiritually the same grace we share when we physically receive Holy Communion."<ref name="MCGB2020"/> The practice is consistent with [[Methodist theology]], which holds that God can impart grace "with or without physical means: God can work through anything or indeed nothing."<ref name="MCGB2020">"Spiritual Communion". [[Methodist Church in Great Britain]]. p. 1. https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/16700/spiritual-communion.pdf. (accessed 15 April 2020)</ref>

==Examples==

According to the official Catholic handbook ([[Enchiridion Indulgentiarum|enchiridion]]) for [[indulgences]], "an Act of Spiritual Communion, according to any pious formula, is enriched with a [[partial indulgence]]."

It also specifically mentions this ''Act of Spiritual Communion'', which was recommended by [[Alphonsus Liguori]]:

{{quote|My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. Amen.}}

Cardinal [[Rafael Merry del Val]] composed this spiritual communion:

{{quote|At Thy feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself and I offer Thee repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its nothingness and in Thy holy presence. I adore Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to receive Thee into the poor dwelling that my heart offers Thee. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion, I wish to possess Thee in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to Thee! May Thy love embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. Amen.}}<ref>"The Spiritual Communion." ''Vatican News''. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/prayers/the-spiritual-communion.html</ref>

Another example is:

{{quote|As I cannot this day enjoy the happiness of assisting at the holy Mysteries, O my God! I transport myself in spirit at the foot of Thine altar; I unite with the Church, which by the hands of the priest, offers Thee Thine adorable Son in the Holy Sacrifice; I offer myself with Him, by Him, and in His Name. I adore, I praise, and thank Thee, imploring Thy mercy, invoking Thine assistance, and presenting Thee the homage I owe Thee as my Creator, the love due to Thee as my Savior.

Apply to my soul, I beseech Thee, O merciful Jesus, Thine infinite merits; apply them also to those for whom I particularly wish to pray. I desire to communicate spiritually, that Thy Blood may purify, Thy Flesh strengthen, and Thy Spirit sanctify me. May I never forget that Thou, my divine Redeemer, hast died for me; may I die to all that is not Thee, that hereafter I may live eternally with Thee. Amen.<ref>"ASSISTING IN ABSENTIA (Absentia.HTM)". http://www.dailycatholic.org/absentia.htm</ref>}}

[[Piarist]] fathers have taught this short act of spiritual communion, popularized by Josemaría Escrivá:

{{quote|I wish, Lord, to receive you with the purity, humility and devotion with which your most holy Mother received you, with the spirit and fervour of the saints.<ref>"Opus dei - Saint Josemaría". http://www.josemariaescriva.info/article/23-4-1912</ref>}}

Prayers taken from the ''A Form of Spiritual Communion'' of the [[Diocese of Malaita]] of the [[Anglican Communion]] are as follows:<ref name="Wood1916">Cecil Wood. "A Form of Spiritual Communion Compiled by the Bishop of Melanesia". Wilson & Horton. 1916. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/wood_communion1916.html. (accessed 27 January 2017)</ref>

{{quote|In union, O Dear Lord, with the faithful at every Altar of Thy Church, where Thy blessed Body and Blood are being offered to the Father, I desire to offer Thee praise and thanksgiving. I present to Thee my soul and body, with the earnest wish that I may ever be united to Thee. And since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I beseech Thee to come spiritually into my heart. I unite myself to Thee, and embrace Thee with all the affections of my soul. O let nothing ever separate me from Thee. Let me live and die in Thy love. Amen.<ref name="Wood1916"/>}}

{{quote|Grant, O Lord Jesus Christ, that as the hem of Thy garment, touched in faith, healed the woman who could not touch Thy Body, so the soul of Thy servant may be healed by like faith in Thee, Whom I cannot now sacramentally receive; through Thy tender mercy, Who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost ever one God. Amen.<ref name="Wood1916"/>}}

Mitchell Lewis, a Methodist [[elder (Methodism)|elder]], authored an act of spiritual communion for use in the [[Methodist]] tradition:<ref name="Lewis2020">Lewis, Mitchell. "An Act of Spiritual Communion". Wordpress. 20 March 2020. https://milewis.wordpress.com/2020/03/20/an-act-of-spiritual-communion/. (accessed 21 March 2020)</ref>
{{quote|My Jesus, I love you above all things. How I long to receive you with my brothers and sisters at the table you have prepared. Since I cannot at this moment receive you in bread and wine according to your promise in the sacrament of Holy Communion, I ask you to feed me with the manna of your Holy Spirit and nourish me with your Holy presence. I unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from your love. Amen.<ref name="Lewis2020"/>}}

St. Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church, a congregation of the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] in [[Pompano Beach]], published the following act of spiritual communion:<ref name="SSELC2020"/>
{{quotation|Lord Jesus, we desire earnestly to experience your love as guests at the heavenly feast you have prepared for your children on earth in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. As were are not able on this day to be gathered at your Table, may we receive you into our hearts by faith, trusting the word of your promise, that "those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." Strengthen our faith, increase our love and hope; and after this life grant us a place at your heavenly table, where we shall eat of the eternal manna, and drink of the river of your pleasure forevermore. Hear us for your own Name's sake. Amen.<ref name="SSELC2020"/>}}

==Usage==
{{see also|Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion}}
The practice of spiritual communion is used by Christians, especially Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans and Methodists, when they have been unable to receive the Holy Communion, especially in times of sickness and during [[persecution of Christians|persecution]] by states hostile towards religion.<ref name="Pagán2020">Pagán, Jonathan Warren. "Spiritual Communion During the COVID-19 Pandemic". Anglican Compass. 21 March 2020. https://anglicanpastor.com/spiritual-communion-during-the-covid-19-pandemic</ref><ref name="MCGB2020"/><ref name="SSELC2020"/> Anglican priest Jonathan Warren Pagán cited the joy [[Walter Ciszek]] experienced by making spiritual communion during the era of [[state atheism]] in the Soviet Union that resulted in the [[persecution of Christians in the Eastern Bloc]].<ref name="Pagán2020"/>

Referencing theology related to the [[Body of Christ]] and the [[real presence of Christ in the Eucharist]], Anglican priest Jonathan Warren Pagán wrote that "Gathered worship in word and sacrament is therefore not an optional add-on for Christians" though the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] rendered it necessary to move to online formats for the common good.<ref name="Pagán2020"/> He encouraged the practice of spiritual communion amidst the pandemic, especially during the Anglican service of [[Morning Prayer (Anglican)|morning prayer]].<ref name="Pagán2020"/> [[Pope Francis]] also suggested that the faithful say spiritual communion prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic, which renewed interest in the practice;<ref>Lamb, Christopher; Heneghan, Tom; Pongratz-Lippitt, Christa; Luxmoore, Jonathan; Roberts, James. "Pope Francis urges Catholics to unite in spiritual communion". [[The Tablet]]. 15 March 2020. https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/12597/pope-francis-urges-catholics-to-unite-in-spiritual-communion. (accessed 21 March 2020)</ref><ref name="Wooden2020">Wooden, Cindy. "Public Mass ban in Italy leads to new focus on 'spiritual Communion'". [[Crux (online newspaper)|Crux]]. 17 March 2020. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2020/03/public-mass-ban-in-italy-leads-to-new-focus-on-spiritual-communion. (accessed 21 March 2020)</ref> Methodist clergy have also encouraged spiritual communion.<ref name="Lewis2020"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Sacrament of Penance]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/blsac4.htm EWTN on spiritual communion]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100725061859/http://www.cuf.org/FaithFacts/details_view.asp?ffID=236 Catholic United for the Faith]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130121160758/http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/communion.htm Two hearts network]
*[http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/spiritual-communion.html Our Catholic prayers]
*[http://www.sacredheartofjesus.ca/Theology/spiritualCommunion.htm Bishop Roman Danylak, Eastern Catholic Church (Ukraine)]
*[http://www.todayscatholicworld.com/spiritual-communion.htm The Spiritual Combat]
*[https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/16700/spiritual-communion.pdf Spiritual Communion - Methodist Church in Great Britain]

{{Catholic Prayers}}

[[Category:Catholic spirituality]]
[[Category:Christian prayer]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic prayers]]
[[Category:Lutheran liturgy and worship]]
[[Category:Methodism]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]

[[it:Eucaristia#Comunione spirituale]]

Women in Combat Statement (Reformed Episcopal Church)

2026-10-20T13:34:10Z

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The '''Women in Combat Statement''' is a 2017 resolution issued by the '''Reformed Episcopal Council of Bishops''' addressing theological, moral, and social concerns related to the assignment of women to combat roles in the United States Armed Forces. Adopted on '''14 December 2017''', the statement reflects the REC’s commitment to classical Anglican anthropology, the complementarity of the sexes, and the historic Christian understanding of the family and social order.

The resolution was written in response to recent U.S. policy changes opening all military combat specialties to women and the potential inclusion of women in the military draft.

== Background ==
In 2015, the United States Department of Defense lifted restrictions that had previously barred women from direct ground combat roles. Subsequent legislative discussions considered extending Selective Service requirements to women.

The Reformed Episcopal Church, grounded in historic Anglican teaching, responded with a formal theological and moral critique rooted in Scripture and the doctrine of divinely created sexual complementarity. The REC has historically affirmed the equal dignity of men and women as image-bearers of God while upholding distinct, complementary roles in family, church, and society.

== Summary ==
The statement affirms:

* The equal dignity of men and women as created in the image of God.
* The complementary distinctions between male and female as part of God’s design.
* The husband’s vocation as leader, provider, and protector within the family.
* The wife’s vocation as nurturer, supporter, and life-giver.
* The unique gift of motherhood.

The statement opposes:

* Policies that erase sexual distinction in the name of interchangeability.
* Assigning women to combat roles.
* Any legislative effort to draft women into military service.

The bishops express gratitude for women serving in non-combat military roles and call for prayer for all members of the armed forces.

== Full Text of the 2017 Resolution ==
<blockquote>'''Resolution on Women in Combat''' '''Reformed Episcopal Council of Bishops'''

''WHEREAS'', the President and Congress have moved the United States military services to abandon their historic policy of limiting combat military service to males and are now recruiting, training and assigning women to combat roles; and

''WHEREAS'', God created man in His own image, as male and female with specific and complementary characteristics (Genesis 1:27), so that male and female in relation constitute a complete expression of the divine order of humanity; and

''WHEREAS'', the equality of male and female, as to dignity and worth arising from their creation in the image of God, is fully consistent with distinction of function between male and female; and

''WHEREAS'', the Church has understood the Scriptures to teach that the basic unit of society is the family, wherein the husband as head has the primary responsibility of leader, provider and sacrificial protector, and the wife has the primary responsibility of supporter, nurturer and life-giver (1 Corinthians 11:2-16; Ephesians 5:22-32); and

''WHEREAS'', it is the special gift of God to women that they bear children for the preservation of the human race and the glory of God, and the policy of placing women in combat is destructive to the exercise of that gift; and

''WHEREAS'', there is currently a bill before the United States Congress that would include women in the military draft, to which women in the Reformed Episcopal Church have conscientious objection; therefore, be it

''RESOLVED'', that the Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church do with loyal respect and deep concern, warn against and oppose any laws and policies, which would substitute sexual interchangeability for the aforementioned complementary but distinct responsibilities of male and female; and

''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED'', that we give deepest gratitude and honor to those courageous women who have served their country in military support roles, especially those who have served in harm’s way; and

''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED'', that we commit our prayer support to all military members and families serving this great nation around the world; and

''BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED'', that we call upon the President, Congress and all military leaders to reverse the present policy and to restore the historic limitation of military combat service to males only.

''Presented by the Reformed Episcopal Council of Bishops'' ''Received and adopted by the General Committee'' ''December 14, 2017''</blockquote>

== Citation ==
* ''Resolution on Women in Combat'', Reformed Episcopal Council of Bishops (2017). "Women in Combat Statement". :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0

== See Also ==

* [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]
* [[Biblical Anthropology (Anglican Theology)]]
* [[Statements of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
* [[Anglican Social Teachings]]

Winfield Mott

2026-10-20T13:34:08Z

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{{short description|American Anglican bishop}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Winfield Mott
| title = Bishop of the West
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America|Anglican]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Reformed Episcopal Diocese of the West]]
| see =
| term = 2011–2016
| predecessor =
| successor =

| ordination =
| ordinated_by =
| consecration = 2011
| consecrated_by =
| rank =

| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_post =
}}

'''Winfield Mott''' is an American Anglican bishop. He is a bishop in the [[Anglican Church in North America]] (ACNA) and the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]].<ref>"Our Leadership". http://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref> He became the second bishop of the [[Reformed Episcopal Diocese of the West]] in 2011. He was briefly the first Vicar General of the [[Convocation of the West]] of the [[Missionary Diocese of All Saints]] in 2016.<ref>"Our Leadership". https://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref> He was succeeded by Canon Michael Lenfied.<ref>[https://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php Anglican Convocation of the West Official Website]</ref>

==Biography==
Mott was previously a parish priest in [[Deming, New Mexico|Deming]] and [[Silver City, New Mexico]] from 2000 until 2011. He serves as a member of ACNA's Ecumenical Relations Task Force and the ACNA Immigration Task Force.<ref>"Our Leadership". http://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref>

In 2011, Mott, the formerly co-adjutor bishop of the West, became diocesan bishop upon Boyce's retirement.<ref>"Our Leadership". https://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref> Anticipating Mott's retirement in 2016,<ref>"Convocation Status". https://anglicancow.org/pages/posts/bishops-letter-convocation-status-3.php. (accessed 10 February 2016)</ref> and without the support of REC bishops to elect a diocesan bishop necessary for the diocese to continue, the standing committee of the Diocese of the West voted unanimously to transition from an REC diocese into a convocation within the [[Missionary Diocese of All Saints]].<ref>"Convocation Status". https://anglicancow.org/pages/posts/bishops-letter-convocation-status-3.php. (accessed 10 February 2016)</ref> The last synod of the Diocese of the West was held on April 5–6, 2016, and the organizing synod of the [[Convocation of the West]] was on April 6–7, 2016, and overlapping the concluding synod of the Diocese of the West. At the organizing synod, Mott was elected the Vicar General.<ref>"For Immediate Release: Anglican Convocation of the West". https://anglicancow.org/pages/posts/for-immediate-release-anglican-convocation-of-the-west-13.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref>

In 2011, he was elected vicar-general for ACNA's [[Anglican Diocese of the Southwest]]. He became their first Vicar General upon their admission at ACNA as a full member diocese in June 2013.<ref>"Our Leadership". http://anglicancow.org/pages/about-us/our-leadership.php. (accessed 10 April 2016)</ref> He held office both as bishop of the REC Diocese of the West and as Vicar General of the Anglican Diocese of the Southwest, which he was until 2014.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{S-rel|ac}}
{{S-bef|before= Diocese created}}
{{S-ttl|title= Vicar General of the Diocese of the Southwest|years=2013–2014}}
{{S-aft|after= [[Mark Zimmerman]] (as first bishop)}}
{{S-bef|before= [[Richard Boyce (bishop)|Richard Boyce]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Reformed Episcopal Diocese of the West|Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of the West]]|years=2011–2016}}
{{S-aft|after= Diocese transitioned to the [[Convocation of the West]]}}
{{S-bef|before= [[Convocation of the West]] created}}
{{S-ttl|title= Vicar General of the [[Convocation of the West]]|years=2016–present}}
{{S-aft|after= Michael Lenfield}}

{{End}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mott, Winfield}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:People from Luna County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:People from Silver City, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:21st-century American bishops]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]

{{US-Anglican-bishop-stub}}

Willie Hill (bishop)

2026-10-20T13:34:05Z

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{{Short description|American Anglican bishop}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Willie J. Hill Jr.
| title = Bishop Ordinary of the Southeast
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]] [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|REC Southeast]]
| see =
| term = 2022–present
| predecessor = [[William White (bishop of the Southeast)|William White]]
| successor =

| ordination = 1982 (diaconate) 1984 (priesthood)
| consecration = 2022
| consecrated_by = [[Foley Beach]]
| rank =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1951}}
| birth_place = [[Moncks Corner, South Carolina]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
}}
'''Willie James Hill Jr.''' (born 1951) is an American [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] bishop currently serving as bishop ordinary of the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]'s [[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|Diocese of the Southeast]] and as rector of [[St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]].

==Early life, education, and family==

Hill was born in [[Moncks Corner, South Carolina|Moncks Corner]] to Willie J. Hill Sr. and Gladys Hill and raised in the Reformed Episcopal Church.<ref name="hill-consecration-cummins">"Bishop Willie J. Hill". ''The Flame''. CUMMINS MEMORIAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. 8 September 2022. https://www.cumminstheoseminary.org/_files/ugd/26cfc5_f0d973d395af42e19deac33c88cfbf96.pdf. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref> He married Gale in 1974 and has three adult children and six grandchildren.<ref name="hill-interview-youtube">"Interview of Rev. Willie J. Hill, Jr. of St. John Reformed Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC". ''Youtube''. Norym Ent.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs7dEEz9sFQ. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref> Hill studied at [[Reformed Episcopal Seminary]] in Philadelphia and received degrees from [[Cummins Memorial Theological Seminary]] in Summerville, South Carolina, in 1981, as well as from [[Eastern University (United States)|Eastern University]] in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.<ref name="hill-election-aquila">Collins, Charles A.. "Bishop Coadjutor Elected for the Diocese of the Southeast". ''The Aquila Report''. 5 March 2022. https://theaquilareport.com/bishop-coadjutor-elected-for-the-diocese-of-the-southeast/. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref>

==Ordained ministry==

Hill began ordained ministry in 1982 in the Reformed Episcopal Church and served parishes in Pennsylvania and South Carolina.<ref name="hill-election-aquila" />

He was appointed rector of St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church in 2013 and launched new initiatives to engage the surrounding [[Ansonborough]] community. “The truth is there is no vision for a future if we maintain that mindset,” he said. “That is one of the symptoms of a dying church.” He welcomed visiting college [[Gospel music|gospel choirs]] to sing in St. John's sanctuary and added a midday [[Bible study (Christianity)|Bible study]] for elderly members who could not travel to evening events.<ref name="gentrification">Dennis, Rickey Ciapha. "Historic downtown Charleston church surviving gentrification, internal struggles". ''The Post and Courier''. 10 February 2019. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/historic-downtown-charleston-church-surviving-gentrification-internal-struggles/article_9a97349e-2b03-11e9-9846-838028f415a9.html. (accessed 11 July 2022)</ref>

==Episcopal ministry==
On 28 February 2022, Hill was elected bishop co-adjutor with the right to succeed Bishop Ordinary [[William White (bishop of the Southeast)|William White]] upon his retirement.<ref name="hill-election-aquila" /><ref name="hill-election-abcnews">Dillane, Matt. "New bishop elected for Reformed Episcopal Diocese of the Southeast". ''ABC4 News''. 28 February 2022. https://abcnews4.com/news/local/new-bishop-elected-for-reformed-episcopal-diocese-of-the-southeast. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref> Hill's election received consent from the [[Anglican Church in North America]] College of Bishops on 13 June 2022,<ref name="hill-election-acna-consent">"COLLEGE CONSENTS TO ELECTION OF THREE BISHOPS". Anglican Church in North America. https://anglicanchurch.net/college-consents-to-election-of-three-bishops/. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref> and he was consecrated on 13 August 2022 at Grace Reformed Episcopal Church in Moncks Corner. ACNA Archbishop [[Foley Beach]] was the chief consecrator, and REC Presiding Bishop [[Ray Sutton]] was the consecration preacher.<ref name="hill-consecration-acna">"CONSECRATION OF BISHOP COADJUTOR WILLIE J. HILL". Anglican Church in North America. 17 August 2022. https://anglicanchurch.net/consecration-of-bishop-coadjutor-william-j-hill/. (accessed 27 October 2022)</ref><ref name="hill-consecration-cummins" /> In September 2022, White retired and Sutton installed Hill as bishop ordinary during the diocese's annual synod.<ref name="hill-installation">Sutton, Ray. "Report of the Bishop Ordinary". ''Reports for the One Hundred Fifteenth Synod''. Diocese of Mid-America. October 5, 2022. p. 13. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5665ac3ce4b07298bc144cf6/t/633c9dc96c319d33ae109edc/1664916938537/115Reports.pdf. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|ac}}
{{S-bef|before=[[William White (bishop of the Southeast)|William White]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|IX REC Bishop of the Southeast]]|years=2022–present}}
{{S-inc}}
{{S-end}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Willie}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
[[Category:Christians from South Carolina]]
[[Category:African-American Christian clergy]]
[[Category:People from Moncks Corner, South Carolina]]

William White (bishop of the Southeast)

2026-10-20T13:34:03Z

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{{Short description|American Anglican bishop}}
{{distinguish|William White (bishop of Pennsylvania)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = William J. White
| title = Bishop of the Southeast
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]] [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|REC Southeast]]
| see =
| term = 2020–2022
| predecessor = [[Alphonza Gadsden]]
| successor = [[Willie Hill (bishop)|Willie J. Hill Jr.]]

| ordination =
| consecration = January 17, 2009
| consecrated_by = [[Leonard W. Riches]]
| rank =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1947}}
| birth_place = [[St. Stephen, South Carolina]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
}}
'''William Joseph White''' (born 1947) is an American [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] bishop who served as [[bishop|bishop ordinary]] of the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]'s [[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|Diocese of the Southeast]].

==Biography==
White was born in [[St. Stephen, South Carolina]]. He received his M.Div. from [[Cummins Theological Seminary]] in [[Summerville, South Carolina]]. He served several churches in the Diocese of the Southeast as a [[presbyter]] before being elected as suffragan bishop in the diocese.<ref name="white-profile">"Meet Our Bishop". ''Diocese of the Southeast''. http://rec-dse.org/bishop_bio.html. (accessed 17 November 2022)</ref>

On January 17, 2009, White was consecrated as the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of the Southeast at New Israel Reformed Episcopal Church in Charleston. REC Presiding Bishop [[Leonard W. Riches]] was the chief consecrator, joined by [[Sanco Rembert|Sanco K. Rembert]], [[Alphonza Gadsden]], [[Royal U. Grote Jr.]], [[David L. Hicks]], and [[Ray Sutton|Ray R. Sutton]].<ref name="rec-2017">"Consecrations of Bishops". ''Journal of the Proceedings of the Fifty-Fifth General Council of the Reformed Episcopal Church'' (2017): p. 209. http://www.rechurch.org/documents/GCJournals/GCREC55.pdf. (accessed 16 November 2022)</ref>

White was elected bishop coadjutor in 2015, and on December 12, 2020, he succeeded Gadsden as the eighth bishop ordinary of the Southeast.<ref name="white-profile" /> In September 2022, White retired. Bishop co-adjutor [[Willie Hill (bishop)|Willie J. Hill Jr.]] was installed to succeed White as the ninth bishop ordinary during the diocese's annual synod.<ref name="hill-installation">Sutton, Ray. "Report of the Bishop Ordinary". ''Reports for the One Hundred Fifteenth Synod''. Diocese of Mid-America. October 5, 2022. p. 13. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5665ac3ce4b07298bc144cf6/t/633c9dc96c319d33ae109edc/1664916938537/115Reports.pdf. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref>

==Personal life==

White married Vivian Jenkins in 1970; she died in 2018. They have two surviving children and one deceased child. In 2020, White was remarried to Gail Wilson.<ref name="white-profile" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://rec-dse.org/bishop_bio.html Diocesan website profile]

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|ac}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Alphonza Gadsden]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church)|VIII REC Bishop of the Southeast]]|years=2020–2022}}
{{S-after|after=[[Willie Hill (bishop)|Willie J. Hill Jr.]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:White, William Joseph}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
[[Category:African-American Christian clergy]]

William J. Skilton

2026-10-20T13:34:01Z

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{{short description|American Anglican bishop (born 1940)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = William Jones Skilton
| honorific_suffix = D.D.
| title = [[Anglican Diocese of South Carolina|Retired Suffragan Bishop of South Carolina]]
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| province =
| metropolis =
| diocese = [[Anglican Diocese of South Carolina]]
| see =
| elected = October 7, 1995
| term = 1996–2006 ([[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (before 2012)|Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina]])
| quashed = 
| predecessor =
| successor =
| opposed =
| other_post =

| ordination = January 23, 1966
| ordained_by = [[Gray Temple]]
| consecration = March 2, 1996
| consecrated_by = [[Edmond L. Browning]]
| rank =
| laicized =

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|08|16}}
| birth_place = [[Havana]], [[Cuba]]
| death_date = 
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| buried = 
| resting_place_coordinates =
| nationality =American/Cuban born]
| religion = [[Anglicanism|Anglican]]
| residence =
| parents = William Edward Skilton & Blandina Springs Jones
| spouse = DeborahTillman Causey ''(m. 2017 Lynda Dale Padgett m.1963 d. 2015'')
| children = 2
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| education =
| alma_mater =
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}}
'''William Jones Skilton''' (born August 16, 1940)<ref>''The Skilton Family Reunion'', p. 308. Doctor Henry Skilton Association.</ref> is an American Anglican bishop. He was the first suffragan bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (before 2012)|Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina]].

==Biography==
Skilton was born in [[Havana]], [[Cuba]]. He arrived in the [[United States]] at the age of 16 and studied at [[The Citadel]], from where he graduated in 1962. He also studied at the [[University of the South]] and graduated in theology in 1965.<ref>[http://spckusa.org/?p=31 "The Rt Rev William Skilton Receives Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity at The Citadel"], ''[[The Living Church]]'', 22 May 2006. Retrieved on 21 June 2020.</ref> He was ordained deacon in 1965 and priest on January 23, 1966 in [[Old St. Andrew's Parish Church]], [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. After ordination, he served as vicar of All Saints' Church in [[La Romana, Dominican Republic]] until 1972. He then became priest-in-charge of [[Church of the Cross|Holy Trinity and Cross Church]] in [[Bluffton, South Carolina]] and from 1973 and 1976, he also subsequently served as canon of the cathedral chapter of the [[Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul (Charleston, South Carolina)|Cathedral of St Luke and St Paul]]. In 1976, he became rector of Trinity Church in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. In 1985, he returned to the [[Dominican Republic]] to serve as vicar of Epiphany Church, among other posts. From 1988 till 1996, he served as rector of St Thomas' Church in [[North Charleston, South Carolina]].<ref>"South Carolina Elects Suffragan Bishop". ''[[The Living Church]]'' 211 (29 October 1995): pp. 6</ref>

He was elected Suffragan Bishop of South Carolina, the first to hold such a post, on October 7, 1995, on the forth ballot. He was then consecrated on March 2, 1996 by Presiding Bishop [[Edmond L. Browning]], in the [[Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul (Charleston, South Carolina)|Cathedral of St Luke and St Paul]]. He retired on December 31, 2006. Later it was revealed that he was asked to resign by Standing Committee of the diocese, to make way for the election of [[Mark Lawrence (bishop)|Mark Lawrence]] as diocesan bishop.<ref>Caldwell, R. J. (2017). ''A History of the Episcopal Church Schism in South Carolina'', p. 61. Wipf and Stock Publishers, Eugene, OR. {{ISBN|1532618859}}.</ref> He was awarded a [[Doctor of Divinity]] from [[The Citadel]] in 2006.

He resigned his orders at the Episcopal Church, on effect since 6 December 2020, due to his opposition to what he regards as the liberal theology of the church. He joined the [[Anglican Church in North America]] afterwards, being licensed to preach at the [[Anglican Diocese of South Carolina]], starting in January 2021.<ref>[https://virtueonline.org/south-carolina-episcopal-bishop-resigns-orders-episcopal-church South Carolina Episcopal Bishop Resigns Orders in The Episcopal Church, Virtue Online, 26 December 2020]</ref> He is currently a Retired Suffragan Bishop at the diocese.<ref>[https://adosc.org/profile/?smid=7045 William Skilton, Anglican Diocese of South Carolina Website]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/the_living_church/TLCarticle.pl?volume=212&issue=12&article_id=12 First Suffragan for South Carolina]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skilton, William J.}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cuban emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops]]
[[Category:Episcopal bishops of South Carolina]]
[[Category:21st-century American bishops]]

William H. Love

2026-10-20T13:33:57Z

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{{Short description|American prelate}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type =
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = William H. Love
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of the Living Word
| image = Bishop-bill-love-crop.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Love in 2021
| church = [[The Episcopal Church (United States)]] (2007-2021) [[Anglican Church in North America]] (2021-present)
| archdiocese =
| province =
| metropolis =
| diocese = [[Episcopal Diocese of Albany|Albany]] (2007-2021) [[Anglican Diocese of the Living Word|Living Word]] (2021-present)
| see =
| elected = ECUSA: 2006
| appointed = ACNA: April 3, 2021
| term =
| term_start = ECUSA: 2007
| quashed =
| term_end = ECUSA: 2021
| predecessor = ECUSA: [[Daniel Herzog]]
| opposed =
| successor = ECUSA: [[Jeremiah Williamson]]
| other_post = Coadjutor Bishop of Albany ''(2006-2007)''

| ordination = 1991 (diaconate) 1992 (priesthood)
| ordained_by =
| consecration = September 16, 2006
| consecrated_by = [[Frank Griswold]]

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|08|14}}
| birth_place = [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[United States]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| buried =
| religion = [[Continuing Anglicanism|Continuing Anglican]] (formerly [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopalian]])
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse = Colonel Karen Love ''(m. 1983)''
| children = 2
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| education =
| alma_mater =
}}
'''William Howard Love''' (born August 14, 1957, in [[Dallas, Texas]]) is an American prelate. Love was the ninth bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Albany]], and he served in that role from 2007 until January 31, 2021. Beginning in April 2021, Love has served as Assistant Bishop of the [[Anglican Diocese of the Living Word]].

Love is known for his support for a “traditional” definition of marriage and for his opposition to the blessing of same-sex unions; this stance led to his dismissal from the Episcopal Church. In October 2020, Love was found to have violated Episcopal Church doctrine and rules due to his refusal to permit same-sex unions to be blessed by clergy within the Albany diocese. Love resigned from his position as bishop effective February 1, 2021. Love later requested that he be released from ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church; that request was granted by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. In April 2021, Love was appointed Assistant Bishop of the [[Anglican Diocese of the Living Word]], a diocese within the [[Anglican Church in North America]], a denomination outside of the [[Anglican Communion]].

==Education, early career, and family==
According to the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, Love is a Texas native; he earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Southwest Texas State in 1980, a Master of Science degree in education from the State University of New York-Plattsburgh in 1988,<ref name="coadjutor">"ALBANY: William Howard Love consecrated bishop coadjutor". ''Episcopal Church''. September 24, 2006. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/article/albany-william-howard-love-consecrated-bishop-coadjutor</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2020}} and a master's degree in Divinity in 1991 from [[Nashotah House]].<ref name="ReferenceA">"Our Bishop – Episcopal Diocese of Albany". ''albanyepiscopaldiocese.org''. 24 May 2019. https://albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/bishop-love/</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2020}}

Love was ordained a [[deacon]] in 1991 and a [[priest]] in 1992.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He served as rector of St. Mary's Church in [[Lake Luzerne, New York]] for 14 years.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Prior to becoming a priest, he served as an intelligence officer in the Air Force.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>{{better source needed|date=March 2020}}

Love married retired Air Force Colonel Karen Love in 1983; the Loves have two children and several grandchildren.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany==
[[Image:ECUSA Albany.png|thumb|Location of the Diocese of Albany]]
Love was elected [[bishop coadjutor]] of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Albany]] on March 25, 2006;<ref name="coadjutor" /> he received the consent of the General Convention that summer in [[Columbus, Ohio]].<ref>"SUMMARY OF ACTIONS OF THE 75TH GENERAL CONVENTION". ''EpiscopalChurch.org''. July 2006. https://episcopalchurch.org/files/attached-files/summary_of_actions_gc2006_eng.pdf. (accessed March 21, 2020). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20200321072439/https://episcopalchurch.org/files/attached-files/summary_of_actions_gc2006_eng.pdf (archived March 21, 2020)</ref> Love was consecrated as bishop coadjutor by [[Presiding Bishop]] [[Frank Griswold]] on September 16, 2006, at the [[Empire State Plaza]] in Albany.<ref name="coadjutor" /> On February 4, 2007, Love was installed as the ninth bishop of Albany.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
[[File:Jefforts Schori and Love 1.JPG|thumb|right|Love with Presiding Bishop [[Katharine Jefferts Schori]] at the [[Cathedral of All Saints, Albany, New York]] in 2011]]
Love has consistently stood for an [[Orthodoxy|orthodox]] view of the Bible and for the stance of the Anglican Communion on matters of human sexuality.<ref name="Biancolli">Biancolli, Amy. "Facing a schism: A bishop, gay marriage and the Episcopal diocese of Albany". ''Times Union''. September 1, 2018. https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Facing-a-schism-A-bishop-gay-marriage-and-the-13196382.php. (accessed December 5, 2018)</ref> He asserts that "'the Bible is, in fact, the word of God. It’s not just some historic document that was written some 2,000-plus years ago, but [is] God’s revealed word.'"<ref name="Biancolli"/> Regarding marriage, Love adheres to an orthodox interpretation of Scripture, affirming that sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage and that marriage is an opposite-sex union. Love takes the view that homosexually-oriented persons should remain celibate.<ref name="Biancolli"/>

On January 19, 2008, Love celebrated the Eucharist at St. Andrew's Church in Albany while hosting a visit by [[Bonnie Anderson (Episcopalian)|Bonnie Anderson]], president of the Episcopal Church's House of Deputies. A [[dialogue]] followed between progressives from ''Via Media'' and the more conservative representatives of the church, and "stressed unity and communication". Both [[Liberalism|liberals]] and [[conservative]]s in the diocese praised Love for attending the event.<ref>Parry, Marc. "A fractured church seeking common faith: Episcopal leaders discuss -- and disagree on -- the role of gays in their communion," ''[[Albany Times Union]]'', January 20, 2008, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=656801 "A fractured church seeking common faith" in the ''Albany Times Union'']. Accessed January 22, 2008.</ref><ref>Parry, Marc. "Episcopal aide seeks to mend relations: House of Deputies president visits Albany as church faces rift", ''[[Albany Times Union]]'', January 18, 2008, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?storyID=656277&newsdate=1/22/2008&BCCode=MBTA "Episcopal aide" in the ''Albany Times Union'']. Accessed January 22, 2008.</ref><ref>Parry, Marc. "Key U.S. Episcopalian to speak in Albany", ''[[Albany Times Union]]'', January 17, 2008, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?storyID=656010&newsdate=1/22/2008&BCCode=MBTA "Key U.S. Episcopalian to speak in Albany" in the ''Albany Times Union'']. Accessed January 22, 2008.</ref> The national church's web site posted a story about the event, quoting Bishop Love and several of the 300 attendees at the event.<ref>Schjonberg, Mary Frances. "Bonnie Anderson encourages open conversation in Albany diocese; Communication must remain focused on unity in Christ, Bishop Love says," ''Episcopal News Service'', January 22, 2008, found at [http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_94166_ENG_HTM.htm Episcopal Church USA Official web site]. Accessed January 23, 2008.</ref>

In June 2008, under Love's leadership, the Episcopal Diocese of Albany passed a resolution stating that only heterosexual marriages would be celebrated within the diocese. After the resolution was passed, Bishop Love was quoted as stating that "the important thing ... is that God loves all people, regardless of where they might be in their life. That doesn't necessarily mean he approves of all of our behaviors."<ref>"Article - Times Union". http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=694502&category=REGION&newsdate=6/8/2008. (accessed September 15, 2008). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20111206084937/http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=694502&category=REGION&newsdate=6/8/2008 (archived December 6, 2011) </ref>

Love gained national attention at the Episcopal Church's July 2009 convention in [[Anaheim]], [[California]]. At that convention, the Church passed a resolution allowing the blessing of same-sex unions.<ref name="July 2009">Laurie Dotson, "Pared-Down Episcopal Church Is Looking to Grow Through ‘Inclusivity’", ''New York Times'', July 19, 2009, found at [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/us/19episcopals.html ''New York Times'' article of July 19, 2009]. Accessed July 22, 2009.</ref> At a news conference organized by a conservative Anglican group, Love said, "It is breaking my heart to see the church destroy itself"; however, he vowed to remain within the Episcopal Church nonetheless.<ref name="July 2009" /> In October 2009, after the [[Holy See|Vatican]] announced a canonical framework to integrate groups of disaffected Anglicans into the [[Roman Catholic Church]], Love commented: "'What state we are in when we get through this, only God knows...'" He also acknowledged that two parishes in the Diocese of Albany were attempting to leave the Episcopal Church.<ref name="Vatican">''New York Times'' and ''Albany Times Union'' staff reports, "Vatican to ease rules on Anglicans", ''Albany Times Union'', October 21, 2009, p. A5, col. 1, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=855263&LinkFrom=RSS ''Albany Times Union'' website]. Accessed October 21, 2009. {{dead link|date=March 2020}} {{dead link|date=March 2020}}</ref> As of 2012, Love had granted Delegated Ecclesiastical Parish Oversight (DEPO)--a status where certain parishes remain a part of a diocese, but receive certain pastoral functions from a bishop outside that diocese—to three parishes: St. Luke's, Saranac Lake; St. George's, Schenectady; and St. John's, Essex.<ref name="DEPO">Crowe, Kenneth C. III, "Bishop: Episcopal Church Must Change," ''Albany Times Union'', May 4, 2012, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Bishop-Episcopal-Church-must-change-3535279.php ''Albany Times Union'' website]. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref><ref name="DEPO Churches">Love, The Rt. Rev. William, "Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) in the Diocese of Albany," ''The Albany Episcopalian'', May 2012, found at [http://www.albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/ministries/episcopalian.html 'Episcopal Diocese of Albany' website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307030654/http://www.albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/ministries/episcopalian.html |date=2013-03-07 }}. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref>

===Dissent, discipline, and departure===
In 2015, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church "sanctioned gay marriage across the American church but [allowed] the bishops of eight dioceses [including Albany] to opt out." In July 2018, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed a resolution allowing same-sex weddings to be performed in the eight dissenting dioceses.<ref name="Biancolli"/> Love strongly opposed the resolution.<ref name="Biancolli"/> In November 2018, he issued a pastoral directive banning same-sex weddings from being held by clergy in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany;<ref>Stanforth, Lauren; Moench, Mallory. "Albany Episcopal Bishop outlaws same-sex marriage in his churches". ''Times Union''. November 11, 2018. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Albany-Episcopal-Bishop-outlaws-same-sex-marriage-13381964.php</ref> in an accompanying letter, Love wrote: "Recent statistics show that The Episcopal Church is spiraling downward... I can’t help but believe that God has removed His blessing from this Church. Unless something changes, The Episcopal Church is going to die."<ref>Walton, Jeffrey. "Bishop Bill Love: No to Same-Sex Marriages in Episcopal Diocese of Albany". ''Juicy Ecumenism''. November 16, 2018. https://juicyecumenism.com/2018/11/16/bill-love-albany/. (accessed March 21, 2020)</ref>

In response to Love's pastoral directive, Presiding Bishop [[Michael Curry (bishop)|Michael Curry]] placed Love on a partial ministry restriction.<ref name="auto">"Albany Episcopal bishop to resign over same-sex marriage stance". ''Syracuse.com''. October 25, 2020. https://www.syracuse.com/state/2020/10/albany-episcopal-bishop-to-resign-over-same-sex-marriage-stance.html</ref> A June 12, 2020 disciplinary hearing was held to determine whether Love had violated church law by refusing to allow same-sex weddings to be conducted by Episcopal clergy in the Diocese of Albany.<ref>Millard, Egan. "In disciplinary hearing, Albany Bishop William Love defends prohibition of same-sex marriage in his diocese". ''episcopalnewsservice.org''. June 12, 2020. https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2020/06/12/in-disciplinary-hearing-albany-bishop-william-love-defends-prohibition-of-same-sex-marriage-in-his-diocese/</ref><ref>Biancolli, Amy. "In disciplinary hearing, Albany bishop affirms his opposition to gay marriage". ''Times Union''. June 12, 2020. https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/In-disciplinary-hearing-Albany-bishop-affirms-15336645.php</ref> On October 2, 2020, a disciplinary panel ruled that Love had violated Episcopal doctrine and rules.<ref>Gavin, Robert. "Episcopal Church rules Albany bishop violated rules in stopping same-sex marriages". ''Times Union''. October 5, 2020. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Episcopal-Church-rules-Albany-bishop-violated-15622248.php</ref> On October 24, 2020, Love announced his resignation as bishop pursuant to a disciplinary agreement with church authorities. His resignation became effective on February 1, 2021.<ref name="auto"/><ref>Love, William. "Statement from Bishop Bill Love on his resigning from the ministry of the Episcopal Church". ''Anglican Ink © 2023''. March 30, 2021. https://anglican.ink/2021/03/30/statement-from-bishop-bill-love-on-his-resigning-from-the-ministry-of-the-episcopal-church/</ref><ref name="auto1"/>

On March 29, 2021, Love was—at his own request—released and removed from the ordained ministry by Presiding Bishop [[Michael Curry (bishop)|Michael Curry]].<ref name="auto1">Goodwin, Mike. "Former Bishop William Love leaves Episcopal Church after same-sex marriage case". [[Times Union (Albany)]]. March 31, 2021. https://www.timesunion.com/news/amp/Former-Bishop-William-Love-leaves-Episcopal-16066203.php. (accessed April 1, 2021)</ref><ref>Office of Public Affairs. "Presiding Bishop's Statement on the Release and Removal of the Rt. Rev. William Love from the Ordained Ministry of The Episcopal Church". ''The Episcopal Church''. 30 March 2021. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/presiding-bishops-statement-on-the-release-and-removal-of-the-rt-rev-william-love-from-the-ordained-ministry-of-the-episcopal-church/. (accessed 30 March 2021)</ref> On March 30, 2021, Love announced that he would be leaving ministry in the Episcopal church to join the Anglican Church in North America.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="ens" /> (Earlier the same year, Love's predecessor as Bishop of Albany, [[Daniel W. Herzog]], also announced that he was leaving Episcopal ministry.<ref name="ens">Millard, Egan. "Former Albany Bishop William Love leaves The Episcopal Church to join ACNA". Episcopal News Service. March 30, 2021. https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/03/30/former-albany-bishop-william-love-leaves-the-episcopal-church-to-join-acna/. (accessed April 1, 2021)</ref>) Four priests and four deacons left the Diocese of Albany in protest following Love's departure.<ref>Petersen, Kirk. "Conservative Bishop to Assist in Albany During Search". ''livingchurch.org''. August 23, 2021. https://livingchurch.org/2021/08/23/conservative-bishop-to-assist-in-albany-during-search/</ref> Bishop Love was succeeded as Bishop of Albany by [[Jeremiah Williamson]].

==Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word==
The [[Anglican Diocese of the Living Word]], a diocese within the ACNA, announced the appointment of Love as assisting bishop on April 3, 2021.<ref>"Bill Love appointed Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of the Living Word". ''Anglican Ink''. 3 April 2021. https://anglican.ink/2021/04/03/bill-love-appointed-assistant-bishop-of-the-diocese-of-the-living-word/. (accessed 8 April 2021)</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[List of Episcopal bishops of the United States]]
* [[List of bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Historical list of the Episcopal bishops of the United States]]
* [[Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States|List of Bishop Succession in the Episcopal Church]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|ep}}
{{Succession box|title=[[List of Bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany|9th Bishop of Albany]]|before=[[Daniel W. Herzog]]|after=[[Jeremiah Williamson]]|years=2007 to 2021}}
{{S-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Love, William}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Anglo-Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:Religious leaders from Albany, New York]]
[[Category:Nashotah House alumni]]
[[Category:Texas State University alumni]]
[[Category:State University of New York at Plattsburgh alumni]]
[[Category:American Anglo-Catholics]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:Episcopal bishops of Albany]]
[[Category:21st-century American bishops]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]

William C. Wantland

2026-10-20T13:33:55Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{short description|American Anglican Bishop (born 1934)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = William C. Wantland
| honorific-suffix = [[Doctor of Divinity|D.D.]]
| title = Bishop of Eau Claire
| image = William Wantland.jpg
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Episcopal Diocese of Eau Claire|Eau Claire]]
| see =
| term = 1980–1999
| predecessor =
| successor =

| ordination =
| ordinated_by =
| consecration =
| consecrated_by =
| rank =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|04|11}}
| birth_place = [[Edmond, Oklahoma]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_post = Assisting Bishop, [[Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth]]
}}
'''William Charles Wantland''' (born April 14, 1934) is an American Anglican Bishop. He is a former Bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Eau Claire]].<ref>[http://www.oukappasigma.org/fraternity_honored/bill-wantland-53 The Gamma-Kappa Fraternity-The University of Oklahoma-Bill Wantland '53]</ref>

==Biography==
Wantland was born in [[Edmond, Oklahoma]].<ref>"Seminole Nation, OK: Anglican Bishop Becomes First Chief Justice of the Seminole Nation Supreme Court". Virtue Online.org. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=14849#.Tx0TK6W0xD8. (accessed 23 January 2012)</ref> He is of [[Seminole]], [[Chickasaw]] and [[Choctaw]] descent. In 1973 Wantland, his, wife, and their children were declared citizens of the [[Seminole Nation of Oklahoma]] by adoption.<ref name=resol>The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. "73-10 A Resolution Declaring William C. Wantland, his Wife and Children, Citizens of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma by Adoption". ''Resolutions of the General Council September 1969-December 1979''. September 22, 1973. https://digital.libraries.ou.edu/utils/getfile/collection/Seminole/id/9/filename/6.pdf. (accessed February 8, 2019). via University of Oklahoma Libraries</ref>

Prior to becoming a member of the [[clergy]], Wantland was a practicing [[lawyer|attorney]]. He served as municipal judge of [[Seminole, Oklahoma]] and on the Seminole City Council. He also served as vice-mayor of Seminole. He was attorney general for the Seminole Nation from 1969 to 1972 and from 1975 to 1977.<ref name=mulroy>Mulroy, Kevin. ''The Seminole Freedmen: A History''. (University of Oklahoma Press, 2016). Race and Culture in the American West, vol. 2. p. 389. ISBN 9780806155883. https://books.google.com/books?id=b--eCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA389. (accessed February 8, 2019)</ref> In 1971, Wantland was the executive director of Seminole Housing Authority, and he served as its attorney general from 1971 until 1977.<ref name=mulroy />

Upon the advice of the Bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma]], Wantland became a [[worker-priest]] at his local church. He later became a full-time priest.

Wantland became Bishop of the Diocese of Eau Claire in 1980. During that time, he was honored by the [[Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians]]. He was embraced as one their own and was given the name 'Manido Nigani', meaning "He who stands forth in the Spirit", referencing his position as an Episcopal [[bishop]].

After retiring from the Diocese of Eau Claire in 1999, Wantland helped to form the [[Anglican Church in North America]]. He was a founding member of the ACNA House of Bishops and helped write the ACNA Constitution and Canons. Wantland also serves as Assisting Bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth]].<ref>"The Bishop and His Staff". The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. http://www.fwepiscopal.org/bishop/staff.html. (accessed 23 January 2012)</ref> He became the first chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Seminole Nation in 2011.

Additionally, Wantland has been a member of the faculty at the [[University of Oklahoma College of Law]] and [[Seminole State College (Oklahoma)|Seminole State College]]. He is also a published author of a number of books.

==Education==
*[[Seminole High School (Oklahoma)|Seminole High School]] - [[Seminole, Oklahoma]]
*[[Seminole State College (Oklahoma)|Seminole State College]]
*[[University of Oklahoma]]
*[[George Washington University]]
*[[University of Hawaiʻi]]
*[[Oklahoma City University]]
*[[Oklahoma City University School of Law]]
*Geneva-St. Alban's Theological College
*[[Canterbury Christ Church University]]
*[[University of Cambridge]]
*St. Deiniol's Library, now [[Gladstone's Library]]
*College of Preachers

==Family==
[[Charles W. Wantland]], Wantland's grandfather

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|ac}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Stanley Hamilton Atkins]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Episcopal Diocese of Eau Claire|IV Bishop of Eau Claire]]|years=1980–1999}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Keith Bernard Whitmore]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wantland, William}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:American people of Chickasaw descent]]
[[Category:American people of Choctaw descent]]
[[Category:People from Edmond, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:People from Seminole, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Religious leaders from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:University of Oklahoma alumni]]
[[Category:George Washington University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City University alumni]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City University School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of Canterbury Christ Church University]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:Seminole State College (Oklahoma) alumni]]
[[Category:Nashotah House faculty]]
[[Category:University of Oklahoma faculty]]
[[Category:Oklahoma lawyers]]
[[Category:Oklahoma city council members]]
[[Category:Writers from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Writers from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Native American Episcopalians]]
[[Category:American Episcopalians]]
[[Category:Episcopal bishops of Eau Claire]]
[[Category:Episcopal bishops of Navajoland]]
[[Category:Seminole Nation of Oklahoma people]]

Wes Nolden

2026-10-20T13:33:51Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{short description|US Air Force officer and Anglican clergy}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wes Nolden
| image = Col Mike Gould and Lt Col Wes Nolden opening the new Temporary Lodging Facility on Altus Air Force Base (Nolden crop).jpg
| alt = A profile photo of white man in a blue US Air Force uniform. He is facing the right, smiling, and wielding large scissors for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
| caption = Lt Col Nolden (front) in 1999
| module = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes
| religion = [[Christianity]]
| church = {{unbulleted list|[[United Episcopal Church of North America|UECNA]] (2005)|[[Reformed Episcopal Church|REC]] (April 2009)}}
| ordained = January 2009
| title = [[Bishop]] }}
| module2 = {{Infobox military person |embed=yes
| branch = [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]
| branch_label = Branch
| rank = [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant colonel]]
| commands = [[Altus Air Force Base#United States Air Force|97th Services Squadron]]
| battles_label = Conflicts }}
}}

'''Wes Nolden''' is a [[United States Air Force]] officer and disputed bishop in the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]].

==Military career==
In 1999, Nolden was a [[lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] in the [[United States Air Force]], and commander of the [[Altus Air Force Base#United States Air Force|97th Services Squadron]] at [[Altus Air Force Base]] in [[Oklahoma]].<ref name="1999-12-16 NARA" />

==Religious career==
[[File:Consecration, 2009 (cropped).JPG|thumb|left|Nolden at his Jan 2009 consecration]]
In 2005, the [[United Episcopal Church of North America]] (UECNA) [[presiding bishop]], [[Stephen C. Reber]], welcomed Nolden as new [[clergy]].<ref name="2005 Glad Tidings" /> Nolden was [[consecration|consecrated]] a UECNA [[bishop]] in January 2009.<ref name="2009-11-03 Virtueonline" />

In April 2009, Nolden was received into the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]] (REC). That June, Reber [[defrocking|deposed]] Nolden allegedly because the latter "conspired to leave the UECNA before his consecration." According to Reber, the deposition effectively reversed Nolden's consecration, saying "It is hereby declared, therefore, that your so-called consecration as Bishop of UECNA is invalid, that you did not ever become a Bishop of the UECNA, and any reference to your becoming a Bishop is untrue." Nolden disputed the claims, saying that his reception into the REC as a bishop was done according to the rules. REC bishop [[Royal U. Grote Jr.]] also opposed Reber's claims, saying that Nolden was no longer in the archbishop's jurisdiction, and could therefore not be deposed.<ref name="2009-11-03 Virtueonline" />

From 2010 to 2012, Nolden served as a representative of the [[Anglican Church in North America]] (a denomination in communion with the REC) during [[ecumenism|ecumenical dialogue]] with the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]].<ref name="Anglican Church: LCMS-ACNA Joint Statement" />

==References==
{{reflist |refs=



<ref name="1999-12-16 NARA">Nuckolls, Suellyn. "US Air Force Colonel Mike Gould, 97th Air Mobility Wing Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Wes Nolden, 97th Services Squadron Commander, opened the doors to the new Temporary Lodging Facility on Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma". [[National Archives and Records Administration]]. 16 December 1999. [[Altus Air Force Base]]. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6513261. (accessed 27 September 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20220927184552/https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6513261 (archived 27 September 2022)</ref>

<ref name="2005 Glad Tidings">Reber, Jr., Stephen C.. "Bishop's Schedule". ''Glad Tidings'' XXIV, no. 4 (2005): p. 2. [[United Episcopal Church of North America]]. http://www.united-episcopal.org/newsletter/Glad%20Tidings/Trinity2005.pdf. (accessed 27 September 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20051104233018/http://www.united-episcopal.org/newsletter/Glad%20Tidings/Trinity2005.pdf (archived 4 November 2005)</ref>

<ref name="2009-11-03 Virtueonline">Virtue, David W.. "UECNA Presiding Bishop Deposes Bishops Who Moved to REC". ''Virtueonline''. 3 November 2009. https://virtueonline.org/uecna-presiding-bishop-deposes-bishops-who-moved-rec. (accessed 27 September 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20150301224934/https://virtueonline.org/uecna-presiding-bishop-deposes-bishops-who-moved-rec (archived 1 March 2015). "Reformed Episcopal Bishop Royal Grote Denies Irregular Transfers"{{unreliable source?|date=September 2022}}</ref>



<ref name="Anglican Church: LCMS-ACNA Joint Statement">"Anglican Church in North America and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Dialogue—Report on the Discussions (2010–2012)". [[Anglican Church in North America]]. https://anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/ee/media/LCMS-ACNA_Joint_Statement.pdf. (accessed 27 September 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20210714132925/https://anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/ee/media/LCMS-ACNA_Joint_Statement.pdf (archived 14 July 2021)</ref>

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nolden, Wes}}
[[Category:bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
[[Category:living people]]
[[Category:United States Air Force officers]]
[[Category:year of birth missing (living people)]]

Welsh Church Act 1914

2026-10-20T13:33:48Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|1914 United Kingdom act of Parliament}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| type = Act
| short_title = Welsh Church Act 1914
| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title = An Act to terminate the establishment of the Church of England in Wales and Monmouthshire, and to make provision in respect of the Temporalities thereof, and for other purposes in connection with the matters aforesaid.
| citation = [[4 & 5 Geo. 5]]. c. 91
| introduced_by =
| territorial_extent = United Kingdom
| royal_assent = 18 September 1914
| commencement = 31 March 1920 ''(see [[Suspensory Act 1914]])''
| repeal_date =
| amendments = {{ubli|[[Interpretation Act 1889]]|[[Welsh Church (Temporalities) Act 1919]]|[[Rating and Valuation Act 1925]]|[[Statute Law Revision Act 1927]]|[[Welsh Church (Amendment) Act 1938]]|[[Welsh Church (Burial Grounds) Act 1945]]|[[Church Commissioners Measure 1947]]|[[Charities Act 1960]]|[[London Government Act 1963]]|[[Local Government Act 1972]]|[[Courts and Legal Services Act 1990]]|[[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]]|[[The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999]]|[[House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001]]|[[Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004]]}}
| related_legislation = {{ubli|[[Clergy Residences Repair Act 1776]]|[[Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1836]]|[[Pluralities Act 1838]]|[[Church Discipline Act 1840]]|[[Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1840]]|[[Burial Act 1855]]|[[Lord Chancellor's Augmentation Act 1863]]|[[Irish Church Act 1869]]|[[Tho Bishops Resignation Act 1869]]|[[The Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act 1871]]|[[The Incumbents Resignation Act 1871]]|[[Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act 1872]]|[[The Deans and Canons Resignation Act 1872]]|[[The Public Worship Regulation Act 1874]]|[[Public Health (Interments) Act 1879]]|[[Settled Land Act 1882]]|[[Clergy Discipline Act 1892]]|[[Trustee Act 1893]]|[[Local Government Act 1894]]|[[Tithe Rentcharge (Rates) Act 1899]]|[[Finance (1909–10) Act 1910]]|[[Suspensory Act 1914]]|[[Arbitration Act 1950]]}}
| repealing_legislation =
| status = Amended
| revised_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/4-5/91/contents
| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/4-5/91/contents/enacted
}}
The '''Welsh Church Act 1914'''<ref>"Welsh Church Act 1914". Legislation.gov.uk. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/4-5/91/contents. (accessed 2 June 2021)</ref> ([[4 & 5 Geo. 5]]. c. 91) is an [[act of Parliament (UK)|act of Parliament]] under which the [[Church of England]] was separated and [[disestablishment|disestablished]] in [[Wales]] and [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]], leading to the creation of the [[Church in Wales]]. The Act had long been demanded by the [[Nonconformity in Wales|Nonconformist community in Wales]], which composed the majority of the population and which resented paying taxes to the Church of England. It was sponsored by the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] (a stronghold of the Nonconformists) and opposed by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] (a stronghold of the Anglicans).<ref>Glanmor Williams, ''The Welsh Church from Reformation to Disestablishment, 1603-1920'' (U of Wales Press, 2007).</ref>

== History ==
The [[Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881]] was significant landmark legislation which introduced a religious legal difference to Wales. Welsh university colleges were formed in Cardiff and Bangor in 1883–84 and Welsh issues were prominent in the parliament of 1886–92. The introduction of the Welsh land commission of 1892 and the formation of the University of Wales in 1893 were driven by Welsh Liberals, supported by Welsh Liberal [[David Lloyd George]]. Prime Minister [[William Ewart Gladstone|William Gladstone]] also later became more supportive and voted in favour of [[disestablishment]]. The two men contributed to Welsh disestablishment and acknowledged the Welsh national consciousness. After 1886 the sentiment of [[Cymru Fydd]] developed, with more politicians moving in view towards a [[Welsh home rule]] similar to [[Irish Home Rule movement|Ireland]]'s, including [[T. E. Ellis]], who also supported disestablishment as a return of religion in Wales to the native order. Whilst the Irish nationalist movement focused on home rule, the Welsh movement focused on disestablishment. The [[Liberal government, 1892–1895|Rosebery government]] eventually gave in to pressures from Welsh Liberals and Cymru Fydd, and introduced a Welsh Disestablishment Bill 1894. This was rejected; it was followed by another Bill in 1909 which was also rejected. Another Bill was introduced in 1912, and despite rejection from the [[House of Lords]] the Bill was passed in 1914 after the Parliament Act allowed overriding of the Lords.<ref>Morgan, Kenneth O.. ''Rebirth of a Nation: Wales, 1880-1980''. (Oxford University Press, 1981). pp. 36–186. ISBN 978-0-19-821736-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=2DB2EHJ08aIC</ref>

A 70-year continuous campaign for Welsh disestablishment culminated in the passing of the Welsh Church Act in 1914; it came into force in 1920, having been delayed by the First World War. The campaign was motivated by a desire for freedom of religious expression as well as legal and civil equality for [[Welsh nonconformity]]. The matter also became associated with a wider movement for the recognition of the [[Welsh national identity]], Welsh distinctiveness and culture and the [[Welsh language]]. Although Welsh Liberals were divided on the issue of Welsh home rule in the 1890s, they were united on disestablishment in Wales.<ref>Evans, Geraint; Fulton, Helen. ''The Cambridge History of Welsh Literature''. (Cambridge University Press, 18 April 2019). pp. 361. ISBN 978-1-107-10676-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=Dm2MDwAAQBAJ</ref>

The act was controversial, and was passed by the House of Commons under the provisions of the [[Parliament Act 1911]], which reduced the power of the House of Lords to block legislation. The main financial terms were that the church no longer received [[tithe]] money (a land tax), but kept all its churches, properties and [[glebe]]s. The [[Welsh Church Commissioners]] were set up by the act to identify affected assets and oversee their transfer.<ref>Taylor, Simon J.. "Disestablished Establishment: High and Earthed Establishment in the Church in Wales". ''Journal of Contemporary Religion'' 18, no. 2 (May 2003): pp. 227–240. ISSN 1353-7903. DOI 10.1080/1353790032000067545. S2CID 143966134. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1353790032000067545. (accessed 19 May 2023)</ref>

The act was politically and historically significant as one of the first pieces of legislation to apply solely to Wales (and [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]]) as opposed to the wider legal entity of [[England and Wales]].<ref>Jenkins, P. (1992), ''A History of Modern Wales 1536–1990''.</ref>

Owing to the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the act was given [[royal assent]] on 18 September simultaneously with another controversial bill, the [[Government of Ireland Act 1914]]. In addition, royal assent was given to the [[Suspensory Act 1914]] which provided that the two other acts would not [[Coming into force|come into force]] for the remainder of the war. On 31 March 1920 most of the Welsh part of the Church of England became the [[Church in Wales]], an independent [[province]] of the [[Anglican Communion]], with (originally) four [[diocese]]s led by the [[Archbishop of Wales]]. However, 18 out of 19 church parishes which spanned the Welsh/English border [[Church of England border polls 1915–1916|overwhelmingly voted in individual referendums to remain within the Church of England]].<ref name=CCTW >The First Report of the Commissioners for Church Temporalities in Wales (1914–16) Cd 8166, p 5; Second Report of the Commissioners for Church Temporalities in Wales (1917–18) Cd 8472 viii 93, p 4.</ref><ref name=cent >Roberts, Nicholas. "The historical background to the Marriage (Wales) Act 2010". ''Ecclesiastical Law Journal'' 13, no. 1 (2011): pp. 39–56, fn 98. DOI 10.1017/S0956618X10000785. S2CID 144909754. http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/21693/. (accessed 5 June 2021)</ref>

The Welsh Church Act 1914 and the Government of Ireland Act 1914 were (together with the [[Parliament Act 1949]]) the only acts enacted by invoking the [[Parliament Act 1911]] until the [[War Crimes Act 1991|War Crimes Act]] in 1991.<ref>"The Parliament Act: a century on". ''TotalPolitics.com''. 10 August 2011. https://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/news/parliament-act-century. (accessed 23 June 2021)</ref>

== Responses ==
English author [[G. K. Chesterton]], an Anglican who would be received into the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] in 1922, ridiculed the passion that was generated by the bill in his 1915 poem ''[[:s:Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode|Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode]]'', repeatedly addressing [[F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead|F. E. Smith]], one of the chief opponents of the act.<ref>Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. "Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode". ''Poems''. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Poems_(Chesterton,_1915)/Antichrist,_or_the_Reunion_of_Christendom:_An_Ode. (accessed 19 May 2023)</ref>

== Analysis ==
An analysis published by [[Humanists UK|Wales Humanists]] at an event in the [[Senedd building|Welsh Parliament]] in 2020, reflecting on 100 years of disestablishment in Wales, identified the Welsh Church Act 1914 as a critical component in the development in Wales of distinctively pluralistic and secular approaches to governance in the era of [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolution]].<ref>"Wales Humanists launches report on 100 years of disestablishment". ''[[Humanists UK]]''. 7 December 2020. https://humanism.org.uk/2020/12/07/wales-humanists-launches-report-on-100-years-of-disestablishment/. (accessed 7 December 2020)</ref>

==See also==
* [[Religion in Wales]]
* [[Irish Church Act 1869]]
* [[List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted without the House of Lords' consent]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* O’Leary, Paul. "Religion, Nationality and Politics: Disestablishment in Ireland and Wales 1868–1914." in ''Contrasts and Comparisons: Studies in Irish and Welsh Church History,'' edited by J.R. Guy and W.G. Neely (1999): 89–113.
* Taylor, Simon J. "Disestablished Establishment: High and Earthed Establishment in the Church in Wales." ''Journal of Contemporary Religion'' 18.2 (2003): 227–240.
* Watkin, T. G. "Disestablishment, [[Self-determination]] and the Constitutional Development of the Church in Wales." in ''Essays in Canon Law–A Study of the Church in Wales'' (U of Wales Press, 1992).
* Williams, Glanmor. ''The Welsh Church from Reformation to Disestablishment, 1603-1920'' (U of Wales Press, 2007).
{{Church in Wales}}
{{Constitutional law of Wales}}
{{Welsh devolution}}
{{portal bar |Christianity |Law |Politics |United Kingdom |Wales}}
[[Category:1914 in Wales]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1914]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in Wales]]
[[Category:Church in Wales]]
[[Category:Church of England disestablishment]]
[[Category:Constitutional laws of Wales]]
[[Category:Politics of Wales]]
[[Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning Wales]]
[[Category:Christianity and law in the 20th century]]
[[Category:History of Monmouthshire]]
[[Category:1914 in international relations]]
[[Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed under the Parliament Act]]
[[Category:Law about religion in the United Kingdom]]
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[[Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning the Church of England]]

Walter Banek

2026-10-20T13:33:47Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{short description|American Anglican bishop}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Walter R. Banek
| title = Bishop Suffragan of [[Diocese of Mid-America|Mid-America]]
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Reformed Episcopal Church]], [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Diocese of Mid-America|Mid-America]]
| see =
| term = 2017–present
| predecessor =
| successor =

| ordination = 1989 (diaconate) 1993 (priesthood)
| ordinated_by =
| consecration = August 23, 2017
| consecrated_by = [[Foley Beach]]
| rank =

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1952}}
| birth_place = [[Chicago]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_post =
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list | [[Moody Bible Institute]] [[Cummins Theological Seminary]]}}
| spouse = Nelda Louise Hoyt
| children = 7
}}

'''Walter Raymond Banek''' is an American Anglican bishop and classical Christian educator. He is currently serving as bishop suffragan in the [[Reformed Episcopal Church]]'s [[Diocese of Mid-America]] and as rector of Good Shepherd Church in [[Tyler, Texas]].

==Biography==
Banek was raised in [[Chicago]] as the son of German immigrants.<ref name="acna-election">"COLLEGE OF BISHOPS APPROVES ADMISSION OF FOUR NEW BISHOPS". ''Anglican Church in North America''. https://anglicanchurch.net/college-of-bishops-approves-admission-of-four-new-bishops/. (accessed 14 November 2022)</ref> He studied architecture at the [[University of Illinois Chicago|University of Illinois]] before transferring to [[Moody Bible Institute]] to finish his degree in 1975.<ref name="acna-election" /> That same year, he married Nelda Louise Hoyt, whom he had met at Moody.<ref name="acna-election" /> They have seven grown children (three adopted from Russia) and 20 grandchildren.<ref name="gsrec">"Resident Clergy". ''Good Shepherd Reformed Episcopal Church''. https://gsrec.org/about-us/. (accessed 14 November 2022)</ref>

In 1981, Banek became headmaster of Good Shepherd School in Tyler,<ref name="gsrec" /> which had been founded two years prior, and developed its [[Classical Christian education|classical Christian]] curriculum and teaching model.<ref name="gsstyler">"Christian Heritage". ''Good Shepherd School''. https://gsstyler.org/christian-heritage. (accessed 14 November 2022)</ref> In 1989, the school's sponsor, Good Shepherd Church, was constituted as a member of the Reformed Episcopal Church,<ref name="gsstyler" /> and Banek was ordained a deacon in the REC.<ref name="acna-election" /> He was ordained as a priest in 1993, at which point he transitioned from headmaster to rector of the parish.<ref name="gsstyler" /> Banek completed his M.Div. at [[Cummins Theological Seminary]] in 2000.<ref name="acna-election" />

In 2017, Banek was elected bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Mid-America.<ref name="acna-election" /> He remained rector of Good Shepherd in addition to his episcopal duties. [[Anglican Church in North America]] Primate [[Foley Beach]] consecrated Banek on August 23, 2017, at the [[Church of the Holy Communion (Dallas)|Cathedral Church of the Holy Communion]] in Dallas.<ref name="consecration">"REPORTS FOR THE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF MID-AMERICA OF THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH". Diocese of Mid-America. http://www.recus.org/documents/dma111/Reports111th.pdf. (accessed 14 November 2022)</ref> He is a council member of [[Forward in Faith|Forward in Faith North America]], which promotes [[Anglo-Catholicism|Anglo-Catholic]] worship and opposes [[Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion|women's ordination]].<ref name="fifna-letter">"FORWARD IN FAITH BLASTS KENYAN ARCHBISHOP OVER CONSECRATION OF WOMAN BISHOP". FIFNA. https://virtueonline.org/forward-faith-blasts-kenyan-archbishop-over-consecration-woman-bishop. (accessed 28 October 2022)</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banek, Walter}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Reformed Episcopal Church]]
[[Category:1952 births]]

Via media

2026-10-20T13:33:45Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|Latin phrase}}
{{italic title}}
'''''Via media''''' is a [[Latin]] phrase meaning "the middle road" or the "way between (and avoiding or reconciling) two extremes".<ref>"Via Media". ''Episcopal Dictionary of the Church''. Episcopalian Church. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/glossary/via-media/. (accessed 19 June 2023)</ref>

Its use in English is highly associated with [[Anglican]] self-characterization, or as a philosophical [[Maxim (philosophy)|maxim]] for life akin to the [[Golden mean (philosophy)|golden mean]] which advocates moderation in all thoughts and actions.

Originating from the [[Delphic maxims|Delphic maxim]] ''nothing to excess'' and subsequent [[Ancient Greek philosophy]] where [[Aristotle]] (384–322 BCE) taught [[moderation]], urging his students to follow the middle road between extremes, the ''via media'' was the dominant philosophical [[precept]] by which [[Ancient Roman]] civilisation and society was organised.

==Patristic period use==
[[Augustine]]'s [[The City of God]] (chapter 11) uses the phrase ''via media'' in the sense of a way connecting two opposing extremes, rather than in the sense of a [[Golden mean (philosophy)| golden mean]] or [[Goldilocks principle]].

{{quote |This is the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: man, mediator, and way. Because if there is a ''via media'' between him who strives and that to whom he strives, there is hope of reaching it.}}

[[Boethius]] has been associated with a variant of the term: ''Non est medium via'' (There is no middle way) discussing a life tending to the godly or tending to the bestial.[https://www.academia.edu/27590778/Non_Est_Medium_Via_Boethius_Conception_of_Human_Nature_in_the_Consolation_of_Philosophy]

==Pre-Reformation==
===Jean Gerson===
French theologian and humanist [[Jean Gerson]] wrote in his ''On the Consolation of Theology'' (1418) about the ''via media et regia'': the middle and royal way. Divine providence and human free will each have a mediating relation on the other: God saves those who humbly condemn themselves as incapacitated but seek him. The middle and royal way is of hope between despair and presumptuousness.<ref>Mark S. Burrows, ''Jean Gerson after Constance: "via regia et regia" as a revusion of the Ockhamist covenent'', Church History, vol 59, issue 4, 1990</ref>

===Erasmus===
[[Erasmus]] of Rotterdam's [[Erasmus#Pacifism|irenic]] but anti-fanatic approach is often classed as a ''via media'', however this can be weighed against his repeated denial of leading a movement or setting up a new church,<ref>"Luther split the power of the Pope. Erasmus thought it a calamity to do so, because he believed that strife of sects tended to make men lose sight of the one essential in religion--harmony--and cause them simply to struggle for victory. ", Elbert Hubbard, 'Erasmus', ''Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Thinkers'', Vol 10, ''Great Teachers'' (1916) [https://www.online-literature.com/elbert-hubbard/journeys-vol-ten/6/]</ref> and may be described as extreme tolerance within Catholic [[Erasmus#Signet ring and personal motto|borders]].

==Anglicanism==
[[File:Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.jpg|thumb|Historian [[Diarmaid MacCulloch]] describes [[Thomas Cranmer]] as seeking to navigate a middle way between Zurich (Reformed Christianity) and Wittenberg (Lutheranism), though he remarks that the [[Church of England]] was ultimately closer to Reformed Christianity.<ref name="AEH2003"/>]]
The term ''via media'' is frequently claimed by [[Anglican]] proponents, though not without debate, as a term of [[apologetics]].

The idea of a ''middle way'', was proposed first, early in the [[Protestant Reformation]], as between the Protestant traditions of [[Lutheranism]] and [[Reformed Christianity]];<ref name="AEH2003"/> subsequently by Richard Hooker as between [[Puritan]] and [[Roman Catholic]] practices; then by Bishop Hall as between the [[Calvinist]] and [[Arminianism| Arminianist]] beliefs; and finally by the Tractarians as between [[Roman Catholics|Roman Catholicism]] and the [[Magisterial Reformation|Magisterial Reformers]]. Historian [[Hugh Trevor-Roper]] has argued that the doctrinal history of the English Church is marked by discontinuities.<ref>Hugh Trevor-Roper, ''[[Laudianism]] and political power'', Catholics, Anglicans, and Puritans: 17th Century Essays</ref>

The idea of the Anglican middle way may also be associated to the teachings of theologians such as [[Martin Bucer]], [[Thomas Cranmer]] and [[Heinrich Bullinger]] who advocated a religious solution in which secular authority would hold the ring in the religious dispute, and ensure political stability.<ref>[[Diarmaid MacCulloch]], ''Thomas Cranmer'' (1996), p. 179.</ref>

=== Historical Anglicanism ===
Anglicanism, which emerged out of the English Reformation, was originally seen as a ''via media'' between two forms of Protestantism—[[Lutheranism]] and [[Reformed Christianity]].<ref name="AEH2003">''Anglican and Episcopal History''. (Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, 2003). p. 15. "Others had made similar observations, Patrick McGrath commenting that the Church of England was not a middle way between Roman Catholic and Protestant, but "between different forms of Protestantism," and William Monter describing the Church of England as "a unique style of Protestantism, a via media between the Reformed and Lutheran traditions." MacCulloch has described Cranmer as seeking a middle way between Zurich and Wittenberg but elsewhere remarks that the Church of England was "nearer Zurich and Geneva than Wittenberg."</ref> [[Thomas Cranmer]], the Archbishop of Canterbury who played a chief role in shaping Anglicanism, sought a middle way between Lutheranism and Calvinism, though he was closer to Calvinism.<ref name="AEH2003"/>

Historic Anglicanism is a part of the wider Reformed tradition, as "the founding documents of the Anglican church—the Book of Homilies, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion—expresses a theology in keeping with the Reformed theology of the Swiss and South German Reformation."<ref name="Jensen2015">Jensen, Michael P.. "9 Things You Should Really Know About Anglicanism". [[The Gospel Coalition]]. 7 January 2015. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/nine-things-you-should-really-know-about-anglicanism/. (accessed 3 February 2020)</ref> The Most Rev. Peter Robinson, [[presiding bishop]] of the [[United Episcopal Church of North America]], writes:<ref name="Robinson2012">Robinson, Peter. "The Reformed Face of Anglicanism". The Old High Churchman. 2 August 2012. http://theoldhighchurchman.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-reformed-face-of-anglicanism.html. (accessed 3 February 2020)</ref>
{{quotation|Cranmer's personal journey of faith left its mark on the Church of England in the form of a Liturgy that remains to this day more closely allied to Lutheran practice, but that liturgy is couple to a doctrinal stance that is broadly, but decidedly Reformed. ... The 42 Articles of 1552 and the 39 Articles of 1563, both commit the Church of England to the fundamentals of the Reformed Faith. Both sets of Articles affirm the centrality of Scripture, and take a monergist position on Justification. Both sets of Articles affirm that the Church of England accepts the doctrine of predestination and election as a 'comfort to the faithful' but warn against over much speculation concerning that doctrine. Indeed a casual reading of the Wurttemburg Confession of 1551, the Second Helvetic Confession, the Scots Confession of 1560, and the XXXIX Articles of Religion reveal them to be cut from the same bolt of cloth.<ref name="Robinson2012" />}}

===Richard Hooker===
A recent scholarly study points out that, while [[Richard Hooker]]'s ''[[Law of Ecclesiastical Polity]]'' has a reputation as "the classic depiction of the English ''via media'' based upon the sound triumvirate of scripture, reason and tradition", the actual term ''via media'' nowhere appears in the work (written in English).<ref>Michael Brydon, ''The Evolving Reputation of Richard Hooker: An Examination of Responses 1600-1714'' (2006), p. 1.</ref>

Hooker's work concerned the form of [[Protestant Reformation|Protestant]] church government as an argument against the extreme advocates of [[Puritan]]ism, arguing that elements of Church of England practice condemned by the Puritans, in particular the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' and the institution of [[bishop]]s, are proper and accord with Scripture.

===Joseph Hall===
Bishop of Norwich [[Joseph Hall (bishop)|Joseph Hall]] (1574–1656) wrote a book ''Via Media: The Way of Peace, in the five Busy Articles, Commonly Known by the Name of Arminius'' (1619) in which he argued that Article 6 of the [[39 Articles]], ''Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation'', precluded adopting officially any doctrine like ''irresistible grace'' that were not clear or explicit in Scripture.<ref>[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-anglican-studies/article/anglican-via-media-the-idea-of-moderation-in-reform/A3DA01D957096B44C0AA930E2069E662 T.L. Holtzen, The Anglican Via Media: The Idea of Moderation in Reform, Journal of Anglican Studies]</ref>

=== John Overall ===
Bishop of Norwich from 1618, [[Joseph Overall|John Overall]] (1559–1619), when discussing the priesthood asserts the Via Media to between Presbyterianism and "Rome", stating "the mean betwixt both the said extremes is the truth, and to be embraced; viz. that the administration of the said power of ecclesiastical regiment under Christian kings and supreme magistrates doth especially belong, by the institution of Christ and His Apostles, unto archbishops and Bishops".<ref>Overall, J. ''The convocation book of MDCVI, commonly called Bishop Overall’s convocation book : concerning the government of God’s catholic church and the kingdoms of the whole world''. England: John Henry Parker, (1844). p. 127-128</ref>

=== '''Thomas Ken''' ===
Non-Juring Bishop of Bath and Wells, [[Thomas Ken]] (1637-1711), wrote in his last will and testament "As for my religion, I die in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic faith, professed by the whole Church, before the disunion of East and West; more particularly I die in the Communion of the Church of England, as it stands distinguished from all Papal and Puritan innovations, and as it adheres to the doctrine of the Cross."<ref>Hawkins, William, et al. ''A Short Account of the Life of the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Ken, D.D. Sometime Ld Bp of Bath and Wells.'' Printed for John Wyat, at the Rose in St. Paul’s Church-Yard., 1713. p. 27</ref> placing the English Church between the two extremes.

=== John Jebb ===
Bishop of Limerick, [[John Jebb]] (1775-1833), states that Anglicanism steers a "middle course" between Protestants who would 'send each individual to the Bible alone' and the Church of Rome.<ref>Jebb, John. ''Sermons, on Subjects Chiefly Practical : With Illustrative Notes, and an Appendix, Relating to the Character of the Church of England, as Distinguished Both from Other Branches of the Reformation, and from the Modern Church of Rome''. Printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1816, p. 404-405</ref>

===In Tractarianism===
Two centuries later, the phrase was used by [[John Henry Newman]] in setting out his influential views on [[Anglicanism]], as part of the argument he brought forward with the [[Tractarian]] movement.
''Via Media'' was the title of a series of the ''Tracts for Today'', published by Newman around 1834 and expanded into published lectures. Newman, at that time, claimed that Anglican Church is, or could be, [[Catholic]] because it adopts Reformation theology without Roman accretions, but [[Apostolic see|Apostolic]] because it kept the hierarchy, sacraments and liturgy.

{{blockquote|text=(A hypothesis, a substitute for direct evidence and hard reasoning) is the Via Media, a possible road, lying between a mountain and a morass, to be driven through formidable obstacles, if it is to exist, by the boldness and skill of the engineers. It is projected and planned for a definite necessity, the necessity of the Anglican position, except for which it would never have been imagined; and, as many other projects and plans, it may be made to look very fair on paper. |source= Preface, Via Media, vol 1, Lectures on the Prophetical Office of the Church[https://www.newmanreader.org/works/viamedia/volume1/preface3.html]}}

Newman's tracts in particular used the title to pay homage to the inception of the [[Thirty-Nine Articles]] and in so doing claim that the Tractarian movement was of the same vein as early Church of England scholars and theologians. They examined the [[Elizabethan Settlement]] and reinterpreted it as a compromise between Rome and Reform.

The Tractarians promoted the idea of Anglicanism as a middle way between the extremes of [[Protestantism]] and [[Catholicism]],<ref>Newman: Tract 38 ''Via Media I'': "The glory of the English Church is, that it has taken the VIA MEDIA, as it has been called. It lies between the (so called) Reformers and the Romanists."</ref><ref>Newman: Tract 41 ''Via Media II'': "A number of distinct doctrines are included in the notion of Protestantism: and as to all these, our Church has taken the VIA MEDIA between it and Popery"</ref> which became later an idea of Anglicanism as a middle way between Rome and Protestantism itself.

In justification of its idea of a ''via media'', the [[Oxford Movement]] attributed this position to the works of the Elizabethan theologian [[Richard Hooker]] and in particular his book ''Lawes of Ecclesiastical Polity'', which is accepted as a founding work on Anglican theology, a view of Hooker promoted by [[John Keble]], who was one of the first to argue that English theology underwent such a "decisive change" in Hooker’s hands.<ref>Nigel Atkinson: [http://www.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_060_AtkinsonHooker1.pdf Richard Hooker – Reformed Theologian of the English Church] - The Church Society, 1996</ref> Later theologians analysed Hooker's approach to the particular doctrine of justification by faith as a middle way between the [[predestination]]ism of the extreme Calvinists and [[Lutheran]] and [[Arminian]] doctrines.

The Oxford Movement asserted the ''via media'' as a middle way not within Protestantism but between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Its application to early Anglicanism has remained current in Anglican discourse.

==Nordic Lutheranism==
Some of the Nordic Lutheran Churches, chiefly the national churches of [[Church of Sweden|Sweden]], [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Finland]] and [[Church of Norway|Norway]], likewise consider themselves as ''via media'' churches. The latter professes its faith as "truly catholic, truly reformed, truly evangelical",<ref>https://intranet.st-jacques.org/docs/viewtopic.php?id=619096-church-of-norway-confirmation {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> a statement likewise echoed in the Canons of the Church of Sweden which states that the faith, confession and teachings of the Church are understood as an expression of the catholic Christian faith. It further states that this does not serve to create a new, confessionally peculiar interpretation, but concerns the apostolic faith as carried down through the traditions of the Church.<ref>Kyrkoordning för Svenska kyrkan: med kommentarer och angränsande lagstiftning. Verbum 2005. pp43-44</ref> These sentiment of these churches as a via media are expressed outright in the Common Statement of the [[Porvoo Communion]], a communion of European Anglican and Nordic and Baltic Lutheran churches:
{{blockquote|What made the Church of Sweden an evangelical-catholic church was to Archbishop Söderblom the fact that the Reformation in Sweden was a 'church improvement' and a 'process of purification' which did ''not'' create a new church. As a national church, the Church of Sweden succeeded in bringing together medieval Swedish tradition with the rediscovery of the gospel which the Reformation brought with it. Archbishop Söderblom included the historic episcopate in the tradition-transmitting elements. The Church of Sweden was, according to Söderblom, in an even higher degree than the Anglican Church a ''via media''. —Together in Mission and Ministry: The Porvoo Common Statement<ref>''Together in Mission and Ministry: The Porvoo Common Statement, With, Essays on Church and Ministry in Northern Europe: Conversations Between the British and Irish Anglican Churches and the Nordic and Baltic Lutheran Churches''. (Church House Publishing, 1993). ISBN 0715157507. https://books.google.com/books?id=JubvAqggjL8C&q=Anglican+branch+theory+Church+of+Sweden&pg=PA59. (accessed 10 November 2012)</ref>}}

==See also==
*[[Argument to moderation]], a logical fallacy
*[[Via Media]], as a description of Anglicanism
*[[Golden mean (philosophy)|Golden mean]]
*[[Middle Way]] (Buddhist concept)
*[[Wasat (Islamic term)]]
*[[Lagom]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[index.php?title=Category:Aristotelianism]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Anglicanism]]

Via Media

2026-10-20T13:33:43Z

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The '''Via Media''' is a term often used to describe the theological character of [[Anglicanism]] as a "middle way" between selected positions associated with the Protestant Reformation and the Roman Catholic tradition.<ref name="anglican-communion-belief">"What Anglicans Believe". ''The Anglican Communion''. Anglican Communion Office. https://www.anglicancommunion.org/what-anglicans-believe/. (accessed 23 June 2026)</ref> In Anglican usage it does not normally mean a simple compromise or a lack of doctrinal conviction. Rather, it refers to a pattern of theological judgment shaped by Scripture, the ancient creeds, the historic episcopate, the [[Book of Common Prayer]], and the Reformation formularies of the Church of England.<ref name="bcp1662-articles">"Articles of Religion", in ''The Book of Common Prayer''. (Church of England, 1662). https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/the-book-of-common-prayer-1662.pdf. (accessed 23 June 2026)</ref> The phrase has been used in different ways, and its meaning has varied according to period, party, and controversy.

== Historical development ==
The language of a middle way became especially important in explaining the English Reformation. The Church of England rejected papal jurisdiction and a number of medieval doctrines and practices, while retaining episcopal order, the use of set liturgy, the church year, and a strong sense of continuity with the ancient church. This combination made Anglican identity different both from Roman Catholicism and from some more radical forms of continental Protestantism.

The Elizabethan religious settlement is often associated with this pattern. It established a reformed national church with a common liturgy and episcopal government, while avoiding some of the sharper confessional definitions found elsewhere in sixteenth-century Europe. The [[Thirty-Nine Articles]] set out a Protestant doctrinal position on Scripture, justification, the sacraments, and the authority of the church, yet the public worship of the church continued to be ordered through the Prayer Book and retained many traditional forms in revised theological setting.

Later Anglican writers gave the idea a more explicit theological role. Richard Hooker, though he did not use the later slogan in a simplistic way, is frequently associated with the method that underlies it. His appeal to Scripture, reason, ecclesial order, and the practice of the ancient church became important for later Anglican self-understanding. In the nineteenth century, the Oxford Movement used the language of the Via Media in a different sense, presenting Anglicanism as a church standing between Roman claims and Protestant dissent, with special emphasis on apostolic continuity and sacramental life.

== Theological meaning ==
As an Anglican theological concept, the Via Media is best understood as a disciplined way of holding together truths that Anglicans believe should not be separated. It affirms the primacy of Holy Scripture while also valuing the witness of the early church, the creeds, and the ordered worship of the church. It upholds the Reformation teaching that salvation is by grace through faith, while also maintaining the visible church, the sacraments, and episcopal ministry as important means of Christian life and order.

The Via Media is therefore not identical with moderation in every dispute. Anglican formularies make definite claims, especially on the sufficiency of Scripture, the nature of the sacraments, and the rejection of doctrines judged contrary to the gospel. At the same time, Anglicanism has often resisted reducing the church's life to a single theological school. Its common prayer has allowed a range of evangelical, catholic, and broad church emphases to exist within a shared liturgical and doctrinal framework.

This has made the [[Book of Common Prayer]] central to the Anglican understanding of the middle way. The Prayer Book is not merely a manual of services; it is a theological document in liturgical form. Its pattern of daily prayer, confession, absolution, psalmody, Scripture reading, eucharistic worship, baptism, catechesis, marriage, burial, and ordination has historically formed Anglican belief through repeated public prayer.

== Uses and criticisms ==
The phrase Via Media can be helpful when it describes Anglicanism's attempt to preserve both catholic order and reformed doctrine. It explains why Anglicans have often valued continuity, liturgy, patristic learning, and episcopacy, while also insisting on vernacular worship, biblical preaching, and the doctrinal reforms of the sixteenth century.

The term can also be misleading. Some critics argue that it has been used to make Anglicanism sound more coherent than its actual history permits. Others object that it can become a vague appeal to balance, as though Anglican doctrine were merely the midpoint between two alternatives. Evangelical Anglicans have sometimes warned that the language of the middle way must not weaken the authority of Scripture or the Reformation teaching of the Articles. Anglo-Catholic writers have sometimes used the term to stress continuity with the undivided church rather than compromise with Protestantism.

For these reasons, modern Anglican writers often use the term carefully. It is most useful when connected to concrete sources: the Scriptures, the creeds, the Prayer Book, the Articles, the Ordinal, and the historical experience of the Church of England and the wider [[Anglican Communion]]. Understood in this way, the Via Media names a recognizable Anglican habit of seeking reformed catholicity: a church both evangelical and liturgical, both scriptural and historically ordered, both local in expression and conscious of the wider church.
== References ==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Anglican theology]]
[[Category:Church history]]

Versicles and Responses in Anglican Daily Prayer

2026-10-20T13:33:41Z

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Versicles and responses are short alternating sentences used in Anglican forms of [[Daily Office|daily prayer]], especially [[Mattins in the Book of Common Prayer|Morning Prayer]] and [[Evensong in Anglican Worship|Evening Prayer]].<ref name="bcp1662-daily-office">"The Order for Morning Prayer; The Order for Evening Prayer", in ''The Book of Common Prayer''. (Church of England, 1662). https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/the-book-of-common-prayer-1662.pdf. (accessed 23 June 2026)</ref> They give the office a dialogical shape, in which minister and people pray in turn rather than merely hearing a single voice. In [[Anglicanism]], this pattern reflects both the medieval choir office inherited by the English Church and the Reformation aim of making common prayer audible, scriptural, and congregational. The best-known examples occur after the creed and before the collects, where brief petitions prepare the congregation for the [[Collect of the Day in Anglican Worship|Collect of the Day]] and the fixed daily collects.

== Liturgical Form ==

A versicle is normally a short sentence said or sung by the officiant, with a response supplied by the congregation or choir. In printed prayer books these parts may be marked by letters such as V. and R., or by rubrics assigning the lines to the minister and the people. The form is simple, but it is not incidental. It orders prayer as a shared act and gives the congregation a repeated and memorable part in the service.

In the classical [[Book of Common Prayer]] offices, the versicles and responses follow the [[Apostles' Creed in Anglican Morning and Evening Prayer|Apostles' Creed]] and the [[Lesser Litany in Anglican Daily Prayer|lesser litany]]. They include petitions for mercy, salvation, the monarch or civil authority, ministers, peace, and purity of heart. The sequence then leads into the collects: in Morning Prayer, commonly the collect of the day, the [[Collect for Peace in Anglican Morning Prayer|Collect for Peace]], and the [[Collect for Grace in Anglican Morning Prayer|Collect for Grace]]; in Evening Prayer, the collect of the day, the [[Collect for Peace in Anglican Evening Prayer|Collect for Peace]], and the [[Collect for Aid against Perils]]. This placement links confession of faith with intercession and with the sanctification of the day.

== Historical Background ==

The Anglican use of versicles and responses draws on older Western liturgical practice, especially the Latin offices in which psalms, antiphons, short readings, and responsorial prayer formed the regular rhythm of worship. The English reformers did not abolish this structure. Instead, they translated, simplified, and rearranged it within a vernacular office intended for parish use as well as cathedral and collegiate worship.

The 1549 and later prayer books preserved the alternating character of the office while reducing the number of daily services and making the psalter, lessons, canticles, creed, and prayers available in English. The result was neither a private devotional manual nor a purely clerical rite. It was common prayer, with the people given direct speech in the liturgy. Versicles and responses therefore became one of the means by which the Prayer Book expressed the participation of the whole gathered church.

In choral foundations, the versicles and responses were often sung to plainsong or composed settings. In parish churches, they could be said plainly. This flexibility helped the same liturgical text serve both elaborate cathedral worship and ordinary parish prayer.

== Theological Significance ==

Theologically, versicles and responses embody a corporate understanding of prayer. The officiant does not pray in isolation on behalf of silent hearers; rather, the church answers, petitions, and assents. This pattern is consistent with Anglican emphasis on ordered public worship, scriptural language, and the priesthood of the baptized within the visible life of the church.

Their brevity also matters. The responses are concise enough to be learned by repetition, including by children and those new to the liturgy. In this respect they have a catechetical function. Worshippers learn the grammar of Christian prayer by praying it: mercy is sought, salvation is requested, peace is desired, ministers are remembered, and the heart is asked to be cleansed. The repeated exchange forms habits of dependence on God without requiring lengthy explanation within the service itself.

The versicles also connect the Daily Office with the wider biblical tradition of responsive prayer. Many lines echo psalmic language, and their placement after the psalms and lessons reinforces the movement from hearing Scripture to answering God in prayer.

== Later Anglican Use ==

Later Anglican prayer books and liturgical revisions have retained the principle of versicle and response, though wording, order, and ceremonial context vary among provinces. Some modern offices expand the range of responses or adapt them to seasonal use. Others preserve the traditional Prayer Book text closely, especially in communities shaped by classical Anglican liturgy.

Whether sung by a choir, recited by a small congregation, or used in household prayer, versicles and responses remain a compact expression of Anglican common prayer. They show how a modest liturgical form can carry historical continuity, congregational participation, and theological depth within the daily praise of the church.
== References ==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Liturgy]]
[[Category:Book of Common Prayer]]
[[Category:Anglican theology]]

Verger

2026-10-20T13:33:40Z

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A '''verger''' (or '''virger''', so called after the staff of the office, or '''wandsman''' in British English though archaic)<ref>"Wandsman Definition & Meaning". Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/wandsman. (accessed 21 August 2022)</ref> is a person, usually a [[Laity|layperson]], who assists in the ordering of religious services.

== Etymology ==
The title of ''verger'' arises from the ceremonial rod they traditionally carry known as a [[virge]] (from the Latin "branch, staff, rod"). The [[Ceremonial mace|Maces of State]] used in the [[House of Lords]] and the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] of the [[British Parliament]] are examples of another modern use of the medieval virge. In former times, a verger might have needed to use his virge to keep back animals or an overenthusiastic crowd from the personage he was escorting or even to discipline unruly choristers.<ref name=":0">McGraw, Kate. "Verger 'like a master of ceremonies' in church". ''Albuquerque Journal''. 12 May 2013. https://www.abqjournal.com/198194/verger-like-a-master-of-ceremonies-in-church.html. (accessed 29 June 2022)</ref>

== History ==
The office of verger has its roots in the early days of the [[Church of England]]'s history. The Order shares certain similarities with the former [[Minor Orders]] of [[Ostiarius|Porter]] and [[Acolyte]]. Historically, vergers were responsible for the order and upkeep of a house of worship, including the care of the church buildings, its furnishings, and sacred [[relics]], preparations for [[liturgy]], conduct of the laity, and grave-digging responsibilities. Although there is no definitive historical examination of the office of verger, evidence from [[Rochester Cathedral|Rochester]], [[Lincoln Cathedral|Lincoln]], [[Exeter Cathedral|Exeter]], and [[Salisbury Cathedral|Salisbury Cathedrals]] points to the existence of vergers even in the 16th century. The symbol of a guild of cathedral vergers is the crossed keys.

== Duties ==
During the service itself, a verger's main duty is ceremonially to precede the religious participants as they move about the church; they do not typically take any speaking part in the service itself.<ref>Bates, J. Barrington. "Consecration and Ascension: A Double Celebration at Trinity Church, Wall Street". ''Anglican and Episcopal History'' 88, no. 2 (2019): pp. 180–183. ISSN 0896-8039. JSTOR 26747940. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26747940</ref> It could be argued that a verger's main pride during a service lies in their inconspicuousness; vergers often play a very prominent role "behind the scenes"—helping to plan the logistical details of service and discreetly shepherding the clergy through it (in some churches these latter duties are handled by a [[Master of Ceremonies]], while the verger functions as a sort of marshal in the procession).

== Robes ==
The typical robes of a verger are a black gown worn over a black [[cassock]]. The gown is somewhat like an [[Academic dress|academic gown]] and is open-fronted in the English tradition. It is common for a verger's gown to bear the arms of the church, usually on one or both sleeves. It can be trimmed with velvet, which may be in another colour (a colour prominently associated with the cathedral, for instance). Formally, a [[Jabot (neckwear)|jabot]] may be worn at the neck.

Less formally, a verger may wear a gown without a cassock below, or, conversely, a cassock without the gown. In more modern settings, a verger might wear a [[scapular]] instead of a gown.

If a verger also serves at the altar during divine worship, the gown is often replaced with a [[surplice]].

== Modern function ==
Some vergers see their role as one of welcoming or hospitality, encompassing duties such as arranging [[Wedding|weddings]] and [[Funeral|funerals]] or meeting important visitors such as [[Bishop|bishops]]. Vergers at [[Westminster Abbey]], for example, also lead [[Tour guide|guided tours]].

In small churches, the office of the verger is often combined with that of the [[Sexton (office)|sexton]], who is responsible for maintaining church buildings and grounds. In some organizations the functions of the sexton and the verger are performed by the same person. Equally, many churches have neither a verger nor a sexton and these duties fall to the [[Churchwarden|churchwardens]].

== Cultural references ==
Perhaps the best-known portrait of an [[Anglican]] verger in fiction is in [[Somerset Maugham]]'s [[short story]] "The Verger". In British popular culture, the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Dad's Army]]'' featured a bumbling caricature of a verger named Maurice Yeatman, played by [[Edward Sinclair (actor)|Edward Sinclair]].

== See also ==
* [[Acolyte]]
* [[Altar server]]
* [[Churchwarden]]
* [[Sacristan]]

== External links ==

* [http://cofegv.org.uk/ The Church of England Guild of Vergers]
* [https://acnavergers.com/ Vergers Guild of the Anglican Church in North America]

Valor Ecclesiasticus

2026-10-20T13:33:38Z

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{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox manuscript

| name = ''Valor Ecclesiasticus''
| location = [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]], Kew, London

| image = File:Valor_Ecclesiasticus.jpg
| width = 500px
| caption = Title page

| Also known as =
| Type =
| Date = 1535
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The '''''Valor Ecclesiasticus''''' ([[Latin]]: "church valuation") was a survey of the finances of the church in [[England]], [[Wales]] and English controlled parts of Ireland made in 1535 on the orders of [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]].<ref>Archives, The National. "The National Archives - Valor Ecclesiasticus". ''The National Archives''. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/families/time-travel-tv/tudors-image-of-a-king/valor-ecclesiasticus/. (accessed 10 February 2025)</ref> It was colloquially called the '''Kings books''', a somewhat ambiguous term.

In 1534, King Henry parted with the Pope and the Catholic religion and by the [[Act of Supremacy]] made himself the supreme head of the [[Christian Church|church]] in his lands.<ref>"Public Act, 26 Henry VIII, c. 1". ''archives.parliament.uk''. https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_HL_PO_PU_1_1534_26H8n1. (accessed 10 February 2025)</ref> One of his first actions in his new role was to impose [[taxes]] on the clergy. Taxes traditionally paid by clerics to the Pope were now to be given to him, and Henry also decided in late 1534 to create a new annual [[income tax]] of 10%<ref>Jefferson, J. Michael. ''The Templar Estates in Lincolnshire, 1185-1565: Agriculture and Economy''. NED - New ed.. (Boydell & Brewer, 2020). pp. 215. ISBN 978-1-78327-557-1. DOI 10.2307/j.ctv105bbcn. JSTOR j.ctv105bbcn. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv105bbcn</ref> on the income from all church lands and offices. To properly assess the new tax a survey of all church property and revenues had to be made.<ref>Service, The National Archives Education. "Discover the Dissolution". ''ArcGIS StoryMaps''. 25 July 2023. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/eabbb11e62b941c1bf1474a83b5ce8a1. (accessed 13 October 2025)</ref>

In January 1535, the government appointed commissions throughout the country to conduct the survey. All clergymen, parish priests, heads of [[monasteries]], colleges, hospitals and other institutions under church auspices were commanded to give sworn testimony before their local commissioners as to their income, the lands their establishments owned and the revenues they received from all other sources. The commissioners were to examine documents and account books and from these and the testimony provide a full financial statement for every religious institution. The work of collecting the information was ordered to be completed by 30 May 1535 and the results sent in to the [[Exchequer]] in London.

The commissioners were unpaid and untrained, mostly local [[gentry]], [[Mayor#English-Saxon mayors and counterparts|mayors]], [[magistrates]], [[bishops]] and [[sheriffs]], but they approached the vast task with speed and, by the summer of 1535, the government had in its hands a detailed [[bookkeeping|accounting]] of the property and wealth of the church. Most of their work survives, preserved in 22 [[Latin]] volumes and three folders at [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]] in [[Kew]]. Two of the volumes are [[illuminated manuscript]]s and seem to be a summary made for King Henry's personal use.

==Accuracy==
The commissioners had no particular reason to be partial to the clergy and they applied themselves to the task with much diligence. Where the figures can be checked, for example against the financial records of the king's officials in charge of dissolving [[monasteries]] in the later 1530s, they are shown to be broadly accurate though on the low side, in some cases by as much as 15%. There is, particularly in the north, a tendency to underestimate the value of some important classes of asset, especially agricultural land held in [[desmesne]] and [[woodland]] with standing timber. One theory to account for this is the natural tendency of taxpayers to make conservative estimates combined with the rushed nature of the work, which encouraged the commissioners to give the benefit of the doubt. Standing timber moreover, by its nature, provides a resource of occasional exceptional income, rather than a steady annual income stream, and hence was commonly ignored in income assessments for 16th century inventories of landed assets.

In a few instances the discrepancy is of so large a scale as to suggest deliberate fraud in the returns in the ''Valor Ecclesiasticus''; as was the case for example of [[Norton Priory]] in [[Cheshire]], where the submitted figure was so low as to render the abbey liable for suppression under the first (1536) statute for the [[Dissolution of the monasteries|dissolution of lesser religious houses]].

==Significance==
The ''Valor'' gave the government for the first time a solid understanding of the scale of the wealth of the church as a whole and particularly of the monasteries. It was not long before King Henry began planning ways of seizing much of these riches for himself, starting with the smaller religious houses. Figures from the ''Valor'' were a vital part of the process of the [[Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535]], Henry's first move in the [[dissolution of the monasteries]], which dissolved all monasteries with a declared income of less than £200 per year.

The ''Valor'' is a document of the first importance for historians of the later [[Middle Ages|mediæval]] and [[Tudor period|Tudor]] church, the [[English Reformation]], and the Dissolution. It is also valuable to [[economic history|economic historians]] of the period.

A three year ''Rediscovering the Tudor Domesday'' project to digitised and share the Valor Ecclesiasticus was launched in 2025.<ref>Merrington, Andrew. "National project launched to rediscover Henry VIII’s long-forgotten ‘Tudor Domesday Book’". ''News''. 6 October 2025. https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-humanities-arts-and-social-sciences/national-project-launched-to-rediscover-henry-viiis-long-forgotten-tudor-domesday-book/. (accessed 13 October 2025)</ref>

==Bibliography and references==
*''Abbeys and Priories in England and Wales'', Bryan Little, Batsford 1979
*''The Abbeys and Priories of Medieval England'', [[Colin Platt]], Secker & Warburg 1984
*''Bare Ruined Choirs'', [[David Knowles (scholar)|David Knowles]], Cambridge University Press 1959

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/museum/item.asp?item_id=12 Title page of the ''Valor'' from the National Archives showing King Henry VIII]

[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:English Reformation]]
[[Category:Dissolution of the Monasteries]]
[[Category:1535 in Ireland]]
[[Category:1535 in England]]
[[Category:Economic history of Ireland]]
[[Category:Economic history of England]]
[[Category:Collection of the National Archives (United Kingdom)]]

Translation (ecclesiastical)

2026-10-20T13:33:35Z

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{{Short description|Transfer of a bishop between episcopal sees}}
{{about|translation of clergy|translation of relics|Translation (relic)}}
'''Translation''' is the transfer of a [[bishop]] from one [[episcopal see]] to another. The word is from the [[Latin]] ''{{lang|la|translatio}}'', meaning "carry across" (another religious meaning of the term is the [[Translation (relic)|translation of relics]]).<ref>Lloyd, Ronald Henry. ''A Pocket Guide to the Anglican Church''. (Mowbray, 1984). ISBN 978-0-264-66996-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=i_SiAAAACAAJ</ref><ref>Corèdon, Christopher; Williams, Ann. ''A Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases''. (Brewer, 2007). ISBN 978-1-84384-138-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=x9ouGQAACAAJ</ref>

This can be:
*From one diocesan bishopric to another bishopric which is perceived as more important (or the bishop prefers as their see)
*From [[suffragan bishop]] status to [[Bishop|diocesan bishop]]
*From [[coadjutor bishop]] to [[Bishop|diocesan bishop]]
*From one country's [[Episcopal See|episcopate]] to another
*From [[Bishop|diocesan bishop]] to [[archbishop]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Episcopacy in the Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]

{{christianity-stub}}

Tract 90

2026-10-20T13:33:33Z

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{{Short description|1841 theological pamphlet}}
[[File:Tract90.jpg|thumb|The first page of Tract 90]]
'''''Remarks on Certain Passages in the Thirty-Nine Articles''''', better known as '''Tract 90''', was a theological [[pamphlet]] written by the English theologian and churchman [[John Henry Newman]] and published on 25 January 1841.<ref>Donald S. Armentrout, Robert Boak Slocum, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=y_RpbmWNfHcC&pg=PA523 An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church: a user-friendly reference for Episcopalians]'' (2005), p. 523.</ref> It is the most famous of the ''[[Tracts for the Times]]'' produced by the first generation of the [[Anglo-Catholic]] [[Oxford Movement]].

==Overview==
In ''Tract 90'', Newman engaged in a detailed examination of the ''[[39 Articles]]'', suggesting that the negations of the ''39 Articles'' (a key doctrinal standard for the [[Church of England]]) were not directed against the authorized creed of [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], but only against popular errors and exaggerations. Newman's reasoning had predecessors in the writings of [[Christopher Davenport|Francis of Saint Clare]] and [[William Palmer (theologian)|William Palmer]], although Newman claimed to have been ignorant of Palmer's contemporary treatise ''In XXXIX Articulos''.

The purpose of ''Tract 90'', in common with so many others in the series, was to establish the contention that the fundamental [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiological]] identity of the Church of England was [[Catholic]] rather than [[Protestant]]. He believed that the 39 Articles were not to be interpreted by the original intent of the particular authors,<ref>''For its enjoining the "literal and grammatical sense," relieves us from the necessity of making the known opinions of their framers''.</ref> but if they were to be adopted as a true [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] formulary, they were to be interpreted in the light of Catholic doctrine.<ref>''In the first place, it is a duty which we owe both to the Catholic Church and to our own, to take our reformed confessions in the most Catholic sense they will admit''.</ref> Newman believed that the Articles did espouse true Catholic doctrine, and in explanation of Tract 90, he says: "...the great stumbling-block lay in the 39 Articles. It was urged that here was a positive Note against Anglicanism:--Anglicanism claimed to hold, that the Church of England was nothing else than a continuation in this country, (as the Church of Rome might be in France or Spain) of that one Church of which in old times Athanasius and Augustine were members. But if so, the doctrine must be the same; the doctrine of the Old Church must live and speak in Anglican formularies, in the 39 Articles...it did; that is what I maintained; it did in substance in a true sense. Man had done his worst to disfigure, to mutilate, the old Catholic Truth; but there it was, in spite of them, in the Articles still."<ref name="Newman1964">Newman, John Henry. ''Apologia Pro Vita Sua''. (New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Co., 1964)</ref>{{rp|116}}

Newman realized that his position in the Church of England rested on church and public approval of an interpretation of the Anglican formularies in a Catholic sense. This was the goal of Tract 90. If it failed, Newman knew that men would leave for Rome. He was proved right, after Tract 90 was denounced. For if the Church of England could not accept its own Catholicity, it had little to offer the Catholic Christians in its fold. He wrote, “I would not hold office in a Church which would not allow my sense of the Articles" and "There were no converts to Rome, till after the condemnation of Tract 90."<ref name="Newman1964" />{{rp|108}} Newman subsequently converted to the Roman Catholic faith, in which he was later elevated to [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] dignity.

==Contents==
Tract 90 is divided into the following sections:
* Introduction.
# Holy Scripture and the Authority of the Church.
# Justification by Faith only.
# Works before and after Justification.
# The Visible Church.
# General Councils.
# Purgatory, Pardons, Images, Relics, Invocation of Saints.
# The Sacraments.
# Transubstantiation.
# Masses.
# Marriage of Clergy.
# The Homilies.
# The Bishop of Rome.
* Conclusion.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [https://anglicanhistory.org/tracts/tract90/fulltext.html The full text of ''Tract 90''] at [[Project Canterbury]]
* [https://www.newmanreader.org/works/viamedia/volume2/tract90/index.html Remarks on certain Passages of the Thirty-nine Articles (Being No. 90 of the Tracts for the Times.)] Newmanreader.org
* [https://archive.org/details/tractnumberninet00newm/mode/2up Tract number ninety; remarks on certain passages in the Thirty-nine articles] at [[Internet Archive]]
* [https://anglicanhistory.org/tractarianism/beasley_examination1842.html An Examination of No. 90 of the Tracts for the Times], by Frederick Beasley (1842) at [[Project Canterbury]]

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1841 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:19th-century Christian texts]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Anglo-Catholicism]]
[[Category:Pamphlets]]
[[Category:Works by John Henry Newman]]

Todd Hunter (bishop)

2026-10-20T13:33:30Z

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{{Short description|American author, church planter and bishop}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Todd D. Hunter
| title = Bishop of the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese =
| see =
| term = 2013–2025
| predecessor =
| successor = [[Jeff Bailey (bishop)|Jeff Bailey]]

| ordination = October 25, 2008 (diaconal)
| ordained_by = The Rt. Rev. Philip Jones
| consecration = September 9, 2009
| consecrated_by = The Most Rev. [[Emmanuel Kolini]]
| rank =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
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'''Todd Dean Hunter''' (born 1956) is an American author, [[Church planting|church planter]], and bishop in the [[Anglican Church in North America]] (ACNA). He is the founding diocesan bishop of The Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others. In 2021, Hunter founded the Center for Formation, Justice and Peace, an interdenominational community that seeks to develop the Christlike character necessary to activate justice, leading to a life of deep peace for all people.

Prior to being received into Anglicanism in 2009, Hunter was a leader in the [[Charismatic Movement|charismatic]] [[Association of Vineyard Churches|Vineyard movement]]. He has also been affiliated with a number of evangelical movements and organizations during his career, including the [[Jesus Movement]], [[Calvary Chapel]], and [[Alpha course|Alpha]].

Hunter is the author of ''Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others, Giving Church Another Chance, The Outsider Interviews, The Accidental Anglican, Our Favorite Sins, Our Character at Work, Deep Peace'' and ''What Jesus Intended''.

==Early career and the Vineyard==
Hunter was converted to Christianity in 1976 as part of the [[Jesus Movement]].<ref name=TAA>Hunter, Todd. ''The Accidental Anglican: The Surprising Appeal of the Liturgical Church''. (Downer's Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2010). ISBN 978-0-8308-3839-4</ref> He completed his B.S. in business administration from [[California State Polytechnic University, Pomona|Cal Poly Pomona]]<ref name=HTACbio>"Todd Hunter :: Senior Pastor". Holy Trinity Anglican Church. http://www.myholytrinitychurch.com/staff/ToddHunter.html. (accessed September 11, 2012)</ref> and in 1979 moved to [[Wheeling, West Virginia]], with his wife, Debbie Hunter, to plant a [[Calvary Chapel]]-affiliated church.<ref name=TAA />

The Wheeling church later became affiliated with the Vineyard, and Hunter was hired by [[John Wimber]] in 1987 as a Senior Associate pastor at Anaheim Vineyard Christian Fellowship and to help start the [[Association of Vineyard Churches]].<ref name=TAA /> In 1991, Hunter moved to [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]], to oversee Vineyard churches in the Southeast. While there, he completed an M.A. in Biblical studies at [[Regent University]].<ref name=HTACbio /> He returned to Southern California in 1994 as national coordinator of the Vineyard, and after Wimber's death in 1997, served for four years as president of the Vineyard.<ref name=TAA />

==Church planting==

In 2009 at the urging of Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) chair [[Chuck Murphy (bishop)|Chuck Murphy]] and in recognition of his role as an overseer of churches in the West, Hunter was consecrated as a bishop in AMiA. Archbishop [[Emmanuel Kolini]] of Rwanda was the chief consecrator, and [[Rick Warren]] preached at the consecration service.<ref>"Consecration Adds Three New Anglican Mission Bishops". http://www.theamia.org/new/news/recent-news/consecration-adds-three-new-anglican-mission-bishops/. (accessed September 11, 2012)</ref>

==Transition to ACNA==
In late 2011 Hunter was one of nine AMiA bishops to resign from the Rwandan House of Bishops after a controversy between Murphy and new Rwandan archbishop [[Onesphore Rwaje]] over AMiA oversight.<ref name=CT>Ross, Bobby. "Leaving Rwanda: Breakaway Anglicans Break Away Again". ''Christianity Today''. July 12, 2011. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/decemberweb-only/leavingrwanda.html/. (accessed September 11, 2012)</ref> In 2012, Hunter expressed regret over his actions, reporting "that he had asked for and had received forgiveness from... Rwaje for 'my part in actions, attitudes or communications that were hurtful to him or to my brother bishops in Rwanda.'"<ref name=AInk>Conger, George. "Bishop Todd Hunter joins ACNA". ''Anglican Ink''. May 8, 2012. http://anglicanink.com/article/bishop-todd-hunter-joins-acna. (accessed September 11, 2012)</ref>

In July 2024, Hunter announced his intent to retire as diocesan bishop of C4SO by April 2026, triggering an election process for his successor.<ref name="retirement">"C4SO’s Diocesan Bishop Todd Hunter Announces Retirement". ''C4SO''. https://c4so.org/bishop-todd-succession/retirement-announcement/. (accessed 3 July 2024)</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*''Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices'' (InterVarsity Press, 2010) ({{ISBN|978-0830837489}})
*''Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others'' (InterVarsity Press, 2010) ({{ISBN|978-0830832569}})
*''The Accidental Anglican: The Surprising Appeal of the Liturgical Church'' (InterVarsity Press, 2010) ({{ISBN|978-0830838394}})
*''Our Favorite Sins: The Sins We Commit and How You Can Quit'' (Thomas Nelson, 2012) ({{ISBN|978-1595554444}})
*''Our Character at Work: Success from the Heart of Servant Leadership'' (Wheatmark, 2016) ({{ISBN|978-1627872935}})
*''Deep Peace: Finding Calm in a World of Conflict and Anxiety'' (Zondervan, 2021) (ISBN 978-0310120438)
* ''What Jesus Intended: Finding True Faith in the Rubble of Bad Religion'' (InterVarsity, 2023) (ISBN 978-1-5140-0495-1)

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel}}
{{S-new}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others|Bishop of C4SO]]|years=2013–2025}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Jeff Bailey (bishop)|Jeff Bailey]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Todd}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:Western Seminary]]
[[Category:Christians from California]]

Thirty-nine Articles

2026-10-20T13:33:27Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|Anglican doctrinal statement}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Anglicanism}}

The '''Thirty-nine Articles of Religion''' (commonly abbreviated as the '''Thirty-nine Articles''' or the '''XXXIX Articles'''), finalised in 1571, are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the [[Church of England]] with respect to the controversies of the [[English Reformation]]. The Thirty-nine Articles form part of the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' used by the Church of England, and feature in parts of the worldwide [[Anglican Communion]] (including the [[Episcopal Church (United_States)|Episcopal Church]]), as well as by denominations outside of the Anglican Communion that identify with the Anglican tradition (see [[Continuing Anglican movement]]).

When [[Henry VIII]] broke with the [[Catholic Church]] and was [[excommunication|excommunicated]], he began the reform of the Church of England, which would be [[Supreme Head of the Church of England|headed]] by the monarch (himself), rather than the pope. At this point, he needed to determine what its doctrines and practices would be in relation to the Church of Rome and the new [[Protestantism|Protestant movements]] in continental Europe. A series of defining documents were written and replaced over a period of thirty years as the doctrinal and political situation changed from the excommunication of Henry VIII in 1533, to the [[excommunication of Elizabeth I|excommunication of Elizabeth I]] in 1570. These positions began with the Ten Articles in 1536, and concluded with the finalisation of the Thirty-nine articles in 1571. The Thirty-nine articles ultimately served to define the doctrine of the Church of England as it related to [[Calvinist]] doctrine and Catholic practice.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=1611}}<ref name="Milton2002"/>

The articles went through at least five major revisions prior to their finalisation in 1571. The first attempt was the Ten Articles in 1536, which showed some slightly Protestant leanings – the result of an English desire for a political alliance with the German [[Lutheran]] princes.{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=}} The next revision was the Six Articles in 1539 which swung away from all reformed positions,{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=}} and then the ''King's Book'' in 1543, which re-established most of the earlier Catholic doctrines. During the reign of [[Edward VI]], Henry VIII's son, the [[Forty-two Articles]] were written under the direction of [[Archbishop]] [[Thomas Cranmer]] in 1552. It was in this document that Calvinist thought reached the zenith of its [[Calvinism in the Church of England|influence in the English Church]]. These articles were never put into action, owing to Edward VI's death and the reversion of the English Church to Catholicism under Henry VIII's elder daughter, [[Mary I of England|Mary I]].

Finally, upon the coronation of Elizabeth I and the re-establishment of the Church of England as separate from the Catholic Church, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion were initiated by the [[Convocation of 1563]], under the direction of [[Matthew Parker]], the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]].

The Thirty-nine Articles were finalised in 1571, and incorporated into the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]''. Although not the end of the struggle between Catholic and Protestant monarchs and citizens, the book helped to standardise the English language, and was to have a lasting effect on [[religion in the United Kingdom]] and elsewhere through its wide use.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1999|p=}}

==Predecessors==
{{History of the Church of England}}
===Ten Articles (1536)===
The [[Church of England]]'s break with Rome inaugurated a period of doctrinal confusion and controversy as both conservative and reforming clergy attempted to shape the church's direction, the former as "[[Catholicism]] without the [[Pope]]" and the latter as [[Protestant]]. In an attempt "to establish Christian quietness and unity", the Ten Articles were adopted by clerical [[Convocations of Canterbury and York|Convocation]] in July 1536 as the English Church's first post-papal doctrinal statement.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 238}} The Ten Articles were crafted as a rushed interim compromise between conservatives and reformers. Historians have variously described it as a victory for [[Lutheranism]] and a success for Catholic resistance.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 128}} Its provisions have also been described as "confusing".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

The first five articles dealt with doctrines that were "commanded expressly by God, and are necessary to our [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]]", while the last five articles dealt with "laudable ceremonies used in the Church".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 238}}{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} This division reflects how the Articles originated from two different discussions earlier in the year. The first five articles were based on the Wittenberg Articles negotiated between English ambassadors [[Edward Foxe]], [[Nicholas Heath]] and [[Robert Barnes (martyr)|Robert Barnes]] and German Lutheran theologians, including [[Martin Luther]] and [[Philip Melanchthon]]. This doctrinal statement was itself based on the [[Augsburg Confession]] of 1530.{{Sfn | "Wittenberg Articles"}}{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}}

The five principal doctrines were the [[Bible]] and [[ecumenical creeds]], [[baptism]], [[penance]], the [[Eucharist]] and [[Justification (theology)|justification]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}} The core doctrine in the Ten Articles was [[justification by faith]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 129}} Justification – which was defined as [[Forgiveness|remission]] of [[sin]] and accepting into God's favour – was through "the only mercy and [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] of the [[God the Father|Father]], promised freely unto us for his Son’s sake [[Jesus Christ]], and the merits of his [[Blood of Christ|blood]] and [[Passion of Jesus|passion]]".{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} [[Good works]] would follow, not precede, justification. However, the Lutheran influence was diluted with qualifications. Justification was attained "by [[contrition]] and [[Faith in Christianity|faith]] joined with [[Charity (virtue)|charity]]".{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 129}} In other words, good works were "necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

To the disappointment of conservatives, only three of the traditional seven [[sacrament]]s were even mentioned (baptism, the Eucharist and penance).{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} The Articles affirm the [[real presence of Christ in the Eucharist]], stating that "under the form and figure of bread and wine ... is verily, substantially and really contained the very self-same body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}} This definition was acceptable to those who held to [[transubstantiation]] or [[sacramental union]], but it clearly condemned [[sacramentarianism]]. More controversially for the reformers, the Articles maintained penance as a sacrament and the [[priest]]'s authority to grant divine [[absolution]] in [[Confession (religion)|confession]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

Articles six to ten focused on secondary issues. Significantly, [[purgatory]], which had been a central concern of medieval religion, was placed in the non-essential articles. On the question of its existence, the Ten Articles were ambiguous. They stated, "the place where [departed souls] be, the name thereof, and kind of pains there" was "uncertain by scripture". [[Prayer for the dead]] and [[Requiem|masses for the dead]] were permitted as arguably relieving the pain of departed souls in purgatory.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 240}}

The Articles also defended the use of a number of Catholic rituals and practices opposed by Protestants, such as kissing the cross on [[Good Friday]], while mildly criticising popular abuses and excesses. The use of [[Religious images in Christian theology|religious images]] was permitted but people were to be taught not to kneel before them or make [[Votive offering|offerings]] to them. Prayer to [[Mary, mother of Jesus]], and all the other [[saint]]s was permitted as long as [[superstition]] was avoided.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 238–239}}

In summary, the Ten Articles asserted:<ref>"Ten Articles 1536". ''reformationhenryviii.com''. http://www.reformationhenryviii.com/1536-ten-articles.html. (accessed 3 August 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180803183730/http://www.reformationhenryviii.com/1536-ten-articles.html (archived 3 August 2018)</ref>

# The Bible and the three [[ecumenical creeds]] are the basis and summary of true Christian faith.
# Baptism imparts [[Forgiveness|remission of sins]] and [[Regeneration (theology)|regeneration]] and is necessary for salvation, even in the case of infants. It condemns the opinions of [[Anabaptist]]s and [[Pelagianism|Pelagians]] as [[heresy]].
# The sacrament of [[penance]], with confession and absolution, is necessary to salvation.
# That the body and blood of Christ are [[Real Presence|really present]] in the Eucharist.
# Justification is by faith, but good works are necessary.
# Images can be used as representations of virtue and good example and also to remind people of their sins but are not objects of worship.
# Saints are to be honoured as examples of life and as furthering the prayers of the faithful.
# [[Intercession of saints|Praying to saints]] is permitted, and holy days should be observed.
# The observance of various rites and ceremonies, such as clerical [[vestment]]s, sprinkling of [[holy water]], bearing of candles on [[Candlemas]], giving of ashes on [[Ash Wednesday]], is good and laudable. However, none of these has power to forgive sin.
# It is a good and charitable deed to pray for the dead. However, the doctrine of purgatory is biblically uncertain. Abuses related to purgatory, such as the claim that papal [[indulgence]]s or masses for the dead offered at certain localities (such as the ''[[Santa Maria Scala Coeli|scala coeli]]'' mass) can deliver immediately from purgatory, are to be rejected.

=== ''Bishops' Book'' (1537) ===

[[Image:Thomas-Cranmer.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Thomas Cranmer]] headed the committee that authored the ''Bishop's Book''.]]

The failure of the Ten Articles to settle doctrinal controversy led [[Thomas Cromwell]], the King's [[vicegerent]] in spirituals, to convene a national [[synod]] of bishops and high-ranking clergy for further theological discussion in February 1537.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|pp=185–186}} This synod produced a book called ''The Institution of the Christian Man'' (popularly called ''The Bishops' Book''), the word ''institution'' being synonymous with ''instruction''.{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 444}} ''The Bishops' Book'' preserved the semi-Lutheranism of the Ten Articles, and the articles on justification, purgatory, and the sacraments of baptism, the Eucharist and penance were incorporated unchanged into the new book.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 255}}<ref>''The Institution of A Christen Man'' (Thomas Berthelet, cum privilegio, London 1537), full page views at [https://archive.org/details/institutionofchr00chur/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater Internet Archive].</ref>

When the synod met, conservatives were still angry that four of the traditional seven sacraments ([[confirmation]], marriage, [[holy orders]] and [[extreme unction]]) had been excluded from the Ten Articles. [[John Stokesley]] argued for all seven, while [[Thomas Cranmer]] only acknowledged baptism and the Eucharist. The others divided along party lines. The conservatives were at a disadvantage because they found it necessary to appeal to [[sacred tradition]], which violated Cromwell's instructions that all arguments refer to scripture.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|pp=187–188}}

In the end, the missing sacraments were restored but placed in a separate section to emphasize "a difference in dignity and necessity." Only baptism, the Eucharist and penance were "instituted of Christ, to be as certain instruments or remedies necessary for our salvation".{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 254}} Confirmation was declared to have been introduced by the [[early Church]] in imitation of what they had read about the [[Christian laying on of hands|practice of the Apostles]].{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=189}}

The ''Bishops' Book'' also included expositions on the creed, the [[Ten Commandments]], the [[Lord's Prayer]] and [[Hail Mary]].{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 446}} These were greatly influenced by [[William Marshall (translator)|William Marshall]]'s primer (an English-language [[book of hours]]) of 1535, which itself was influenced by Luther's writings.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 256}} Following Marshall, ''The Bishops' Book'' rejected the traditional Catholic numbering of the Ten Commandments, in which the [[Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image|prohibition on making and worshiping graven images]] was part of the first commandment, "[[Thou shalt have no other gods before me]]". In agreement with the [[Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Huldrych Zwingli]]'s church at Zurich, the authors of the ''Bishops' Book'' adopted the Jewish tradition of separating these commandments. While allowing images of Christ and the saints, the exposition on the second commandment taught against representations of [[God the Father]] and criticised those who "be more ready with their substance to deck dead images gorgeously and gloriously, than with the same to help poor Christian people, the quick and lively [[Image of God|images of God]]".{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 256}} Such teachings encouraged [[iconoclasm]], which would become a feature of the English Reformation.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=192}}

The list of the 46 divines as they appear in the ''Bishop's Book'' included all of the [[bishop]]s, eight [[archdeacon]]s and 17 other [[Doctor of Divinity|Doctors of Divinity]], some of whom were later involved with translating the [[Great Bible|Bible]] and compiling the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'':{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 445}}

[[Thomas Cranmer]] –
[[Edward Lee, Archbishop of York|Edward Lee]] –
[[John Stokesley]] –
[[Cuthbert Tunstall]] –
[[Stephen Gardiner]] –
[[Robert Aldrich, Bishop of Carlisle|Robert Aldrich]] –
[[John Voysey]] –
[[John Longland]] –
[[John Clerk, Bishop of Bath and Wells|John Clerk]] –
[[Rowland Lee (bishop)|Rowland Lee]] –
[[Thomas Goodrich]] –
[[Nicholas Shaxton]] –
[[John Bird (Bishop)|John Bird]] –
[[Edward Foxe]] –
[[Hugh Latimer]] –
[[John Hilsey]] –
[[Richard Sampson]] –
[[William Repps]] –
[[William Barlowe]] –
[[Robert Partew]] –
[[Robert Holgate]] –
[[Richard Wolman]] –
[[William Knight (royal servant)|William Knight]] –
[[John Bell, Bishop of Worcester|John Bell]] –
[[Edmund Bonner|Edmond Bonner]] –
[[William Skip]] –
[[Nicholas Heath]] –
[[Cuthbert Marshal]] –
[[Richard Curren]] –
[[William Cliffe]] –
[[William Downes (divine)|William Downes]] –
[[Robert Oking]] –
[[Ralph Bradford]] –
[[Richard Smyth (Regius Professor)|Richard Smyth]] –
[[Simon Matthew]] –
[[John Pryn]] –
[[William Buckmaster]] –
[[William May (theologian)|William May]] –
[[Nicholas Wotton]] –
[[Richard Cox (bishop)|Richard Cox]] –
[[John Edmunds (academic)|John Edmunds]] –
[[Thomas Robertson (divine)|Thomas Robertson]] –
[[John Baker (English statesman)|John Baker]] –
[[Thomas Barett]] –
[[John Hase]] –
[[John Tyson (divine)|John Tyson]]

In August 1537, it was presented to the King who ordered that parts should be read from the pulpit every Sunday and feast day. Nevertheless, the King was not entirely satisfied and took it upon himself to make a revised ''Bishops' Book'', which, among other proposed changes,<ref>{{Harvnb| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 257–258}}: "Most notoriously, [Henry VIII] took it upon himself to improve the wording of both the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. He wanted the final petition of the latter to read 'and suffer us not to be led into temptation' (rather than 'lead us not into temptation'). And he amended the First Commandment ('Thou shalt have none other gods but me') to read 'Thou shalt not have nor repute any other God, or gods, but me Jesu Christ.'"</ref> weakened the original's emphasis on justification by faith. This revised version was never published.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 259}} Because the ''Bishops' Book'' was never authorised by the Crown or Convocation, the Ten Articles remained the official doctrinal standard of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=17}}

===Six Articles (1539)===
[[File:The Act of Six Articles 1539.jpg|thumb|right|One of the final drafts of the Six articles (1539), amended in King Henry VIII's own hand]]
Fearful of diplomatic isolation and a Catholic alliance, Henry VIII continued his outreach to the Lutheran [[Schmalkaldic League]].
In May 1538, three Lutheran theologians from Germany – Franz Burchard, vice-chancellor of Saxony; Georg von Boineburg, doctor of law; and [[Friedrich Myconius]], [[Superintendent (ecclesiastical)|superintendent]] of the church in [[Gotha]] – arrived in London and held conferences with English bishops and clergy at the archbishop's [[Lambeth Palace]] through September.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=215–216}}: The English delegation included Cranmer, as chairman, and Nicholas Heath for the Protestant side. The conservatives included Bishops Sampson and Stokesley along with [[George Day (bishop)|George Day]] and [[Nicholas Wilson (parson)|Nicholas Wilson]]. Bishop Tunstall was involved in negotiations as well.</ref>

The Germans presented, as a basis of agreement, a number of articles based on the Lutheran Confession of Augsburg. Bishops [[Cuthbert Tunstall|Tunstall]], [[John Stokesley|Stokesley]] and others were not won over by these Protestant arguments and did everything they could to avoid agreement. They were willing to separate from Rome, but their plan was to unite with the [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Church]] and not with the Protestants on the continent.{{sfn|d'Aubigné|1972|p=}} The bishops also refused to eliminate what the Germans considered abuses (e.g. private masses for the dead, compulsory [[clerical celibacy]], and withholding [[communion wine]] from the [[laity]]) allowed by the English Church.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=219}} Stokesley considered these customs to be essential because the Greek Church practised them.{{sfn|d'Aubigné|1972|p=}} As the King was unwilling to break with these practices, the Germans had all left England by 1 October.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=221}}

Meanwhile, England was in religious turmoil. Impatient Protestants took it upon themselves to further reform – some priests said mass in English rather than Latin and married without authorisation (Archbishop Cranmer was himself secretly married). Protestants themselves were divided between establishment reformers who held Lutheran beliefs upholding the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and radicals who held [[Anabaptist]] and [[Sacramentarian]] views denying real presence.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 269–270}} In May 1539, a new Parliament met, and [[Lord Chancellor]] [[Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden|Audley]] told the [[House of Lords]] that the King desired religious uniformity. A committee of four conservative and four reformist bishops was appointed to examine and determine doctrine.<ref>{{Harvnb| Marshall | 2017 | p = 273}}: The committee was headed by Cromwell, the vicegerent, and the bishops included Cranmer and his Protestant allies – Latimer, Goodrich, Salcot – and their traditionalist counterparts Lee, Tunstall, Clerk and Robert Aldrich of Carlisle.</ref> On 16 May, the [[Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk|Duke of Norfolk]] noted that the committee had not agreed on anything and proposed that the Lords examine six controversial doctrinal questions that became the basis of the Six Articles:

#whether the Eucharist could be the true body of Christ without transubstantiation,
#whether it needed to be given to the laity [[Communion under both kinds|under both kinds]],
#whether [[Religious vows|vows]] of [[chastity]] needed to be observed as part of divine law,
#whether clerical celibacy should be compulsory,
#whether [[Votive Mass|private (votive) masses]] were required (legitimate) by divine law,
#whether auricular [[Confession (religion)|confession]] (that is, confession to a priest) was necessary as part of divine law.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 275}}{{sfn|Ridley|2013|p=180}}

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title = Statute of the Six Articles
| type = Act
| parliament = Parliament of England
| long_title = An Act for abolishing of Diversity of Opinions of certain Articles concerning Christian Religion.
| year = 1539
| citation = [[31 Hen. 8]]. c. 14
| territorial_extent = [[England and Wales]]
| royal_assent = 28 June 1539
| commencement = 28 April 1539{{efn|Start of session.}}
| repeal_date = 4 November 1547
| amends =
| replaces = [[Suppression of Heresy Act 1414]]
| amendments =
| repealing_legislation = [[Treason Act 1547]]
| related_legislation =
| status = Repealed
| original_text = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915533&view=1up&seq=510
}}
Over the next month, these questions were argued in Parliament and Convocation with the active participation of the King. The final product was an affirmation of traditional teachings on all but the sixth question. Communion in one kind, compulsory clerical celibacy, vows of chastity and votive masses were a legitimate form.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 153}} Protestants achieved a minor victory on auricular confession, which was declared "expedient and necessary to be retained" but not required by divine law. In addition, although the real presence was affirmed in traditional terminology, the word ''transubstantiation'' itself did not appear in the final version.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 275}}<ref>"The Act of the Six Articles". ''tudorplace.com.ar''. 1539. http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/act_six_articles.htm. (accessed 1 December 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180912225855/http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/act_six_articles.htm (archived 12 September 2018). The article on the Eucharist defines the real presence in these terms: "First, that in the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar, by the strength and efficacy of Christ's mighty word, it being spoken by the priest, is present really, under the form of bread and wine, the natural body and blood of Our Saviour Jesu Christ, conceived of the Virgin Mary, and that after the consecration there remaineth no substance of bread and wine, nor any other substance but the substance of Christ, God and man".</ref>

The Act of Six Articles became law in June 1539, which, unlike the Ten Articles, gave the Six Articles statutory authority. Harsh penalties were attached to violations of the Articles. Denial of transubstantiation was punished by burning without an opportunity to [[recant]]. Denial of any of the other articles was punished by hanging or life imprisonment.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 153}} Married priests had until 12 July to put away their wives, which was likely a concession granted to give Archbishop Cranmer time to move his wife and children outside of England.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=249}} After the act's passage, bishops Latimer and Shaxton, outspoken opponents of the measure, were forced to resign their dioceses.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=251}} The Act of Six Articles was repealed by the [[Treason Act 1547]] ([[1 Edw. 6]]. c. 12) during the reign of Henry's son, [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 312}}

===''King's Book'' (1543)===
When Parliament re-convened in April 1540, a committee was formed to revise the ''Bishops' Book'', which Henry VIII had never liked. The committee's membership included both traditionalists and reformers, but the former held the majority.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 279}} Convocation began discussing the revised text in April 1543. The ''King's Book'', or ''The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christian Man'' to use its formal title,<ref>''The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christen Man'' (Thomas Barthelet, King's Printer, London 1543), full page views at [https://archive.org/details/necessarydoctrin00chur/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater Internet Archive].</ref> was more traditional than the 1537 version and incorporated many of the King's own revisions. It was approved by a [[Magnum Concilium|special meeting of the nobility]] on 6 May and differed from the ''Bishop's Book'' in having been issued under the King's authority. It was also statutorily enforced by the [[Act for the Advancement of True Religion]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | pp = 160–161}} Because of its royal authorisation, the ''King's Book'' officially replaced the Ten Articles as the official doctrinal statement of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=18}}

Significantly, the doctrine of justification by faith ''alone'' was totally rejected. Cranmer tried to save the doctrine by arguing that while true faith was accompanied by good works (in other words, faith was not ''alone'') it was only faith that justified. However, Henry would not be persuaded, and the text was amended to read that faith justified "neither only nor alone".{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 160}} It also stated that each person had free will to be "a worker ... in the attaining of his own justification".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 288}} The ''King's Book'' also endorsed traditional views of the mass, transubstantiation, confession, and Church ceremonies.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 160}} The traditional seven sacraments were all included without any distinction in importance made between them. It was taught that the second commandment did not forbid images but only "godly honour" being given to them. Looking at images of Christ and the saints "provoked, kindled and stirred to yield thanks to Our Lord".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 288–289}}

The one area in which the ''King's Book'' moved away from traditional teaching was on prayer for the dead and purgatory. It taught that no one could know whether prayers or masses for the dead benefited an individual soul, and it was better to offer prayers for "the universal congregation of Christian people, quick and dead". People were encouraged to "abstain from the name of purgatory, and no more dispute or reason thereof".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 289}} Presumably, the hostility towards purgatory derived from its connection to papal authority. The King's own behavior sent mixed signals. In 1540, he allowed offerings for the souls of deceased [[Knights of the Garter]] to be spent on works of charity instead of masses. At the same time, however, he required the new cathedral foundations to pray for the soul of [[Jane Seymour|Queen Jane]]. Perhaps because of the uncertainty surrounding this doctrine, bequests in wills for [[Chantry|chantries]], [[Obiit|obits]] and masses fell by half what they had been in the 1520s.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 289}}

===Forty-two Articles (1553)===
{{main|Forty-two Articles}}
Henry VIII was succeeded by his son, [[Edward VI]], in 1547. During Edward's reign, the Church of England adopted a stronger Protestant identity. The [[Book of Common Prayer (1549)|''Book of Common Prayer'' of 1549]] authorised a reformed liturgy, and the [[Book of Common Prayer (1552)|1552 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] was even more explicitly Protestant. To make the English Church fully Protestant, Cranmer also envisioned a [[Reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum|reform of canon law]] and the creation of a concise doctrinal statement, which would become the Forty-two Articles.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=500}} Work on a doctrinal statement was delayed by Cranmer's efforts to forge a doctrinal consensus among the various Protestant churches to counter the work of the Catholic [[Council of Trent]]. When this proved impossible, Cranmer turned his attention to defining what the Church of England believed.{{Sfn|Heal|2003|p=310}}

In late 1552 the first edition of the confession was produced in the form of the Forty-Five Articles that Cranmer submitted for comment and revision, and which were approved by Parliament in June of 1553 by which time their number had been reduced to the [[Forty-two Articles]] which were drafted by Cranmer and a small group of fellow Protestants. The title page claimed that the articles were approved by Convocation when in reality they were never discussed or adopted by the clerical body. They were also never approved by Parliament.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 353}} The articles were issued by Royal Mandate on 19 June 1553. All clergy, schoolmasters and members of the universities were required to subscribe to them.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=625}} The theology of the articles has been described by some as a "restrained" [[Calvinism]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 181}}{{sfn|Bray|2004|p=284}} Others point to a much stronger Lutheran influence.<ref>Hall, Basil. "Cranmer, the Eucharist and the Foreign Divines in the Reign of Edward VI", in ''Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar''. edited by Ayris, Paul; Selwyn, David. (The Boydell Press, 1993b). ISBN 0-85115-549-9</ref>

== Development ==
Edward died in 1553. With the coronation of [[Mary I|Mary I]] and the reunion of the Church of England with the Catholic Church, the articles were never enforced. However, after Mary's death, they became the basis of the Thirty-nine Articles.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=625}} In 1563, Convocation met under [[Matthew Parker|Archbishop Parker]] to revise the articles.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}} Convocation passed only 39 of the 42, and Elizabeth reduced the number to 38 by throwing out Article 29 to avoid offending her subjects with Catholic leanings.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}} In 1571, despite the opposition of Bishop [[Edmund Gheast]], Article 29 was re-inserted, declaring that the wicked do not eat the Body of Christ.{{sfn|Wilson|Templeton|1962|p=}} This was done following the queen's [[excommunication]] by the [[Pope Pius V|Pope Pius V]] in 1570. That act destroyed any hope of reconciliation with Rome and it was no longer necessary to fear that Article 29 would offend Catholic sensibilities.{{sfn|Wilson|Templeton|1962|p=}} The Articles, increased to Thirty-nine, were ratified by the Queen, and the bishops and clergy were required to assent.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}}

==Content==
[[Image:Elizabeth1England.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], in whose reign the Thirty-nine Articles were passed]]

The Thirty-nine Articles were intended to establish, in basic terms, the faith and practice of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=5, 8}} While not designed to be a creed or complete statement of the Christian faith, the articles explain the doctrinal position of the Church of England in relation to [[Calvinism]], as well as Catholicism and [[Anabaptism]].{{Sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=1611}} According to historian Anthony Milton, "the Thirty-Nine Articles were certainly broadly consistent with the Reformed consensus in doctrinal matters".<ref name="Milton2002">Milton, Anthony. ''Catholic and Reformed: The Roman and Protestant Churches in English Protestant Thought, 1600-1640''. (Cambridge University Press, 9 May 2002). p. 396. ISBN 978-0-521-89329-9</ref>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Thirty-nine Articles
|
1. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article I|Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.]] 
2. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article II|Of Christ the Son of God.]] 
3. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article III|Of his going down into Hell.]] 
4. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article IV|Of his Resurrection.]] 
5. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article V|Of the Holy Ghost.]] 
6. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article VI|Of the Sufficiency of the Scripture.]] 
7. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article VII|Of the Old Testament.]] 
8. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article VIII|Of the Three Creeds.]] 
9. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article IX|Of Original or Birth-sin.]] 
10. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article X|Of Free-Will.]] 
11. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XI|Of Justification.]] 
12. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XII|Of Good Works.]] 
13. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XIII|Of Works before Justification.]] 
14. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XIV|Of Works of Supererogation.]] 
15. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XV|Of Christ alone without Sin.]] 
16. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XVI|Of Sin after Baptism.]] 
17. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XVII|Of Predestination and Election.]] 
18. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XVIII|Of obtaining Salvation by Christ.]] 
19. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XIX|Of the Church.]] 
20. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XX|Of the Authority of the Church.]]
|
21. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXI|Of the Authority of General Councils.]] 
22. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXII|Of Purgatory.]] 
23. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXIII|Of Ministering in the Congregation.]] 
24. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXIV|Of speaking in the Congregation.]] 
25. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXV|Of the Sacraments.]] 
26. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXVI|Of the Unworthiness of Ministers.]] 
27. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXVII|Of Baptism.]] 
28. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXVIII|Of the Lord's Supper.]] 
29. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXIX|Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ.]] 
30. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXX|Of both kinds.]] 
31. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXI|Of Christ's one Oblation.]] 
32. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXII|Of the Marriage of Priests.]] 
33. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXIII|Of Excommunicate Persons.]] 
34. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXIV|Of the Traditions of the Church.]] 
35. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXV|Of the Homilies.]] 
36. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXVI|Of Consecrating of Ministers.]] 
37. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXVII|Of Civil Magistrates.]] 
38. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXVIII|Of Christian men's Goods.]] 
39. [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article XXXIX|Of a Christian man's Oath.]]
|}

The Thirty-nine Articles can be divided into eight sections based on their content:{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=88}}

'''Articles 1–5: The Doctrine of God''':
The first five articles articulate the doctrine of God, the [[Holy Trinity]] and the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|incarnation]] of Jesus Christ. This is a departure from other doctrinal statements of the 16th and 17th centuries such as the [[Helvetic Confessions]] and the [[Westminster Confession]], which begin with the doctrine of [[revelation]] and [[Bible|Holy Scripture]] as the source of knowledge about God.{{Sfn|O'Donovan|2011|pp=11–12}}

'''Articles 6–8: Scripture and the Creeds''':
These articles state that Holy Scripture contains everything necessary for [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]], so that no one can be required to believe any doctrine that cannot be proved on the basis of biblical teaching. The articles acknowledge the authority of the [[Apostles' Creed]], the [[Nicene Creed]] and the [[Athanasian Creed]] because they express Scriptural teaching. It states that the [[Biblical apocrypha|Apocrypha]] is not part of Scripture. While not a basis of doctrine, the Apocrypha continues to be read by the church for moral instruction and examples for holy living.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=230–232}}

'''Articles 9–18: Sin and Salvation''':
These articles discuss the doctrines of [[original sin]] and [[justification by faith]] (salvation is a gift received through [[Faith in Christianity|faith]] in Christ). They reject the medieval Catholic teachings on works of [[supererogation]] and that performing [[good works]] can make a person worthy to receive justification (congruous [[Merit (Christianity)|merit]]). They also reject the radical Protestant teaching that a person could be free from sin in this life.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=294}} The articles address the doctrine of [[predestination]]—that "Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God". [[Double predestination]], the belief that God has also predestined some people to [[reprobation]], is not endorsed by the articles.{{Sfn|O'Donovan|2011|p=84}}

'''Articles 19–21: The Church and its Authority''':
These articles explain the nature and authority of the [[visible church]]. They state that the church, under Scripture, has authority over matters of faith and order. General councils of the church can only be called with the permission of the civil authority. It is possible for church councils to reach the wrong decisions, so they should only be followed if their actions align with Scripture.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=393}}

'''Articles 22–24: Errors to be avoided in the Church''':
These articles condemn the Catholic teachings on [[purgatory]], [[indulgences]], the use of religious images and the [[Intercession of saints|invocation of saints]]. In addition, the Catholic practice of using Latin as a [[liturgical language]] is disapproved of in favour of the vernacular. The articles state that no person should preach publicly or administer the sacraments unless they are called and authorised by legitimate church authority.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=424}} This was meant to counter the radical Protestant belief that a Christian could preach and act as a minister on his own initiative in defiance of church authorities.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=441}}

'''Articles 25–31: The Sacraments''':
These articles explain the Church of England's [[Anglican Sacraments|sacramental theology]]. According to the articles, [[sacrament]]s are signs of divine grace which God works invisibly but effectively in people's lives. Through sacraments, God creates and strengthens the faith of believers. The radical Protestant belief that sacraments are only outward signs of a person's faith is denied by the articles.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=464–466}} While the Catholic Church claimed [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|seven sacraments]], the articles recognise only two: [[baptism]] and the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]].{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=468–470}} The five rites called sacraments by Catholics are identified in the articles as either corrupted imitations of the Apostles (confirmation, penance and extreme unction) or as "states of life allowed in the Scriptures" (holy orders and marriage).{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=468–470}}

[[Baptismal regeneration|Regeneration]] (or the gift of new life), membership in the church, forgiveness of sins and [[Adoption (theology)|adoption as children of God]] are all received through baptism.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=485–486}} The articles state that [[infant baptism]] is "most agreeable with the institution of Christ" and should continue to be practised in the church.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=489}} In the Lord's Supper, participants become partakers of the body and blood of Christ and receive the spiritual benefits of Christ's death on the cross.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=499}} According to the articles, this partaking should not be understood in terms of the Catholic doctrine of [[transubstantiation]], which is condemned as "repugnant to the plain words of Scripture". Instead, the articles declare that there is no change in the substance of the bread and wine. Rather, participants are fed the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and through faith.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=500–503}} The articles declare that "The offering of Christ once made is the perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world". This was meant as a repudiation of the popular medieval idea that the Mass was a sacrifice in which Christ was offered for the forgiveness of sins for the living and the dead in purgatory.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=526, 529}}

'''Articles 32–36: The Discipline of the Church''':
The articles defend the practice of [[clerical marriage]] and the church's power of [[excommunication]]. It states that traditions and ceremonies in the church may vary by time and place; national churches can alter or abolish traditions created by human authority. The ''[[Books of Homilies|First and Second Book of Homilies]]'' are said to contain correct doctrine and should be read in church. The articles also defend the ordination rites contained in the [[Edwardine Ordinals|1549 and 1552 Ordinals]].{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=535}}

'''Articles 37–39: Christians and Civil Society''':
The articles affirm the role of the monarch as the [[Supreme Governor of the Church of England]]. It rejects all claims to the Pope's jurisdiction in England. It defends the state's right to use [[capital punishment]] and declares that Christians may serve in the military. It rejects the Anabaptist teaching that the property of Christians should be held in common, but it does explain that Christians should give [[alms]] to the poor and needy. It also defends the morality of oath-taking for civic purposes.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=590}}

== Later history ==
[[File:Book of Common Prayer 1760.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|The 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'' has long been printed with the Thirty-nine Articles.]]

During the reign of Elizabeth I, a "[[Calvinism in the Church of England|Calvinist consensus]]" developed within the church regarding the doctrines of salvation. Article 17 only endorsed [[Election in Christianity|election]] to salvation and was silent on whether God predestined people for [[reprobation]]; however, most of the bishops and leading churchmen believed in [[Double predestination (Hyper-Calvinist)|double predestination]]. When an [[Arminianism in the Church of England|Arminian]] minority emerged to challenge this consensus, [[Archbishop Whitgift]] issued the [[Lambeth Articles (1595)|Lambeth Articles]] in 1595. These did not replace the Thirty-nine Articles but were meant to officially align Article 17 to Calvinist theology. The Queen was unwilling to alter her religious settlement and refused to assent to these new articles.{{Sfn|Marshall|2017b|pp=56 & 60}}

The Thirty-nine Articles are printed in the [[Book of Common Prayer (1662)|1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] and other Anglican prayer books. The [[Test Act 1672]] made adherence to the Articles a requirement for holding civil office in England until its repeal in 1828.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} Students at [[Oxford University]] were still expected to sign up to them until the passing of the [[Oxford University Act 1854]].

In the Church of England, only clergy (and until the 19th century members of Oxford and Cambridge Universities) are required to subscribe to the Articles. Starting in 1865, clergy affirmed that the doctrine contained in the Articles and the ''Book of Common Prayer'' was agreeable to Scripture and that they would not preach in contradiction to it. Since 1975, clergy are required to acknowledge the Articles as one of the historic formularies of the Church of England that bear witness to the faith revealed in Scripture and contained in the creeds.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=1611}} The [[Church of Ireland]] has a similar declaration for its clergy, while some other churches of the [[Anglican Communion]] make no such requirement.<ref>"Institution of an Incumbent". ''Book of Common Prayer''. [[Church of Ireland]]. 2004. pp. 24. http://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/files/worship/pdf/InstitutionHC.pdf</ref> The [[Episcopal Church (United States)|US Episcopal Church]] never required subscription to the Articles.<ref>"Thirty-Nine Articles, or Articles of Religion". ''The Episcopal Church''. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/glossary/thirty-nine-articles-or-articles-of-religion/. (accessed 25 April 2023)</ref>

The influence of the Articles on Anglican thought, doctrine and practice has been profound. The Articles are the confession of faith of the Anglican tradition.<ref>Gee, Henry. ''Documents Illustrative of English Church History''. 1st ed.. (London: Macmillan and co, 1896). pp. 519</ref> In Anglican discourse, the Articles are regularly cited and interpreted to clarify doctrine and practice. An important concrete manifestation of this is the [[Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral]], which incorporates Articles VI, VIII, XXV, and XXXVI in its broad articulation of fundamental Anglican identity. In other circumstances they delineate the parameters of acceptable belief and practice in proscriptive fashion. The Articles continue to be invoked today in the Anglican Church. For example, in the ongoing debate over homosexual activity and the concomitant controversies over episcopal authority, Articles VI, XX, XXIII, XXVI, and XXXIV are regularly cited by those of various opinions.

Each of the 44 member churches in the [[Anglican Communion]] is, however, free to adopt and authorise its own official documents, and the Articles are not officially normative in all Anglican Churches (neither is the [[Athanasian Creed]]). The only doctrinal documents agreed upon in the Anglican Communion are the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed of AD 325, and the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral. Beside these documents, authorised liturgical formularies, such as Prayer Book and Ordinal, are normative. The several provincial editions of Prayer Books (and authorised alternative liturgies) are, however, not identical, although they share a greater or smaller amount of family resemblance. No specific edition of the Prayer Book is therefore binding for the entire Communion.

A revised version was adopted in 1801 by the [[US Episcopal Church]] which deleted the Athanasian Creed. Earlier, [[John Wesley]], founder of the [[Methodists]], adapted the Thirty-nine Articles for use by American Methodists in the 18th century. The resulting [[Articles of Religion (Methodist)|Articles of Religion]] remain an official doctrinal statement of the [[United Methodist Church]].

== Interpretation ==
According to theologian [[Henry Chadwick (theologian)|Henry Chadwick]], the articles are a revealing window into the ethos and character of Anglicanism, in particular in the way the document works to navigate a ''[[via media]]'' (Latin: middle path or middle way) between the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church on the one hand, and those of the Lutheran and Reformed churches on the other hand, thus giving the Church of England a unique middle-of-the-road position. The ''via media'' was expressed so adroitly in the Articles that some Anglican scholars have labelled their content as an early example of the idea that the doctrine of Anglicanism is one of "Reformed Catholicism".{{sfn|Chadwick|1988|p=}}

In 1628 [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] prefixed a royal declaration to the articles, which demands a literal interpretation of them, threatening discipline for academics or churchmen teaching any personal interpretations or encouraging debate about them. It states: "no man hereafter shall either print or preach, to draw the Article aside any way, but shall submit to it in the plain and Full meaning thereof: and shall not put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the Article, but shall take it in the literal and grammatical sense."<ref>"The King's Declaration Prefixed to the Articles of Religion (Nov. 1628)". ''history.hanover.edu''. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er91.html. (accessed 2 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20220428232645/https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er91.html (archived 28 April 2022)</ref>

However, what the Articles truly mean has been a matter of debate in the Church since before they were issued. The [[Evangelical Anglicanism|evangelical wing]] of the Church has claimed to take the Articles at face value, and to regard them as of utmost importance. In 2003, evangelical Anglican clergyman Chris Pierce wrote:

{{blockquote|The Thirty-Nine Articles define the biblically derived summations of precise Christian doctrine. The Thirty-Nine Articles are more than minimally assented to; they are believed wholeheartedly. In earlier times English and Irish evangelicals would have read Cranmer, [[Nicholas Ridley (martyr)|Ridley]], [[Hugh Latimer|Latimer]], [[James Ussher|Ussher]], and [[J. C. Ryle|Ryle]] and would unreservedly agree with Dean Litton's assessment that (quoted by Dean Paul Zahl, in his work 'The Protestant Face of Anglicanism'), 'The Anglican Church, if she is to be judged by the statements of the Articles, must be ranked among the Protestant Churches of Europe.'{{sfn|Pierce|2003}} }}

This view has never been held by the whole church.{{cn|date=February 2023}} In 1643, [[Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Armagh]] [[John Bramhall]] laid out a broader view of the Articles:

{{blockquote|Some of them are the very same that are contained in the Creed; some others of them are practical truths, which come not within the proper list of points or articles to be believed; lastly, some of them are pious opinions or inferior truths, which are proposed by the Church of England to all her sons, as not to be opposed; not as essentials of Faith necessary to be believed by all Christians ''necessitate medii,'' under pain of damnation.{{sfn|Bramhall|1842|p=355}} }}

This divergence of opinion became overt during the [[Oxford Movement]] of the 19th century. The stipulations of Articles XXV and XXVIII were regularly invoked by evangelicals to oppose the reintroduction of certain beliefs, customs, and acts of piety with respect to the sacraments. In response, [[John Henry Newman]]'s [[Tract 90]] attempted to show that the 39 Articles could be read according to an [[Anglo-Catholic]] interpretation.{{sfn|Newman|1841|p=}}

==See also==
* [[Life of Matthew Parker (Strype, 1821)|John Strype's ''Life of Matthew Parker'' (1821)]] — Parker oversaw the framing of the Thirty-nine Articles
* [[An Outline of an Anglican Life (Tarsitano, 1994)|Louis R. Tarsitano's ''An Outline of an Anglican Life'' (1994)]] — a confirmation course expounding the doctrine of the Articles
* [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)|E. Harold Browne's ''An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles'' (1883)]] — the classic historical and doctrinal commentary on the Articles
* [[Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles (Browne, 1883)/Article Map|Article Map of Browne's ''Exposition'']] — article-by-article comparison of Browne's commentary with this article's titles and groupings
* [[Article XVII of the Thirty-Nine Articles]]
* [[Article XX of the Thirty-Nine Articles]]
* [[Article XXVI of the Thirty-Nine Articles]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
;Citations
{{Reflist}}

;Sources
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
* Ayris, Paul; Selwyn, David (eds.). ''Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar''. (Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: [[Boydell & Brewer|The Boydell Press]], 1993). ISBN 0-85115-549-9
* Blunt, John Henry. ''The Reformation of the Church of England: Its History, Principles and Results''. 4th ed.. (London, Oxford, and Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1878). vol. Part 1 AD 1514–1547. https://books.google.com/books?id=M9UwAQAAMAAJ
* Bramhall, John. [https://books.google.com/books?id=O10PAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA355 "Schism Guarded"], in ''The Works of Archbishop Bramhall''. (Oxford: J.H. Parker, 1842). vol. 2
* Bray, Gerald Lewis. ''Documents of the English Reformation 1526-1701''. (James Clarke & Co., 2004). ISBN 978-0-227-17239-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=UGi6WWtzkJYC&pg=PA284
* Brown, Stephen F.. ''Protestantism''. (New York: Chelsea House, 2009). ISBN 978-1-60413-112-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=lplJPBYWefcC&pg=PA77
* Chadwick, Henry. "Tradition, Fathers, and Councils", in ''The Study of Anglicanism''. edited by Sykes, Stephen; Booty, John E.. (London: SPCK/Fortress Press, 1988). ISBN 978-0-8006-2087-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=3XUtAAAAMAAJ
*Chapman, Mark. ''Anglicanism: A Very Short Introduction''. (Oxford: OUP, 2006). ISBN 978-0-19-157819-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=RLEL9Xxy9E8C
* Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. (eds.). ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''. 3rd ed.. (Oxford University Press, 1997). ISBN 978-0-19-211655-0. https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary00late
* d'Aubigné, J. H. Merle. ''The Reformation in England''. (Edinburgh: [[Banner of Truth Trust]], 1972). vol. 2 Book 3. ISBN 978-0-85151-487-1
* Davie, Martin. ''Our Inheritance of Faith: A Commentary on the Thirty Nine Articles''. (Gilead Books Publishing, 2013). ISBN 978-0956856074
* Guy, John. ''Tudor England''. (Oxford: OUP, 1990). ISBN 978-0-19-285213-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=8JhrQgAACAAJ
* Haigh, Christopher. ''English Reformations: Religion, Politics, and Society Under the Tudors''. (Clarendon Press, 1993). ISBN 0198221622. https://books.google.com/books?id=zFmS2ng9z7wC
* Heal, Felicity. ''Reformation in Britain and Ireland''. (Oxford University Press, 2003). ISBN 978-0-19-928015-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=5SRANUBTt3AC&pg=PA362
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''Thomas Cranmer: A Life''. (London: [[Yale University Press]], 1996). ISBN 0-300-06688-0. https://archive.org/details/thomascranmerlif0000macc.
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid (ed.). ''The Book of Common Prayer: 1662 Version (includes Appendices from the 1549 Version and Other Commemorations)''. (David Campbell Publishers, 1999). Issue 241 of Everyman's library. ISBN 978-1-85715-241-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=BHRnQgAACAAJ. via Church of England
* Mackie, J. D.. ''The Earlier Tudors, 1485–1558''. (Oxford Paperbacks, 1994). ISBN 0-19-285292-2
* Marshall, Peter. ''Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation''. (Yale University Press, 2017). ISBN 978-0300170627. https://books.google.com/books?id=M7S_DgAAQBAJ
* Marshall, Peter. "Settlement Patterns: The Church of England, 1553–1603", in ''The Oxford History of Anglicanism''. edited by Milton, Anthony. (Oxford University Press, 2017b). vol. 1: Reformation and Identity, c. 1520–1662. pp. 45–62. ISBN 9780199639731. https://books.google.com/books?id=1WfODQAAQBAJ
* Moyes, James. "Anglicanism", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (1913 ed., 1913)
* Newman, John Henry. ''Remarks on Certain Passages in the Thirty-nine Articles''. (J.G.F. & J. Rivington, 1841). Tract No 90 of Tracts for the Times. p. [https://archive.org/details/a623832400newmuoft/page/n6 1]. https://archive.org/details/a623832400newmuoft
* O'Donovan, Oliver. ''On the Thirty Nine Articles: A Conversation with Tudor Christianity''. 2nd ed.. (London: SCM Press, 2011). ISBN 9780334047810. https://books.google.com/books?id=8WOmDwAAQBAJ
* Pierce, Chris. "A Look across the Pond - A brief analysis of the status of the evangelical Anglicanism in the US and Canada". ''Cross†way'', no. 89 (2003). http://archive.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_089_Pierce1.pdf. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180830142457/http://archive.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_089_Pierce1.pdf (archived 30 August 2018)
* Ridley, Jasper. ''Thomas Cranmer''. (Pan Macmillan, 2013). (first published 1962). ISBN 978-1-4472-4128-7. OCLC 398369. {{Google books |plainurl=yes |id=WiodIjEXpjwC |keywords=importance of auricular confession}}
*Wilson, William Gilbert; Templeton, J. H.. ''Anglican Teaching: An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles''. (Dublin: [[Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge]], 1962). https://books.google.com/books?id=N6a9GAAACAAJ
* "Wittenberg Articles", in ''Christian Cyclopedia''. (Concordia Publishing House, 2000). http://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=w&word=WITTENBERGARTICLES. (accessed 3 August 2018)
{{refend}}

;Further reading
{{refbegin}}
* Bicknell, Edward John. ''A theological introduction to the Thirty-nine articles of the Church of England''. (London: Longmans, 1919). https://books.google.com/books?id=GU-gAAAAMAAJ
* Boultbee, Thomas Pownall. ''A Commentary on the Thirty-nine Articles: Forming an Introduction to the Theology of the Church of England''. (Longmans, 1877). https://archive.org/details/acommentaryonth00boulgoog
* Denison, Edward. ''A Review of the State of the Question respecting the Admission of Dissenters to the Universities''. (London: John Cochran, 1835)
* Douglas, Brian. ''A Companion to Anglican Eucharistic Theology''. (Leiden: Brill, 2011). vol. 1: The Reformation to the 19th Century. pp. 234–246. ISBN 978-90-04-21930-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=jW2uOx2kHrYC&pg=PA234
* Gibson, Edgar Charles Sumner. ''The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England Explained...''. (Methuen & Company, 1908). https://books.google.com/books?id=JwNKAAAAMAAJ
* Kirby, Torrance. "The Articles of Religion of the Church of England (1563/71), commonly called the Thirty-Nine Articles.", in ''Reformierte Bekenntnisschriften''. edited by Mühling, Andreas; Opitz, Peter. (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 2009). vol. Band 2/1, 1559-1563. pp. 371–410
* Redworth, Glyn. "A Study in the Formulation of Policy: The Genesis and Evolution of the Act of Six Articles". ''The Journal of Ecclesiastical History'' 37, no. 1 (2011): pp. 42–67. ISSN 0022-0469. DOI 10.1017/S0022046900031900. S2CID 162584862
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource-multi|Book of Common Prayer (1863)/Articles of Religion|t1=Thirty-nine Articles of Religion|Book of Common Prayer (ECUSA)/Historical Documents of the Church/Articles of Religion|t2=Articles of Religion of the Episcopal Church}}
* [https://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/tenarticles.htm The Ten Articles of 1536]
* [http://www.theologian.org.uk/church/39articles.html Audio version of the 39 Articles in MP3 format]
* [https://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/articles/articles.html Articles of Religion], text of the 1571 version
* [https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/articles-religion Articles of Religion] Church of England website
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050720233945/http://www.justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/england.htm Anglican Communion resources relating to the ''Book of Common Prayer'', including the articles of religion]
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20051216190502/http://www.justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1662/articles.pdf Facsimile of a 1762 printing] from the above site
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010219210433/https://gavvie.tripod.com/39articles/articles.html Original text in Latin and in English]
* [https://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html Revised 1801 version] adopted by the US Episcopal Church
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071024070704/http://www.tlogical.net/irish.htm Irish Articles of 1615]
* {{Librivox book |stitle=The Reformation Collection Volume 2 |dtitle=The Ten Articles and The Six Articles}}

{{Reformed confessions}}
{{Intermediates between Catholicism and Protestantism}}

[[Category:16th-century Christian texts]]
[[Category:1563 in Christianity]]
[[Category:1563 in England]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Anglo-Catholicism]]
[[Category:Book of Common Prayer]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:History of the Church of England]]
[[Category:Reformed confessions of faith]]

Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion

2026-10-20T13:33:23Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

[[File:Giovanni Antonio Canal, il Canaletto - London - Westminster Abbey, with a Procession of Knights of the Bath - WGA03950.jpg|thumb|[[Westminster Abbey]] by Canaletto]]
The '''Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion''' (commonly abbreviated as the '''Thirty-Nine Articles''', the '''Articles of Religion''' or the '''XXXIX Articles'''), finalized in 1571, are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the [[Church of England]] with respect to the controversies of the [[English Reformation]]. The Thirty-nine Articles form part of the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' used by the Church of England, and feature in parts of the worldwide [[Anglican Communion]] (including the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]]), as well as by denominations outside of the Anglican Communion that identify with the Anglican tradition (see [[Continuing Anglican movement]]).

When [[Henry VIII]] broke with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and was [[Excommunication|excommunicated]], he began the reform of the Church of England, which would be [[Supreme Head of the Church of England|headed]] by the monarch (himself), rather than the pope. At this point, he needed to determine what its doctrines and practices would be in relation to the Church of Rome and the new [[Protestantism|Protestant movements]] in continental Europe. A series of defining documents were written and replaced over a period of thirty years as the doctrinal and political situation changed from the excommunication of Henry VIII in 1533, to the [[Excommunication of Elizabeth I|excommunication of Elizabeth I]] in 1570. These positions began with the Ten Articles in 1536, and concluded with the finalization of the Thirty-nine articles in 1571. The Thirty-nine articles ultimately served to define the doctrine of the Church of England as it related to [[Calvinist]] doctrine and Catholic practice.<ref name="Milton2002" />

The articles went through at least five major revisions prior to their finalization in 1571. The first attempt was the Ten Articles in 1536, which showed some slightly Protestant leanings – the result of an English desire for a political alliance with the German [[Lutheran]] princes. The next revision was the Six Articles in 1539 which swung away from all reformed positions, and then the ''King's Book'' in 1543, which re-established most of the earlier Catholic doctrines. During the reign of [[Edward VI]], Henry VIII's son, the [[Forty-two Articles]] were written under the direction of [[Archbishop]] [[Thomas Cranmer]] in 1552. It was in this document that Calvinist thought reached the zenith of its [[Calvinism in the Church of England|influence in the English Church]]. These articles were never put into action, owing to Edward VI's death and the reversion of the English Church to Catholicism under Henry VIII's elder daughter, [[Mary I of England|Mary I]].

Finally, upon the coronation of Elizabeth I and the re-establishment of the Church of England as separate from the Catholic Church, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion were initiated by the [[Convocation of 1563]], under the direction of [[Matthew Parker]], the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]].

The Thirty-nine Articles were finalised in 1571, and incorporated into the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]''. Although not the end of the struggle between Catholic and Protestant monarchs and citizens, the book helped to standardise the English language, and was to have a lasting effect on [[religion in the United Kingdom]] and elsewhere through its wide use.

==Predecessors==
{{History of the Church of England}}
===Ten Articles (1536)===
The [[Church of England]]'s break with Rome inaugurated a period of doctrinal confusion and controversy as both conservative and reforming clergy attempted to shape the church's direction, the former as "[[Catholicism]] without the [[Pope]]" and the latter as [[Protestant]]. In an attempt "to establish Christian quietness and unity", the Ten Articles were adopted by clerical [[Convocations of Canterbury and York|Convocation]] in July 1536 as the English Church's first post-papal doctrinal statement.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 238}} The Ten Articles were crafted as a rushed interim compromise between conservatives and reformers. Historians have variously described it as a victory for [[Lutheranism]] and a success for Catholic resistance.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 128}} Its provisions have also been described as "confusing".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

The first five articles dealt with doctrines that were "commanded expressly by God, and are necessary to our [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]]", while the last five articles dealt with "laudable ceremonies used in the Church".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 238}}{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} This division reflects how the Articles originated from two different discussions earlier in the year. The first five articles were based on the Wittenberg Articles negotiated between English ambassadors [[Edward Foxe]], [[Nicholas Heath]] and [[Robert Barnes (martyr)|Robert Barnes]] and German Lutheran theologians, including [[Martin Luther]] and [[Philip Melanchthon]]. This doctrinal statement was itself based on the [[Augsburg Confession]] of 1530.{{Sfn | "Wittenberg Articles"}}{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}}

The five principal doctrines were the [[Bible]] and [[ecumenical creeds]], [[baptism]], [[penance]], the [[Eucharist]] and [[Justification (theology)|justification]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}} The core doctrine in the Ten Articles was [[justification by faith]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 129}} Justification – which was defined as [[Forgiveness|remission]] of [[sin]] and accepting into God's favour – was through "the only mercy and [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] of the [[God the Father|Father]], promised freely unto us for his Son’s sake [[Jesus Christ]], and the merits of his [[Blood of Christ|blood]] and [[Passion of Jesus|passion]]".{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} [[Good works]] would follow, not precede, justification. However, the Lutheran influence was diluted with qualifications. Justification was attained "by [[contrition]] and [[Faith in Christianity|faith]] joined with [[Charity (virtue)|charity]]".{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 129}} In other words, good works were "necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

To the disappointment of conservatives, only three of the traditional seven [[sacrament]]s were even mentioned (baptism, the Eucharist and penance).{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=161}} The Articles affirm the [[real presence of Christ in the Eucharist]], stating that "under the form and figure of bread and wine ... is verily, substantially and really contained the very self-same body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}} This definition was acceptable to those who held to [[transubstantiation]] or [[sacramental union]], but it clearly condemned [[sacramentarianism]]. More controversially for the reformers, the Articles maintained penance as a sacrament and the [[priest]]'s authority to grant divine [[absolution]] in [[Confession (religion)|confession]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 239}}

Articles six to ten focused on secondary issues. Significantly, [[purgatory]], which had been a central concern of medieval religion, was placed in the non-essential articles. On the question of its existence, the Ten Articles were ambiguous. They stated, "the place where [departed souls] be, the name thereof, and kind of pains there" was "uncertain by scripture". [[Prayer for the dead]] and [[Requiem|masses for the dead]] were permitted as arguably relieving the pain of departed souls in purgatory.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 240}}

The Articles also defended the use of a number of Catholic rituals and practices opposed by Protestants, such as kissing the cross on [[Good Friday]], while mildly criticising popular abuses and excesses. The use of [[Religious images in Christian theology|religious images]] was permitted but people were to be taught not to kneel before them or make [[Votive offering|offerings]] to them. Prayer to [[Mary, mother of Jesus]], and all the other [[saint]]s was permitted as long as [[superstition]] was avoided.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 238–239}}

In summary, the Ten Articles asserted:<ref>"Ten Articles 1536". ''reformationhenryviii.com''. http://www.reformationhenryviii.com/1536-ten-articles.html. (accessed 3 August 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180803183730/http://www.reformationhenryviii.com/1536-ten-articles.html (archived 3 August 2018)</ref>

# The Bible and the three [[ecumenical creeds]] are the basis and summary of true Christian faith.
# Baptism imparts [[Forgiveness|remission of sins]] and [[Regeneration (theology)|regeneration]] and is necessary for salvation, even in the case of infants. It condemns the opinions of [[Anabaptist]]s and [[Pelagianism|Pelagians]] as [[heresy]].
# The sacrament of [[penance]], with confession and absolution, is necessary to salvation.
# That the body and blood of Christ are [[Real Presence|really present]] in the Eucharist.
# Justification is by faith, but good works are necessary.
# Images can be used as representations of virtue and good example and also to remind people of their sins but are not objects of worship.
# Saints are to be honoured as examples of life and as furthering the prayers of the faithful.
# [[Intercession of saints|Praying to saints]] is permitted, and holy days should be observed.
# The observance of various rites and ceremonies, such as clerical [[vestment]]s, sprinkling of [[holy water]], bearing of candles on [[Candlemas]], giving of ashes on [[Ash Wednesday]], is good and laudable. However, none of these has power to forgive sin.
# It is a good and charitable deed to pray for the dead. However, the doctrine of purgatory is biblically uncertain. Abuses related to purgatory, such as the claim that papal [[indulgence]]s or masses for the dead offered at certain localities (such as the ''[[Santa Maria Scala Coeli|scala coeli]]'' mass) can deliver immediately from purgatory, are to be rejected.

=== ''Bishops' Book'' (1537) ===

[[Image:Thomas-Cranmer.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Thomas Cranmer]] headed the committee that authored the ''Bishop's Book''.]]

The failure of the Ten Articles to settle doctrinal controversy led [[Thomas Cromwell]], the King's [[vicegerent]] in spirituals, to convene a national [[synod]] of bishops and high-ranking clergy for further theological discussion in February 1537.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|pp=185–186}} This synod produced a book called ''The Institution of the Christian Man'' (popularly called ''The Bishops' Book''), the word ''institution'' being synonymous with ''instruction''.{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 444}} ''The Bishops' Book'' preserved the semi-Lutheranism of the Ten Articles, and the articles on justification, purgatory, and the sacraments of baptism, the Eucharist and penance were incorporated unchanged into the new book.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 255}}<ref>''The Institution of A Christen Man'' (Thomas Berthelet, cum privilegio, London 1537), full page views at [https://archive.org/details/institutionofchr00chur/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater Internet Archive].</ref>

When the synod met, conservatives were still angry that four of the traditional seven sacraments ([[confirmation]], marriage, [[holy orders]] and [[extreme unction]]) had been excluded from the Ten Articles. [[John Stokesley]] argued for all seven, while [[Thomas Cranmer]] only acknowledged baptism and the Eucharist. The others divided along party lines. The conservatives were at a disadvantage because they found it necessary to appeal to [[sacred tradition]], which violated Cromwell's instructions that all arguments refer to scripture.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|pp=187–188}}

In the end, the missing sacraments were restored but placed in a separate section to emphasize "a difference in dignity and necessity." Only baptism, the Eucharist and penance were "instituted of Christ, to be as certain instruments or remedies necessary for our salvation".{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 254}} Confirmation was declared to have been introduced by the [[early Church]] in imitation of what they had read about the [[Christian laying on of hands|practice of the Apostles]].{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=189}}

The ''Bishops' Book'' also included expositions on the creed, the [[Ten Commandments]], the [[Lord's Prayer]] and [[Hail Mary]].{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 446}} These were greatly influenced by [[William Marshall (translator)|William Marshall]]'s primer (an English-language [[book of hours]]) of 1535, which itself was influenced by Luther's writings.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 256}} Following Marshall, ''The Bishops' Book'' rejected the traditional Catholic numbering of the Ten Commandments, in which the [[Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image|prohibition on making and worshiping graven images]] was part of the first commandment, "[[Thou shalt have no other gods before me]]". In agreement with the [[Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Huldrych Zwingli]]'s church at Zurich, the authors of the ''Bishops' Book'' adopted the Jewish tradition of separating these commandments. While allowing images of Christ and the saints, the exposition on the second commandment taught against representations of [[God the Father]] and criticised those who "be more ready with their substance to deck dead images gorgeously and gloriously, than with the same to help poor Christian people, the quick and lively [[Image of God|images of God]]".{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 256}} Such teachings encouraged [[iconoclasm]], which would become a feature of the English Reformation.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=192}}

The list of the 46 divines as they appear in the ''Bishop's Book'' included all of the [[bishop]]s, eight [[archdeacon]]s and 17 other [[Doctor of Divinity|Doctors of Divinity]], some of whom were later involved with translating the [[Great Bible|Bible]] and compiling the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'':{{Sfn| Blunt | 1878 | p = 445}}

[[Thomas Cranmer]] –
[[Edward Lee, Archbishop of York|Edward Lee]] –
[[John Stokesley]] –
[[Cuthbert Tunstall]] –
[[Stephen Gardiner]] –
[[Robert Aldrich, Bishop of Carlisle|Robert Aldrich]] –
[[John Voysey]] –
[[John Longland]] –
[[John Clerk, Bishop of Bath and Wells|John Clerk]] –
[[Rowland Lee (bishop)|Rowland Lee]] –
[[Thomas Goodrich]] –
[[Nicholas Shaxton]] –
[[John Bird (Bishop)|John Bird]] –
[[Edward Foxe]] –
[[Hugh Latimer]] –
[[John Hilsey]] –
[[Richard Sampson]] –
[[William Repps]] –
[[William Barlowe]] –
[[Robert Partew]] –
[[Robert Holgate]] –
[[Richard Wolman]] –
[[William Knight (royal servant)|William Knight]] –
[[John Bell, Bishop of Worcester|John Bell]] –
[[Edmund Bonner|Edmond Bonner]] –
[[William Skip]] –
[[Nicholas Heath]] –
[[Cuthbert Marshal]] –
[[Richard Curren]] –
[[William Cliffe]] –
[[William Downes (divine)|William Downes]] –
[[Robert Oking]] –
[[Ralph Bradford]] –
[[Richard Smyth (Regius Professor)|Richard Smyth]] –
[[Simon Matthew]] –
[[John Pryn]] –
[[William Buckmaster]] –
[[William May (theologian)|William May]] –
[[Nicholas Wotton]] –
[[Richard Cox (bishop)|Richard Cox]] –
[[John Edmunds (academic)|John Edmunds]] –
[[Thomas Robertson (divine)|Thomas Robertson]] –
[[John Baker (English statesman)|John Baker]] –
[[Thomas Barett]] –
[[John Hase]] –
[[John Tyson (divine)|John Tyson]]

In August 1537, it was presented to the King who ordered that parts should be read from the pulpit every Sunday and feast day. Nevertheless, the King was not entirely satisfied and took it upon himself to make a revised ''Bishops' Book'', which, among other proposed changes,<ref>{{Harvnb| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 257–258}}: "Most notoriously, [Henry VIII] took it upon himself to improve the wording of both the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. He wanted the final petition of the latter to read 'and suffer us not to be led into temptation' (rather than 'lead us not into temptation'). And he amended the First Commandment ('Thou shalt have none other gods but me') to read 'Thou shalt not have nor repute any other God, or gods, but me Jesu Christ.'"</ref> weakened the original's emphasis on justification by faith. This revised version was never published.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 259}} Because the ''Bishops' Book'' was never authorised by the Crown or Convocation, the Ten Articles remained the official doctrinal standard of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=17}}

===Six Articles (1539)===
[[File:The Act of Six Articles 1539.jpg|thumb|right|One of the final drafts of the Six articles (1539), amended in King Henry VIII's own hand]]
Fearful of diplomatic isolation and a Catholic alliance, Henry VIII continued his outreach to the Lutheran [[Schmalkaldic League]].
In May 1538, three Lutheran theologians from Germany – Franz Burchard, vice-chancellor of Saxony; Georg von Boineburg, doctor of law; and [[Friedrich Myconius]], [[Superintendent (ecclesiastical)|superintendent]] of the church in [[Gotha]] – arrived in London and held conferences with English bishops and clergy at the archbishop's [[Lambeth Palace]] through September.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacCulloch|1996|pp=215–216}}: The English delegation included Cranmer, as chairman, and Nicholas Heath for the Protestant side. The conservatives included Bishops Sampson and Stokesley along with [[George Day (bishop)|George Day]] and [[Nicholas Wilson (parson)|Nicholas Wilson]]. Bishop Tunstall was involved in negotiations as well.</ref>

The Germans presented, as a basis of agreement, a number of articles based on the Lutheran Confession of Augsburg. Bishops [[Cuthbert Tunstall|Tunstall]], [[John Stokesley|Stokesley]] and others were not won over by these Protestant arguments and did everything they could to avoid agreement. They were willing to separate from Rome, but their plan was to unite with the [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Church]] and not with the Protestants on the continent.{{sfn|d'Aubigné|1972|p=}} The bishops also refused to eliminate what the Germans considered abuses (e.g. private masses for the dead, compulsory [[clerical celibacy]], and withholding [[communion wine]] from the [[laity]]) allowed by the English Church.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=219}} Stokesley considered these customs to be essential because the Greek Church practised them.{{sfn|d'Aubigné|1972|p=}} As the King was unwilling to break with these practices, the Germans had all left England by 1 October.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=221}}

Meanwhile, England was in religious turmoil. Impatient Protestants took it upon themselves to further reform – some priests said mass in English rather than Latin and married without authorisation (Archbishop Cranmer was himself secretly married). Protestants themselves were divided between establishment reformers who held Lutheran beliefs upholding the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and radicals who held [[Anabaptist]] and [[Sacramentarian]] views denying real presence.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 269–270}} In May 1539, a new Parliament met, and [[Lord Chancellor]] [[Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden|Audley]] told the [[House of Lords]] that the King desired religious uniformity. A committee of four conservative and four reformist bishops was appointed to examine and determine doctrine.<ref>{{Harvnb| Marshall | 2017 | p = 273}}: The committee was headed by Cromwell, the vicegerent, and the bishops included Cranmer and his Protestant allies – Latimer, Goodrich, Salcot – and their traditionalist counterparts Lee, Tunstall, Clerk and Robert Aldrich of Carlisle.</ref> On 16 May, the [[Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk|Duke of Norfolk]] noted that the committee had not agreed on anything and proposed that the Lords examine six controversial doctrinal questions that became the basis of the Six Articles:

#whether the Eucharist could be the true body of Christ without transubstantiation,
#whether it needed to be given to the laity [[Communion under both kinds|under both kinds]],
#whether [[Religious vows|vows]] of [[chastity]] needed to be observed as part of divine law,
#whether clerical celibacy should be compulsory,
#whether [[Votive Mass|private (votive) masses]] were required (legitimate) by divine law,
#whether auricular [[Confession (religion)|confession]] (that is, confession to a priest) was necessary as part of divine law.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 275}}{{sfn|Ridley|2013|p=180}}

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title = Statute of the Six Articles
| type = Act
| parliament = Parliament of England
| long_title = An Act for abolishing of Diversity of Opinions of certain Articles concerning Christian Religion.
| year = 1539
| citation = [[31 Hen. 8]]. c. 14
| territorial_extent = [[England and Wales]]
| royal_assent = 28 June 1539
| commencement = 28 April 1539{{efn|Start of session.}}
| repeal_date = 4 November 1547
| amends =
| replaces = [[Suppression of Heresy Act 1414]]
| amendments =
| repealing_legislation = [[Treason Act 1547]]
| related_legislation =
| status = Repealed
| original_text = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000017915533&view=1up&seq=510
}}
Over the next month, these questions were argued in Parliament and Convocation with the active participation of the King. The final product was an affirmation of traditional teachings on all but the sixth question. Communion in one kind, compulsory clerical celibacy, vows of chastity and votive masses were a legitimate form.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 153}} Protestants achieved a minor victory on auricular confession, which was declared "expedient and necessary to be retained" but not required by divine law. In addition, although the real presence was affirmed in traditional terminology, the word ''transubstantiation'' itself did not appear in the final version.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 275}}<ref>"The Act of the Six Articles". ''tudorplace.com.ar''. 1539. http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/act_six_articles.htm. (accessed 1 December 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180912225855/http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/act_six_articles.htm (archived 12 September 2018). The article on the Eucharist defines the real presence in these terms: "First, that in the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar, by the strength and efficacy of Christ's mighty word, it being spoken by the priest, is present really, under the form of bread and wine, the natural body and blood of Our Saviour Jesu Christ, conceived of the Virgin Mary, and that after the consecration there remaineth no substance of bread and wine, nor any other substance but the substance of Christ, God and man".</ref>

The Act of Six Articles became law in June 1539, which, unlike the Ten Articles, gave the Six Articles statutory authority. Harsh penalties were attached to violations of the Articles. Denial of transubstantiation was punished by burning without an opportunity to [[recant]]. Denial of any of the other articles was punished by hanging or life imprisonment.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 153}} Married priests had until 12 July to put away their wives, which was likely a concession granted to give Archbishop Cranmer time to move his wife and children outside of England.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=249}} After the act's passage, bishops Latimer and Shaxton, outspoken opponents of the measure, were forced to resign their dioceses.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=251}} The Act of Six Articles was repealed by the [[Treason Act 1547]] ([[1 Edw. 6]]. c. 12) during the reign of Henry's son, [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]].{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 312}}

===''King's Book'' (1543)===
When Parliament re-convened in April 1540, a committee was formed to revise the ''Bishops' Book'', which Henry VIII had never liked. The committee's membership included both traditionalists and reformers, but the former held the majority.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 279}} Convocation began discussing the revised text in April 1543. The ''King's Book'', or ''The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christian Man'' to use its formal title,<ref>''The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christen Man'' (Thomas Barthelet, King's Printer, London 1543), full page views at [https://archive.org/details/necessarydoctrin00chur/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater Internet Archive].</ref> was more traditional than the 1537 version and incorporated many of the King's own revisions. It was approved by a [[Magnum Concilium|special meeting of the nobility]] on 6 May and differed from the ''Bishop's Book'' in having been issued under the King's authority. It was also statutorily enforced by the [[Act for the Advancement of True Religion]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | pp = 160–161}} Because of its royal authorisation, the ''King's Book'' officially replaced the Ten Articles as the official doctrinal statement of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=18}}

Significantly, the doctrine of justification by faith ''alone'' was totally rejected. Cranmer tried to save the doctrine by arguing that while true faith was accompanied by good works (in other words, faith was not ''alone'') it was only faith that justified. However, Henry would not be persuaded, and the text was amended to read that faith justified "neither only nor alone".{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 160}} It also stated that each person had free will to be "a worker ... in the attaining of his own justification".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 288}} The ''King's Book'' also endorsed traditional views of the mass, transubstantiation, confession, and Church ceremonies.{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 160}} The traditional seven sacraments were all included without any distinction in importance made between them. It was taught that the second commandment did not forbid images but only "godly honour" being given to them. Looking at images of Christ and the saints "provoked, kindled and stirred to yield thanks to Our Lord".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | pp = 288–289}}

The one area in which the ''King's Book'' moved away from traditional teaching was on prayer for the dead and purgatory. It taught that no one could know whether prayers or masses for the dead benefited an individual soul, and it was better to offer prayers for "the universal congregation of Christian people, quick and dead". People were encouraged to "abstain from the name of purgatory, and no more dispute or reason thereof".{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 289}} Presumably, the hostility towards purgatory derived from its connection to papal authority. The King's own behavior sent mixed signals. In 1540, he allowed offerings for the souls of deceased [[Knights of the Garter]] to be spent on works of charity instead of masses. At the same time, however, he required the new cathedral foundations to pray for the soul of [[Jane Seymour|Queen Jane]]. Perhaps because of the uncertainty surrounding this doctrine, bequests in wills for [[Chantry|chantries]], [[Obiit|obits]] and masses fell by half what they had been in the 1520s.{{Sfn| Marshall | 2017 | p = 289}}

===Forty-two Articles (1553)===
{{main|Forty-two Articles}}
Henry VIII was succeeded by his son, [[Edward VI]], in 1547. During Edward's reign, the Church of England adopted a stronger Protestant identity. The [[Book of Common Prayer (1549)|''Book of Common Prayer'' of 1549]] authorised a reformed liturgy, and the [[Book of Common Prayer (1552)|1552 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] was even more explicitly Protestant. To make the English Church fully Protestant, Cranmer also envisioned a [[Reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum|reform of canon law]] and the creation of a concise doctrinal statement, which would become the Forty-two Articles.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=500}} Work on a doctrinal statement was delayed by Cranmer's efforts to forge a doctrinal consensus among the various Protestant churches to counter the work of the Catholic [[Council of Trent]]. When this proved impossible, Cranmer turned his attention to defining what the Church of England believed.{{Sfn|Heal|2003|p=310}}

In late 1552 the first edition of the confession was produced in the form of the Forty-Five Articles that Cranmer submitted for comment and revision, and which were approved by Parliament in June of 1553 by which time their number had been reduced to the [[Forty-two Articles]] which were drafted by Cranmer and a small group of fellow Protestants. The title page claimed that the articles were approved by Convocation when in reality they were never discussed or adopted by the clerical body. They were also never approved by Parliament.{{Sfn | Marshall | 2017 | p = 353}} The articles were issued by Royal Mandate on 19 June 1553. All clergy, schoolmasters and members of the universities were required to subscribe to them.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=625}} The theology of the articles has been described by some as a "restrained" [[Calvinism]].{{Sfn| Haigh | 1993 | p = 181}}{{sfn|Bray|2004|p=284}} Others point to a much stronger Lutheran influence.<ref>Hall, Basil. "Cranmer, the Eucharist and the Foreign Divines in the Reign of Edward VI", in ''Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar''. edited by Ayris, Paul; Selwyn, David. (The Boydell Press, 1993b). ISBN 0-85115-549-9</ref>

== Development ==
Edward died in 1553. With the coronation of [[Mary I|Mary I]] and the reunion of the Church of England with the Catholic Church, the articles were never enforced. However, after Mary's death, they became the basis of the Thirty-nine Articles.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=625}} In 1563, Convocation met under [[Matthew Parker|Archbishop Parker]] to revise the articles.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}} Convocation passed only 39 of the 42, and Elizabeth reduced the number to 38 by throwing out Article 29 to avoid offending her subjects with Catholic leanings.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}} In 1571, despite the opposition of Bishop [[Edmund Gheast]], Article 29 was re-inserted, declaring that the wicked do not eat the Body of Christ.{{sfn|Wilson|Templeton|1962|p=}} This was done following the queen's [[excommunication]] by the [[Pope Pius V|Pope Pius V]] in 1570. That act destroyed any hope of reconciliation with Rome and it was no longer necessary to fear that Article 29 would offend Catholic sensibilities.{{sfn|Wilson|Templeton|1962|p=}} The Articles, increased to Thirty-nine, were ratified by the Queen, and the bishops and clergy were required to assent.{{sfn|Moyes|1913}}

==Content==
[[Image:Elizabeth1England.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], in whose reign the Thirty-nine Articles were passed]]

The Thirty-nine Articles were intended to establish, in basic terms, the faith and practice of the Church of England.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=5, 8}} While not designed to be a creed or complete statement of the Christian faith, the articles explain the doctrinal position of the Church of England in relation to [[Calvinism]], as well as Catholicism and [[Anabaptism]].{{Sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=1611}} According to historian Anthony Milton, "the Thirty-Nine Articles were certainly broadly consistent with the Reformed consensus in doctrinal matters".<ref name="Milton2002">Milton, Anthony. ''Catholic and Reformed: The Roman and Protestant Churches in English Protestant Thought, 1600-1640''. (Cambridge University Press, 9 May 2002). p. 396. ISBN 978-0-521-89329-9</ref>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Thirty-nine Articles
|
1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. 
2. Of Christ the Son of God. 
3. Of his going down into Hell. 
4. Of his Resurrection. 
5. Of the Holy Ghost. 
6. Of the Sufficiency of the Scripture. 
7. Of the Old Testament. 
8. Of the Three Creeds. 
9. Of Original or Birth-sin. 
10. Of Free-Will. 
11. Of Justification. 
12. Of Good Works. 
13. Of Works before Justification. 
14. Of Works of Supererogation. 
15. Of Christ alone without Sin. 
16. Of Sin after Baptism. 
17. Of Predestination and Election. 
18. Of obtaining Salvation by Christ. 
19. Of the Church. 
20. Of the Authority of the Church.
|
21. Of the Authority of General Councils. 
22. Of Purgatory. 
23. Of Ministering in the Congregation. 
24. Of speaking in the Congregation. 
25. Of the Sacraments. 
26. Of the Unworthiness of Ministers. 
27. Of Baptism. 
28. Of the Lord's Supper. 
29. Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ. 
30. Of both kinds. 
31. Of Christ's one Oblation. 
32. Of the Marriage of Priests. 
33. Of Excommunicate Persons. 
34. Of the Traditions of the Church. 
35. Of the Homilies. 
36. Of Consecrating of Ministers. 
37. Of Civil Magistrates. 
38. Of Christian men's Goods. 
39. Of a Christian man's Oath.
|}

The Thirty-nine Articles can be divided into eight sections based on their content:{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=88}}

'''Articles 1–5: The Doctrine of God''':
The first five articles articulate the doctrine of God, the [[Holy Trinity]] and the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|incarnation]] of Jesus Christ. This is a departure from other doctrinal statements of the 16th and 17th centuries such as the [[Helvetic Confessions]] and the [[Westminster Confession]], which begin with the doctrine of [[revelation]] and [[Bible|Holy Scripture]] as the source of knowledge about God.{{Sfn|O'Donovan|2011|pp=11–12}}

'''Articles 6–8: Scripture and the Creeds''':
These articles state that Holy Scripture contains everything necessary for [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]], so that no one can be required to believe any doctrine that cannot be proved on the basis of biblical teaching. The articles acknowledge the authority of the [[Apostles' Creed]], the [[Nicene Creed]] and the [[Athanasian Creed]] because they express Scriptural teaching. It states that the [[Biblical apocrypha|Apocrypha]] is not part of Scripture. While not a basis of doctrine, the Apocrypha continues to be read by the church for moral instruction and examples for holy living.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=230–232}}

'''Articles 9–18: Sin and Salvation''':
These articles discuss the doctrines of [[original sin]] and [[justification by faith]] (salvation is a gift received through [[Faith in Christianity|faith]] in Christ). They reject the medieval Catholic teachings on works of [[supererogation]] and that performing [[good works]] can make a person worthy to receive justification (congruous [[Merit (Christianity)|merit]]). They also reject the radical Protestant teaching that a person could be free from sin in this life.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=294}} The articles address the doctrine of [[predestination]]—that "Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God". [[Double predestination]], the belief that God has also predestined some people to [[reprobation]], is not endorsed by the articles.{{Sfn|O'Donovan|2011|p=84}}

'''Articles 19–21: The Church and its Authority''':
These articles explain the nature and authority of the [[visible church]]. They state that the church, under Scripture, has authority over matters of faith and order. General councils of the church can only be called with the permission of the civil authority. It is possible for church councils to reach the wrong decisions, so they should only be followed if their actions align with Scripture.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=393}}

'''Articles 22–24: Errors to be avoided in the Church''':
These articles condemn the Catholic teachings on [[purgatory]], [[indulgences]], the use of religious images and the [[Intercession of saints|invocation of saints]]. In addition, the Catholic practice of using Latin as a [[liturgical language]] is disapproved of in favour of the vernacular. The articles state that no person should preach publicly or administer the sacraments unless they are called and authorised by legitimate church authority.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=424}} This was meant to counter the radical Protestant belief that a Christian could preach and act as a minister on his own initiative in defiance of church authorities.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=441}}

'''Articles 25–31: The Sacraments''':
These articles explain the Church of England's [[Anglican sacraments|sacramental theology]]. According to the articles, [[sacrament]]s are signs of divine grace which God works invisibly but effectively in people's lives. Through sacraments, God creates and strengthens the faith of believers. The radical Protestant belief that sacraments are only outward signs of a person's faith is denied by the articles.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=464–466}} While the Catholic Church claimed [[Sacraments of the Catholic Church|seven sacraments]], the articles recognise only two: [[baptism]] and the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]].{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=468–470}} The five rites called sacraments by Catholics are identified in the articles as either corrupted imitations of the Apostles (confirmation, penance and extreme unction) or as "states of life allowed in the Scriptures" (holy orders and marriage).{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=468–470}}

[[Baptismal regeneration|Regeneration]] (or the gift of new life), membership in the church, forgiveness of sins and [[Adoption (theology)|adoption as children of God]] are all received through baptism.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=485–486}} The articles state that [[infant baptism]] is "most agreeable with the institution of Christ" and should continue to be practised in the church.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=489}} In the Lord's Supper, participants become partakers of the body and blood of Christ and receive the spiritual benefits of Christ's death on the cross.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=499}} According to the articles, this partaking should not be understood in terms of the Catholic doctrine of [[transubstantiation]], which is condemned as "repugnant to the plain words of Scripture". Instead, the articles declare that there is no change in the substance of the bread and wine. Rather, participants are fed the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and through faith.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=500–503}} The articles declare that "The offering of Christ once made is the perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world". This was meant as a repudiation of the popular medieval idea that the Mass was a sacrifice in which Christ was offered for the forgiveness of sins for the living and the dead in purgatory.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|pp=526, 529}}

'''Articles 32–36: The Discipline of the Church''':
The articles defend the practice of [[clerical marriage]] and the church's power of [[excommunication]]. It states that traditions and ceremonies in the church may vary by time and place; national churches can alter or abolish traditions created by human authority. The ''[[Books of Homilies|First and Second Book of Homilies]]'' are said to contain correct doctrine and should be read in church. The articles also defend the ordination rites contained in the [[Edwardine Ordinals|1549 and 1552 Ordinals]].{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=535}}

'''Articles 37–39: Christians and Civil Society''':
The articles affirm the role of the monarch as the [[Supreme Governor of the Church of England]]. It rejects all claims to the Pope's jurisdiction in England. It defends the state's right to use [[capital punishment]] and declares that Christians may serve in the military. It rejects the Anabaptist teaching that the property of Christians should be held in common, but it does explain that Christians should give [[alms]] to the poor and needy. It also defends the morality of oath-taking for civic purposes.{{Sfn|Davie|2013|p=590}}

== Later history ==
[[File:Book of Common Prayer 1760.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|The 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'' has long been printed with the Thirty-nine Articles.]]

During the reign of Elizabeth I, a "[[Calvinism in the Church of England|Calvinist consensus]]" developed within the church regarding the doctrines of salvation. Article 17 only endorsed [[Election in Christianity|election]] to salvation and was silent on whether God predestined people for [[reprobation]]; however, most of the bishops and leading churchmen believed in [[Double predestination (Hyper-Calvinist)|double predestination]]. When an [[Arminianism in the Church of England|Arminian]] minority emerged to challenge this consensus, [[Archbishop Whitgift]] issued the [[Lambeth Articles]] in 1595. These did not replace the Thirty-nine Articles but were meant to officially align Article 17 to Calvinist theology. The Queen was unwilling to alter her religious settlement and refused to assent to these new articles.{{Sfn|Marshall|2017b|pp=56 & 60}}

The Thirty-nine Articles are printed in the [[Book of Common Prayer (1662)|1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] and other Anglican prayer books. The [[Test Act 1672]] made adherence to the Articles a requirement for holding civil office in England until its repeal in 1828.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} Students at [[Oxford University]] were still expected to sign up to them until the passing of the [[Oxford University Act 1854]].

In the Church of England, only clergy (and until the 19th century members of Oxford and Cambridge Universities) are required to subscribe to the Articles. Starting in 1865, clergy affirmed that the doctrine contained in the Articles and the ''Book of Common Prayer'' was agreeable to Scripture and that they would not preach in contradiction to it. Since 1975, clergy are required to acknowledge the Articles as one of the historic formularies of the Church of England that bear witness to the faith revealed in Scripture and contained in the creeds.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|1997|p=1611}} The [[Church of Ireland]] has a similar declaration for its clergy, while some other churches of the [[Anglican Communion]] make no such requirement.<ref>"Institution of an Incumbent". ''Book of Common Prayer''. [[Church of Ireland]]. 2004. pp. 24. http://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/files/worship/pdf/InstitutionHC.pdf</ref> The [[Episcopal Church (United States)|US Episcopal Church]] never required subscription to the Articles.<ref>"Thirty-Nine Articles, or Articles of Religion". ''The Episcopal Church''. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/glossary/thirty-nine-articles-or-articles-of-religion/. (accessed 25 April 2023)</ref>

The influence of the Articles on Anglican thought, doctrine and practice has been profound. The Articles are the confession of faith of the Anglican tradition.<ref>Gee, Henry. ''Documents Illustrative of English Church History''. 1st ed.. (London: Macmillan and co, 1896). pp. 519</ref> In Anglican discourse, the Articles are regularly cited and interpreted to clarify doctrine and practice. An important concrete manifestation of this is the [[Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral]], which incorporates Articles VI, VIII, XXV, and XXXVI in its broad articulation of fundamental Anglican identity. In other circumstances they delineate the parameters of acceptable belief and practice in proscriptive fashion. The Articles continue to be invoked today in the Anglican Church. For example, in the ongoing debate over homosexual activity and the concomitant controversies over episcopal authority, Articles VI, XX, XXIII, XXVI, and XXXIV are regularly cited by those of various opinions.

Each of the 44 member churches in the [[Anglican Communion]] is, however, free to adopt and authorise its own official documents, and the Articles are not officially normative in all Anglican Churches (neither is the [[Athanasian Creed]]). The only doctrinal documents agreed upon in the Anglican Communion are the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed of AD 325, and the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral. Beside these documents, authorised liturgical formularies, such as Prayer Book and Ordinal, are normative. The several provincial editions of Prayer Books (and authorised alternative liturgies) are, however, not identical, although they share a greater or smaller amount of family resemblance. No specific edition of the Prayer Book is therefore binding for the entire Communion.

A revised version was adopted in 1801 by the [[US Episcopal Church]] which deleted the Athanasian Creed. Earlier, [[John Wesley]], founder of the [[Methodists]], adapted the Thirty-nine Articles for use by American Methodists in the 18th century. The resulting [[Articles of Religion (Methodist)|Articles of Religion]] remain an official doctrinal statement of the [[United Methodist Church]].

== Interpretation ==
According to theologian [[Henry Chadwick (theologian)|Henry Chadwick]], the articles are a revealing window into the ethos and character of Anglicanism, in particular in the way the document works to navigate a ''[[via media]]'' (Latin: middle path or middle way) between the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church on the one hand, and those of the Lutheran and Reformed churches on the other hand, thus giving the Church of England a unique middle-of-the-road position. The ''via media'' was expressed so adroitly in the Articles that some Anglican scholars have labelled their content as an early example of the idea that the doctrine of Anglicanism is one of "Reformed Catholicism".{{sfn|Chadwick|1988|p=}}

In 1628 [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] prefixed a royal declaration to the articles, which demands a literal interpretation of them, threatening discipline for academics or churchmen teaching any personal interpretations or encouraging debate about them. It states: "no man hereafter shall either print or preach, to draw the Article aside any way, but shall submit to it in the plain and Full meaning thereof: and shall not put his own sense or comment to be the meaning of the Article, but shall take it in the literal and grammatical sense."<ref>"The King's Declaration Prefixed to the Articles of Religion (Nov. 1628)". ''history.hanover.edu''. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er91.html. (accessed 2 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20220428232645/https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er91.html (archived 28 April 2022)</ref>

However, what the Articles truly mean has been a matter of debate in the Church since before they were issued. The [[Evangelical Anglicanism|evangelical wing]] of the Church has claimed to take the Articles at face value, and to regard them as of utmost importance. In 2003, evangelical Anglican clergyman Chris Pierce wrote:

{{blockquote|The Thirty-Nine Articles define the biblically derived summations of precise Christian doctrine. The Thirty-Nine Articles are more than minimally assented to; they are believed wholeheartedly. In earlier times English and Irish evangelicals would have read Cranmer, [[Nicholas Ridley (martyr)|Ridley]], [[Hugh Latimer|Latimer]], [[James Ussher|Ussher]], and [[J. C. Ryle|Ryle]] and would unreservedly agree with Dean Litton's assessment that (quoted by Dean Paul Zahl, in his work 'The Protestant Face of Anglicanism'), 'The Anglican Church, if she is to be judged by the statements of the Articles, must be ranked among the Protestant Churches of Europe.'{{sfn|Pierce|2003}} }}

This view has never been held by the whole church.{{cn|date=February 2023}} In 1643, [[Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Armagh]] [[John Bramhall]] laid out a broader view of the Articles:

{{blockquote|Some of them are the very same that are contained in the Creed; some others of them are practical truths, which come not within the proper list of points or articles to be believed; lastly, some of them are pious opinions or inferior truths, which are proposed by the Church of England to all her sons, as not to be opposed; not as essentials of Faith necessary to be believed by all Christians ''necessitate medii,'' under pain of damnation.{{sfn|Bramhall|1842|p=355}} }}

This divergence of opinion became overt during the [[Oxford Movement]] of the 19th century. The stipulations of Articles XXV and XXVIII were regularly invoked by evangelicals to oppose the reintroduction of certain beliefs, customs, and acts of piety with respect to the sacraments. In response, [[John Henry Newman]]'s [[Tract 90]] attempted to show that the 39 Articles could be read according to an [[Anglo-Catholic]] interpretation.{{sfn|Newman|1841|p=}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
;Citations
{{Reflist}}

;Sources
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
* Ayris, Paul; Selwyn, David (eds.). ''Thomas Cranmer: Churchman and Scholar''. (Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: [[Boydell & Brewer|The Boydell Press]], 1993). ISBN 0-85115-549-9
* Blunt, John Henry. ''The Reformation of the Church of England: Its History, Principles and Results''. 4th ed.. (London, Oxford, and Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1878). vol. Part 1 AD 1514–1547. https://books.google.com/books?id=M9UwAQAAMAAJ
* Bramhall, John. [https://books.google.com/books?id=O10PAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA355 "Schism Guarded"], in ''The Works of Archbishop Bramhall''. (Oxford: J.H. Parker, 1842). vol. 2
* Bray, Gerald Lewis. ''Documents of the English Reformation 1526-1701''. (James Clarke & Co., 2004). ISBN 978-0-227-17239-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=UGi6WWtzkJYC&pg=PA284
* Brown, Stephen F.. ''Protestantism''. (New York: Chelsea House, 2009). ISBN 978-1-60413-112-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=lplJPBYWefcC&pg=PA77
* Chadwick, Henry. "Tradition, Fathers, and Councils", in ''The Study of Anglicanism''. edited by Sykes, Stephen; Booty, John E.. (London: SPCK/Fortress Press, 1988). ISBN 978-0-8006-2087-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=3XUtAAAAMAAJ
*Chapman, Mark. ''Anglicanism: A Very Short Introduction''. (Oxford: OUP, 2006). ISBN 978-0-19-157819-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=RLEL9Xxy9E8C
* Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. (eds.). ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''. 3rd ed.. (Oxford University Press, 1997). ISBN 978-0-19-211655-0. https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary00late
* d'Aubigné, J. H. Merle. ''The Reformation in England''. (Edinburgh: [[Banner of Truth Trust]], 1972). vol. 2 Book 3. ISBN 978-0-85151-487-1
* Davie, Martin. ''Our Inheritance of Faith: A Commentary on the Thirty Nine Articles''. (Gilead Books Publishing, 2013). ISBN 978-0956856074
* Guy, John. ''Tudor England''. (Oxford: OUP, 1990). ISBN 978-0-19-285213-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=8JhrQgAACAAJ
* Haigh, Christopher. ''English Reformations: Religion, Politics, and Society Under the Tudors''. (Clarendon Press, 1993). ISBN 0198221622. https://books.google.com/books?id=zFmS2ng9z7wC
* Heal, Felicity. ''Reformation in Britain and Ireland''. (Oxford University Press, 2003). ISBN 978-0-19-928015-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=5SRANUBTt3AC&pg=PA362
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''Thomas Cranmer: A Life''. (London: [[Yale University Press]], 1996). ISBN 0-300-06688-0. https://archive.org/details/thomascranmerlif0000macc.
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid (ed.). ''The Book of Common Prayer: 1662 Version (includes Appendices from the 1549 Version and Other Commemorations)''. (David Campbell Publishers, 1999). Issue 241 of Everyman's library. ISBN 978-1-85715-241-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=BHRnQgAACAAJ. via Church of England
* Mackie, J. D.. ''The Earlier Tudors, 1485–1558''. (Oxford Paperbacks, 1994). ISBN 0-19-285292-2
* Marshall, Peter. ''Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation''. (Yale University Press, 2017). ISBN 978-0300170627. https://books.google.com/books?id=M7S_DgAAQBAJ
* Marshall, Peter. "Settlement Patterns: The Church of England, 1553–1603", in ''The Oxford History of Anglicanism''. edited by Milton, Anthony. (Oxford University Press, 2017b). vol. 1: Reformation and Identity, c. 1520–1662. pp. 45–62. ISBN 9780199639731. https://books.google.com/books?id=1WfODQAAQBAJ
* Moyes, James. "Anglicanism", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (1913 ed., 1913)
* Newman, John Henry. ''Remarks on Certain Passages in the Thirty-nine Articles''. (J.G.F. & J. Rivington, 1841). Tract No 90 of Tracts for the Times. p. [https://archive.org/details/a623832400newmuoft/page/n6 1]. https://archive.org/details/a623832400newmuoft
* O'Donovan, Oliver. ''On the Thirty Nine Articles: A Conversation with Tudor Christianity''. 2nd ed.. (London: SCM Press, 2011). ISBN 9780334047810. https://books.google.com/books?id=8WOmDwAAQBAJ
* Pierce, Chris. "A Look across the Pond - A brief analysis of the status of the evangelical Anglicanism in the US and Canada". ''Cross†way'', no. 89 (2003). http://archive.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_089_Pierce1.pdf
* Ridley, Jasper. ''Thomas Cranmer''. (Pan Macmillan, 2013). (first published 1962). ISBN 978-1-4472-4128-7. OCLC 398369. {{Google books |plainurl=yes |id=WiodIjEXpjwC |keywords=importance of auricular confession}}
*Wilson, William Gilbert; Templeton, J. H.. ''Anglican Teaching: An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles''. (Dublin: [[Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge]], 1962). https://books.google.com/books?id=N6a9GAAACAAJ
* "Wittenberg Articles", in ''Christian Cyclopedia''. (Concordia Publishing House, 2000). http://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=w&word=WITTENBERGARTICLES. (accessed 3 August 2018)
{{refend}}

;Further reading
{{refbegin}}
* Bicknell, Edward John. ''A theological introduction to the Thirty-nine articles of the Church of England''. (London: Longmans, 1919). https://books.google.com/books?id=GU-gAAAAMAAJ
* Boultbee, Thomas Pownall. ''A Commentary on the Thirty-nine Articles: Forming an Introduction to the Theology of the Church of England''. (Longmans, 1877). https://archive.org/details/acommentaryonth00boulgoog
* Denison, Edward. ''A Review of the State of the Question respecting the Admission of Dissenters to the Universities''. (London: John Cochran, 1835)
* Douglas, Brian. ''A Companion to Anglican Eucharistic Theology''. (Leiden: Brill, 2011). vol. 1: The Reformation to the 19th Century. pp. 234–246. ISBN 978-90-04-21930-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=jW2uOx2kHrYC&pg=PA234
* Gibson, Edgar Charles Sumner. ''The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England Explained...''. (Methuen & Company, 1908). https://books.google.com/books?id=JwNKAAAAMAAJ
* Kirby, Torrance. "The Articles of Religion of the Church of England (1563/71), commonly called the Thirty-Nine Articles.", in ''Reformierte Bekenntnisschriften''. edited by Mühling, Andreas; Opitz, Peter. (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 2009). vol. Band 2/1, 1559-1563. pp. 371–410
* Redworth, Glyn. "A Study in the Formulation of Policy: The Genesis and Evolution of the Act of Six Articles". ''The Journal of Ecclesiastical History'' 37, no. 1 (2011): pp. 42–67. ISSN 0022-0469. DOI 10.1017/S0022046900031900. S2CID 162584862
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource-multi|Book of Common Prayer (1863)/Articles of Religion|t1=Thirty-nine Articles of Religion|Book of Common Prayer (ECUSA)/Historical Documents of the Church/Articles of Religion|t2=Articles of Religion of the Episcopal Church}}
* [https://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/tenarticles.htm The Ten Articles of 1536]
* [http://www.theologian.org.uk/church/39articles.html Audio version of the 39 Articles in MP3 format]
* [https://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/articles/articles.html Articles of Religion], text of the 1571 version
* [https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/articles-religion Articles of Religion] Church of England website
* [http://www.justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/england.htm Anglican Communion resources relating to the ''Book of Common Prayer'', including the articles of religion]
** [http://www.justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1662/articles.pdf Facsimile of a 1762 printing] from the above site
* [https://gavvie.tripod.com/39articles/articles.html Original text in Latin and in English]
* [https://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html Revised 1801 version] adopted by the US Episcopal Church
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071024070704/http://www.tlogical.net/irish.htm Irish Articles of 1615]
* {{Librivox book |stitle=The Reformation Collection Volume 2 |dtitle=The Ten Articles and The Six Articles}}

{{Reformed confessions}}
{{Intermediates between Catholicism and Protestantism}}

[[index.php?title=Category:16th-century Christian texts]]
[[index.php?title=Category:1563 in Christianity]]
[[index.php?title=Category:1563 in England]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Anglicanism]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Anglo-Catholicism]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Book of Common Prayer]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Christian terminology]]
[[index.php?title=Category:History of the Church of England]]
[[index.php?title=Category:Reformed confessions of faith]]

The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend

2026-10-20T13:33:20Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Gppetl screenshot.jpg
| caption = The title screen for ''The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend''
| genre = documentary
| creator = Darlow Smithson Productions, Ltd.
| writer =
| director = [[Mike Slee]]
| developer =
| presenter = [[Richard Hammond]]
| starring =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = Richard Attree
| open_theme =
| end_theme =
| composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Richard Battin
| producer = Mike Slee
| editor = Ross Bradley
| location = UK, Spain
| cinematography =
| camera = Lee Butterby Peter Allibone Chris Bryant Mike Craven Todd Dave Baillie (aerial photography)
| runtime = 104 min.
| channel = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2005|11|01|df=yes}}
| last_aired =
| related =
}}

'''''The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend''''' was a British television show, hosted by [[Richard Hammond]] that recreated elements of the [[Gunpowder Plot]] in which [[Guy Fawkes]] attempted to blow up the [[Palace of Westminster|House of Lords]].

First aired on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV1]] on 1 November 2005, this £1 million<ref>[http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=DAISTA0020051031e1av0000t Factiva Search]</ref> programme centres on a reconstruction of the Houses of Parliament as they were in 1605 (the current ones had not yet been built at the time of the Gunpowder Plot), constructed using period equivalent methods wherever possible. This was stocked with mannequins to represent notable commoners, members and the king before the bomb was detonated. The programme was made to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the plot.

==Synopsis==
The programme explores through partial dramatization the plot itself, and the persons involved. It also answers the question of whether the plot would have actually worked: the Houses of Parliament would have been completely obliterated, and most of the windows in nearby [[Westminster Abbey]] would have been shattered.

The first hurdle to overcome was the actual recreation of the 17th-century Houses of Parliament. As the buildings were demolished to expand the current structures, Simon Carter, the Parliamentary Curator provided drawings of the original structures for the recreated structure to utilise using 650 tonnes of concrete. Explosives expert Sidney Alford helped to determine that thirty-six barrels containing one [[cubic ton]]<ref name="manser"/> of gunpowder were used in the plot. Alford further proved that the "decayed" powder was classified as such because it was unsuitable for infantry use, but could still detonate.<ref name="plotterswish">Adam Sherwin. "Gunpowder plotters get their wish, 400 years on". ''The Times''. Times Newspapers Ltd. 31 October 2005. London. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article584830.ece. (accessed 10 July 2008). Archived version: https://archive.today/20110604000218/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article584830.ece (archived 4 June 2011)</ref>

The dramatic experiment, conducted on the [[Advantica (UK)|Advantica]]-owned [[RAF Spadeadam|Spadeadam test site]] and overseen by [[Arup Group Limited|Arup]], proved unambiguously that the explosion would have, at the very least, killed all those attending the State Opening of Parliament in the Lords chamber,<ref name="plotterswish"/> including, according to historical consultant Justin Pollard, [[James I of England|King James I and VI of Scotland]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop]] [[Richard Bancroft|Bancroft]], [[Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton|Lord Northampton]] and the philosopher [[Francis Bacon]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060927152913/http://www.show.me.uk/gunpowderplot/adults_people_lc.htm The Gunpowder Plot: Parliament & Treason 1605 - People]</ref><ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/francis-bacon Francis Bacon: Biography and Much More from Answers.com]</ref>{{unreliable source|date=November 2024}}{{Failed verification|date=November 2024}}

[[File:Gpp.blastradius montage.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The [[blast radius]] indicated in red would have killed everyone within it, while those in the blue-shaded area would likely be harmed by falling debris.]]
The power of the explosion, which surprised even gunpowder experts, was such that {{convert|7|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} solid concrete walls (made deliberately to replicate how archives suggest the walls in the old House of Lords were constructed) were reduced to rubble. Measuring devices placed in the chamber to calculate the force of the blast were themselves destroyed by it, while the skull of the [[mannequin]] representing King James, which had been placed on a throne inside the chamber surrounded by courtiers, peers and bishops, was found far from the site.

According to the findings of the programme, no one within 100 metres of the blast would have survived, and all windows within a large distance of the palace would have been shattered, including the stained-glass windows of Westminster Abbey. The power of the explosion would have been heard at least five miles away, and seen from much further. Even if only half the gunpowder had gone off, everyone in the House of Lords and its environs would have been killed instantly. The blast would have been mostly directed upwards, Arup blasting consultant David Haddon, pointed out, raining debris in a 200-meter radius.<ref name="plotterswish" />

The later part of the programme addressed the [[Contrafactual history|contrafactual historical]] aspects, had the plot actually succeeded. Pollard notes that the conspirators ideally planned to use the bombing to create a Catholic monarchy, with [[Robert Catesby]] and the Catholics in power while James's nine-year-old daughter, princess [[Elizabeth of Bohemia|Elizabeth]], sat on the throne. Pollard speculates that English history would have therefore more closely resembled that of [[France]], which overthrew its monarchy and became a republic, and that a [[President (government title)|president]] would be living in [[Buckingham Palace]] today.

However, Pollard points out that, in all likelihood, the result would have been much the same as what actually transpired, with the conspirators caught and executed. Additionally, had the plot succeeded, there would have been a massacre of Catholics, who accounted for 5% of the populace, with the worst-case scenario [[Genocide|leading to their complete extermination within England:]] "In reality, the blast would have sent shockwaves through the Protestant community, bolstering their resolve against the hugely outnumbered Catholics and sparking ruthless revenge." Pollard concludes that the plot was a "stupid" plan, stating that "you can't change the politics of a whole country just by blowing up a few hundred people".<ref>"Catholic terrorists attack London!". ''The Taipei Times''. AFP. 5 November 2005. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/11/05/2003278905. (accessed 14 September 2025). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20070505185726/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/11/05/2003278905 (archived 5 May 2007)</ref>

==Cast==

* [[Richard Hammond]] - ''Host''
* [[Justin Pollard]] - ''Historical Consultant''

==Historical dramatization==

* [[Henry Douthwaite]] as [[Guy Fawkes]] [[Stuart Liddle]] as [[James I of England|King James I]] [[Matt Rozier]] as [[Robert Catesby]] [[Jonathan Dunstan]] as [[Thomas Wintour|Thomas Winteur]] [[Daniel Hoadley]] as [[Thomas Percy (plotter)|Thomas Percy]] [[Toby Knight (actor)|Toby Knight]] as [[John Wright (Gunpowder Plot)|John Wright]] [[Tallulah Boote Bond]] as [[Elizabeth of Bohemia|Princess Elizabeth]] [[John Joyce (actor)|John Joyce]] as [[Henry Garnet|Father Henry Garnet]]

==Production==
[[File:Exploding the Legend cast and crew.jpg|thumb|right|Presenter [[Richard Hammond]] and director [[Mike Slee]] with the cast and crew, shown during filming of the Tavern scene on location at [[Kentwell Hall]], [[Suffolk]].]]
When approached with the idea of building a full-size replica of Parliament, stuffing the basement with gunpowder and blowing it up, presenter Richard Hammond considered it a hoax, saying that he "simply did not believe that anyone would be crazy enough to recreate the Gunpowder Plot."<ref name="blastfromthepast">Richard Hammond. "BLAST FROM THE PAST Richard Hammond recreates the Gunpowder Plot .. for real". ''Daily Mirror''. MGN Ltd. 1 November 2005. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16316997&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=blast-from-the-past-name_page.html. (accessed 10 July 2008)</ref>

Production of the documentary took six months. While historical research was underway in England, Hammond and explosives expert [[Sidney Alford]] had to travel to Spain to buy some gunpowder, as not enough was available in the UK. They were stopped at the French border by [[customs]] because, "perhaps unsurprisingly, our expert turned out to be contaminated with traces of just about every form of explosive known to man, triggering a security alert."<ref name="blastfromthepast" />

The [[7 July 2005 London bombings]] occurred during the programme's production, prompting concerns about the subject matter. Hammond insisted on continuing production, believing that the attacks made the documentary more relevant than ever:

{{cquote|There were those who said we should stop our project, that it was insensitive. I disagreed. This is, after all, the story of a young man who felt persecuted in his country, who travelled abroad to learn how to use explosives and returned prepared to perpetrate an appalling act of terrorism - and if that rings a bell, so it should.<ref name="blastfromthepast" />}} [[File:Gpp.exp montage.jpeg|right|thumb|300px|The power of the explosion surprised gunpowder experts.]]
For the reconstruction of Parliament, production designer Jo Manser was given the task.<ref name="manser">"In Profile: production designer Jo Manser". ''Broadcast Freelancer''. Broadcastnow.co.uk. 5 November 2005. http://www.broadcastfreelancer.com/broadcast/content/ViewEditorialContentStory.do?contentId=1601. (accessed 10 July 2008). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20060329220258/http://www.broadcastfreelancer.com/broadcast/content/ViewEditorialContentStory.do?contentId=1601 (archived 29 March 2006)</ref> Manser said the set (to scale as it was in 1605: 11m by 23m and 16m high) required a production crew of 45 people, and cost £200k.<ref name="manser" /> The set was built between July and September 2005. AP [[structural engineers]] were consulted to assess the equations used building the structure to ensure accuracy and safety. Manser noted the topic of setting off an explosion at Parliament allowed the novelty of blowing up a set compared to conventional disposal methods, saying that the explosion "was a more exciting way to dispose of it."<ref name="manser" />

For the interior filming, fifteen small digital cameras were used, such as the [[Sony DSR-PD150]]. For the external shots of the explosion, a [[slow motion]] camera was used, not the type typically used in television filming. Advantica used them to study the explosions frame by frame.<ref name="manser" />

==Reception==

[[Adam Nicolson]] of [[The Guardian]] wrote in August that the casting of Hammond was "eccentric."<ref>Nicolson, Adam. "Guy Fawkes was also trained abroad". ''The Guardian''. 4 August 2005. London. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/aug/04/past.comment. (accessed 25 May 2010)</ref> [[Tom Sutcliffe (broadcaster)|Thomas Sutcliffe]] of [[The Independent]] noted with "satisfaction" that the documentary was "irresistible to anyone with a weakness for the delicious combination of immediate spectacle and delayed climax."<ref name="reviews">"Mike Slee Producer / Director / Writer". http://www.mikeslee.co.uk/reviews01.htm. (accessed 10 July 2008)</ref> [[Sunday Express]]' Adrian Pettet points out that ''Gunpowder'' is "a cross between [[Mechannibals]] and [[Timewatch]], it's great fun and there is a bit of proper history smuggled in there too".<ref name="reviews" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/gunpowder_hutton_01.shtml What If the Gunpowder Plot Had Succeeded?]
*[http://www.gunpowderplot.parliament.uk The History of the Gunpowder Plot (Produced by The Parliamentary Archives)]
*[http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/ukandireland/a/gunpowderindex.htm The Gunpowder Plot of 1605]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07081b.htm ''Catholic Encyclopedia'': The Gunpowder Plot]
*[http://www.show.me.uk/gunpowderplot The Gunpowder Plot (Website exploring the history of the plot for younger users)]
*[http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/g08.pdf The Gunpowder Plot (House of Commons Information Sheet)]
*{{IMDb title|id=0492459}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunpowder Plot: Exploding The Legend, The}}
[[Category:Gunpowder Plot]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:British documentary television films]]
[[Category:Historical reenactment events]]
[[Category:British historical television series]]
[[Category:ITV (TV network) original programming]]
[[Category:2005 in British television]]

The Grace in Anglican Daily Prayer

2026-10-20T13:33:17Z

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The Grace is a short scriptural blessing used at the conclusion of Anglican services, especially [[Morning Prayer]] and [[Evening Prayer]]. Drawn from 2 Corinthians 13:14, it invokes the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost.<ref name="bcp1662-daily-office">"The Order for Morning Prayer; The Order for Evening Prayer", in ''The Book of Common Prayer''. (Church of England, 1662). https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/the-book-of-common-prayer-1662.pdf. (accessed 23 June 2026)</ref> In Anglican worship it functions both as a doxological ending and as a communal benediction, marking the close of prayer with explicitly Trinitarian language. Its regular use in the [[Book of Common Prayer]] helped make it one of the most familiar biblical texts in English-speaking [[Anglicanism]].

== Text and scriptural source ==

The traditional form in the 1662 [[Book of Common Prayer]] is: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore." The wording follows the closing salutation of Saint Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians. In many later Anglican books the phrase "Holy Ghost" is retained in traditional-language rites, while contemporary-language rites commonly use "Holy Spirit."

The text is not a prayer addressed directly to God in the same manner as a collect. It is a scriptural blessing spoken over, or on behalf of, the gathered people. Its first-person plural form, "be with us all," gives it a congregational character. The minister does not merely dismiss the people; the whole assembly is gathered into a final biblical invocation of divine grace, love, and communion.

== Place in the Daily Office ==

In the classical Prayer Book pattern, The Grace appears near the end of [[Mattins in the Book of Common Prayer|Morning Prayer]] and [[Evensong in Anglican Worship|Evening Prayer]], following the prayers and concluding versicles. Its position gives the office a quiet but definite ending. After psalms, lessons, canticles, creed, suffrages, collects, and intercessions, the office closes with a sentence of Scripture rather than with an extended ceremonial dismissal.

The Grace is also associated with other Anglican gatherings for prayer, including parish meetings, Bible studies, school assemblies, and informal devotional occasions. This wider use reflects the influence of Prayer Book worship beyond strictly liturgical settings. In many Anglican contexts it is said by all present together, reinforcing the corporate nature of common prayer.

The text is distinct from an episcopal or priestly blessing at the Eucharist. In Morning and Evening Prayer, especially when led by a deacon or lay person where permitted by local discipline, The Grace provides a fitting conclusion without depending on sacramental presidency. This has made it especially adaptable in cathedrals, colleges, households, chapels, and mission settings.

== Theological significance ==

The Grace is compactly Trinitarian. It names the Lord Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Ghost in a single blessing, and it associates each with a central gift of salvation: grace, love, and fellowship. Anglican use of the text therefore reinforces the doctrinal pattern expressed elsewhere in the Prayer Book by the [[Apostles' Creed in Anglican Morning and Evening Prayer|Apostles' Creed]], the [[Nicene Creed in Anglican Eucharistic Liturgy|Nicene Creed]], the [[Gloria Patri in Anglican Daily Office|Gloria Patri]], and the collects.

The word "grace" points to the saving favor of Christ, received rather than earned. The "love of God" situates Christian prayer in the Father's mercy and providence. The "fellowship" or communion of the Holy Ghost expresses the Spirit's work in uniting believers with God and with one another. The ending of the office thus gathers together themes of redemption, divine charity, and ecclesial communion.

Because it is biblical, brief, and doctrinally dense, The Grace illustrates a characteristic feature of Anglican liturgy: the use of Scripture as prayer. The Prayer Book tradition frequently places biblical sentences, canticles, and psalms on the lips of the Church, allowing worshippers to pray with inherited scriptural language rather than only with newly composed forms.

== Anglican usage and reception ==

The Grace has had a wide reception across Anglican provinces. Its traditional wording remains common in Prayer Book services, choral offices, and institutions shaped by classical Anglican devotion. Contemporary liturgies often preserve the same structure while updating pronouns or the title of the Spirit. In either form, the passage remains recognizable as the Pauline blessing.

Its simplicity has contributed to its durability. It may be spoken by a minister, said by the whole congregation, or used responsively according to local custom. In educational settings influenced by Anglican worship, including church schools and colleges, it has often served as a concise ending to public prayer. For this reason, The Grace belongs not only to formal liturgy but also to the devotional and communal habits formed by the Anglican Prayer Book tradition.
== References ==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Book of Common Prayer]]
[[Category:Liturgy]]
[[Category:Anglican theology]]

Thad Barnum

2026-10-20T13:33:15Z

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{{short description|American Anglican bishop (born 1957)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Thaddeus R. Barnum
| title = Assisting Bishop, Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Diocese of the Carolinas|Carolinas]]
| see =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
|
| ordination =
| ordained_by =
| consecration = June 24, 2001
| consecrated_by = [[Emmanuel Kolini]]
| rank =

| birth_name = Thaddeus Rockwell Barnum
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = The Rev. Erilynne Barnum (1937–2020)
| previous_post = Missionary Bishop, [[Anglican Mission in the Americas|Anglican Mission in America]]
}}
'''Thaddeus Rockwell Barnum''' (born 1957) is an American bishop of the [[Anglican Church in North America]]. Consecrated in 2001 to serve in the [[Anglican Mission in the Americas]], Barnum is now assisting bishop in the [[Diocese of the Carolinas]]. He was a key figure in and chronicler of the [[Anglican realignment]] in the United States.

==Education and early career==
Barnum received his seminary degree from [[Yale Divinity School]].<ref name="yds">Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Real Love: Where Bible and Life Meet''. (Wesleyan Publishing House, 2014). ISBN 978-0898279146</ref> While in seminary, he began attending St. Paul's Episcopal Church in [[Darien, Connecticut]], under rector [[Everett L. Fullam|Terry Fullam]].<ref name="fullam">Barnum, Thad. "Remembering Terry Fullam". ''Virtue Online''. April 29, 2014. https://virtueonline.org/remembering-terry-fullam-thad-barnum. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> St. Paul's was a hub of the [[Charismatic movement|charismatic renewal]] movement in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] in the 1970s.<ref name="fullam-story">Slosser, Bob. ''Miracle in Darien''. (Bridge Logos Foundation, 1980). ISBN 978-0882704272</ref> It was at St. Paul's that Barnum met Erilynne Forsberg, twenty years his senior. They married in 1981, and both Barnums served under Fullam until 1987.<ref name="fullam" /> Erilynne would later be ordained as an Anglican deacon and launch a teaching ministry called Call2Disciple.<ref name="erilynne">"Obituary: ERILYNNE BARNUM: A Passion for the Lord". ''Call2Disciple''. https://www.call2disciple.com/erilynne-barnum-s-legacy. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>

In 1987, the Barnums moved to [[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania]], where Thad Barnum was the founding rector of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church in the [[Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh]]. This church grew to over 300 in attendance. Barnum also served as field education mentor at [[Trinity School for Ministry]], chaplain to the [[South American Mission Society]] and chaplain at the crash site of [[USAir Flight 427]]. In 1997, the Barnums joined the staff of the North American Missionary Society, and the year after, they joined the staff of [[All Saints Church (Pawleys Island, South Carolina)|All Saints Episcopal Church, Pawleys Island]] in the [[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (1785–2012)|Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina]].<ref name="ncs-barnum">"Thaddeus Barnum". ''New Canaan Society''. https://newcanaansociety.org/new-canaan/team-member/thaddeus-barnum/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>

==Anglican realignment and founding of AMIA==
All Saints Pawleys was at the time a center of activity in the [[Anglican realignment]]. Its longtime rector, [[Chuck Murphy (bishop)|Chuck Murphy]], was the leader in the "First Promise" movement within the Episcopal Church, which in 1997 "declared the authority of the Episcopal Church to be 'fundamentally impaired' because they no longer upheld the 'truth of the gospel'".<ref name=Promise>[http://www.theamia.org/identity/our-story/more-anglican-mission-history/#It%20began%20with%20a%20promise "The Anglican Mission: It Began with a Promise..."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108035521/http://www.theamia.org/identity/our-story/more-anglican-mission-history/#It%20began%20with%20a%20promise |date=January 8, 2010 }} Accessed March 16, 2010</ref> The First Promise movement evolved into the Anglican Mission in America; in 2000, Murphy was made a bishop by [[Emmanuel Kolini]] and [[Moses Tay]] and founded the AMIA with canonical residence in the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]].<ref name="murphy">"Charles H. Murphy III, 1948-2018". ''The Living Church''. January 10, 2018. https://livingchurch.org/2018/01/10/charles-h-murphy-iii-1948-2018/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref><ref name="barnum-consecration">Van Biema, David. "Episcopal Turf War". ''TIME''. July 9, 2001. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1000269-1,00.html. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>

All Saints Pawleys did not immediately disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church. South Carolina Bishop [[Edward L. Salmon Jr.|Ed Salmon]] counseled patience, and Murphy remained affiliated with All Saints but stepped back to "rector emeritus," a post with no canonical allegiance to the bishop of South Carolina. Barnum was appointed interim rector.<ref name="pawleys-transition">Harmon, Kendall. "Around The Diocese". ''The Living Church''. March 19, 2000. pp. 32–33. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/the_living_church/TLCarticle.pl?volume=220&issue=12&article_id=6. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> However, in July 2001, Barnum was himself consecrated as a bishop by Kolini to serve the AMIA alongside [[T. J. Johnston]] and two other former Episcopal priests.<ref name="barnum-consecration" /> Barnum remained affiliated with All Saints Pawleys but was succeeded as interim rector by [[David Bryan (bishop)|David Bryan]].<ref name="pawleys-staff">"Staff". ''All Saints Pawleys''. July 1, 2004. http://www.allsaintspawleys.org/allsaints/staff.cfm. (accessed 22 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20040701051730/http://www.allsaintspawleys.org/allsaints/staff.cfm (archived 1 July 2004)</ref> (After All Saints in 2004 changed its articles of incorporation to remove references to the Episcopal Church, the church was involved in a landmark case related to property ownership of Episcopal churches in South Carolina. The state [[South Carolina Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] ruled in 2009 that the parish, which predated the Episcopal Church, was the owner of its property regardless of the [[Dennis Canon]].<ref name="all-saints-decision-09">Munday, Dave. "All Saints Church: Court rules in favor of Pawleys Island congregation". ''The Post and Courier''. September 21, 2009. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/all-saints-church-court-rules-in-favor-of-pawleys-island-congregation/article_f6265a16-b12b-5f7c-9078-13ec98c98312.html. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>)

==Transition to ACNA==
The Barnums relocated to [[Fairfield County, Connecticut]], in 2004, where Thad became rector of Church of the Apostles, an AMIA church plant.<ref name="apostles-history">"Our History". ''Church of the Apostles''. https://apostlesct.org/brief-history. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> He remained there until 2015 while also serving as bishop for AMIA congregations in the northeastern United States.<ref name="ne-usa">Langfitt, Frank. "A spiritual house divided". ''Baltimore Sun''. November 10, 2003. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-11-10-0311100055-story.html. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> In 2008, he published ''Never Silent'', a memoir and account of the Anglican realignment and the involvement of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.<ref name="never-silent">Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Never Silent''. (Eleison Publishing, 2008). ISBN 978-0615206943</ref>

In 2010, AMIA—which had been a founding member of the Anglican Church in North America the year before—left full membership, changing its status in ACNA to "ministry partner."<ref name="aac-amia-breakdown">Lundy, Robert H.. "Anglican Mission in the Americas: The Aftermath". ''Encompass''. American Anglican Council. no. First Quarter 2012. http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2. (accessed 21 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20130530221242/http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2 (archived 30 May 2013)</ref> By the next year, the relationship between AMIA chairman Murphy and the Anglican Church of Rwanda had broken down, and (except for Barnum and [[Terrell Glenn (bishop)|Terrell Glenn]]), the AMIA bishops removed AMIA from Rwandan jurisdiction and restructured it as a "missionary society."<ref name="amia-collapse">Virtue, David. "An Unholy Mess: Clash of Wills, Power Struggles, & Theological Direction Mark AMIA-ACNA Struggle". ''Virtue Online''. October 9, 2012. https://theaquilareport.com/an-unholy-mess-clash-of-wills-power-struggles-theological-direction-mark-amia-acna-struggle/. (accessed 21 November 2022)</ref>

In early 2012, a majority of AMIA congregations elected to remain canonically in the Rwandan church and pursue full membership and "dual citizenship" in the ACNA, forming [[PEARUSA]].<ref name="pearusa-formation">Rwaje, Onesphore. "Moving Forward Together Statement". ''Virtue Online''. January 18, 2012. https://virtueonline.org/raleigh-nc-moving-forward-together-statement. (accessed 21 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20221121161845/https://virtueonline.org/raleigh-nc-moving-forward-together-statement (archived 21 November 2022)</ref> Barnum and Glenn were given temporary responsibility for PEARUSA congregations pending the election and consecration of new bishops.<ref name="pearusa-formation" />

==Later life==
After leaving Apostles in Connecticut in 2015,<ref name="apostles-history" /> the Barnums returned to [[Pawleys Island, South Carolina|Pawleys Island]] and focused their time on Call2Disciple. They also provided [[pastoral care]] to clergy in the ACNA.<ref name="clergy-soul-care">"ACNA College Of Bishops Meeting Communique: January 2021". ''Anglican Ink''. January 20, 2021. https://anglican.ink/2021/01/20/acna-college-of-bishops-meeting-communique-january-2021/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> Barnum joined the Diocese of the Carolinas as an assisting bishop with a focus on clergy "soul care."<ref name="adoc-areas">"Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas reorganizes episcopal areas". ''Anglican Ink''. July 9, 2020. https://anglican.ink/2020/07/09/anglican-diocese-of-the-carolinas-reorganizes-episcopal-areas/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> On August 6, 2020, Erilynne Barnum died at home in Pawleys Island. The Barnums had four daughters, eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.<ref name="erilynne" />

==Bibliography==
*Barnum, Thaddeus; Erilynne Barnum. ''Remember Eve: How the Deceiver Works in the Believer's Life''. (Longwood Communications, 1996). ISBN 978-1883928131
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Where Is God in Suffering and Tragedy?''. (Vantage Group, 1997). ISBN 978-1883928285
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Never Silent''. (Eleison Publishing, 2008). ISBN 978-0615206943
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Real Identity: Where Bible and Life Meet''. (Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013). ISBN 978-0898277555
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Real Love: Where Bible and Life Meet''. (Wesleyan Publishing House, 2014). ISBN 978-0898279146
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Real Mercy: Where Bible and Life Meet''. (Wesleyan Publishing House, 2015). ISBN 978-0898279160
*Barnum, Thaddeus. ''Real Courage: Where Bible and Life Meet''. (Wesleyan Publishing House, 2016). ISBN 978-1632571670

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnum, Thaddeus Rockwell}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Yale Divinity School alumni]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]

Terrell Glenn (bishop)

2026-10-20T13:33:13Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{short description|American Anglican bishop (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Terrell L. Glenn Jr.
| title = Assisting Bishop, Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas
| image = Bishop Terrell Glenn.png
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Diocese of the Carolinas|Carolinas]]
| see =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
|
| ordination = 1993 (diaconate) 1994 (priesthood)
| ordained_by =
| consecration = January 26, 2008
| consecrated_by = [[Emmanuel Kolini]]
| rank =

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place = [[Columbia, South Carolina]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Teresa deBorde Glenn
| previous_post = Missionary Bishop, [[Anglican Mission in the Americas|Anglican Mission in America]]
}}
'''Terrell Lyles Glenn Jr.''' (born 1958) is an American bishop of the [[Anglican Church in North America]]. He is a former [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] priest who played an active role in the [[Anglican realignment]] in the United States. Consecrated in 2008 to serve as a bishop in the [[Anglican Mission in the Americas]], Glenn is now an assisting bishop overseeing North Carolina congregations in the [[Diocese of the Carolinas]].

==Early life, education, and early career==
Glenn was born in Columbia, South Carolina, to [[Terrell Glenn (attorney)|Terrell L. Glenn Sr.]], a former U.S. attorney, and Louise Owens Glenn.<ref name="louise">"Louise Owens Glenn". ''The State''. January 22, 2013. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thestate/name/louise-glenn-obituary?id=13251403. (accessed 24 November 2022)</ref> His paternal grandfather, [[John Lyles Glenn Jr.]], was a federal judge, and his maternal grandfather, Frank Owens, was a former mayor of Columbia.<ref name="louise" /> The Glenn family were active (though not, according to Terrell Jr., particularly devout) members of [[Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Columbia, South Carolina)|Trinity Episcopal Cathedral]] in Columbia. Terrell Jr. described his family's faith as "good churchmanship equaled good citizenship."<ref name="episcopal">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). pp. 58-59</ref>

Terrell Jr. attended [[St. Andrew's School (Delaware)|St. Andrew's School]] in Delaware. One summer during high school, he had a [[Conversion to Christianity|conversion experience]] while participating in the youth group at home at Trinity Cathedral, led by the Rev. John Yates Jr., the future longtime rector of [[The Falls Church (Anglican)|The Falls Church Anglican]]. He and a group of fellow students sought to hold [[Evangelism|evangelistic]] chapel services once the school year began at St. Andrew's, but Glenn has said that the administration stopped the services after two were held.<ref name="episcopal" />

Glenn attended the [[University of South Carolina]] and during this time was discipled by a [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] minister in Columbia who educated him on [[Calvinism|Reformed theology]]. At the end of college, Glenn was approved for seminary studies by the [[Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina]] and enrolled at [[Virginia Theological Seminary]]. He recalled that his first [[systematic theology]] professor began the class by disputing the [[Resurrection of Jesus|physical resurrection of Jesus]]. Despite VTS' reputation as a bastion of [[Low church|low-church]] [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] Episcopalianism, by the 1980s, Glenn said "it became clear to me that evangelicalism was tolerated and evangelicals were marginalized."<ref name="episcopal-2">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). pp. 60-61</ref>

Glenn married Teresa deBorde; they had three children.<ref name="adoc-bio">"The Rt. Rev. Terrell L. Glenn". ''Diocese of the Carolinas''. https://adoc.church/bishop-terrell-glenn/. (accessed 24 November 2022)</ref> After his ordination, Glenn served at a small rural parish in South Carolina, then as assistant rector at [[St. Philip's Church (Charleston, South Carolina)|St. Philip's Episcopal Church]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] for six years. In 1990, he was called as rector of [[St. Andrew's Church (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina)|St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]] in [[Mount Pleasant, South Carolina]].<ref name="episcopal-2" />

==Anglican realignment==
Glenn was a deputy to the 1994 and 1997 [[General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|General Conventions of the Episcopal Church]] and was troubled by a resolution in 1997 that removed the "conscience clause" regarding [[Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion|women's ordination]]; dioceses were no longer permitted their own choice on whether to ordain women to the priesthood. "Regardless of one's view of women's ordination, we were now on slippery slope of mandating behavior that had neither been thoroughly studied theologically nor considered extensively with our ecumenical partners," Glenn recalled. "The 1997 Convention also failed to uphold and require a biblical sexual ethic for the church's clergy and people. For me, it was the [[Belshazzar's feast|writing on the wall]]. . . . [I] realized that the real divide in TEC was not over women's ordination or human sexuality but over the Bible and its interpretation."<ref name="episcopal-2" />

In September 1997, Glenn joined a group of 26 conservative or traditionalist Episcopal priests—including [[Chuck Murphy (bishop)|Chuck Murphy]], [[T. J. Johnston]], and [[Jeffrey N. Steenson|Jeffrey Steenson]]―in signing what became called the "First Promise" statement.<ref name="dsc-history">Caldwell, Robert James. ''A History of the Episcopal Church Schism in South Carolina''. (Wipf and Stock, 2017). p. fn349</ref> The statement—drafted at Murphy's church, [[All Saints Church (Pawleys Island, South Carolina)|All Saints Episcopal Church]] in [[Pawleys Island, South Carolina]]—declared the authority of the Episcopal Church and its General Convention to be "fundamentally impaired" because they no longer upheld the "truth of the gospel."<ref name="first-promise-shuler">Shuler, Jon. "The First Promise Statement - 20 Years Later". ''Virtue Online''. September 12, 2017. https://virtueonline.org/first-promise-statement-20-years-later. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref><ref name="episcopal-3">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). p. 62</ref> Glenn and the statement's other signers also stated their intention to be aligned with [[Anglican Communion]] members whose theological principles aligned with the First Promise statement.<ref name="episcopal-3" />

After the controversy over Resolution 1.10 at the 1998 [[Lambeth Conference]]—at which Anglican bishops by a vote of 389 to 190 passed an amendment stating that "homosexual practice" is "incompatible with Scripture" and that the conference "cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions"<ref name="lambeth">"Lambeth Conference 1998: Resolution 1.10 Human Sexuality". http://www.anglicancommunion.org/windsor2004/appendix/p3.6.cfm. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20080509060128/http://www.anglicancommunion.org/windsor2004/appendix/p3.6.cfm (archived 9 May 2008)</ref>—Glenn recalled that [[Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches|Global South]] Anglican primates became aware of the theological progressivism in the Episcopal Church and [[Anglican Church of Canada]].<ref name="episcopal-3" /> In 2000, the First Promise statement evolved into the Anglican Mission in America.<ref name="amia-founded">"Murphy and Rodgers Launch Traditionalist Anglican Mission in America". Episcopal News Service. August 22, 2000. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=2000-117. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Murphy and former [[Trinity School for Ministry]] dean [[John Rodgers (theologian)|John Rodgers]] were made bishops by [[Emmanuel Kolini]] and [[Moses Tay]]. They left the Episcopal Church and founded the AMIA with canonical residence in the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]]<ref name="murphy">"Charles H. Murphy III, 1948-2018". ''The Living Church''. January 10, 2018. https://livingchurch.org/2018/01/10/charles-h-murphy-iii-1948-2018/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>—the first significant exodus from TEC since the [[Congress of St. Louis]] in 1977.<ref name="amia-founded" />

Glenn stepped down from St. Andrew's Mount Pleasant in 1999.<ref name="st-andrews">Wood, Steve. "Terrell Glenn Called to Lead St. Andrew’s City Church". ''St. Andrew's Church''. April 3, 2017. https://www.standrews.church/terrell-glenn/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> He renounced his ordination in the Episcopal Church in February 2000 and later that year was received as a presbyter by the Anglican Church of Rwanda.<ref name="amia-leadership">"Our Structure and Leadership". ''Anglican Mission in the Americas''. 2008. http://www.theamia.org///experience/structure-leadership. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20081121163309/http://www.theamia.org///experience/structure-leadership (archived 21 November 2008)</ref> That year, he became the founding rector of Church of the Apostles in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], under the auspices of the newly formed AMIA.<ref name="apostles-raleigh">"Parish Profile". ''Church of the Apostles''. 2021. http://search.apostles-raleigh.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Apostles-Profile-Feb-2021.pdf. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20211203202632/http://search.apostles-raleigh.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Apostles-Profile-Feb-2021.pdf (archived 3 December 2021)</ref> Apostles grew to 375 in average attendance and a $1 million annual budget under Glenn.<ref name="amia-bishop">"The Anglican Mission Celebrates Appointment of New Missionary Bishops". ''Anglican Mission in the Americas''. 2007. http://www.theamia.org/newsitem/123. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20071210032556/http://www.theamia.org/newsitem/123 (archived 10 December 2007)</ref> In 2005, Glenn was called as rector of All Saints, Pawleys Island, succeeding future bishop [[David Bryan (bishop)|David Bryan]] as senior pastor.<ref name="pawleys">Lindsay, Ross. ''Building a Church to Last''. (Xulon Press, 2011). p. 129. ISBN 9781613793244</ref> (After All Saints in 2004 changed its articles of incorporation to remove references to the Episcopal Church, the church was involved in a landmark case related to property ownership of Episcopal churches in South Carolina. The state [[South Carolina Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] ruled in 2009 that the parish, which predated the Episcopal Church, was the owner of its property regardless of the [[Dennis Canon]].<ref name="all-saints-decision-09">Munday, Dave. "All Saints Church: Court rules in favor of Pawleys Island congregation". ''The Post and Courier''. September 21, 2009. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/all-saints-church-court-rules-in-favor-of-pawleys-island-congregation/article_f6265a16-b12b-5f7c-9078-13ec98c98312.html. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref>)

==Episcopacy and transition to ACNA==
In 2007, the Rwandan bishops elected Glenn to serve as a missionary bishop in the AMIA. He was consecrated in January 2008 by Kolini alongside [[John Miller (bishop)|John Miller]] and Philip Jones.<ref name="amia-bishop" /> Glenn oversaw a network of 54 churches while remaining rector of All Saints Pawleys,<ref name="st-andrews" /> as was customary for AMIA bishops.<ref name="amia-bishop" /> Glenn resigned as rector of All Saints in November 2010,<ref name="pawleys" /> during a period of growing tension between AMIA leadership and both the newly formed Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Church in Rwanda. In 2010, AMIA—which had been a founding member of the ACNA the year before—left full membership, changing its status in ACNA to "ministry partner."<ref name="aac-amia-breakdown">Lundy, Robert H.. "Anglican Mission in the Americas: The Aftermath". ''Encompass''. American Anglican Council. no. First Quarter 2012. http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2. (accessed 21 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20130530221242/http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2 (archived 30 May 2013)</ref> By the next year, the relationship between AMIA chairman Murphy and the Anglican Church of Rwanda's house of bishops, led by Kolini's successor [[Onesphore Rwaje]], had broken down over questions of financial transparency and collegiality.<ref name="episcopal-4">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). p. 64</ref> Except for Glenn and [[Thad Barnum]], the AMIA bishops removed AMIA from Rwandan jurisdiction and restructured it as a "missionary society."<ref name="amia-collapse">Virtue, David. "An Unholy Mess: Clash of Wills, Power Struggles, & Theological Direction Mark AMIA-ACNA Struggle". ''Virtue Online''. October 9, 2012. https://theaquilareport.com/an-unholy-mess-clash-of-wills-power-struggles-theological-direction-mark-amia-acna-struggle/. (accessed 21 November 2022)</ref> "What followed was a season of enmity, demonization, and slander," Glenn recalled. "In one case, bishops turned on congregations and clergy in ways that were worse than anything that had occurred at the hands of TEC when AMIA was formed in the first place. It was the single most painful experience that I have ever had in ministry."<ref name="episcopal-4" />v

In early 2012, a majority of AMIA congregations elected to remain canonically in the Rwandan church and pursue full membership and "dual citizenship" in the ACNA, forming [[PEARUSA]].<ref name="pearusa-formation">Rwaje, Onesphore. "Moving Forward Together Statement". ''Virtue Online''. January 18, 2012. https://virtueonline.org/raleigh-nc-moving-forward-together-statement. (accessed 21 November 2022)</ref> Barnum and Glenn were given temporary responsibility for PEARUSA congregations pending the election and consecration of new bishops.<ref name="pearusa-formation" /> After new bishops were elected for PEARUSA, Glenn moved to Houston to plant the Church of the Apostles in the newly forming ACNA [[Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast|Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast]].<ref name="st-andrews" />

In 2017, Glenn returned to St. Andrew's to serve as campus pastor for its Charleston city location under [[Steve Wood (bishop)|Steve Wood]], rector of St. Andrew's and diocesan bishop of the Carolinas.<ref name="st-andrews" /> In 2020, Glenn returned to Raleigh to serve as [[Suffragan bishop|area bishop]] for North Carolina congregations in the Diocese of the Carolinas.<ref name="adoc-bishops">"A letter from our ADOC Bishops". ''Diocese of the Carolinas''. July 8, 2020. https://adoc.church/a-letter-from-our-adoc-bishops/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> That year, the Church of the Apostles, which Glenn had planted in 2000, moved from the [[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope]] to Glenn's jurisdiction in the Diocese of the Carolinas.<ref name="adoc-apostles">"Welcome Church of the Apostles, Raleigh, NC". ''Diocese of the Carolinas''. October 8, 2020. https://adoc.church/2411-2/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> He also served as dean for College of Bishops affairs in the ACNA.<ref name="acna-dean-college">"ARCHBISHOP APPOINTS PROVINCIAL DEANS & CHAPLAINS". ''Anglican Church in North America''. August 19, 2014. https://anglicanchurch.net/archbishop-appoints-provincial-deans-chaplains/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glenn, Terrell Lyles}}

[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Virginia Theological Seminary alumni]]
[[Category:People from Columbia, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]
[[Category:St. Andrew's School (Delaware) alumni]]

Terence Kelshaw

2026-10-20T13:33:10Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| name = Terence Kelshaw
| title = VII Bishop of the Rio Grande
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]]/[[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande|Rio Grande]]
| see =
| term = 1989–2004
| predecessor = [[Richard M. Trelease Jr.]]
| successor = [[Jeffrey N. Steenson]]

| ordination = 1968
| ordinated_by =
| consecration = 1989
| consecrated_by = [[Edmond Browning]]
| rank =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|10|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Manchester]], [[Lancashire]], UK
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2015|7|5|1936|10|4}}
| death_place =
| previous_post =
}}

'''Terence Kelshaw''' (4 October 1936 – 5 July 2015) was an English-born American [[Anglican]] [[bishop]].

Kelshaw studied at Oakhill Theology College, [[London University]], where he graduated with a degree in theology in 1967. He was ordained a deacon in 1967 and a priest in September 1968. He received a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1986.

Kelshaw was the seventh bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande]] from March 1989 to 2004. An Evangelical and theological conservative, he opposed the liberal leanings of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] in the United States, including its acceptance of non-celibate homosexual clergy.<ref>"The Right Rev. Terence Kelshaw - Pastoral Letter from the Rt. Rev. Terence Kelshaw, Bishop of the Rio Grande, from General Convention, 2003". Americananglican.org. 5 August 2003. http://www.americananglican.org/the-rt-rev-terence-kelshaw/. (accessed 27 September 2012). Archived version: https://archive.today/20130223184024/http://www.americananglican.org/the-rt-rev-terence-kelshaw/ (archived 23 February 2013)</ref> After retirement, he ministered as a bishop in the [[Anglican Church of Uganda]] in 2008 and subsequently in the [[Anglican Church in North America]] (a then newly-formed denomination not within the [[Anglican Communion]]) in that church's [[Anglican Diocese of the Southwest|Diocese of the Southwest]].

Kelshaw died on 5 July 2015, aged 78 years old.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://livingchurch.org/bishop-kelshaw-dead-78 "Bishop Kelshaw Dead at 78"] from ''[[The Living Church]]''

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ep}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Richard M. Trelease Jr.]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande|Bishop of Rio Grande]]|years=1989–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jeffrey N. Steenson]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelshaw, Terence}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:English Anglicans]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglican bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:20th-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:Episcopal bishops of the Rio Grande]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]
{{US-Anglican-bishop-stub}}

T. J. Johnston

2026-10-20T13:33:08Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{short description|American Anglican bishop (born 1956)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = T. J. Johnston
| title = Retired Missionary Bishop, Anglican Mission in the Americas
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese =
| see =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
|
| ordination =
| ordained_by =
| consecration = June 24, 2001
| consecrated_by = [[Emmanuel Kolini]]
| rank =

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Rees Johnston
| other_post = Assisting Bishop, [[Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others]]
}}
'''Thomas William "T. J." Johnston Jr.''' (born 1956) is an American lawyer and bishop of the [[Anglican Church in North America]]. As the first [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] priest whose orders were transferred to the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]] in the 1990s, Johnston was a key figure in the [[Anglican realignment]] in the United States. Consecrated as a bishop in 2001 to serve in the [[Anglican Mission in the Americas]], Johnston later became a church planter in South Carolina.

==Early life, education, and early career==
Johnston has roots in [[South Carolina Lowcountry|Lowcountry South Carolina]].<ref name="st-peters-about">"Our Story". ''Saint Peter's Church''. 2014. http://www.saintpeters.me/who-we-are/. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20140811064804/http://www.saintpeters.me/who-we-are/ (archived 11 August 2014)</ref> He graduated from [[Spartanburg High School]] and from [[Sewanee: The University of the South|Sewanee]] with a B.S. in [[forestry]].<ref name="st-peters-bio">"Lead Pastor T.J. Johnston". ''Saint Peter's Church''. 2014. http://www.saintpeters.me/lead%20pastor%20tj%20johnston/. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20141218061212/http://www.saintpeters.me/lead%20pastor%20tj%20johnston/ (archived 18 December 2014)</ref> After working as a forester for [[Union Camp Corporation]] in Virginia and serving as a [[Young Life]] leader, Johnston went to law school in 1980.<ref name="amia-leadership">"Our Structure and Leadership". ''Anglican Mission in the Americas''. 2008. http://www.theamia.org///experience/structure-leadership. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20081121163309/http://www.theamia.org///experience/structure-leadership (archived 21 November 2008)</ref> He received his J.D. from the [[Cumberland School of Law|Cumberland School of Law at Samford University]] and worked as a trial lawyer with an [[environmental law|environmentally focused practice]] in Charleston for several years.<ref name="c4so-st-peters-join">"The Gospel Gardener: C4SO welcomes Bishop TJ Johnston of Saint Peter’s Church". ''Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others''. July 20, 2015. https://c4so.org/the-gospel-gardener-c4so-welcomes-bishop-tj-johnston-of-saint-peters-church/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Johnston is married to Rees; they have two grown children.<ref name="st-peters-bio" />

In 1991, Johnston was called to ordained ministry; he received his M.Div. from the [[School of Theology at The University of the South|School of Theology]] at Sewanee in 1994. He served first as an assistant at [[Grace Church Cathedral|Grace Church]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]].<ref name="amia-leadership" /> He also worked as a volunteer with [[Luc Garnier]], the [[Episcopal Diocese of Haiti|Episcopal bishop of Haiti]], coordinating partnerships between churches in Haiti and the United States.<ref name="c4so-st-peters-join" />

==Anglican realignment==
In 1996, Johnston became assistant rector at [[All Saints Church (Pawleys Island, South Carolina)|All Saints Episcopal Church]], [[Pawleys Island, South Carolina|Pawleys Island]].<ref name="pawleys">Lindsay, Ross. ''Building a Church to Last''. (Xulon Press, 2011). p. 122. ISBN 9781613793244</ref> Under rector [[Chuck Murphy (bishop)|Chuck Murphy]], All Saints Pawleys was a center of activity in the Anglican realignment. In September 1997, Murphy and Johnston were coordinators and signers of what became called the "First Promise" statement.<ref name="dsc-history">Caldwell, Robert James. ''A History of the Episcopal Church Schism in South Carolina''. (Wipf and Stock, 2017). p. fn349</ref> The statement declared the authority of the Episcopal Church and its General Convention to be "fundamentally impaired" because they no longer upheld the "truth of the gospel.".<ref name="first-promise-shuler">Shuler, Jon. "The First Promise Statement - 20 Years Later". ''Virtue Online''. September 12, 2017. https://virtueonline.org/first-promise-statement-20-years-later. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref><ref name="episcopal-3">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). p. 62</ref>

Meanwhile, in 1996 and 1997, a group of lay Episcopalians had been planting a church in Little Rock called St. Andrew's.<ref name="saclr-history">"Our History". ''St. Andrew's Church''. https://www.saclr.org/about/our-history/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Without the support of [[Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas|Bishop of Arkansas]] [[Larry Maze]],<ref name="maze-opposition">"Bishop of Arkansas Clarifies Role of Mission Congregation Started by Dissidents". Episcopal News Service. May 8, 1998. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=98-2159. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> the church received occasional pastoral visits from Johnston and other priests involved in the First Promise statement.<ref name="saclr-history" /> In January 1998, St. Andrew's called Johnston as its first rector and he and his family moved to Little Rock.<ref name="hassett">Hassett, Miranda K.. ''Anglican Communion in Crisis How Episcopal Dissidents and Their African Allies Are Reshaping Anglicanism''. (Princeton University Press, 2009). pp. 68–70. ISBN 9781400827718</ref> Maze refused to license Johnston in Arkansas, so [[Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (1785–2012)|South Carolina Bishop]] [[Edward L. Salmon Jr.|Ed Salmon]] issued [[Dimissorial letters|letters dimissory]] transferring Johnston's canonical residence to the [[Anglican Diocese of Shyira]] under Bishop [[John Rucyahana]] over Maze's objections.<ref name="tlc-maze-salmon">"Arkansas Church Affiliates With Diocese in Rwanda". ''The''. June 7, 1998. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/the_living_church/TLCarticle.pl?volume=216&issue=23&article_id=9. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Maze warned Johnston that he would be violating TEC canons "by accepting an irregular call in a diocese where he was not canonically resident."<ref name="ens-salmon-maze">"Fate of Little Rock Traditionalist Parish Still Unsettled". Episcopal News Service. September 28, 1998. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=98-2228_Z. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Salmon told Maze that he had issued letters dimissory "to try to keep Arkansas and South Carolina from being in dispute over this priest."<ref name="tlc-maze-salmon" /> This process was described by anthropologist Miranda Hassett described the move as a "loophole in Anglican polity to escape the authority of the Episcopal Church and its bishops."<ref name="hassett" /> The "loophole" was closed; subsequent priests to leave the Episcopal Church for Rwanda and other provinces providing oversight to dissident U.S. and Canadian Anglicans either voluntarily renounced their orders or were inhibited and [[Loss of clerical state|deposed]].<ref name="ens-amia-growth-inhibitions">"Historic Mobile Parish Added to AMIA List". Episcopal News Service. October 3, 2000. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=2000-154. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> According to Johnston, "the national church passed a canon immediately blocking that kind of action from taking place again."<ref name="johnston-interview">Virtue, David. "Anglican Bishop T.J. Johnston answers questions about AMIA and his role in ACNA". ''Vir''. July 31, 2012. https://virtueonline.org/anglican-bishop-tj-johnston-answers-questions-about-amia-and-his-role-acna. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref>

The issue eventually became a flashpoint at the 1998 [[Lambeth Conference]], where TEC Presiding Bishop [[Frank Griswold|Frank T. Griswold]] and Maze met with Rwandan Primate [[Emmanuel Kolini]] and Rucyahana to head off further disputes.<ref name="ens-salmon-maze" /> In a letter to Kolini, Griswold reminded him of Lambeth's 1988 resolution on the integrity of diocesan boundaries and asked the primate "to make clear to Bishop Rucyahana that his current plan is most unwise and harmful." [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] [[George Carey]] also interceded with both sides.<ref name="ens-salmon-maze" />

The conflict within the broader church continued. In 2000, the First Promise statement evolved into the Anglican Mission in America.<ref name="amia-founded">"Murphy and Rodgers Launch Traditionalist Anglican Mission in America". Episcopal News Service. August 22, 2000. https://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_number=2000-117. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref> Murphy and former [[Trinity School for Ministry]] dean [[John Rodgers (theologian)|John Rodgers]] were made bishops by [[Emmanuel Kolini]] and [[Moses Tay]]. They left the Episcopal Church and founded the AMIA with canonical residence in the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]]<ref name="murphy">"Charles H. Murphy III, 1948-2018". ''The Living Church''. January 10, 2018. https://livingchurch.org/2018/01/10/charles-h-murphy-iii-1948-2018/. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref> St. Andrew's in Little Rock was a founding congregation of the AMIA and by 2000 had grown to 200 in weekly attendance.<ref name="ens-amia-growth-inhibitions" />

In July 2001, Johnston was consecrated as a bishop by Kolini to serve the AMIA alongside [[Thad Barnum]] and two other former Episcopal priests in the .<ref name="barnum-consecration">Van Biema, David. "Episcopal Turf War". ''TIME''. July 9, 2001. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1000269-1,00.html. (accessed 22 November 2022)</ref><ref name="democrat-gazette">Caver, Nancy. "Arkansas gains new Anglican bishop". ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette''. June 26, 2001. http://www.theamia.org/goodnews/demgaz.html. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20011112022031/http://www.theamia.org/goodnews/demgaz.html (archived 12 November 2001)</ref> As was customary for AMIA bishops,<ref name="amia-bishop">"The Anglican Mission Celebrates Appointment of New Missionary Bishops". ''Anglican Mission in the Americas''. 2007. http://www.theamia.org/newsitem/123. (accessed 27 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20071210032556/http://www.theamia.org/newsitem/123 (archived 10 December 2007)</ref> Johnston remained rector of St. Andrew's in addition to overseeing congregations and clergy.

==Church planting==
In 2005, Johnston was contacted by laypeople in [[Mount Pleasant, South Carolina]], seeking to plant a new congregation in the northern part of the fast-growing Charleston suburb. He joined the group as its founding rector and the church became Saint Peter's Church. In 2009, Saint Peter's moved from rented space into a permanent facility in Mount Pleasant.<ref name="st-peters-about" />

In 2010, AMIA—which had been a founding member of the ACNA the year before—left full membership, changing its status in ACNA to "ministry partner."<ref name="aac-amia-breakdown">Lundy, Robert H.. "Anglican Mission in the Americas: The Aftermath". ''Encompass''. American Anglican Council. no. First Quarter 2012. http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2. (accessed 21 November 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20130530221242/http://www.americananglican.org/anglican-mission-in-the-americas-the-aftermath-2 (archived 30 May 2013)</ref> By the next year, the relationship between AMIA chairman Murphy and the Anglican Church of Rwanda's house of bishops, led by Kolini's successor [[Onesphore Rwaje]], had broken down over questions of financial transparency and collegiality.<ref name="episcopal-4">Terrell L. Glenn. "A Unity Greater Than Doctrine", in ''A House Divided? Ways Forward for North American Anglicans''. edited by Arten, Isaac; Glass, William. (Wipf and Stock, 2015). p. 64</ref> All but two AMIA bishops, Johnston among them, followed Murphy and AMIA out of Rwandan jurisdiction and restructured it as a "missionary society."<ref name="amia-collapse">Virtue, David. "An Unholy Mess: Clash of Wills, Power Struggles, & Theological Direction Mark AMIA-ACNA Struggle". ''Virtue Online''. October 9, 2012. https://theaquilareport.com/an-unholy-mess-clash-of-wills-power-struggles-theological-direction-mark-amia-acna-struggle/. (accessed 21 November 2022)</ref> Most AMIA congregations left the organization, either to join ACNA directly or to canonical "dual citizenship" with ACNA and Rwanda in [[PEARUSA]].

Beginning in 2012, Johnston began a multi-year "process of reconciliation and restoration" with his former fellow ACNA bishops.<ref name="acna-restoration">"NEW BISHOPS ADMITTED TO THE COLLEGE". ''Anglican Church in North America''. July 1, 2016. https://anglicanchurch.net/new-bishops-admitted-to-the-college/</ref> While Saint Peter's remained in AMIA and Johnston continued to oversee AMIA congregations, Johnston moved his canonical residence to the ACNA [[Anglican Diocese of the South|Diocese of the South]].<ref name="johnston-interview" /> Saint Peter's joined the [[Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others]] (C4SO) in 2015,<ref name="c4so-st-peters-join" /> and in July 2016, Johnston was readmitted to the ACNA College of Bishops and appointed an assisting bishop in the C4SO Diocese.<ref name="acna-restoration" /><ref name="c4so-johnston-assisting">"C4SO Welcomes Assisting Bishop TJ Johnston". ''Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others''. September 1, 2016. https://c4so.org/c4so-welcomes-assisting-bishop-tj-johnston/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref>

==Later life==
In 2021, Johnston retired as senior pastor of Saint Peter's and left active ministry to become COO and then CEO of [http://www.globalwatercenter.org Global Water Center], a nonprofit providing education, innovation, and collaboration to keep rural water sources safe and flowing for good. They partner with organizations, corporations, and governmental agencies on [[Drinking water|safe water]] access issues worldwide.<ref name="c4so-water">"A New Role for Assisting Bishop TJ Johnston". ''Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others''. December 7, 2020. https://c4so.org/a-new-role-for-assisting-bishop-tj-johnston/. (accessed 27 November 2022)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Thomas William}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Anglican realignment people]]
[[Category:People from South Carolina]]

Supreme Head of the Church of England

2026-10-20T13:33:06Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|1536–1555 office in the Kingdom of England}}
{{For|modern title that signifies titular leadership over the Church of England used since Elizabeth I|Supreme Governor of the Church of England}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Supreme Head
| body = the Church of England
| native_name =
| insignia =
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| flag = Flag of England.svg
| flagsize = 125px
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = [[Flag of England]] and the [[Church of England]]
| image = After Hans Holbein the Younger - Portrait of Henry VIII - Google Art Project.jpg
| imagecaption = '''Longest in office [[Henry VIII]]''' 1531 – 1547
| imagesize = 165px
| alt =
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| department = [[Church of England]]
| style = [[Majesty]]
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| residence = [[Palace of Whitehall]]
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| constituting_instrument = [[Acts of Supremacy#First Act of Supremacy 1534|Act of Supremacy of 1534]]
| precursor = None
| formation = 1531
| first = [[Henry VIII]]
| last = [[Mary I of England|Mary I]]
| abolished = 1555
| succession = [[Supreme Governor of the Church of England]]
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}}
{{Portal|Christianity}}
The title of '''Supreme Head of the Church of England''' was created in 1531<ref name="cathenc-H8">"Henry VIII", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07222a.htm</ref> for King [[Henry VIII]] when he first began to separate the [[Church of England]] from the authority of the [[Holy See]] and allegiance to the [[papacy]], then represented by [[Pope Clement VII]]. The [[Acts of Supremacy#First Act of Supremacy 1534|Act of Supremacy of 1534]] confirmed the King's status as having supremacy over the church and required the nobility to swear an oath recognising Henry's supremacy.<ref name="cathenc-H8"/> By 1536, Henry had broken with Rome, seized assets of the [[Catholic Church in England and Wales]] and declared the Church of England as the [[Christian state|established church]] with himself as its head. [[Pope Paul III]] [[List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church|excommunicated]] Henry in 1538 over his divorce from [[Catherine of Aragon]].

Henry's daughter, Queen [[Mary I of England|Mary I]], a staunch Catholic, attempted to restore the English church's allegiance to the Pope and repealed the Act of Supremacy in 1555.<ref>"Mary Tudor", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09766a.htm</ref> Her half-sister, [[Elizabeth I]], took the throne in 1558 and [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] passed the [[Act of Supremacy 1558|Act of Supremacy of 1558]] that restored the original act.<ref>"Elizabeth's Supremacy Act, Restoring Ancient Jurisdiction (1559), 1 Elizabeth, Cap. 1". ''Documents Illustrative of English Church History'' (1896): pp. 442–458. Macmillan. New York. edited by Gee, Henry; Hardy, William John. http://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er79.html. (accessed 23 March 2018)</ref> The new [[Oath of Supremacy]] that nobles were required to swear gave the Queen's title as ''[[Supreme Governor of the Church of England|supreme governor]]'' of the church rather than ''supreme head'', to avoid the charge that the monarchy was claiming divinity or usurping Christ, whom the Bible explicitly identifies as [[Head of the Church]].

==List of supreme heads==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Years
! Notes
|-
|[[Henry VIII of England]]
|1531–1547
|
|-
|[[Edward VI of England]]
|1547–1553
|With [[Thomas Cranmer]], authorised the [[Book of Common Prayer]].
|-
|[[Lady Jane Grey]]
|1553
|Reign's legitimacy is disputed.
|-
|[[Mary I of England]] and [[Philip II of Spain|Philip]]
|1553–1555
|From 1554 the couple omitted the title, without statutory authority until authorised by Parliament in 1555. Promoted the [[Counter-Reformation|Catholic Reformation]] in England and Wales.
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Caesaropapism]]
[[Category:History of the Church of England]]
[[Category:English monarchy]]
[[Category:Church of England lists]]
[[Category:16th century in England]]
[[Category:16th-century Christianity]]
[[Category:16th century in English law]]
[[Category:1536 establishments in England]]

{{Anglican-stub}}

Supreme Governor of the Church of England

2026-10-20T13:33:04Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

The '''Supreme Governor of the Church of England''' is the [[Titular ruler|titular head]] of the [[Church of England]], a position which is vested in the [[British monarch]].<ref name="monarchtoday">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080307003413/http://www.royalinsight.gov.uk/output/Page4708.asp ''The Monarchy Today'', "Queen and Church of England"].</ref> Although the monarch's authority over the Church of England is largely ceremonial and is mostly observed in a symbolic capacity,<ref>Blackburn, Robert. "The Constitutional Role and Working of the Monarchy in the United Kingdom". ''Jahrbuch des öffentlichen Rechts der Gegenwart'' 70, no. 1 (2022): pp. 181–201. edited by Lepsius, O.; Nußberger, A.; Schönberger, C.; Waldhoff, C.; Walter, C.. DOI 10.1628/joer-2022-0009. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/167996669/The_Constitutional_Role_and_BLACKBURN_2022_GREEN_AAM.pdf. (accessed 28 April 2025)</ref> the position is still relevant to the [[established church]]. As the supreme governor, the monarch formally appoints high-ranking members of the church on the advice of the [[prime minister of the United Kingdom]], who in turn acts on the advice of the [[Appointment of Church of England bishops|Crown Nominations Commission]].<ref name="monarchtoday"/> Since the Act of Settlement of 1701, all Supreme Governors have been members of the Church of England.

== History ==
By 1536, King [[Henry VIII]] had broken with the [[Papacy|See of Rome]], seized assets of the [[Catholic Church in England and Wales]] and declared the [[Church of England]] as the [[Christian state|established church]] with himself as its [[Supreme Head of the Church of England|supreme head]]. The [[Acts of Supremacy#First Act of Supremacy 1534|Act of Supremacy 1534]] confirmed the king's status as having supremacy over the church and required the [[Peerage|peer]]s to swear an oath recognising Henry's supremacy.<ref name="Catholic Encyclopedia: Henry Viii">Thurston, H. "Henry VIII", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (New Advent, 1910). https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07222a.htm. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230510212748/https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07222a.htm (archived May 10, 2023)</ref> Henry's daughter [[Mary I]] attempted to restore the English Church's allegiance to the [[Pope]] and repealed the Act of Supremacy in 1555.<ref>Thurston, H. "Mary Tudor", in ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. (New Advent, 1910). https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09766a.htm. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230925065215/https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09766a.htm (archived Sep 25, 2023)</ref> [[Elizabeth I]] ascended to the throne in 1558, and the [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] restored the original Act by passing the [[Act of Supremacy 1558]].<ref>"Elizabeth's Supremacy Act". ''Hanover Historical Texts Collection''. April 1559. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er79.html. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190247/https://history.hanover.edu/texts/engref/er79.html (archived Jan 7, 2023)</ref> To placate critics, the [[Oath of Supremacy]], which peers were required to swear, set the monarch's title as ''supreme governor'' rather than ''supreme head'' of the restored Church of England. This wording avoided the charge that the monarchy was [[Imperial cult|claiming divinity]] or subordinating [[Jesus|Jesus of Nazareth]] (whom the [[Bible|Christian Bible]] explicitly identified as the [[head of the Church]] in the [[Epistle to the Ephesians]]).<ref>Ephesians 5:23</ref>

"[[Defender of the Faith]]" (''Fidei Defensor'') has been part of the English—and since the union of Scotland and England, the British—monarch's title since Henry VIII was granted it by [[Pope Leo X]] in 1521 in recognition of Henry's role in opposing the [[Reformation|Protestant Reformation]].<ref name="Catholic Encyclopedia: Henry Viii"/> The pope withdrew the title, but it was later reconferred by Parliament in the reign of [[Edward VI]].

===Thirty-Nine Articles===
The monarch's role is acknowledged in the preface to the [[Thirty-Nine Articles]] of 1562. It states that:

{{quote|Being by God's Ordinance, according to Our just Title, Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church, within these Our Dominions, We hold it most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office, and Our own religious zeal, to conserve and maintain the Church committed to Our Charge, in Unity of true Religion, and in the Bond of Peace ... We have therefore, upon mature Deliberation, and with the Advice of so many of Our Bishops as might conveniently be called together, thought fit to make this Declaration following ... That We are Supreme Governor of the Church of England ... }}

Article 37 makes this claim to [[royal supremacy]] more explicit:

{{quote|The Queen's Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England, and other her Dominions, unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil, in all causes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be, subject to any foreign Jurisdiction. ... [We] give not to our Princes the ministering either of God's Word, or of the Sacraments ... but only that prerogative, which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself; that is, that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evildoers. The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England.<ref>"The Thirty Nine Articles : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia". https://acl.asn.au/the-thirty-nine-articles/</ref>}}

== Church of Scotland ==
The British monarch vows to uphold the constitution of the [[Church of Scotland]] (a [[Presbyterian]] [[national church]]), but does not hold a leadership position in it. Nevertheless, the monarch appoints the [[Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland]] as their personal representative, with a ceremonial role. [[Queen Elizabeth II]] on occasion filled the role personally, as when she opened the General Assembly in 1977 and 2002 (her [[Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II|Silver]] and [[Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]] years).<ref>"Royal thanks at church assembly". ''BBC News''. 25 May 2002. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2007449.stm. (accessed 14 June 2025)</ref>

==List of supreme governors==
===English===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Years
! Notes
|-
|[[Henry VIII]]
|1531–1547
|As '''supreme head'''.
|-
|[[Edward VI]]
|1547–1553
|As '''supreme head'''. With [[Thomas Cranmer]], authorised the [[Book of Common Prayer]].
|-
|[[Mary I of England|Mary I]] and [[Philip II of Spain|Philip]]
|1553–1555
|As '''supreme head''' (from 1554 the couple omitted the title, without statutory authority until authorised by Parliament in 1555). Promoted the [[Counter-Reformation|Catholic Reformation]] in England and Wales.
|-
|[[Elizabeth I]]
|1558–1603
|See [[Elizabethan Religious Settlement]].
|-
|[[James VI and I|James I]]
|1603–1625
|See [[James VI and I and religious issues]]. Authorized the [[King James Version]] of the Bible.
|-
|[[Charles I of England|Charles I]]
|1625–1649
| Canonised martyr of the Church of England.
|-
|[[Interregnum (England)|''Interregnum'']]
|''1649–1660''
|
|-
|[[Charles II of England|Charles II]]
|1660–1685
|Converted to [[Catholicism]] [[Deathbed conversion|on his deathbed]].
|-
|[[James II of England|James II]]
|1685–1688
|Last [[Catholic]] to hold the position; he only held it as statutory authority.
|-
|[[Mary II]]
|1689–1694
|Reigned jointly with her husband (and cousin) [[William III of England|William III]].
|-
|[[William III of England|William III]]
|1689–1702
|At first reigned jointly with [[Mary II]], 1689–1694. [[Calvinism|Calvinist]].
|}

===British===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Years
! Notes
|-
|[[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Anne]]
|1702–1714
|Raised an Anglican.{{sfn|Curtis|1972|page=28}} During her reign, the [[Acts of Union 1707]] merged England and Scotland to form the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]]. Since then, monarchs also swear to preserve the [[Church of Scotland]].<ref>"The Queen, the Church and other faiths". ''Royal.UK''. https://www.royal.uk/the-queen-the-church-and-other-faiths. (accessed 1 October 2023). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230713165550/https://www.royal.uk/the-queen-the-church-and-other-faiths (archived 13 July 2023)</ref> Married to the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] [[Prince George of Denmark]].
|-
|[[George I of Great Britain|George I]]
|1714–1727
|[[Elector of Hanover|Elector]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. First Protestant in the line set forth by the [[Succession to the Crown Act 1707]]. Lutheran.
|-
|[[George II of Great Britain|George II]]
|1727–1760
|Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. Lutheran.
|-
|[[George III]]
|1760–1820
|Head of the Lutheran Church in Hanover. Creation of the [[United Church of England and Ireland]] in 1800.
|-
|[[George IV]]
|1820–1830
|[[Catholic emancipation]] enacted by the [[Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829]].
|-
|[[William IV]]
|1830–1837
|
|-
|[[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]
|1837–1901
|The [[Church of Ireland]] was [[Disestablishmentarianism|disestablished]] by the [[Irish Church Act 1869]].
|-
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|1901–1910
|
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|[[George V]]
|1910–1936
|The [[Church in Wales]] was disestablished by the [[Welsh Church Act 1914]].
|-
|[[Edward VIII]]
|1936
|[[Edward VIII abdication crisis|Pressured to abdicate]], formalised by the [[His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936]].
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|1936–1952
|
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|[[Elizabeth II]]
|1952–2022
|Longest-serving, at 70 years.
|-
|[[Charles III]]
|2022–present
|
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* Curtis, Gil. ''The Life and Times of Queen Anne''. (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1972). ISBN 0-2979-9571-5. OL 5457893M

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Supererogation

2026-10-20T13:33:01Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|Acts which are good but not morally required to be done}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more footnotes|date=January 2012}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2018}}
}}

'''Supererogation''' ([[Late Latin]]: ''supererogatio'' "payment beyond what is needed or asked", from ''super'' "beyond" and ''erogare'' "to pay out, expend", itself from ''ex'' "out" and ''rogare'' "to ask") is the performance of more than is asked for; the action of doing more than [[duty]] requires.<ref name=EB1911>"Supererogation", in ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. (11th ed., 1911). vol. 26. p. 111</ref> In [[ethics]], an act is '''supererogatory''' if it is good but not morally required to be done. It refers to an act that is more than is necessary, when another course of action—involving less—would still be an acceptable action. It differs from a duty, which is an act wrong not to do, and from acts morally neutral. Supererogation may be considered as performing above and beyond a normative course of duty to further benefits and functionality.

Some philosophers have proposed a corresponding concept of '''suberogation''' – whereas supererogatory acts are praiseworthy but not morally required, '''suberogatory''' acts are morally discouraged but not prohibited.<ref>Driver, Julia. "The suberogatory". ''Australasian Journal of Philosophy'' 70, no. 3 (1 September 1992): pp. 286–295. ISSN 0004-8402. DOI 10.1080/00048409212345181. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048409212345181</ref> However, the concept is controversial; with some dispute as to whether suberogatory acts genuinely exist.<ref>Heyd, David. "Supererogation", in ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy''. Winter 2019 ed.. edited by Zalta, Edward N.. (Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2019). https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2019/entries/supererogation/. (accessed 7 July 2021)</ref>

==In theology==
===Catholicism===
In the [[theology]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], "works of supererogation" (also called "acts of supererogation") are those performed beyond what God requires.<ref name=EB1911/> The Roman Catholic Church holds that the [[counsels of perfection]] are supererogatory acts, which specific [[Christians]] may engage in above their moral duties. Similarly, it teaches that to determine how to act, one must engage in reasonable efforts to be sure of what the right actions are; after the reasonable action, the person is in a state of [[vincible ignorance|invincible ignorance]] and guiltless of wrongdoing, but to undertake more than reasonable actions to overcome ignorance is supererogatory, and praiseworthy.

According to the classic teaching on [[indulgence]]s, the works of supererogation performed by all the saints form a treasure with God, the "[[treasury of merit]]," which the church can apply to exempt [[repentance (Christianity)|repentant]] sinners from the works of [[penance|penitence]] that would otherwise be required of them to achieve full remission of the temporal punishment due to their sin.

===Protestantism===
[[Martin Luther]]'s opposition of this teaching seeded the [[Protestant Reformation]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} The [[Church of England]] denied the doctrine of supererogation in the fourteenth of the [[Thirty-Nine Articles]], which states that works of supererogation (and the idea of a "treasury of merit")

<blockquote>
cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety: for by them men do declare, that they not only render unto God as much as they are bound to, but that they do more for his sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants<ref>[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer_(ECUSA)/Historical_Documents_of_the_Church/Articles_of_Religion Book of Common Prayer (ECUSA)/Historical Documents of the Church/Articles of Religion. XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.]</ref>
</blockquote>

Later Protestant movements followed suit, such as in the [[Methodism|Methodist]] [[Articles of Religion (Methodist)|Articles of Religion]].<ref>[http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/the-articles-of-religion-of-the-methodist-church The Methodist Articles of Religion/Doctrinal Standards of The United Methodist Church/Articles of Religion. XI. Of Works of Supererogation.]</ref>

===Islam===
A [[Muslim]] must complete a minimum of the [[Salah#The Five Daily Prayers|five daily prayers]], each typically lasting an average of 5 to 10 minutes. Supererogatory prayers beyond these are known as [[Nafl prayer|nafl]] prayers, and praying them is considered to bear additional reward. There are also several other supererogatory acts in [[Islam]], such as fasting outside of the month of [[Ramadhan]], or giving [[sadaqah]] (charity, consisting of simple acts of kindness to financial assistance) that is not obligatory.

Parallels have been drawn between the concept of ''[[mustahabb]]'' in Islamic law and the concept of supererogatory acts in the Western philosophical tradition.<ref>ZAROUG, ABDULLAHI HASSAN. "The Concept of Permission, Supererogatory Acts and Aseticism [sic] in Islamic Jurisprudence". ''Islamic Studies'' 24, no. 2 (1985): pp. 167–180. ISSN 0578-8072. JSTOR 20847307. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20847307</ref>

===Judaism===
In [[Rabbinic literature]] this principle is known as '''''lifnim mishurat hadin''''' (לפנים משורת הדין), lit. "beyond the line of the law".
See <ref name="Pfeffer">Rabbi Y. Pfeffer [https://dinonline.org/2015/07/27/lifnim-mishuras-hadin-crossing-the-line-of-the-law/ Lifnim MiShuras HaDin: Crossing the Line of the Law]</ref> for elaboration, and [[Hashkafa]] for general discussion.
Additional to its practical implications, the idea is foundational in the formulation of the various sub-philosophies of [[Orthodox Judaism]].
Cases where the principle is commonly applied are:<ref name="Pfeffer"/>
returning lost property; sharing a load; damage compensation; limits of competition in business.

Its best known philosophic formulation is by both [[Rashi]] and [[Nachmanides]] in their respective [[Torah commentaries]].<ref>Rabbi D. Movsas. [https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/beyond-the-letter-of-the-law/ Beyond The Letter Of The Law]</ref> Commenting on [[Deuteronomy]] [https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.6.18 6.18] “And you shall do that which is right and good in the eyes of God.” They ask "what new instructions does this verse add"? Surely, doing what is “right and good” is already a part of the numerous injunctions already presented there. Both understand this verse to denote a level of behavior that is above the letter of the law.

Although celibacy is generally defined as a sin in Judaism, with no stated exceptions within Reform Judaism, Reform Judaism teaches that the [[cultural mandate]] is no longer necessary, so procreation between Jews within this sect of Judaism may be viewed as supererogatory acts.

==In law and moral philosophy==
Whether an act is supererogatory or obligatory can be debated. In many schools of thought, donating money to [[Charitable organization|charity]] is supererogatory. In other schools of thought that regard some level of charitable donation to be duty (such as with the [[tithe]] in [[Judaism]], [[zakat]] in Islam, and similar standards in many Christian sects), only exceeding a certain level of donation (e.g. going above the common 2.5%-of-capital-assets standard in zakat) would count as supererogatory.

In [[criminal law]], it may be observed that state prohibitions on killing, stealing, and so on derive from the state's duty to protect one's own citizens. However, a nation state has no duty to protect the citizens of an adjacent nation from crime. To send a [[peacekeeping]] force into another country would be — in the view of the nation doing it — supererogatory.

Some schools of [[moral philosophy]] do not include supererogatory acts.<ref>Urmson, J. O. (1958) “Saints and Heroes,” in A. I. Melden (ed.) Essays in Moral Philosophy. Seattle: University of Washington Press, pp. 198–216.</ref> In [[utilitarianism]], an act can only be better because it would bring more good to a greater number, and in that case it becomes a duty, not a supererogatory act. The lack of a notion of supererogation in utilitarianism and related schools leads to the [[demandingness objection]], arguing that these schools are too ethically demanding, requiring unreasonable acts.

==See also==
* [[Divine command theory]]
* [[Holy days of obligation]]
* [[Moral absolutism]]
* ''[[Mustahabb]]''
* [[Orthodoxy]]
* [[Perfectionism (disambiguation)|Perfectionism]]
* [[Phenomenology (philosophy)]]
* [[Religiosity]]
* [[Saint]]
* ''[[Via media]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|supererogation|supererogatory}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{SEP|supererogation|Supererogation|David Heyd|October 5, 2015}}

[[Category:Religious ethics]]
[[Category:Methodism]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Catholic theology and doctrine]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Concepts in ethics]]

Stir-up Sunday

2026-10-20T13:32:58Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|The last Sunday before Advent}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Stir-up Sunday
|type = Christianity
|image = Christmas pudding.JPG
|caption = Traditionally, the preparation of [[Christmas pudding]]s began on Stir-up Sunday.
|observedby = Western Christianity
|date = Sunday before [[Advent Sunday]]
|date2022 = 20 November
|date2023 = 26 November
|date2024 = 24 November
|date2025 = 23 November
|celebrations =
|observances =
|relatedto = [[Christmas|Christmas Day]]
|frequency = annual
|duration = 1 day
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}

'''Stir-up Sunday''' is an informal term in [[Catholic]] and [[Anglican]] churches for the last Sunday before the season of [[Advent]]. It gets its name from the beginning of the [[collect]] for the day in the [[Book of Common Prayer]], which begins with the words, "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people...", but it has become associated with the custom of making the [[Christmas pudding]]s on that day.<ref>''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]''. Second edition, 1989 (first published in ''New English Dictionary'', 1917). "Stir-up Sunday (colloq.): the Sunday next before Advent: so called from the opening words of the Collect for the day. The name is jocularly associated with the stirring of the [[Christmas]] mincemeat, which it was customary to begin making in that week."</ref> The [[Christmas]] pudding is one of the essential British [[Christmas]] traditions and is said to have been introduced to Britain by [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]], husband of [[Queen Victoria]] (the reality is that the meatless version was introduced from Germany by [[George I of Great Britain|George I]] in 1714).<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8896690/Who-needs-Nigella-Stir-up-Sunday-the-idiots-guide-to-home-made-christmas-pudding.html Who needs Nigella? Stir-up Sunday: the idiot’s guide to home-made Christmas pudding] Retrieved 24 July 2013</ref> Most recipes for Christmas pudding require it to be cooked well in advance of Christmas and then reheated on Christmas Day, so the collect of the day served as a useful reminder.

==Family activity==
Traditionally, families gather together in the kitchen of their homes to mix and steam Christmas pudding on Stir-up Sunday.<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/family/this-weekend-is-stir-up-sunday---263526 This weekend is Stir Up Sunday – traditionally the time to make your Christmas pudding] Retrieved 24 July 2013</ref> Parents teach their children how to mix ingredients for the pudding. Everyone takes a turn to stir the pudding mix, for each person involved is able to make a special wish for the year ahead. Practically, stirring the mixture is hard work, therefore as many people as possible are involved. By tradition the pudding mixture is stirred from East to West in honor of the three [[Biblical Magi|wise men]] who visited the baby Jesus.<ref>[http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/stirup.htm Stir-up Sunday Christmas Pudding Day] Retrieved 4 November 2015</ref>

In some households, silver coins or other charms are added to the pudding mix.<ref>[http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2012/11/christmas-pudding-stir-up-sunday.html Christmas Pudding "Stir Up Sunday"] Retrieved 24 July 2013</ref><ref name=":0">"A History of the Christmas Pudding". ''English Heritage''. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/history-of-the-christmas-pudding/. (accessed 11 December 2024)</ref> It is believed that finding a coin brings good luck.<ref name=":0" />

In a 2013 survey, two-thirds of British children reported that they had never experienced stirring Christmas pudding mix,<ref>[http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/stir-up-sunday-time-to-make-a-start-on-christmas-pud-1.1016161?referrerPath=home/2.1962 Stir-Up Sunday – Time to make a start on Christmas Pud!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219022240/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/stir-up-sunday-time-to-make-a-start-on-christmas-pud-1.1016161?referrerPath=home%2F2.1962 |date=19 December 2013 }} Retrieved 24 July 2013</ref> reflecting consumers' preference for ready-made puddings widely available in shops.

==History and etymology==
{{more citations needed|section|date=November 2024}}

The term ''stir-up Sunday'' comes from the [[incipit|opening words]] of the [[collect]] for the day in the ''[[Book of Common Prayer#1549|1549 Book of Common Prayer]]'' and later (a translation of the [[Roman Missal]]'s collect {{lang|la|"Excita, quæsumus"}} used on the last Sunday before Advent):
{{Verse translation|lang=la|
Excita, quæsumus, Domine, tuorum fidelium voluntates: ut divini operis fructum propensius exsequentes, pietatis tuæ remedia maiora percipiant: Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
|
Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.}}

In the [[Book of Common Prayer#1662|Book of Common Prayer]] and later editions, this collect is listed for "The Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity", with a [[rubric]] specifying that this collect "shall always be used upon the Sunday next before Advent". This reinforced the significance of this day as forming part of the preparation for the season of Advent. The rubric is necessary because the last Sunday before Advent does not always fall on the 25th Sunday after [[Trinity Sunday]]. Trinity Sunday is a [[moveable feast]] and the [[Advent]] season is fixed, so the number of weeks in between varies from year to year. Thus, this collect was always read just before Advent – as it in the ([[Tridentine Mass|pre-reform]]) Roman Missal whence it came (where the Sunday is called the "24th Sunday after Pentecost", but the Sundays left out after Epiphany are "caught-up" between the 23rd and the 24th, making it always the last before Advent).

Since most recipes for Christmas pudding call for the pudding to be kept for several weeks to mature, the day subsequently became connected, in countries which used the [[Book of Common Prayer]], with the preparation of [[Christmas pudding]]s in readiness for [[Christmas]].<ref>Gary Cleland. "Home-made Christmas puddings die out". ''The Telegraph''. 24 November 2007. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1570379/Home-made-Christmas-puddings-die-out.html. (accessed 30 December 2010)</ref>

In recent years{{as of when|date=November 2024}} most provinces of the [[Anglican Communion]] have adopted the practice of the Roman [[Catholic Church]] in observing this Sunday as [[Feast of Christ the King|Christ the King]] (sometimes under the name "The Reign of Christ").{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} Popular attachment to the "Stir up" collect has, however, caused it to be retained (in contemporary language) in the liturgies of several provinces. The [[Church of England]]'s "[[Common Worship]]" uses it as the [[Post-Communion]] prayer, with a rubric stating that it "may be used as the Collect at Morning and Evening Prayer during this week".

In the [[Personal Ordinariate|Catholic Ordinariates for former Anglicans]], [[Divine Worship: The Missal]] appoints the "stir up" collect for use on any of the weekdays between the [[Feast of Christ the King|Solemnity of Christ the King]] which are not themselves Feasts or Obligatory Memorials. The collect thus functions as the collect for the Sunday Next Before Advent, even though the Sunday with that title is now a liturgical fiction, always being impeded by the higher ranking [[Feast of Christ the King|Solemnity of Christ the King]]. However, the fictional Sunday nonetheless provides the real collect for the following weekdays, as in other weeks in the calendar where a Sunday is occasionally impeded by a higher ranking Feast. The collect thus continues to be used the week before Advent.

In addition, one of the two choices in [[Divine Worship: The Missal]] for the collect for the Second Sunday in Advent begins with the words, "Stir up our hearts, O Lord." The other collect option on the Second Sunday in Advent is the more famous "Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" collect. However, another collect featuring the phrase "stir up" within the Advent season is the collect for Ember Friday in Advent, which in the [[Personal Ordinariate|Ordinariates]] occurs on the Friday in the first week of Advent, beginning "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power."

In the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] in the [[United States]], the collect designated for the Third Sunday of Advent in the Book of Common Prayer (1979) commences with the invocation, "stir up your power, O Lord." Consequently, within numerous Episcopal congregations, the Third Sunday of Advent, commonly known as [[Gaudete Sunday]], is referred to as "Stir-up Sunday." [[Marion J. Hatchett]] in his definitive work "Commentary on the American Prayer Book," notes that in the Pre-Reformation English [[Sarum Rite]], the collects for four of the last five Sundays preceding Christmas commenced with the words {{lang|la|excita}}, or 'stir up'. A comparable collect to the one appointed in the Book of Common Prayer 1979 is found in the recent book authorized for use in the Church of England, "Common Worship," designated for the Second Sunday of Advent; however, in this version, the phrase "raise up" is employed instead.

==See also==

*[[Advent Sunday]]
*[[Feast of Christ the King]]
*[[Gaudete Sunday]]
*[[Totensonntag]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://news.warwickshire.gov.uk/blog/2012/11/29/stir-up-sunday/ Stir Up Sunday]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11806219 Christmas pudding’s Stir Up Sunday – Head Chef Rob Kirby]
*[http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=959 Stir Up Sunday at CatholicCulture.org]

{{Advent}}

[[Category:Advent]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:English folklore]]
[[Category:Christian Sunday observances]]
[[Category:November observances]]

Stewart Ruch

2026-10-20T13:32:56Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|American Anglican bishop}}
{{Primary sources|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Stewart E. Ruch III
| honorific_suffix =
| title = Bishop of the Upper Midwest
| image =
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| diocese = [[Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest|Upper Midwest]]
| term = Since 2013
| successor =
| other_post =
| previous_post = Rector of [[Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, Illinois)|Church of the Resurrection]] (1999–2019)<ref name="Rez-Parish-Profile">"Parish Profile". Church of the Resurrection. https://churchrez.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/rector-search.pdf. (accessed 13 August 2025)</ref>{{rp|22, 26}}
| ordination =
| ordained_by =
| consecration = September 28, 2013
| consecrated_by = [[Robert Duncan (bishop)|Robert Duncan]]
| laicized =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouse = Katherine Ruch
| children =
| alma_mater = [[Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College]]
}}
'''Stewart E. Ruch III''' is an American Anglican bishop. He has been the first bishop of the [[Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest]] at the [[Anglican Church in North America]], since his consecration on 28 September 2013 by Archbishop [[Robert Duncan (bishop)|Robert Duncan]].<ref>Coles, Arlie. "ACNA to Try Bishop on Mishandling Abuse Charges". ''The Living Church''. 12 July 2025. https://livingchurch.org/news/news-episcopal-church/acna-to-try-bishop-on-mishandling-abuse-charges/. (accessed 12 July 2025)</ref>

==Biography==

Stewart Ruch was raised as a high church Presbyterian and in the Charismatic movement, but he felt more attracted to [[Anglicanism]] when he joined [[Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College]] and first read the [[Book of Common Prayer]]. He later had a spiritual crisis and only returned fully to the Christian faith in September 1991, thanks to the ministry of Fr. William Beasley, at the [[Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, Illinois)|Church of the Resurrection]] in West Chicago, IL.

He majored in English at Wheaton College, and was also actively involved in theater. He later earned a Master of Theology at Wheaton and won Wheaton's Kenneth Kantzer Prize for Theology.<ref>College, Wheaton. "Story of Reconciliation". ''Wheaton College''. https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/academic-centers/center-for-applied-christian-ethics/events/2016-17-cace-events/story-of-reconciliation/. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref> He is pursuing his doctorate of ministry from Nashotah House Theological Seminary, Nashotah, WI.<ref>"Meet Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest". 22 March 2014. https://anglicanchurch.net/meet-bishop-stewart-ruch-of-the-diocese-of-the-upper-midwest/</ref>

He has been the rector of the [[Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, Illinois)|Church of the Resurrection]], which relocated to Wheaton, Illinois, since 1999. He left the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]], because of disagreements with the leadership of the denomination and what he perceived as liberalism, particularly on the subject of homosexuality and sexual ethics, and particularly in the sermons and writings of the Bishop of Chicago [[Frank T. Griswold]].<ref>Coles, Arlie. "ACNA to Try Bishop on Mishandling Abuse Charges". ''The Living Church''. 12 July 2025. https://livingchurch.org/news/news-episcopal-church/acna-to-try-bishop-on-mishandling-abuse-charges/. (accessed 12 July 2025)</ref> Ruch then, in 1997, became pastor at the Church of the Resurrection following Canon William Beasley. In 2013, he and his congregation joined the new [[Anglican Church in North America]], launched in June 2009.<ref>"Celebrating 15 Years of the ACNA". 25 March 2024. https://anglicanchurch.net/celebrating-15-years-of-the-acna/</ref><ref>"Nearly 40 Congregations Join the Anglican Church in North America". 24 October 2009. https://anglicanchurch.net/nearly-40-congregations-join-the-anglican-church-in-north-america/</ref><ref>"Our Story". https://churchrez.org/about/our-story/</ref> He is married to Katherine and they have six children.<ref>"Our Leaders – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest". https://midwestanglican.org/our-leadership/. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref>

He and Baroness [[Caroline Cox]] escaped narrowly an ambush by Islamist Fulani herdsmen during a visit to Jos [[Plateau State]], in [[Nigeria]], on 14 November 2016.<ref>[http://www.globalchristiannews.org/article/uk-peer-and-us-bishop-narrowly-escape-deadly-ambush-on-nigeria-visit/ UK Peer and US Bishop narrowly escape deadly ambush on Nigeria visit, Global Christian News, 16 November 2016, Article by Hassan John]</ref>

==Ministry==

Ruch states that he "has a vision to see a Revival of Word and Sacrament infused by the Holy Spirit in the Upper Midwest." He was consecrated the first bishop of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest on 28 September 2013.<ref>[http://anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/766 Meet Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, ACNA Official Website]</ref> Since his ordination, over thirty new churches have been planted within the Diocese of the Upper Midwest.<ref>"Bishop Stewart Ruch III". https://churchrez.org/staff/bishop-stewart-ruch-iii/#:~:text=He%20completed%20his%20Master%27s%20in,with%20his%20children%20and%20Katherine</ref> As bishop, Ruch has overseen numerous Diocesan ministries including [[The Greenhouse Movement]] and Gregory House.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q=The+greenhouse+Movement&oq=The+green&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDggAEEUYJxg7GIAEGIoFMg4IABBFGCcYOxiABBiKBTIICAEQRRgnGDsyBggCEEUYOzIGCAMQRRg5MgYIBBBFGDsyCggFEC4YsQMYgAQyBggGEEUYPDIGCAcQRRg80gEIMTc1M2owajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Google search results for "The greenhouse Movement"]{{Better source needed | date=July 2025}}</ref><ref>"About – Gregory House School". https://gregoryhouseschool.org/about/</ref>

Stewart Ruch has preached throughout the [[Anglicanism|Anglican diaspora]]<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/chicagoanglican/videos/his-narrative-not-ours-bishop-stewart-ruch-january-31-2021/1070659773442014/ His Narrative, Not Ours - Bishop Stewart Ruch (January 31, 2021)] on Facebook</ref><ref>"The Consecration of Bishop Steve Wood". ''[[YouTube]]''. 19 September 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=S1TNOfn7qBs</ref> and at Wheaton College.<ref>"Bishop Stewart Ruch '89 | Homecoming Chapel (10/3/2014)". ''[[YouTube]]''. 21 May 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJkL-GKNldY</ref> He has contributed to several articles for [[Christianity Today]].<ref>"Preaching on Celibacy: An interview with Stewart Ruch III". https://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2013/july/preaching-on-celibacy-interview-with-stewart-ruch-iii.html</ref><ref>"God's Plan for Your Body". https://www.preachingtoday.com/sermons/sermons/2013/july/gods-plan-for-your-body.html</ref><ref>"The Gift of Celibacy". https://www.preachingtoday.com/sermons/sermons/2013/july/gift-of-celibacy.html</ref><ref>"Preaching a Divine Short Story". https://www.preachingtoday.com/exegesis/ruth/preaching-divine-short-story.html</ref> Along with his wife Katherine Ruch, he has created and led the Fully Alive Conference,<ref>"Diocesan News – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest". https://midwestanglican.org/diocesan-news/</ref> a weekend conference of sermons, lectures, and worship centered around [[Complementarianism|complimentarian theology]], [[celibacy]], and sexuality.<ref>"Bishop Stewart: The ACNA Sexuality and Identity Statement – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest". https://midwestanglican.org/bishop-stewart-the-acna-sexuality-and-identity-statement/</ref><ref>III, Richard Reeb. "Fully Alive Conference". ''Amateur Anglican''. 10 October 2019. https://amateuranglican.com/2019/10/10/fully_alive/. (accessed 3 July 2025)</ref>

In 2023, at [[Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans|GAFCON]], [[Benjamin Kwashi|Archbishop Ben Kwashi]] announced that Bishop Ruch had been appointed to 'Next Gen,' "the intentional development of the next leaders of the movement."<ref>"Mission and Ministry of GAFCON: Extracts from Archbishop Ben Kwashi's opening address to GAFCON IV Kigali". 22 April 2023. https://anglican.ink/2023/04/22/mission-and-ministry-of-gafcon-extracts-from-archbishop-ben-kwashis-opening-address-to-gafcon-iv-kigali/</ref>

==Allegations of abuse mishandling==
{{main|Ecclesiastical trial of Stewart Ruch}}
In July 2021, Ruch went on leave after making what he called “regrettable errors” in handling cases of sexual abuse in the diocese.<ref>"Prominent Anglican bishop takes leave of absence amid ongoing accusations of mishandling abuse allegations". ''Religion News Service''. 9 July 2021. https://religionnews.com/2021/07/09/prominent-anglican-bishop-takes-leave-of-absence-amid-ongoing-accusations-of-mishandling-abuse-allegations/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> The leave of absence followed disclosures that Mark Rivera, lay catechist at Christ Our Light Anglican Church in [[Big Rock, Illinois]], had been arrested in 2019 and charged with felony sexual assault and predatory abuse of a victim under 13 years of age.<ref>"Mark Rivera, a former Anglican lay pastor, found guilty of felony child sexual assault". ''Religion News Service''. 15 December 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/12/15/mark-rivera-a-former-anglican-lay-pastor-found-guilty-of-felony-child-sexual-assault/. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref> Since 2019, over a dozen survivors have come forward with accounts of abuse by Rivera.<ref>"Mark Rivera, a former Anglican lay pastor, found guilty of felony child sexual assault". ''Religion News Service''. 15 December 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/12/15/mark-rivera-a-former-anglican-lay-pastor-found-guilty-of-felony-child-sexual-assault/. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref> Their allegations included rape, assault, child sexual abuse, indecent exposure, and grooming.<ref>"Rivera's trial resumes again". ''ACNAtoo''. https://www.acnatoo.org/acnatoo-news/riveras-trial-resumes-again. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> Rivera was sentenced to 15 years in jail on March 6, 2023 and another 6 years was added to his sentence on April 12, 2023.<ref>Post, Kathryn. "Mark Rivera, a former Anglican lay pastor, sentenced to 15 years in prison". Religion News Service. https://religionnews.com/2023/03/06/mark-rivera-a-former-anglican-lay-pastor-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison/. (accessed 3 October 2023)</ref><ref>Post, Kathryn. "Mark Rivera pleads guilty to felony sexual assault, sentenced to 6 more years". Religion News Service. https://religionnews.com/2023/04/12/mark-rivera-pleads-guilty-to-felony-sexual-assault-sentenced-to-6-more-years/. (accessed 3 October 2023)</ref><ref>Jones, Sarah. "'The First Thing I Did Was Text My Priest'". ''Intelligencer''. 5 September 2023. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/anglican-church-of-north-america-sexual-abuse-scandal.html. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref>

In June 2021, a former congregant of Christ Our Light, Joanna Rudenborg, alleged on Twitter<ref>"Part 1: Joanna's Story". ''ACNAtoo''. https://www.acnatoo.org/diocese-of-the-upper-midwest/overview-of-diocese-of-the-upper-midwest-mishandling-of-abuse-allegations. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref><ref>Jones, Sarah. "'The First Thing I Did Was Text My Priest'". ''Intelligencer''. 5 September 2023. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/anglican-church-of-north-america-sexual-abuse-scandal.html. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref> that she had been raped twice by ACNA catechist Mark Rivera and that Ruch, along with other Diocesan leaders, had mishandled the allegations years prior.<ref>"Prominent Anglican bishop takes leave of absence amid ongoing accusations of mishandling abuse allegations". ''Religion News Service''. 9 July 2021. https://religionnews.com/2021/07/09/prominent-anglican-bishop-takes-leave-of-absence-amid-ongoing-accusations-of-mishandling-abuse-allegations/. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref> In response to her allegations, ACNAtoo was formed as an anti-abuse advocacy group.<ref>"Abuse prevention advocates want input into ACNA investigation of bishop". ''Religion News Service''. 15 July 2021. https://religionnews.com/2021/07/15/acna-abuse-prevention-acnatoo-advocates-stewart-foley-beach-ruch-call-for-permanently-removed/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> [http://www.acnatoo.org ACNAtoo] Later that month, Bishop Ruch first informed the Diocese of Upper Midwest congregations about the allegations against Rivera,<ref>"Bishop Stewart's Letter Regarding Devastating Situation in Diocese – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest". https://midwestanglican.org/big-rock/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> nearly two years since learning of the first assault claims. Rivera had previously held multiple volunteer roles at [[Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, Illinois)|Church of the Resurrection]], where Ruch served as rector and then as bishop.<ref>"Alleged Victims Say ACNA Church Leaders Failed to Acknowledge Their Abuse Allegations – MinistryWatch". https://ministrywatch.com/alleged-victims-say-acna-church-leaders-failed-to-acknowledge-their-abuse-allegations/</ref><ref>"River's Story". https://www.acnatoo.org/diocese-of-the-upper-midwest/rivers-story</ref>

==Investigations==

Following the events of June 2021, the ACNA launched two parallel investigations<ref>"Facing Allegations, Anglicans Want to Change Their Abuse Response". ''News & Reporting''. 27 July 2021. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/july/anglican-acna-abuse-response-investigation-wheaton-midwest.html. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> — one into the accusations against Rivera and the diocese's response and another into allegations that Ruch and other ACNA leaders had created a culture of coercion and control in the Diocese of the Upper Midwest.<ref>"ACNA bishop, alleging 'spiritual attack,' makes appeal for his return". ''Religion News Service''. 29 April 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/04/29/acna-whistleblower-says-bishop-leaders-cast-alleged-abuse-survivors-as-the-enemy/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref><ref>"Diocese FAQ on the Investigative Process". https://churchrez.org/diocesefaq/</ref>

==Ecclesiastical trial==

After the investigations were concluded in 2022, two sets of charges, known as presentments, were filed against Ruch.<ref>"Ecclesiastical Trial". ''ACNAtoo''. https://www.acnatoo.org/ruch-trial. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref> On January 31, 2023, Ruch challenged the validity of the first presentment, halting the process until Archibishop [[Foley Beach]] publicly addressed Ruch's appeal.<ref>Thebeau, Rachel. "Update on the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, June 7, 2023 - The Anglican Church in North America". ''The Anglican Church in North America''. 7 June 2023. https://anglicanchurch.net/update-on-the-diocese-of-the-upper-midwest-june-7-2023/. (accessed 1 July 2025). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20250110220101/https://anglicanchurch.net/update-on-the-diocese-of-the-upper-midwest-june-7-2023/ (archived 10 January 2025)</ref> On August 15, 2023 and November 6, 2023, the [[Anglican Church in North America]] announced that the two presentments against Bishop Ruch would advance to an [[ecclesiastical trial]].<ref>Thebeau, Rachel. "An Update Regarding Allegations Against Bishop Ruch". ''The Anglican Church in North America''. 15 August 2023. https://anglicanchurch.net/an-update-regarding-allegations-against-bishop-ruch/. (accessed 28 September 2023)</ref><ref>Thebeau, Rachel. "Public Declaration from Board of Inquiry". ''The Anglican Church in North America''. 15 August 2023. https://anglicanchurch.net/public-declaration-from-board-of-inquiry/. (accessed 28 September 2023)</ref><ref>"PUBLIC DECLARATION FROM BOARD OF INQUIRY – NOVEMBER 6, 2023". ''Anglican Church in North America''. 6 November 2023. https://anglicanchurch.net/public-declaration-from-board-of-inquiry-november-6-2023/. (accessed 13 November 2023)</ref> Ruch will face a trial on July 14, 2025 to address four charges:<ref>Post, Kathryn. "Church trial of ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch starts Monday". ''RNS''. 11 July 2025. https://religionnews.com/2025/07/11/church-trial-of-acna-bishop-stewart-ruch-starts-monday/. (accessed 11 July 2025)</ref><ref>Coles, Arlie. "ACNA to Try Bishop on Mishandling Abuse Charges". ''The Living Church''. 12 July 2025. https://livingchurch.org/news/news-episcopal-church/acna-to-try-bishop-on-mishandling-abuse-charges/. (accessed 12 July 2025)</ref>

# Habitual Neglect of the Duties of the Bishop’s Office in Violation of Canon IV.2.10;
# Conduct Giving Just Cause for Scandal or Offense including Abuse of Ecclesiastical Power in Violation of Canon IV.2.4;
# Conduct that Violates a Bishop’s Ordination Vows, Canon IV. 2.3;
# Disobedience, or Willful Contravention of the Canons of this Church or of the Constitution or Canons of the Diocese in Which He Holds Office, Canon IV.2.9.<ref>"Updates on the Ecclesiastical Trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch III". ''The Anglican Church in North America''. https://anglicanchurch.net/updates-on-the-ecclesiastical-trial-of-bishop-stewart-ruch-iii/. (accessed 1 July 2025)</ref>

==Lawsuit==

The mother of the child assaulted by Rivera filed a lawsuit on May 18, 2022, in Kane County, Illinois, against Christ Our Light Anglican Church<ref>"Lawsuit accuses ACNA church of negligence that resulted in child sexual abuse". ''Religion News Service''. 18 May 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/05/18/lawsuit-accuses-acna-church-of-negligence-that-resulted-in-child-sexual-abuse/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> arguing that the child experienced mental anguish and emotional and physical pain because of the church's negligence, and requests over $50,000 in damages.<ref>"Church leader accused of assaulting goddaughter, church accused of not taking action". https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/church-leader-accused-of-assaulting-goddaughter-church-accused-of-not-taking-action/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> The lawsuit also names several other ACNA entities as respondents in discovery, including the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, Church of the Resurrection (the diocesan cathedral where Rivera previously attended and volunteered), the Greenhouse Movement (the church planting organization that oversaw Christ Our Light Anglican) and the [[Anglican Church in North America]].<ref>"Lawsuit accuses ACNA church of negligence that resulted in child sexual abuse". ''Religion News Service''. 18 May 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/05/18/lawsuit-accuses-acna-church-of-negligence-that-resulted-in-child-sexual-abuse/. (accessed 16 October 2022)</ref> The case is co-counseled by longtime sexual abuse attorney [https://bozlawpa.com/ Boz Tchividjian] and Chicago attorney Evan Smola.<ref>"Lawsuit accuses ACNA church of negligence that resulted in child sexual abuse". ''Religion News Service''. 18 May 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/05/18/lawsuit-accuses-acna-church-of-negligence-that-resulted-in-child-sexual-abuse/. (accessed 21 December 2022)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/766 Meet Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, ACNA Official Website]

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|ac}}
{{S-bef|before=See created}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest|I Bishop of the Upper Midwest]]|years=2013–present}}
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{{S-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruch, Stewart}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Steven Tighe

2026-10-20T13:32:54Z

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{{short description|American Anglican bishop (born 1956)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Steven Tighe
| image =
| title = Bishop of the Southwest
| caption = Rt. Rev. Tighe in 2020
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Anglican Diocese of the Southwest|Southwest]]
| see =
| term = 2021–present
| predecessor = [[Mark Zimmerman]]
| successor =
|
| ordination =
| ordained_by =
| consecration = March 6, 2021
| consecrated_by = [[Foley Beach]]
| rank =

| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| previous_post = Canon for Youth Ministries, ACNA
}}
'''Steven Nixon Tighe'''<ref name="tighe-name-consecration">"The Consecration of The Reverend Steven Nixon Tighe, PhD". ''YouTube''. The Church of St. Clement. 6 March 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpswNcTezt4. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref> (born 1956) is an American [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] bishop. He is currently serving as the second bishop of the [[Anglican Diocese of the Southwest]], which has jurisdiction in [[west Texas]], [[New Mexico]] and Mexico, prior to which he was canon for [[Youth ministry|youth ministries]] in the [[Anglican Church in North America]].

==Early life and education==

Tighe was born in 1956 in Texas to Charles L. Tighe and the former Mary Nixon.<ref name="tighe-parents">"Charles L. Tighe". ''Midland Reporter-Telegram''. January 13, 2018. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mrt/name/charles-tighe-obituary?pid=187833234. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref> He was raised in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]].<ref name="adsw-profile">"Bishop Steven's Corner". ''Anglican Diocese of the Southwest''. https://www.anglicansw.org/bishopscorner. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref> He received two degrees in [[electrical engineering]] from [[Rice University]] and worked in computer research in Austin,<ref name="engage-profile">"Meet the Engage Team". ''Engage''. https://engagediscipleship.org/meet-the-team. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref> where he met his future wife, Tricia, at an Episcopal church. Steven and Tricia Tighe have two adult children.<ref name="adsw-profile"></ref>

After being called to ordained ministry, Tighe later received an M.Div. from [[Trinity School for Ministry]] and a PhD from [[Trinity Evangelical Divinity School]]. While at TSM in [[Ambridge, Pennsylvania]], Tighe worked with [[Rock the World Youth Mission Alliance]].<ref name="engage-profile" />

==Ordained ministry==

Tighe's professional work focused on youth. In 2013, as president of the Young Anglicans Project, then-Archbishop [[Robert Duncan (bishop)|Robert Duncan]] asked Tighe and his team to develop resources for connecting with youth in the ACNA. Tighe and a team of Anglican youth ministers developed a training program called Engage to equip laypeople in ACNA dioceses and congregations to minister to youth.<ref name="engage-history">"About Young Anglicans + Engage". ''Engage''. https://engagediscipleship.org/new-page. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref> He also founded La Frontera Youth Ministry Education in [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]]. Tighe was appointed canon for youth ministries in the ACNA in 2016.<ref name="tighe-election">"Steven Tighe elected Bishop of the Southwest". ''Anglican Ink''. December 12, 2020. https://anglican.ink/2020/12/12/steven-tighe-elected-bishop-of-the-southwest/. (accessed November 8, 2022)</ref>

On December 12, 2020, the Diocese of the Southwest elected Tighe as its second diocesan bishop. He was consecrated at the [[Church of St. Clement (El Paso, Texas)|Church of St. Clement]] in El Paso by Archbishop [[Foley Beach]] on March 6, 2021.<ref name="tighe-name-consecration" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.anglicansw.org/bishopscorner Profile on ADSW website]

{{S-start}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tighe, Steven Nixon}}
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Clergy from El Paso, Texas]]
[[Category:Rice University alumni]]

Steve Breedlove

2026-10-20T13:32:51Z

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{{Short description|American bishop of the Anglican Church in North America}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Steve Breedlove
| title = Former Presider Bishop of PEARUSA; Retired Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| church = [[Anglican Church in North America]]
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[PEARUSA]] (former missionary district of [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]]); [[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope|Christ Our Hope]] ([[Anglican Church in North America]])
| see =
| term = 2012–2024
| predecessor = See created
| successor = [[Alan J. Hawkins (bishop)|Alan J. Hawkins]]

| other_post =
| ordination = 2005
| consecration = 29 October 2012
| consecrated_by = [[Robert Duncan (bishop)|Robert Duncan]]
| rank =

| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Tyler, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| ordinated_by =
| spouse = Sally Breedlove
| children = 5
| education = [[Tyler Legacy High School|Robert E. Lee High School]]
| alma_mater = [[Washington and Lee University]] [[Dallas Theological Seminary]]
}}

'''Steven Allen Breedlove''' (born 1950) is an American prelate of the [[Anglican Church in North America]]. He was elected as the first Presider Bishop of [[PEARUSA]], a missionary district that was formerly part of the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]], in 2012. From 2016 to 2024, Breedlove was the first diocesan bishop of the [[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope]].

== Biography ==
Breedlove was born in [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], [[Texas]] to First Lieutenant James Robby Breedlove and Paula Kent.<ref name= holytrinity>"Affiliation - Holy Trinity Anglican Church (Chapel Hill)". ''Church of the Holy Trinity''. http://holytrinitych.org/about/affiliation</ref><ref>"James Breedlove Obituary (2014) - Tyler, TX - Tyler Morning Telegraph". ''obituaries.tylerpaper.com''. https://obituaries.tylerpaper.com/amp/obituaries/tylerpaper/171932156</ref> He graduated from [[Tyler Legacy High School|Robert E. Lee High School]] and attended [[Washington and Lee University]] for undergraduate studies.<ref name= holytrinity/> He then obtained Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry degrees from [[Dallas Theological Seminary]],<ref name= holytrinity/> writing a dissertation based on case studies in team ministry at Bethany Chapel in Calgary, Alberta, where he was the senior pastor from 1990 to 1997.<ref>"5 May 2018 bulletin for worship at Bethany Chapel". ''Bethany Chapel website''. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54d76504e4b050b6c280f72c/t/5b0d8e4303ce64470a02149e/1527615053602/05-Bulletin-May27-2018-websiteversion.pdf. (accessed 10 November 2022)</ref><ref>Breedlove, Steven. ""Case studies in team ministry with implications for Bethany Chapel"". ''ProQuest''. https://www.proquest.com/openview/e4dd2863a0f06035af93665459d5c696/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y. (accessed 10 November 2022)</ref> He was a [[Nondenominational Christianity|non-denominational Christian]] pastor for 29 years prior to converting to [[Anglicanism]] in 2001.<ref name= christtheredeemer/>

In 2005, Breedlove was ordained as a priest of the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]] and served as a pastor at the Church of the Apostles.<ref name= holytrinity/> Later that year, he founded All Saints Church in [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]], serving as the church's [[Rector (ecclesiastical)#Anglican churches|rector]].<ref name= christtheredeemer/><ref>"Our Bishops". http://apostles-raleigh.org/our-bishops/. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20160120024948/http://apostles-raleigh.org/our-bishops/ (archived January 20, 2016)</ref><ref name= holytrinity/> He was also the founder and director of the Anglican Missional Pastor leadership program developed for men and women entering ordained ministry.<ref>"Blog – Page 12 – THE DIOCESE OF THE CAROLINAS". November 30, 2016. https://adoc.church/blog/page/12/</ref>

After the withdrawal of the [[Anglican Mission in the Americas]], Breedlove was unanimously elected the first Presider Bishop ''pro tem'' of [[PEARUSA]], the new missionary district of the [[Anglican Church of Rwanda]] in the United States, a dual church body of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and the [[Anglican Church in North America]], and was appointed by Archbishop [[Onesphore Rwaje]].<ref name= holytrinity/><ref name= sanfran/> He was installed on 11 June 2012. Bishop Breedlove's consecration took place on 29 October 2012, in [[Denver, Colorado]], by Archbishop [[Robert Duncan (bishop)|Robert Duncan]].<ref name= sanfran>[http://www.sanfranciscoanglicans.org/steve-breedlove-consecrated-first-bishop-of-pearusa/ Steve Breedlove Consecrated First Bishop of PEARUSA, San Francisco Anglicans, 21 November 2012]</ref>

Breedlove became the first diocesan bishop of the newly constituted [[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope]] on 21 June 2016 upon the dissolution of [[PEARUSA]] resulting from its transfer from the [[Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda]] to the [[Anglican Church in North America]].<ref>"Anglican Church in North America". ''anglicanchurch.net''. http://anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/1254. (accessed 22 June 2016)</ref><ref>"Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope{{!}}HOME". ''Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope''. http://www.adhope.org/#!provincial-council-report/vatoi. (accessed 25 July 2016)</ref>

On April 5, 2022, several people from the [[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope]] came forward alleging abuse by Reverend Dan Claire at [[Church of the Resurrection (Washington, D.C.)|Church of the Resurrection]]. They claimed that diocesan leaders, including Breedlove, failed to adequately hold "Claire accountable{{POV statement|What actions were "abusive" and who determined them to be? The source only refers to allegations of abuse.|date=February 2023}} and did not center the needs of [the complainants]."<ref>Post, Kathryn. "Anglicans say leaders botched response to allegations against DC priest". ''Religion News Service''. 7 April 2022. https://religionnews.com/2022/04/07/anglicans-say-leaders-botched-response-to-allegations-against-dc-priest/. (accessed 21 February 2023)</ref>{{Vague|date=February 2023}} The complaints resulted in an investigation into Breedlove's handling of the abuse allegations, conducted by Grand River Solutions.<ref>"EXECUTIVE REPORT: REVIEW OF INVESTIGATION OF REV. DAN CLAIRE AND ASSOCIATED ACTION BY THE DIOCESE OF CHRIST OUR HOPE". ''Diocese of Christ Our Hope''. December 2022. https://caef817244d5f21ecddb-92c76cb1053f4e9ea0aba27a90d8d1b2.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/g/0e15023305_1667229985_grs-executive-summary-report-103122.pdf. (accessed December 22, 2022)</ref><ref>Diocese of Christ Our Hope. "RESPONSE OF THE DIOCESAN COUNCIL AND BISHOPS TO THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GRAND RIVER SOLUTIONS". ''Diocese of Christ Our Hope''. January 2023. https://caef817244d5f21ecddb-92c76cb1053f4e9ea0aba27a90d8d1b2.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/r/0e15274246_1673102149_response-of-the-diocesan-council-and-bishops-to-the-report-and-recomendations-from-grand-river-solutions.pdf. (accessed January 11, 2023)</ref> Rev. Claire contested the investigations and petitioned the [[Anglican Church in North America]] Provincial Tribunal for an “end to all judicial proceedings related to the complaints raised in 2020 and 2021 or claims similar thereto” because the Diocese neglected to find anything over the course of the investigation that "constituted canonically actionable behavior or moral, ethical, or financial misdealings."<ref>"PER CURIAM DECISION & ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DISMISS". ''Anglican Church in North America''. https://anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Final-11.6.23-Claire-v.-Breedlove-Per-Curiam-Opinion.pdf. (accessed 12 November 2023)</ref><ref>[https://caef817244d5f21ecddb-92c76cb1053f4e9ea0aba27a90d8d1b2.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/g/0e15023305_1667229985_grs-executive-summary-report-103122.pdf "Grand River Solution's "Executive Report: Review of Investigation of Rev. Dan Claire and Associated Action by the Diocese of Christ Our Hope""]. ''Diocese of Christ Our Hope website''. Archived on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.</ref>

On Thursday June 17, 2021 the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America elected [[Alan J. Hawkins (bishop)|Alan Hawkins]] as Bishop Coadjutor of the Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope.<ref name= anglicanchurch>"College of Bishops Approves Two New Members". June 17, 2021. https://anglicanchurch.net/college-of-bishops-approves-two-new-members/</ref> Hawkins serve alongside Breedlove until Breedlove transitioned out of his role as bishop ordinary in 2024.<ref name= anglicanchurch/>

He has been married to Sally Breedlove, a writer, since 1972 and they have five children and fourteen grandchildren.<ref name= christtheredeemer>"Leadership | Christ the Redeemer". January 23, 2014. https://christtheredeemer.org/home/leadership/</ref><ref>"Sally Breedlove - About". ''www.sallybreedlove.com''. http://www.sallybreedlove.com/about.html</ref><ref>"About JourneyMates". https://journeymates.org/about/</ref> In 2009, Breedlove co-wrote the book ''The Shame Exchange - Trading Shame for God's Mercy and Freedom'' with his wife and Ralph and Jennifer Ennis.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://apostles-raleigh.org/our-bishops/ Steve Breedlove Biography]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120024948/http://apostles-raleigh.org/our-bishops/|date=January 20, 2016}}.

{{authority control}}

{{s-start}}
{{S-rel}}
{{S-new|rows=2}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[PEARUSA|Presider Bishop, PEARUSA]]|years=2012–2016}}
{{S-non|reason=Position abolished}}
|-
{{S-ttl|title=[[Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope|I Bishop of Christ Our Hope]]|years=2016–2024}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Alan J. Hawkins (bishop)|Alan J. Hawkins]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Breedlove, Steve}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the United States]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America]]
[[Category:Christians from Texas]]
[[Category:Converts to Anglicanism from Congregationalism]]
[[Category:Dallas Theological Seminary alumni]]
[[Category:People from Tyler, Texas]]
[[Category:Religious leaders from Texas]]
[[Category:Washington and Lee University alumni]]
[[Category:1950 births]]

St Thomas's Church, Oakwood

2026-10-20T13:32:50Z

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{{Infobox church
| name = St Thomas's Church, Oakwood
| fullname =
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| image = St Thomas's Church, Prince George Avenue, London N14 - geograph.org.uk - 2797444.jpg
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| coordinates = {{coord|51.64556|N|0.12675|W|display=inline,title}}
| osgraw = 
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| location = Prince George Avenue, [[Oakwood, London]], N14 4SN
| country = England
| denomination = [[Church of England]]
| previous denomination =
| churchmanship = [[Conservative Evangelicalism in Britain|Conservative Evangelical]]
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| website = {{URL| http://www.st-toms.org.uk/| st-toms.org.uk}}
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| parish = St. Thomas, Oakwood
| deanery = Enfield
| archdeaconry = [[Archdeaconry of Hampstead]]
| episcopalarea = [[Bishop of Edmonton (London)|Area Bishopric of Edmonton]]
| diocese = [[Diocese of London]]
| province =
| bishop = The Rt Revd Rod Thomas (''[[Provincial episcopal visitor|AEO]]'')
| vicar = The Revd Richard Alldritt
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'''St Thomas's Church, Oakwood''' is an Anglican church in the [[List of churches in the Diocese of London#Deanery of Enfield|Enfield Deanery]] of the [[Diocese of London]]. It is located in Prince George Avenue in the [[Oakwood, London|Oakwood]] area of the [[London Borough of Enfield]], England.

== History ==
St Thomas's is a modern Anglican church established in the 1930s as the suburb of Oakwood grew with the extension of the [[Piccadilly line|Piccadilly underground line]] to [[Cockfosters]]. Building stopped with the outbreak of the Second World War, and the church was not finished until the 1950s.<ref name="history">[https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/42073 St Thomas's Church, Oakwood], Geograph Britain.</ref> The architect was [[Romilly Craze]].<ref>"London Borough of Enfield Information Sheets Church Architecture". London Borough of Enfield. http://www.enfield.gov.uk/download/2468/church_architecture. (accessed 22 September 2011)</ref> Later a parish hall was added, and a distinctive tall green spire. There is a [[Girl Guides|guide hut]] on the grounds across the car park from the main building.

Late in 2010 the spire was found to be unsafe and removed,<ref>"G'day from the Vicarage - Dec2010". St Toms Oakwood. http://www.st-toms.org.uk/latest/gday-from-the-vicarage-dec2010. (accessed 22 September 2011). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20120402203912/http://www.st-toms.org.uk/latest/gday-from-the-vicarage-dec2010 (archived 2 April 2012).</ref> however this was replaced at the beginning of 2012.

===Present day===
The church holds weekly services on Sundays.

St Thomas's is within the [[Conservative Evangelicalism in Britain|Conservative Evangelical]] tradition of the Church of England. As a parish that supports [[Complementarianism|complementary gender roles]], it receives [[alternative episcopal oversight]] from the [[Bishop of Maidstone]] (currently [[Rod Thomas (bishop)|Rod Thomas]]).<ref name="Spring Newsletter 2017">"Spring Newsletter 2017". ''bishopofmaidstone.org''. 31 March 2017. http://www.bishopofmaidstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/spring-newsletter-2017.pdf. (accessed 8 April 2017)</ref><ref name="PP">"St Thomas Oakwood - Full Parish Profile". ''St Thomas Oakwood''. 19 June 2017. http://www.st-toms.org.uk/userfiles/St%20Thomas%20Oakwood%20(Parish%20Profile%20-%20FULL).pdf. (accessed 7 September 2017)</ref>

From May 2017 to 2018, St. Thomas' Oakwood was in [[interregnum]]; this followed the move of the previous vicar, Christopher Hobbs (1997-2017), to St Andrew's Church, Cheadle Hulme.<ref>Vane, Ben. "Goodbye Christopher & Margaret Hobbs". ''St Thomas Oakwood''. 7 May 2017. http://www.st-toms.org.uk/about-us/news/post/goodbye-christopher-and-margaret-hobbs. (accessed 16 May 2017). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180108062737/http://www.st-toms.org.uk/about-us/news/post/goodbye-christopher-and-margaret-hobbs (archived 8 January 2018)</ref> On 16 April 2018, the next vicar, Rich Alldritt, was inducted at the church.<ref>"Induction of Rich Alldritt as Vicar of St Thomas". ''St Thomas's Church''. 16 April 2018. http://www.st-toms.org.uk/sto/event/2018-04-16-induction-of-rich-alldritt-as-vicar-of-st-thomas/. (accessed 23 May 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180524082054/http://www.st-toms.org.uk/sto/event/2018-04-16-induction-of-rich-alldritt-as-vicar-of-st-thomas/ (archived 24 May 2018)</ref> The current musical director is David Reavley.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.st-toms.org.uk/ St Thomas's Church Website]

{{Churches in Enfield |state=autocollapse}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Thomas's Church Oakwood}}
[[Category:Church of England church buildings in the London Borough of Enfield|Oakwood]]
[[Category:Diocese of London]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Conservative evangelical Anglican churches in England receiving AEO|Oakwood]]

{{London-Anglican-church-stub}}

St Paul's and St George's Church

2026-10-20T13:32:44Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

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{{Infobox church
|name=St Paul's and St George's Church
|image=File:St Paul's and St George's, York Place - geograph.org.uk - 1346761.jpg
|caption=St Paul's and St George's Church
| pushpin map = Scotland Edinburgh Central
| map caption = Location in Edinburgh
| coordinates = {{coord|55|57|24.47|N|3|11|18.81|W|display=inline,title}}
|location=Edinburgh
|country=Scotland
|denomination=[[Scottish Episcopal Church]]
| previous denomination =
| religious institute = 
| churchmanship = [[Evangelical Anglicanism|Evangelical]]
| membership =
| attendance =
| website = {{URL|psandgs.org.uk}}
| former name = St Paul's Chapel
| founded date = 
| events =
| people =
| functional status =
| heritage designation = [[Category A listed building]]
| designated date = 1966
| architect = [[Archibald Elliot]]
| architectural type =
| style = [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] nave-and-aisle
| years built = 1816-1818
| parish =
| deanery =
| diocese = [[Diocese of Edinburgh|Edinburgh]]
| province = Scotland
|rector =David Richards
| dean =
}}

'''St Paul's and St George's Church''' (known colloquially as "Ps and Gs") is an evangelical church of the [[Scottish Episcopal Church]] in central [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]].<ref>"About us". ''Ps & Gs Church''. https://www.psandgs.org.uk/about-us. (accessed 31 January 2022). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20220131113556/https://www.psandgs.org.uk/about-us (archived 31 January 2022)</ref> It is located on the corner of [[Broughton, Edinburgh|Broughton Street]] and [[York Place, Edinburgh|York Place]] in the east end of Edinburgh's [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Town]], and is protected as a category A [[listed building]].<ref name=lbr>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB27509|desc=York Place and 8 Broughton Street, St Paul's and St George's (Scottish Episcopal) Church, including Lamp and Railings|cat=A|access-date=18 March 2019}}</ref>

The building was erected as St Paul's Church, replacing a chapel in the [[Cowgate]]. It was designed by [[Archibald Elliot]] between 1816 and 1818, and was extended by [[John More Dick Peddie|Peddie]] and [[Charles Kinnear|Kinnear]] in the 1890s.<ref name=lbr/> In 1932 the congregation merged with that of St George's Church, also located on York Place. The east window is by [[Francis Eginton]] of [[Birmingham]].<ref>Grant's O;ld and New Edinburgh vol 111</ref>

In 2008 a £5.6 million building project to improve facilities in the church was completed.

==History==
[[File:St George's Chapel York Place Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|left|The former St George's Chapel, York Place (closed 1932)]]
In 18th-century Edinburgh, Episcopalians met for worship in small chapels around the city. There were three [[Nonjuring| Non-Juror]] Chapels and three [[Qualified Chapel]]s. On 18 August 1708, [[George Haliburton (bishop of Aberdeen)|George Haliburton]], Bishop of Aberdeen, licensed Robert Blair to be the first Episcopalian priest of a new congregation which began its life meeting in a room in Half Moon Close on the Castle Hill in Edinburgh. This new congregation was founded by John Smith, a barrister, who came to Scotland following the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, to serve as [[Court of Exchequer (Scotland)|Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer]] of Scotland. Rent for the new meeting house amounted to £6 per year.

The church was later made a collegiate church and as the congregation grew, John Smith looked to build a permanent place of worship, and in 1722 the New Chapel was opened near the foot of Blackfriars Wynd (now Street) in the [[Cowgate]]. In 1745, after further expansion, the congregation bought the adjoining building in order to enlarge the chapel.

In 1774, the congregation moved to their newly built church at the east end of the Cowgate (now [[St Patrick's Church, Edinburgh|St Patrick’s RC]]). Soon after, however, many of its well-to-do congregation began to move out of the Old Town into the townhouses of the emerging New Town, and it became necessary for the congregation to relocate once again. St Paul's and St John's considered uniting and building a large church on [[The Mound]], but it was decided to have two chapels, one in the west end ([[St John's, Edinburgh|St John's]]) and one in the east end.

The present building was built at this time. The new church, St Paul’s Chapel, was consecrated on the 30 January 1818. The architect was Archibald Elliot whose plans were based on the design of [[King's College Chapel, Cambridge]].<ref name="bertie">Bertie, David. ''Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689-2000''. (Bloomsbury Academic, 2000). p. 574. ISBN 978-0-567-08746-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=Ceey5RQHgHoC&q=St%20Paul's%20and%20St%20George's%20Church%20edinburgh%20%22king's%20college%20chapel%22&pg=PA574. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref><ref>Wilson, Ruth Mack. ''Anglican Chant and Chanting in England, Scotland, and America, 1660 to 1820''. (Clarendon Press, 1996). p. 199. ISBN 978-0-19-816424-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=M4j1pL7psOsC&q=%22Half%20Moon%20Close%22%20edinburgh&pg=PA199. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref> The first rectors of the new church were the clergyman and writer [[Archibald Alison (author)|Archibald Alison]], and Robert Morehead.

The building cost £12,000, raised by voluntary subscription. The pew which Walter Scott's family used may now be seen in the side chapel in [[St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal)|St Mary's Cathedral]] in Palmerston Place.

The site at the east end of [[York Place, Edinburgh|York Place]] had previously been occupied by some small buildings and backed onto Brown's Coachyard, which had been the main coach station for Edinburgh for some years. The wall at the back of the Church is the original wall behind which the horses and coaches were prepared. This trade diminished with the advent of the railways. By 1891 it was decided to alter the building and enlarge it from a Chapel into a Church. The Chancel was built, extending the Church eastwards and the door into the Church was moved further West along York Place to where the red door now is.

An Episcopalian chapel already existed on York Place, St George's, built in 1794 by [[James Adam (architect)|James Adam]]. In 1932 the two neighbouring congregations amalgamated at St Paul's, which was renamed St Paul's and St George's Church. The old St George's Church was closed and the building is now in use as a casino.<ref>"5b York Place, Former St George's Chapel (Episcopal), Including Railings and Lamps, Edinburgh, Edinburgh". ''britishlistedbuildings.co.uk''. https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200364520-5b-york-place-former-st-georges-chapel-episcopal-including-railings-and-lamps-edinburgh. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref>

Inside the Church the balconies were taken down, staircases removed and the organ moved from the West End to its current position. A new pulpit, rood screen and reredos were commissioned from JM Dick Peddie and Forbes Smith, the reredos beautifully portraying Christ with the little children and flanked by St Paul on the left and St [[Cuthbert]] on the right.

A small new chapel was made inside the old entrance. This was later dedicated to the fallen of the First World War. The current great west window, originally in the East end, was rebuilt into the West end, and a new East Window and new Chancel windows were introduced depicting a number of early Celtic saints, mostly associated with this area of Scotland. A small stained glass window from the Cowgate Chapel is in the Vestry.

The organ, by [[John Snetzler]], was originally in the Cowgate Chapel, but was rebuilt in the York Place building by J Bruce in 1818. After several refurbishments, it was enlarged by [[Harrison & Harrison]] in 1906.

On the North-East corner there is a bell tower with a single bell, moved there in 1818, originally one of a peal of 3 bought for the coronation of Charles I at Holyrood Abbey in 1633. The bell is still operational but is no longer used.

In the later years of the 20th century, numbers attending St Paul's and St George's had dwindled. In 1985, the Bishop of Edinburgh [[Alastair Haggart]] installed Rev Roger Simpson as rector and members from the Evangelical Episcopal Church of St Thomas in Corstorphine came to the York Place church. Within 10 years, the church congregation had grown significantly as a result of the change in churchmanship to a more Evangelical style.<ref>Goodhew, David. ''Church Growth in Britain: 1980 to the Present''. (Routledge, 2017). ISBN 978-1-351-95161-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=ygwkDwAAQBAJ&q=St%20Ps%20and%20Gs%20edinburgh%20%22roger%20simpson%22&pg=PT214. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref>

===Rectors===
{{Expand section|date=June 2020}}
Past rectors of St Paul's (and later St Paul's and St George's) Church have included:<ref name="bertie" />{{sfn|Storer|Storer|1820|p=311}}
* [[Archibald Alison (author)|Archibald Alison]] (1818-1830)<ref>"Record View {{!}} Archive Collections {{!}} University of Aberdeen". ''calm.abdn.ac.uk''. https://calm.abdn.ac.uk/archives/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=MS+2206/20. (accessed 8 August 2023)</ref>
* [[Robert Morehead]] (1818-)
? Wilson -1897
Earnest Hilton Molesworth 1897-1905
* William Henderson Begg (1932–34)
* Theodore Edgar Keyden (1934–37)
* Claude Philip Moor (1938–45)
* William Benjamin Harvey (1945–55)
* Thomas Veitch (1956–84)
* Roger Westgarth Simpson (1985–95)
* Michael Peter Maudsley (1995-)
* David Richards (1995-Present)

==Architecture==
[[File:MA(1829) p.128 - St Paul's Chapel, York Place, Edinburgh - Thomas Hosmer Shepherd.jpg|thumb|left|Archibald Elliot's St Paul's Chapel (prior to the 1892 extension)]]
St Paul's and St George's Church is a noted structure in the early part of [[New Town, Edinburgh|Edinburgh's New Town]], and stands out as one of the few [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] buildings in an area largely made up of [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] [[Neoclassical architecture]]. The Scottish architect [[Archibald Elliot]] began work on the new church of St Paul in 1816. Designing it in a [[Perpendicular style]] on a nave-and-aisle floorplan, he modelled the building on King's College Chapel, Cambridge, complete with [[crocket]]ted [[pinnacles]] and [[buttresses]] and four octagonal [[Turret (architecture)|turrets]] on the corners, inspired by those on [[St Mary's Church, Beverley]] in Yorkshire. The exterior [[sandstone]] is richly decorated with Gothic [[strapwork]] and topped with a [[crenellated]] [[parapet]].<ref name=lbr/><ref name="gifford">Gifford, John; McWilliam, Colin; Walker, David; Wilson, Christopher. ''The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh''. (Yale University Press, 1991). p. 39. ISBN 978-0-300-09672-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=mvmDV3oeRU0C&q=St%20Paul's%20Church%20edinburgh%20%22Archibald%20Elliot%20%22%20%22king's%20college%20chapel%22&pg=PA39. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref>{{sfn|Storer|Storer|1820|p=311}}

The interior consists of a long [[nave]] flanked by tall aisles and arched stone columns. On the north wall is a stone [[tabernacle]] topped with a Gothic [[ogee arch]], designed by [[David Bryce]]. There are marble monuments by Scottish sculptors Sir [[John Steell]] and [[David Watson Stevenson]].<ref name=lbr/>

In 1891–2, the east end of the church was extended by [[John More Dick Peddie|Peddie]] and [[Charles Kinnear|Kinnear]], turning the original [[chancel]] into a [[Choir (architecture)|choir]]. The renovating architects also added a rib-vaulted south-east porch, installed new furnishings and removed the aisle [[balcony|galleries]].<ref name=lbr/>

A growing congregation created a need to accommodate a larger number of worshippers, and in the early 21st century a project was undertaken by Lee Boyd architects to renovate the church. New glass-fronted aisle galleries were constructed (re-instating the interior balconies that had been removed in the 1890s) and doubling the capacity of the church. A steel and glass entrance pavilion was also constructed outside the west door, and the church hall was demolished and replaced. The £5.6 million building project was completed in 2008 was named Building of the Year in the 2009 Edinburgh Architectural Association Awards.<ref name="edinburgharchitecture">"St Pauls & St Georges Church, Broughton, Edinburgh". ''www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk''. 10 October 2010. http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/st-pauls-st-georges-church. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref><ref name="rias">"Refurbishment of St Paul's & St George's Church". ''www.rias.org.uk''. [[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland]]. https://www.rias.org.uk/for-the-public/practices/lee-boyd-limited-edinburgh/refurbishment-of-st-paul039s-amp-st-george039s-church-edinburgh. (accessed 12 June 2020)</ref>

===Architectural elements===
<gallery>
File:Église Sts Paul George Édimbourg 2.jpg|Elliot's octagonal turrets on St Paul's and St George's
File:ÉdinburghPaulGeorge2017.jpg|The east window of Peddie and Kinnear's 1892 extension
File:27.5.16 3 Beverley St Marys 11 (27245785052).jpg|Octagonal turrets on St Mary's Beverley
File:PSX 20160815 002632.jpg|The nave-and-aisle chapel at King's College, Cambridge
File:York Place 5B, Edinburgh.JPG|St George's Chapel, York Place, now a casino
</gallery>

== Notable members ==
* [[Thomas Suther]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
*Storer, James; Storer, H. S. (Henry Sargant). ''Views in Edinburgh and its vicinity;''. (Edinburgh, A. Constable & Co.; [etc., etc.], 1820). p. 311. https://archive.org/stream/viewsinedinburgh02stor/viewsinedinburgh02stor#page/311/mode/1up/search/st.+paul. (accessed 13 June 2020)

==External links==
{{commons category|St Paul's and St George's church, Edinburgh}}
* [https://www.psandgs.org.uk/ Official website]
* [https://www.scotland.anglican.org/church/st-pauls-and-st-georges-edinburgh/ St Paul's and St George's] on the Scottish Episcopal Church directory

{{Buildings and Structures in Edinburgh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul's and George's Church, Edinburgh, Saint}}
[[Category:Episcopal church buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Listed churches in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:1818 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in Scotland]]
[[Category:Evangelical churches in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglicanism]]
[[Category:New Town, Edinburgh]]

St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy

2026-10-20T13:32:42Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox hospital
| Name = St Luke's Hospital
| Org/Group =
| Image = View along Fitzroy Square from Fitzroy Street - geograph.org.uk - 4668717.jpg
| Caption = St Luke's Hospital (on the right with the black hanging sign "MYA")
| map_type = United Kingdom London Westminster
| map_caption = Shown in Westminster
| region = London 
| coordinates = {{coord|51.5234|N|0.1403|W|type:landmark_scale:1000_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| Logo = 
| Logo Size = 
| Location = [[Fitzroy Square]]
| State = England
| Country = United Kingdom
| HealthCare = Private
| Type =
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| Standards = 
| Emergency = 
| Affiliation = 
| Patron = 
| Beds =
| Founded = 1892
| Closed =
| Website = {{URL|http://www.stlukeshealthcare.org.uk/}}
| Wiki-Links = 
}}
'''St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy''' now called '''St Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing''' is a [[charitable organization|charity]] founded in 1892 to support sick members of the [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] [[clergy]] and which originally owned a [[hospital]] in [[Fitzroy Square]], [[London]]. In 2009 the building was sold (it is now a private hospital); the charity was renamed '''St Luke's Healthcare for the Clergy''' the following year. In 2022 it was renamed as '''St Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing''' and the focus is now on mental health and wellbeing.<ref>"Our new direction from 2022". St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy. https://www.stlukesforclergy.org.uk/about-us/our-new-direction-from-2022/. (accessed 7 July 2025)</ref>

==History==
The hospital project was founded in 1892 by Canon [[William Cooper (Anglican priest)|William Henry Cooper]] and his second wife, and opened initially as a [[hostel]] in Beaumont Street accommodating seven patients before moving to larger premises at 16 Nottingham Place in 1894.<ref name=lost>"St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy". Lost Hospitals of London. https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/stlukesclergy.html. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref> In 1904 two houses were acquired in Fitzroy Square. Each was rebuilt, the first being opened by [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra]] in 1907, and the second opened by [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]] in 1923.<ref name=history>"About us". St Luke's Healthcare. http://stlukeshealthcare.org.uk/about/. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref> The [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Mother]] visited the hospital in 1957.<ref name=lost/>

In 1994, the hospital was refurbished and redeveloped in a scheme designed by [[architect]] Ronald Wylde Associates.<ref>"St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy, Fitzroy Square". Ronald Wylde Associates. http://rwylde.ueuo.com/3$3.shtml. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref> On 17 January 1995, it was rededicated by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], and officially reopened by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]], accompanied by the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]], on 8 March 1995.<ref name=history />

Another refurbishment was undertaken in 2005 (funded by charitable donations from the Laing Family Trusts),<ref>"£500,000 Grant Secures Start of Development Work at St Luke's Hospital". UK Fundraising. http://archive.southwark.anglican.org/thebridge/0605/0605p02.pdf. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref> but in 2008 it was announced that, due to rising costs, the Fitzroy Square building was to be sold.<ref>"St Luke’s Hospital for Clergy to be sold". Church Times. 5 December 2008. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2008/5-december/news/uk/st-luke-s-hospital-for-clergy-to-be-sold. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref> The hospital was transferred, together with the majority of the staff, to [[BMI Healthcare]] in April 2009 and the freehold of the property was sold to an institutional investor in June 2009.<ref>"St Luke’s Hospital for the Clergy 1 Past, Present and Future". Diocese of Bristol. https://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1216. (accessed 20 July 2018). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20120524022819/https://www.bristol.anglican.org/wordpress/?p=1216 (archived 24 May 2012)</ref>

St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy re-branded itself as '''St Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing''' in June 2022 and now supports the mental health of the Anglican clergy from [[Church House, Westminster|Church House]] in [[Westminster]].<ref name=history /> Meanwhile, the facility in Fitzroy Square was transferred to MYA, specialists in [[cosmetic surgery]], and became known as '''MYA St Luke's Hospital''' in 2014.<ref>"Clinics and hospitals". MYA. https://www.mya.co.uk/clinics-and-hospitals/london-the-mya-fitzroy/#9gmoAwjW1FQ8SwkY.97. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref><ref>"London Fitzroy Hospital becomes MYA flagship location". New Business. 14 April 2014. https://www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/lifestyle/london-fitzroy-hospital-becomes-mya-flagship-location. (accessed 20 July 2018)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.stlukesforclergy.org.uk/ St Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing}}
[[Category:Charities based in London]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]

St John's Blackheath

2026-10-20T13:32:36Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox church
| name = St John's Blackheath
| fullname =
| other name = St John the Evangelist's Church
| native_name =
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| image = Southeast View of St John's Church, Blackheath.jpg
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| caption = The church from the southeast

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| coordinates = {{coord|51.4758|0.0187|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| osgraw = TQ 40294 77135
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| location = Stratheden Road, [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]], London SE3 7TH
| country = England

| denomination = [[Anglicanism|Anglican]]
| previous denomination =
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| website = {{URL| www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk}}

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| status = [[Parish church]]
| functional status = Active
| heritage designation = [[Listed building (United Kingdom)|Grade II]]
| designated date = 8 June 1973
| architect = [[Arthur Ashpitel]]
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| style = [[English Gothic architecture#Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular]] [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]]
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| parish = Blackheath, St John the Evangelist
| deanery = Charlton
| archdeaconry = Lewisham and Greenwich
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| diocese = [[Diocese of Southwark|Southwark]]
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| vicar = Eddie Scrase-Field
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'''St John's Blackheath''' (formally known as '''St John the Evangelist's Church''') is an all age [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] church in the Vanbrugh Park area of [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]], part of the [[Royal Borough of Greenwich]] in southeast London, England. Built in the 1850s to the design of architect [[Arthur Ashpitel]], it provided "an important visual and spiritual focus" to a rapidly growing high-class residential area.<ref name="NHLE-1289727">{{NHLE|desc=Church of St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, London SE3|num=1289727|grade=II|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref> The church has an [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] character. There are two services on a Sunday. St John's Blackheath has thriving children's groups and youth groups.<ref>"Activities - St John's Blackheath". ''www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk''. http://www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk/activities/. Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20140121025254/http://www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk/activities/ (archived 21 January 2014)</ref>

==History==
The residential area now known as Vanbrugh Park, east of [[Greenwich Park]] and north of the present [[A2 road (Great Britain)|A2 road]], was laid out in the early part of the [[Victorian era]].<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/><ref name="Pevsner246">{{Harvnb|Cherry|Pevsner|2002|p=246.}}</ref> Architect [[Arthur Ashpitel]] from [[Hackney Central|Hackney]] was commissioned to design a new church for this district, which at the time (prior to the [[Local Government Act 1888]]) was in the county of [[Kent]].<ref name="Homan31">{{Harvnb|Homan|1984|p=31.}}</ref> It was his only new church in Kent, although he [[Victorian restoration|restored]] the medieval building at [[Ripple, Kent|Ripple]].<ref name="Homan105">{{Harvnb|Homan|1984|p=105.}}</ref> Work began in 1852 and the church was completed in 1853.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/>

Some [[stained glass]] windows in the north aisle were destroyed during World War II and were subsequently replaced. The interior was altered in 1999; some of the space at the west end was taken up by new facilities such as offices and a kitchen.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/>

The church was [[Listed building (United Kingdom)|listed]] at Grade II on 8 June 1973.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/> [[English Heritage]] defines Grade II-listed buildings as "nationally important" and of "special interest".<ref name="EH2">"Listed Buildings". [[English Heritage]]. 2012. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/listed-buildings/. (accessed 24 January 2013). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20130126151823/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/listed-buildings (archived 26 January 2013)</ref> The [[war memorial]] outside the church, designed by J.B.L. Tolhurst and unveiled on 11 November 1922, was separately listed at Grade II on 19 May 2016.<ref name="NHLE-1435117">{{NHLE|desc=War memorial outside the Church of St John the Evangelist, Blackheath, Stratheden Road, London SE3|num=1435117|grade=II|accessdate=23 May 2016}}</ref>

==Architecture==
St John the Evangelist's Church is "a local landmark" and "a focal point" in a prominent position: it stands on an island surrounded by roads and housing, and is clearly visible in the streetscape especially from the west.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/><ref name="Southwark-032J">"Charlton Deanery: Blackheath, St John the Evangelist". [[Diocese of Southwark]]. 2014. http://www.southwark.anglican.org/parishes/032j. (accessed 14 January 2014). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20140116101101/http://www.southwark.anglican.org/parishes/032j (archived 16 January 2014)</ref> It is built of [[Kentish Ragstone]], a local material, and has a roof of Welsh [[slate]].<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/><ref name="Pevsner246"/> The plan consists of a [[nave]] with aisles on both sides, an aisled [[chancel]] with a lower roofline and flanked by a [[vestry]] and an organ chamber, porches on two sides, and a tower and the west end.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/> This is topped with a "good" tall spire whose lowest stage is concealed by a [[parapet]].<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/><ref name="Pevsner246"/> The tower is [[buttress]]ed at each corner and has windows with decorative [[tracery]], clock faces, a [[pinnacle]]d upper stage and a stair turret in one corner.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/> The architectural style is largely [[English Gothic architecture#Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular]] [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]],<ref name="Homan37">{{Harvnb|Homan|1984|p=37.}}</ref> which was out of fashion by the 1850s, although there are some [[English Gothic architecture#Decorated Gothic|Decorated]] [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] elements.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/><ref name="Pevsner246"/> The architect Arthur Ashpitel, who worked extensively in Kent, was associated with Anglican evangelicalism; this may have led him to use the Perpendicular style, which was popular with that movement.<ref name="SPC-AAA">Allen, John. "Architects and Artists A". ''Sussex Parish Churches website''. Sussex Parish Churches (www.sussexparishchurches.org). 21 May 2008. http://www.sussexparishchurches.org/spc_V31/architects-and-artists/320-architects-and-artists-a. (accessed 14 January 2014). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20140116102550/http://www.sussexparishchurches.org/spc_V31/architects-and-artists/320-architects-and-artists-a (archived 16 January 2014)</ref>

Inside, the fittings date mostly from the late 19th century and include a [[rood screen]] and [[reredos]] by H.S. Rogers.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/> The west-end gallery installed by D. Drury in 1898<ref name="Homan37"/> was removed during the 1999 reordering.<ref name="NHLE-1289727"/> The firm of [[Heaton, Butler and Bayne]] designed many of the stained-glass windows.<ref name="Pevsner246"/>

==Services and administration==
There are two Sunday services, 10.15am and 6.00pm including a morning [[Eucharist]]ic service at 8.00am on the 2nd Sunday of the month, using the [[Book of Common Prayer]].<ref name="morning-communion">[http://www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk/sundays/ Sunday Services], St John's Blackheath.</ref>

The [[Church Pastoral Aid Society]] holds the [[Advowson|patronage]] of St John the Evangelist's Church. The population of the parish was estimated at 4,962 in 2001. It is within the [[Deanery#Anglican usage|Deanery]] of Charlton and the [[Archdeacons in the Diocese of Southwark#Archdeacons of Lewisham and of Lewisham and Greenwich|Archdeaconry of Lewisham]] in the [[Anglican Diocese of Southwark]].<ref name="Southwark-032J"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px>
Tower of St John's church - geograph.org.uk - 3075447.jpg|Tower
St John's clock - geograph.org.uk - 3075451.jpg|Clock
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - Chancel - geograph.org.uk - 4177730.jpg|Altar and chancel
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - East end - geograph.org.uk - 4177728.jpg|Nave
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - Font - geograph.org.uk - 4177761.jpg|Font
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - Organ - geograph.org.uk - 4177760.jpg|Organ
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - Pulpit - geograph.org.uk - 4177777.jpg|Pulpit
St John the Evangelist, Stratheden Road, Blackheath - Roof - geograph.org.uk - 4177771.jpg|Ceiling
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Diocese of Southwark]]
* [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus. ''London 2: South''. 2nd ed.. (London: [[Yale University Press]], 2002). (first published 1983). The Buildings of England. ISBN 0-300-09651-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=ufSsUlkWKaYC&pg=PA246
*Homan, Roger. ''The Victorian Churches of Kent''. (Chichester: Phillimore & Co. Ltd, 1984). ISBN 0-85033-466-7
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.stjohnsblackheath.org.uk St John's Blackheath website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Johns Blackheath}}
[[Category:Blackheath, London]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1853]]
[[Category:19th-century Church of England church buildings]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Church of England church buildings in the Royal Borough of Greenwich|Blackheath]]

Sponsors in the Book of Common Prayer

2026-10-20T13:32:34Z

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In the [[Book of Common Prayer]], sponsors are the persons who present a candidate for [[baptism]] and answer, promise, or witness on the candidate's behalf according to the order of the rite.<ref name="bcp1662-baptism">"The Ministration of Publick Baptism of Infants; The Ministration of Baptism to such as are of Riper Years", in ''The Book of Common Prayer''. (Church of England, 1662). https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/the-book-of-common-prayer-1662.pdf. (accessed 23 June 2026)</ref> In the baptism of infants they are commonly called godparents; in the baptism of those able to answer for themselves they may function more as witnesses and pastoral supporters. The Prayer Book treatment of sponsors reflects a characteristic Anglican concern: baptism is not treated as a private family event, but as an ecclesial act within the visible Church, joined to catechesis, profession of faith, and continuing Christian nurture.

== Role in baptism ==

The classical Prayer Book offices assume that baptism normally takes place in the congregation, where the promises made in the rite can be heard and received by the Church. In the order for the public baptism of infants, the child is brought by sponsors, who answer the interrogations concerning renunciation, faith, and obedience. This does not imply that sponsors replace the child's later personal faith. Rather, they speak within the Church's practice of receiving children into the covenant community and binding Christian adults to their nurture.

The sponsors' answers are closely tied to the [[Apostles' Creed]], the baptismal renunciations, and the promise that the child will be taught the Christian faith. The rite therefore links sacramental reception with formation. Baptism is administered with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; the sponsors' role surrounds that act with public confession and responsibility. In Anglican usage this has often distinguished the Prayer Book rite from a merely ceremonial understanding of christening.

In rites for those of riper years, the candidate is expected to answer personally. Sponsors or witnesses may still assist, but the theological emphasis shifts toward the candidate's own profession. This distinction preserves both the legitimacy of infant baptism and the seriousness of personal repentance and faith.

== Catechetical responsibility ==

Sponsors in Prayer Book usage are especially connected with catechesis. The child is to be brought up to know the Creed, the [[Lord's Prayer]], and the Ten Commandments, and to be prepared for [[Confirmation in the Book of Common Prayer|confirmation]] by the bishop. This pattern places sponsors within a larger system of Christian instruction rather than within a purely social custom.

The [[Catechism in the Book of Common Prayer]] reinforces this connection. It teaches the meaning of the baptismal promises and explains the obligations of the baptized life. Sponsors are not merely honorary participants at the font; they are witnesses to vows that require teaching, prayer, and moral example. In parish life, this responsibility has often been shared among parents, godparents, clergy, and the congregation.

Anglican theology has generally avoided treating sponsors as independent sacramental agents. The minister baptizes, God gives the grace signified in the sacrament, and the Church receives the baptized. Sponsors serve within that order. Their promises are pastoral and ecclesial, not magical or automatic. The seriousness of the role lies in the public undertaking to help the baptized person live as a disciple of Christ.

== Historical and pastoral significance ==

The use of sponsors was inherited from the wider Western Christian tradition and retained in the English Prayer Books of the Reformation. The Reformers revised baptismal rites in English, emphasized intelligible congregational worship, and connected baptism with scriptural instruction. They did not abolish godparents, because the office could serve the reformed aim of ensuring that the baptized were taught the faith they had received.

In later Anglican practice, the pastoral strength of sponsorship has depended greatly on whether the promises are taken seriously. Where sponsors are chosen only for family honor or social custom, the office can become detached from its Prayer Book purpose. Where sponsors are practicing Christians who pray for the child, encourage worship, and support instruction, the older Prayer Book pattern remains visible.

Modern Anglican provinces have sometimes adapted the language of sponsorship, especially where baptismal liturgies include explicit congregational promises. These developments do not necessarily remove the sponsor's role; they often broaden the context in which it is understood. The congregation, parents, and sponsors together bear witness that Christian initiation leads to a life of worship, repentance, faith, and obedience.

Sponsors therefore occupy a modest but important place in Anglican sacramental practice. Their presence at baptism expresses the Church's conviction that the baptized are not left alone, but are received into a community charged with teaching the faith and nurturing the life begun at the font.
== References ==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Book of Common Prayer]]
[[Category:Liturgy]]
[[Category:Anglican theology]]

Southern Cross (Melanesian Mission ship series)

2026-10-20T13:32:30Z

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{{about|the Melanesian Mission ships|other uses|Southern Cross (disambiguation)}}
{{Italic title}}
[[File:StateLibQld 1 116272 Southern Cross (ship).jpg|thumb|''Southern Cross'' No. 4]]
[[File:Sinker southern cross.jpg|thumb|''Southern Cross'' No. 5]]
[[File:HMAS Southern Cross.jpg|thumb|''Southern Cross'' No. 7]]
'''''Southern Cross''''' is the name given to each of a succession of ships serving the [[Melanesian Mission]] of the [[Anglican Church]] and the [[Church of the Province of Melanesia]].<ref name="BRL5">Lawrence, David Russell. [http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p298111/pdf/ch053.pdf "Chapter 5 Liberalism, Imperialism and colonial expansion"], in ''The Naturalist and his "Beautiful Islands": Charles Morris Woodford in the Western Pacific''. (ANU Press, October 2014). pp. 142–146. ISBN 9781925022032</ref> The first ship having this name succeeded the ''Undine'', a 21-ton [[schooner]] built at [[Auckland]] and in service from 1849 to 1857.

==Ships==

===''Southern Cross'' No. 1===
''Southern Cross 1'' was a [[schooner]] of 100 tons, built by [[Blackwall Yard#History#Wigrams|Messrs. Wigram]] of [[Blackwall Yard]], [[England]] in 1855; for £1,500. She arrived in [[New Zealand]] on 19 July 1855, and she was wrecked on 18 June 1860 at the mouth of the [[Ngunguru|Ngunguru River]], [[New Zealand]], during an easterly [[gale]]. The first ''Southern Cross'' was funded by subscriptions provided by supporters of the Melanesian Mission. These included [[Charlotte Mary Yonge]], who contributed the profits of her book ''The Daisy Chain''.<ref name=autogenerated2>"In the Solomons and other islands of Melanesia". Diocese of Melanesia. November 1943. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/solomons1943/. (accessed 21 February 2013)</ref><ref>"Pacific Progress 1849 -1949". Diocese of Melanesia. March 1949. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/centenary1949/. (accessed 21 February 2013)</ref><ref>Ashwell, B. Y.. "Journal of a visit to the Loyalty, New Hebrides, and Banks' Islands, in the Melanesian Mission schooner the Southern Cross, with an account of the wreck of that vessel.". Melanesian Mission. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/ashwell1860.html. (accessed 21 February 2013)</ref>

===''Southern Cross'' No. 2===
''Southern Cross 2'' was a 93-ton yawl-rigged [[brigantine]], which was built at [[Southampton]] and was in service from 1863 to 1873. This ship carried [[John Patteson (bishop)|Bishop John Patteson]] to [[Nukapu]] where he was killed, His death was followed by the [[Nukapu Expedition|punitive expedition to the island]] in 1871 and 1872.<ref name=autogenerated1>"Pacific Progress 1849-1949". Diocese of Melanesia. March 1949. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/centenary1949/. (accessed 21 February 2013)</ref>

===''Southern Cross'' No. 3===
''Southern Cross 3'' was a three-[[Mast (sailing)|mast]]ed, two-[[topsail]] schooner of 180 tons with auxiliary [[steam power]] of 24 [[Horsepower|H.P.]] She was built in Auckland at a cost of about £5,000, of which £2,000 was contributed from a fund collected by the [[Society for the Propagation of the Gospel]] in memory of Bishop [[John Coleridge Patteson]]. This ship was in service from 1874 to 1892.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

===''Southern Cross'' No. 4===
{{Main|Southern Cross (1891 Melanesian Mission ship)}}

''Southern Cross 4'' (British Registry Official Number 98988) was a three-masted schooner, [[foremast]], [[square-rigged]], main and [[mizzen]], fore-and-aft rig. 240 tons with an auxiliary steam engine. The ship was built in [[Wivenhoe]], [[Essex, England]] by Forrest & Sons in 1891 at a cost about £9,000, which was contributed by Bishop [[John Richardson Selwyn]] and others. This ship was in service from 1892 to 1902. When this vessel was sold, her engine was removed, and she operated as a [[cargo vessel]] around [[Australia]] and New Zealand until being lost with all hands off [[King Island, Tasmania]] in 1920.<ref>"View Shipwreck - Southern Cross". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. https://apps5a.ris.environment.gov.au/shipwreck/public/wreck/wreck.do?key=7732. (accessed 20 February 2013)</ref>

===''Southern Cross'' No. 5===
''Southern Cross 5'' was a steel three-masted schooner with an auxiliary steam engine. This ship was built in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] by [[Armstrong Whitworth]] & Co., with £1,000 towards construction contributed by the [[Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge]], [[London]]. She was launched by Bishop [[Cecil Wilson (Bishop of Bunbury)|Cecil Wilson]] in 1903. Her officers in 1914 included: William Sinker R.N.R. (captain), H. Burgess R.N.R. ([[Chief Officer|chief officer]]), R. Gardner R.N.R. ([[Second mate|second officer]]), W. Pitcher ([[chief engineer]]) and J. Murray ([[bosun]]).{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

===''Southern Cross'' No. 6===
''Southern Cross 6'' was steamer of 500 tons. The ship was wreaked in November 1932 on its first voyage into the islands. She was caught in a squall and driven onto a coral reef near [[Aneityum]] island of [[Vanuatu]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref name="PIM32">"Wreak of the Southern Cross VI". ''III(4) Pacific Islands Monthly''. 23 November 1932. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-311018361/view?partId=nla.obj-311044363#page/n44/mode/1up. (accessed 26 September 2021)</ref><ref name="PIM33">"Story of Shipwreak". ''III(6) Pacific Islands Monthly''. 25 January 1933. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-311039237/view?partId=nla.obj-311080382#page/n31/mode/1up. (accessed 26 September 2021)</ref>

===''Southern Cross'' No. 7===
{{main|HMAS Southern Cross}}
''Southern Cross 7'' (also known as ''Akanina'', “the ship of all of us”) arrived in [[Tulagi]] harbour several months after the loss of ''Southern Cross 6'' and her cargo, due to the immediate action by the Melanesian Mission Secretaries in both England and New Zealand. She was a twin-screw diesel powered ship, with a length of 110 feet and a breadth of 28 feet.<ref name="PIM1933-7">"New Melanesian Mission Ship". ''IV(4) Pacific Islands Monthly''. 22 November 1933. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-310926673/view?partId=nla.obj-310938283#page/n13/mode/1up. (accessed 27 September 2021)</ref> She was 298.33 tons gross. She was sold in 1955.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref name=autogenerated3>Mountfort, C. L.. "The Long Dark Island". The Desk Top Press. February 1994. http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/mountfort1994/. (accessed 2 June 2013)</ref>

===''Southern Cross'' No. 8===
''Southern Cross 8'' arrived in [[Honiara]], [[Guadalcanal]], [[Solomon Islands]] from Australia after 1955, and she was wrecked soon after during a storm at [[Maravovo]] on the north west coast of Guadalcanal.<ref name=autogenerated3 />

===''Southern Cross'' No. 9===
''Southern Cross 9'' was built in Australia in 1962 at the request of the [[Bishop of Melanesia]], [[Alfred Thomas Hill]]. She is currently in service after refurbishing and rededication in 2005 by Archbishop [[Ellison Pogo]].{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} As of late 2009, the ship was based at the [[Taroaniara Anglican Mission Station]] on the [[Nggela Islands]].<ref>"Fox Memorial Cross dedicated". ''Melanesian Messenger Online''. Church of the Province of Melanesia. http://www.anglicancommunion.org/provincialnews/melanesia/client/news/client_news_detail.cfm?naid=1653. (accessed 2 June 2013)</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/brooke_last.html Last Cruise of the second ''Southern Cross''] Serialized account by C. H. Brooke.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/appeal1900.html Appeal of the English Committee for a New Mission Ship], 1900.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/awdry1902/13.html In the Isles of the Sea: The Story of Fifty Years in Melanesia] by Frances Awdry, 1902.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/beattie_journal1906.html Journal of a Voyage to the Western Pacific in the Melanesian Mission Yacht Southern Cross], by J.W. Beattie, 1906.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/sinker_reef1907.html By Reef and Shoal: Being an Account of a Voyage amongst the Islands in the South-western Pacific, by William Sinker] 1907 account.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/wilson_wake1932/ The Wake of the ''Southern Cross'': Work and Adventures in the South Seas, by Cecil Wilson] 1932 account.
* [http://anglicanhistory.org/oceania/micklem_darkness1936.html Darkness and Light in the Pacific] by P.A. Micklem, 1936.

[[Category:Steamships]]
[[Category:Anglicanism]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in June 1860]]

Sign of the cross

2026-10-20T13:32:26Z

MuseBot: Convert CS1 citation templates to plain citations (Scribunto is not installed, so the templates rendered as raw invoke text).

{{Short description|Ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Other uses|Sign of the Cross (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Cross My Heart and Hope to Die|the film|Cross My Heart and Hope to Die (film)||Cross My Heart (disambiguation){{!}}Cross My Heart}}
[[File:Sign of the cross step by step.png|thumb|alt=refer to caption|The steps for making the large sign of the cross in Latin Catholic and Protestant rites]]

Making the '''sign of the cross''' ({{langx|la|signum crucis}}), also known as '''blessing oneself''' or '''crossing oneself''', is both a prayer and a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of [[Christianity]]. It is a very significant prayer because Christians are acknowledging their belief in the triune God, or the [[Holy Trinity]]: [[God the Father]], [[God the Son]] and [[God the Holy Spirit]]. There are three variants of the sign of the cross, including a large sign of the cross made across the body, a small sign of the cross traced on the forehead or objects, as well as a lesser sign of the cross made over the forehead, lips and heart.<ref name="SlocumArmentrout2000">Slocum, Robert Boak; Armentrout, Don S.. ''An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church: A User-Friendly Reference for Episcopalians''. (Church Publishing, 1 January 2000). p. 484. ISBN 978-0-89869-701-8. "The BCP directs that the celebrant at baptism will make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the candidate for baptism (using chrism if desired), saying "You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever" (BCP, p. 308). In the form for Ministration to the Sick the BCP directs that if the sick person is to be anointed, the priest dips a thumb in the holy oil and makes the sign of the cross on the sick person's forehead (BCP, p. 456). The ''BOS'' provides that at the admission of catechumens, each catechumen is presented by name to the celebrant who marks a cross on the forehead of each with a thumb, saying "Receive the sign of the Cross on your forehead and in your heart, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.""</ref><ref name="Lang1989">Lang, Jovian. ''Dictionary of the Liturgy''. (Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1989). p. 585-586. ISBN 978-0-89942-273-2</ref><ref name="Couchman2010"/><ref name="Guzman2013">Guzman, Sam. "Spiritual Weapons: The Sign of the Cross". The Catholic Gentleman. 22 October 2013. https://catholicgentleman.com/2013/10/spiritual-weapons-the-sign-of-the-cross/. (accessed 16 April 2025). "A small sign of the cross can be traced on the forehead of a child or upon an object which you wish to bless."</ref><ref name="DalmaisMartimort1987"/><ref name="Ballmann2023"/>

The use of the sign of the cross traces back to [[early Christianity]], with the third-century treatise ''[[Apostolic Tradition]]'' directing that it be used during the [[Minor exorcism in Christianity|minor exorcism]] of [[baptism]], during [[ablution in Christianity|ablutions]] before praying at [[fixed prayer times]], and in times of temptation.<ref name="Hippolytus">Hippolytus. "Apostolic Tradition". St. John's Episcopal Church. pp. 8, 16, 17. http://www.stjohnsarlingtonva.org/Customer-Content/saintjohnsarlington/CMS/files/EFM/Apostolic_Tradition_by_Hippolytus.pdf. (accessed 5 September 2020). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20190204235508/http://www.stjohnsarlingtonva.org/Customer-Content/saintjohnsarlington/CMS/files/EFM/Apostolic_Tradition_by_Hippolytus.pdf (archived 4 February 2019)</ref>

The ''large sign of the cross'' is made by the tracing of an [[Latin cross|upright cross]] or [[Greek cross]] across the body with the right hand, often accompanied by spoken or mental recitation of the [[Trinitarian formula]]: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."<ref name="DalmaisMartimort1987">Dalmais, Irénée Henri; Martimort, Aimé Georges. ''Principles of the Liturgy''. (Liturgical Press, 1987). ISBN 978-0-8146-1363-4. "As early as the beginning of the third century in Africa and at Rome, the making of a sign of the cross on the forehead during the rites of initiation seems already to be a traditional way of showing that the person belonged to Christ and to be regarded as a kind of invisible seal; Christians also made the sign of the cross on themselves rather frequently. It was then extended to the various senses and became an exorcistic gesture. Another form of the sign of the cross is the gesture of blessing, made either with all the fingers extended and joined or with some fingers extended and the others closed; the manner varied according to the practice of different Churches and different periods, and was also influenced by allegorical considerations; Easterners have often been accustomed to giving a blessing while holding a cross. Finally, the large sign of the cross (forehead to breast to shoulders) that is familiar to modern believers seems of relatively late origin"</ref><ref name="Miller2002">Miller, John Desmond. ''Beads and Prayers: The Rosary in History and Devotion''. (Bloomsbury Publishing, 7 January 2002). p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4411-1689-5. "The large sign of the cross made over the body, as we make it today, originated in the East between the fifth and eighth centuries, but there is no satisfactory evidence of its use in the West until the thirteenth century."</ref><ref>"The Prayer of the Veil". Encyclopedia Coptica. 2011. pp. 16–17. http://www.coptic.net/prayers/agpeya/Veil.html. (accessed 14 October 2016)</ref> The movement is the tracing of the shape of a cross in the air or on one's own body, echoing [[Instrument of Jesus' crucifixion|the traditional shape]] of the [[Christian cross|cross]] of the [[crucifixion of Jesus]]. Where this is done with fingers joined, there are two principal forms: one—three fingers (to represent the Trinity),<ref name="Seymour1898">Seymour, William Wood. ''The Cross in Tradition, History, and Art''. (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1898). p. 419</ref> right to left—is exclusively used by Christians who belong to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the [[Church of the East]], [[Eastern Lutheranism|Eastern Lutheran Churches]] and the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] in the [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine]] and [[Syriac Christianity|Syriac Christian]] traditions; the other—left to right to middle, other than three fingers—used by Christians who belong to the [[Latin Church]] of the [[Catholic Church]], [[Lutheranism]], [[Anglicanism]] and [[Oriental Orthodoxy]]. The large sign of the cross is used in some denominations of [[Methodism]] and within some branches of [[Reformed Christianity]].

The use of the ''small sign of the cross'' has been documented in [[early Christianity]] by [[Tertullian]], an [[Church Fathers|Ante-Nicene Church Father]], who wrote in AD 204 in {{Lang|la|De Corona}} ({{Gloss|On Crowns}}): "In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before retiring to sleep we form on our foreheads the sign of the cross."<ref name="Couchman2010"/><ref name="Crock1938">Crock, Clement Henry. ''Discourses on the Apostles' Creed''. (Joseph F. Wagner, 1938). p. 16</ref><ref>"Why Bonhoeffer made the sign of the cross". Ortho Christian. https://orthochristian.com/79955.html. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref> Tertullian attested to the Christian practice of tracing this small sign of the cross on objects, such one's bed before sleeping.<ref name="Couchman2010">Couchman, Judith. ''The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life''. (InterVarsity Press, 5 March 2010). p. 88. ISBN 978-0-8308-7917-5. "It's generally accepted that unitl the fourth century, Christians traced a small sign of the cross on their foreheads. Either boasting or lamenting Tertullian attested, "We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross." However, Tertullian also revealed the practice of "signing" the cross on objects like the woman who made the sign of the cross on her bed before retiring at night. By the fourth century the small sign extended to several parts of the body"</ref> It is traced on the forehead, or objects, with the thumb (sometimes using [[holy water]] or [[Holy anointing oil|anointing oil]]).<ref name="SlocumArmentrout2000"/><ref name="CavallettiCoulterGobbi2021"/><ref name="Guzman2013"/><ref name="Couchman2010"/> The small sign of the cross is made on the forehead during the rites of [[baptism]] and the [[anointing of the sick]] in Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism.<ref name="CavallettiCoulterGobbi2021">Cavalletti, Sofia; Coulter, Patricia; Gobbi, Gianna. ''The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey, Revised and Updated''. (Liturgy Training Publications, 15 May 2021). ISBN 978-1-61833-456-5. "There is another gesture done at our Baptism, one that we know very well. [The catechist makes a '''small sign of the cross''' with her thumb on the forehead at each child.] (The children readily recognize the cross). At our Baptism the priest and also our parents and godparents make this sign on us. They use their thumb, the strongest finger to make this sign on us to show that this is meant to go deep into our heart. This sign marks us as a sheep of the Good Shepherd."</ref><ref name="Naumann 2021">Naumann, Edward. "Anointed for Burial". [[The Lutheran Witness]]. 31 March 2021. https://witness.lcms.org/2021/anointed-for-burial/. (accessed 6 March 2025). "During the rite of Baptism, Christians may receive a bodily anointing, when the forehead is anointed with oil in the sign of the cross. This bodily anointing likewise signifies our incorporation into Christ."</ref><ref name="SlocumArmentrout2000"/><ref name="USCCB2025">"Order for the Blessing of the Sick". [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]]. https://www.usccb.org/prayers/order-blessing-sick. (accessed 6 March 2025). "394 A lay minister traces the sign of the cross on the forehead of each sick person and says the following prayer of blessing."</ref> In the [[Baptist]], [[Methodist]], and [[Pentecostal]] traditions of Christianity, the small sign of the cross is often made on the forehead of the recipient during ordinations, anointing of the sick and [[Deliverance ministry|deliverance prayers]].<ref name="Alfred2024">"Anointing Oil". Alfred Street Baptist Church. https://www.alfredstreet.org/anointing-oil/. (accessed 7 September 2024)</ref><ref>"An Order for the Celebration of Holy Communion in Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Home Visits". [[Methodist Church of New Zealand]]. p. 2. https://www.methodist.org.nz/assets/Whakapono/Faith-Order-Services/An-Order-for-the-Celebration-of-Holy-Communion-in-Hospitals.pdf. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref> Christians of various denominations have traced the small sign of the cross onto doors or windows of their dwellings as a [[house blessing]].<ref name="MOP2020">"Anointing oil". Missionaries Of Prayer. 18 September 2020. https://www.missionariesofprayer.org/anointing-oil-prayer-and-how-to-use-it/. "...take the anointing oil and over every window and door to your house just put the sign of the cross in the corner of it."</ref><ref name="Martin2017">"How to Bless and Anoint Your Home/Property". Melchizedek Church of God. 27 February 2017. https://mcgonline.net/how-to-bless-and-anoint-your-homeproperty/. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref><ref name="Rossetti2024">[[Stephen Joseph Rossetti]]. "7 Powerful Sacramentals of the Church for Spiritual Warfare". Catholic Ace. 1 January 2024. https://www.catholicace.com/sacramentals-church-spiritual-warfare/. (accessed 6 March 2025). "Then I took exorcized oil and made a sign of the cross on the door, windows, and lintels."</ref> The small sign of the cross is additionally used during certain observances, such as during the imposition of ashes on [[Ash Wednesday]], in which ashes are marked on the forehead of a believer using the small sign of the cross.<ref name="RCA2018"/><ref name="Lipin2017"/><ref name="Methodist2020"/>

Many individuals use the expression "cross my heart and hope to die" as an [[oath]], making the sign of the cross, in order to show "truthfulness and sincerity", sworn before God, in both personal and legal situations.<ref name="Ayto2010">Ayto, John. ''Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms''. (Oxford University Press, 8 July 2010). p. 79. ISBN 9780199543786</ref>

==Origins==
The small sign of the cross was originally made in some parts of the [[Christendom|Christian world]] with the thumb of the right hand, being used on the forehead to [[Blessing#Christianity|bless]] oneself, along with being used to bless various objects, as attested by [[Tertullian]], an [[Church Fathers|Ante-Nicene Church Father]].<ref name="Couchman2010"/><ref name="Thurston">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13785a.htm Thurston, Herbert. "Sign of the Cross." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 20 Jan. 2015]</ref> In other parts of the [[Early Christianity|early Christian]] world it was done with the whole hand or with two fingers.<ref>Andreas Andreopoulos, ''The Sign of the Cross'', Paraclete Press, 2006, {{ISBN|978-1-55725-496-2}}, p. 24.</ref> Around the year 200 in [[Roman Carthage|Carthage]] (modern [[Tunisia]], [[Africa]]), Tertullian wrote: "We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross."<ref name="Couchman2010"/><ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04517a.htm Marucchi, Orazio. "Archæology of the Cross and Crucifix." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 20 Jan. 2015]</ref> He documented that Christians would trace the sign of the cross on their beds prior to sleeping.<ref name="Couchman2010"/> In the 4th century, the small sign of the cross was applied to various parts of the body.<ref name="Couchman2010"/> The 6th century saw the development of the large sign of the cross as a "four-point movement traced across the chest or in the air".<ref>Couchman, Judith. ''The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life''. (InterVarsity Press, 5 March 2010). p. 88. ISBN 978-0-8308-7917-5</ref>

Hippolytus of Rome, in his [[Apostolic Tradition]], recommends sealing oneself the forehead in times of temptation, with it being described as the "Sign of the Passion". Vestiges of this early variant of the practice remain: in the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]]es of the [[Roman Rite]] in the [[Catholic Church]], the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Churches]] and the [[Anglicanism|Anglican Churches]], the celebrant makes this gesture on the Gospel book and—together with the congregation—on his forehead, lips, and on his heart at the proclamation of the Gospel (known as the [[lesser sign of the cross]]);<ref name="Thurston" /><ref name="Ballmann2023">Ballmann, Matthew. "The Triumph of the Holy Cross". Trinity San Antonio Lutheran Church. 13 September 2023. https://www.trinitysa.org/blog/2023/9/12/the-triumph-of-the-holy-cross. "The identity and relevance of Christianity are both irrevocably tied up with the crucified Christ. The Cross — because of what it represents — is the most potent and universal symbol of the Christian faith. It has inspired both liturgical and private devotions: for example, the Sign of the Cross, which is an invocation of the Holy Trinity; a processional cross as the centering piece to the Divine Service; the “little” Sign of the Cross on head, lips and heart at the reading of the Gospel; or praying the Stations (or Way) of the Cross during the Lenten season."</ref> on [[Ash Wednesday]] the small sign of the cross is traced in ashes on the forehead; [[chrism]] is applied, among places on the body, on the forehead for the [[Sacred mysteries#Eastern Christianity|Holy Mystery]] of [[Chrismation]] in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]].<ref name="Thurston" />

==Large sign of the cross==
===Gesture===
The actual motion of the large sign of the cross is heavily disputed; the Eastern Orthodox state that the right to left motion to be the more ancient way whereas writings by [[Dionysius bar Salibi|Bar Salibi]] and other Syriac prose writers show that the left to right motion predates the right to left signage.<ref name="DalmaisMartimort1987"/><ref name="Miller2002"/><ref>"which sign of the cross is correct?". ''Tasbeha.org Community''. 28 December 2011. https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/12737/which-sign-of-the-cross-is-correct. (accessed 20 February 2025)</ref> Western Catholics (the [[Latin Church]]) and Western Lutherans have made the motion from left to right, while Eastern Orthodox, [[Eastern Lutheranism|Eastern Lutherans]] and [[Eastern Catholics]] move from right to left.<ref name="Weber2014">Weber, Karl. "On Making the Sign of the Cross". Steadfast Lutherans. 14 March 2014. https://steadfastlutherans.org/blog/2014/03/on-making-the-sign-of-the-cross/. (accessed 3 June 2025)</ref><ref>Daniel A. Helminiak, ''Religion and the Human Sciences: An Approach Via Spirituality'' (State University of New York Press (Albany, N.Y.: 1998).</ref>

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]], [[Eastern Lutheranism|Eastern Lutheran]] and [[Byzantine Rite|Byzantine]] [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Catholic]] (Eastern Catholics) churches, the tips of the first three fingers (the thumb, index, and middle ones) are brought together, and the last two (the "ring" and little fingers) are pressed against the palm. The first three fingers express one's faith in the Trinity, while the remaining two fingers represent the two natures of Jesus, divine and human.<ref>Slobodskoy, Serafim Alexivich. [https://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LGOT/sign.shtml "The Sign of the Cross"], in ''The Law of God''. translated by Price, Susan. ([[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)]], 1992). ISBN 978-0-88465-044-7. (accessed 13 March 2019). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20180706134056/https://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LGOT/sign.shtml (archived 6 July 2018). via OrthodoxPhotos.com</ref><ref>''Original:'' Слободской, Серафим Алексеевич. [https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Serafim_Slobodskoj/zakon-bozhij/6 "О крестном знамении"] (translated chapter: "The Sign of the Cross"), in. (1966). [[Православная энциклопедия]] [[Azbuka|Азбука]] веры {{!}} православный сайт. (accessed 13 March 2019). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20170725073912/https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Serafim_Slobodskoj/zakon-bozhij/6 (archived 25 July 2017). (in Russian). (translated title: The Law of God). (title in original script: ru:Закон Божий)</ref> This gesture was also used in Western Europe into the high Middle Ages.<ref>Ælfric, ''Lives of Saints,'' II. 154–5, quoted by Kirsty Teresa March, ''Performance, Transmission and Devotion: Understanding the Anglo-Saxon Prayer Books, c. 800–1050'' (dissertation), "138". https://cora.ucc.ie/server/api/core/bitstreams/6fb0c029-b4c7-4520-8c85-ff5d23d3084c/content: “Even though a man waves wonderfully with his hand, it is not a blessing unless he makes the sign of the holy cross … A man must sign with three fingers and bless because of the Holy Trinity who is a glory ruling God.” See also ''The Ancren Riwle:'' “Stand up and say, ‘O Lord, open thou my lips,’ and make the sign of the cross on your mouth with the thumb, and say, ‘God be our help;’ then a large cross from above the forehead down to the breast, with the three fingers,” edited by James Morton, Morton, James. "19". 1853. https://books.google.com/books?id=7BgIAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA19.</ref>

==== Motion ====
The large sign of the cross is made by touching the hand sequentially to the forehead, lower chest or stomach, and both shoulders, accompanied by the [[Trinitarian formula]]: at the forehead "In the name of the Father" (or {{lang|la|In nomine Patris}} in Latin); at the stomach or heart "and of the Son" ({{lang|la|et Filii}}); across the shoulders "and of the [[Holy Spirit]]/Ghost" ({{lang|la|et Spiritus Sancti}}); and finally: "[[Amen]]".<ref name="DalmaisMartimort1987"/><ref name="Miller2002"/><ref>Sullivan, John F., ''The Externals of the Catholic Church'', P.J. Kenedy & Sons (1918)</ref>

There are several interpretations, according to [[Church Fathers]]:<ref name="prayer-book-bor">''Prayer Book'', edited by the [[Romanian Orthodox Church]], several editions (''Carte de rugăciuni'' - Editura Institutului biblic şi de misiune al Bisericii ortodoxe române, 2005),</ref> the forehead symbolizes Heaven; the solar plexus (or top of stomach), the earth; the shoulders, the place and sign of power. It also recalls both the [[Trinity]] and the [[Incarnation]]. [[Pope Innocent III]] (1198–1216) explained: "The sign of the cross is made with three fingers, because the signing is done together with the invocation of the Trinity.{{nbsp}}[...] This is how it is done: from above to below, and from the right to the left, because Christ descended from the heavens to the earth".<ref name=Innocent>Innocent III, ''De sacro altaris mysterio'', II, xlv in Patrologia Latina 217, 825C--D.</ref>

There are some variations: for example a person may first place the right hand in [[holy water]]. After moving the hand from one shoulder to the other, it may be returned to the top of the stomach. It may also be accompanied by the recitation of a prayer (e.g., the [[Jesus Prayer]], or simply "[[Kyrie|Lord have mercy]]"). In some Catholic regions, like [[Spain]], [[Italy]] and [[Latin America]], it is customary to form a cross with the index finger and thumb and then to kiss one's thumb at the conclusion of the gesture.<ref>https://camino55.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/the-cross-and-a-kiss/
Patricia Ann Kasten, ''Linking Your Beads: The Rosary's History, Mysteries, and Prayers'', Our Sunday Visitor 2011, p. 34</ref>

==== Sequence ====
[[Cyril of Jerusalem]] (315–386)<ref name="CyrilJeru">Mark W. Elliott, Thomas C. Oden. ''Isaiah 40-66''. Intervarsity Press (2007): p. 335</ref> wrote in his book about the [[lesser sign of the cross]]:

{{blockquote|Many have been crucified throughout the world, but by none of these are the devils scared; but when they see even the Sign of the Cross of Christ, who was crucified for us, they shudder. For those men died for their own sins, but Christ for the sins of others; for He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. It is not Peter who says this, for then we might suspect that he was partial to his Teacher; but it is Esaias who says it, who was not indeed present with Him in the flesh, but in the Spirit foresaw His coming in the flesh.<ref name="CyrilCateLecture">[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310113.htm Cyril of Jerusalem. Catechetical Lecture 13]</ref>}}

{{blockquote|For others only hear, but we both see and handle. Let none be weary; take your armour against the adversaries in the cause of the Cross itself; set up the faith of the Cross as a trophy against the gainsayers. For when you are going to dispute with unbelievers concerning the Cross of Christ, first make with your hand the sign of Christ's Cross, and the gainsayer will be silenced. Be not ashamed to confess the Cross; for Angels glory in it, saying, We know whom you seek, Jesus the Crucified. Matthew 28:5 Might you not say, O Angel, I know whom you seek, my Master? But, I, he says with boldness, I know the Crucified. For the Cross is a Crown, not a dishonour.<ref name="CyrilCateLecture" />}}

{{blockquote|Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a show of them openly Colossians 2:15; for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the gift; out for this the rather honour your Benefactor.<ref name="CyrilCateLecture" />}}

[[John of Damascus]] (650–750) stated:<ref name="JohnofDama">Steven A. McKinion, Thomas C. Oden. ''Isaiah 1-39''. Intervarsity Press (2004): p. 279</ref>

{{blockquote|Moreover we worship even the image of the precious and life-giving Cross, although made of another tree, not honouring the tree (God forbid) but the image as a symbol of Christ. For He said to His disciples, admonishing them, Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven Matthew 24:30, meaning the Cross. And so also the angel of the resurrection said to the woman, You seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified. Mark 16:6 And the Apostle said, We preach Christ crucified. 1 Corinthians 1:23 For there are many Christs and many Jesuses, but one crucified. He does not say speared but crucified. It behooves us, then, to worship the sign of Christ. For wherever the sign may be, there also will He be. But it does not behoove us to worship the material of which the image of the Cross is composed, even though it be gold or precious stones, after it is destroyed, if that should happen. Everything, therefore, that is dedicated to God we worship, conferring the adoration on Him.<ref name="JohnExpoOrthoFaith">[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/33044.htm John of Damascus. An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book IV]</ref>}}

[[Herbert Thurston]] indicates that at one time both Eastern and Western Christians moved the hand from the right shoulder to the left. German theologian [[Valentin Thalhofer]] thought writings quoted in support of this point, such as that of [[Innocent III]], refer to the small cross made upon the forehead or external objects, in which the hand moves naturally from right to left, and not the big cross made from shoulder to shoulder.<ref name=Thurston/> Andreas Andreopoulos, author of ''The Sign of the Cross'', gives a more detailed description of the development and the symbolism of the placement of the fingers and the direction of the movement.<ref>Andreas Andreopoulos, ''The Sign of the Cross'', Paraclete Press, 2006, {{ISBN|978-1-55725-496-2}}, pp. 11–42.</ref>

===Use===
====Catholicism====
Within the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the sign of the cross is a [[sacramental]], which the Church defines as "sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments"; that "signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church"; and that "always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the [[laying on of hands]], the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of [[holy water]] (which recalls Baptism)."<ref name=CCCSacramentals>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P58.HTM Catechism of the Catholic Church] (1992), chap. 4, art. 1.</ref> Section 1670 of the [[Catechism of the Catholic Church]] (CCC) states, "Sacramentals do not confer the [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] of the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the [[Paschal mystery]] of the [[Passion of Christ|Passion]], Death, and Resurrection of Christ."<ref name=CCCSacramentals/> Section 1671 of the CCC states: "Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father 'with every spiritual blessing.' This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ."<ref name=CCCSacramentals/> Section 2157 of the CCC states: "The Christian begins his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross: 'in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.' The baptized person dedicates the day to the glory of God and calls on the Savior's grace which lets him act in the Spirit as a child of the Father. The sign of the cross strengthens us in temptations and difficulties."<ref name=CCCLifeChrist>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a2.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church] (1992), section 2157.</ref>

[[John Vianney]] said a genuinely made Sign of the Cross "makes all hell tremble."<ref>[http://www.catholicdigest.com/articles/faith/praying/2010/08-24/making-the-sign-of-the-cross Emmons, D. D., "Making the Sign of the Cross", ''Catholic Digest''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813153520/http://www.catholicdigest.com/articles/faith/praying/2010/08-24/making-the-sign-of-the-cross |date=13 August 2016 }}</ref>

The [[Catholic Church]]'s [[Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite]], the [[Priesthood in the Catholic Church|priest]] and the faithful make the Sign of the Cross at the conclusion of the Entrance Chant and the priest or [[deacon]] "makes the Sign of the Cross [i.e the lesser sign of the cross] on the book and on his forehead, lips, and breast" when announcing the [[Gospel]] text (to which the people acclaim: "Glory to you, O Lord").<ref>"The Order of Mass (The Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite): In Latin and in English". [[International Commission on English in the Liturgy]]. 2010. http://resources.ipsissima-verba.org/documents/ordinary-form-order-of-mass-draft-3.pdf</ref>

The sign of the cross is expected at two points in the [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Mass]]: the laity sign themselves during the introductory greeting of the service and at the final blessing; optionally, other times during the Mass when the laity often cross themselves are during a blessing with holy water, when concluding the penitential rite, in imitation of the priest before the Gospel reading (small signs on forehead, lips, and heart), and perhaps at other times out of personal devotion.

====Eastern Orthodoxy====
[[File:SignOfTheCross.HandConfiguration.jpg|thumb|75px|left|Position of an Eastern Orthodox person's fingers when making the sign of the cross]]
In the Eastern Orthodox Churches, use of the sign of the cross in worship is far more frequent than in the Western churches.<ref name="Daniel B. Clendenin 2003 p. 19">Daniel B. Clendenin, ''Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective'' (Baker Publishing: 2003), p. 19.</ref> While there are points in liturgy at which almost all worshipers cross themselves, Orthodox faithful have significant freedom to make the sign at other times as well,<ref name="Daniel B. Clendenin 2003 p. 19"/> and many make the sign frequently throughout [[Divine Liturgy]] or other church services.<ref>Hugh Wybrew, ''The Orthodox Liturgy: The Development of the Eucharistic Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite'' (1989, St. Vladimir's Press reprint, 2003), p. 5.</ref><ref>Anthony Edward Siecienski, ''Orthodox Christianity: A Very Short Introduction'' Oxford University Press: 2019), p. 83.</ref> During the [[epiclesis]] (the invocation of the Holy Spirit as part of the consecration of the Eucharist), the priest makes the sign of the cross over the bread.<ref>Hugh Wybrew, ''The Orthodox Liturgy: The Development of the Eucharistic Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite'' (1989, St. Vladimir's Press reprint, 2003), p. 157.</ref> The early theologian [[Basil of Caesarea]] noted the use of the sign of the cross in the rite marking the admission of [[catechumens]].<ref>Daniel B. Clendenin, ''Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective'' (Baker Publishing: 2003) p. 110.</ref>

=====Old Believers=====
In the [[Tsardom of Russia]], until the reforms of [[Patriarch Nikon]] in the 17th century, it was customary to make the sign of the cross with two fingers. The enforcement of the three-finger sign (as opposed to the two-finger sign of the "Old Rite"), as well as other Nikonite reforms (which alternated certain previous Russian practices to conform with Greek customs), were among the reasons for the [[schism]] with the [[Old Believers]] whose congregations continue to use the two-finger sign of the cross (other points of dispute included [[iconography]] and [[iconoclasm]], as well as changes in liturgical practices).<ref>Peter T. De Simone, ''The Old Believers in Imperial Russia: Oppression, Opportunism and Religious Identity in Tsarist Moscow'' (2018), pp. 13, 54, 109, 206.</ref><ref name=Hamburg>Gary M. Hamburg, ''Russia's Path Toward Enlightenment: Faith, Politics, and Reason, 1500-1801'' (Yale University Press, 2016), p. 179.</ref><ref>Peter Hauptmann, "Old Believers" in ''The Encyclopedia of Christianity'', Vol. 3 ([[William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company]]/Brill: 2003).</ref> The Old Believers considered the two-fingered symbol to symbolize the [[Hypostatic union|dual nature of Christ as divine and human]] (the other three fingers in the palm representing the [[Trinity]]).<ref name=Hamburg/>

====Lutheranism====
Among Lutherans, the use of the sign of the cross is normative and widespread. For example, [[Luther's Small Catechism]] states that it is expected before the morning and evening prayers. ''[[The Lutheran Hymnal]]'' (1941) of the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]] (LCMS) states that "The sign of the cross may be made at the Trinitarian Invocation and at the words of the Nicene Creed 'and the life of the world to come.{{'"}}<ref>''The Lutheran Hymnal'', 1941. Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, page 4.</ref> In the present-day, the sign of the cross is customary throughout the [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Divine Service]].<ref name="ELCA">"Why Do Lutherans Make the Sign of the Cross?". Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship.aspx. (accessed 16 June 2007)</ref><ref name="LCMS">"Sign of the Cross". Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3941. (accessed 12 September 2007). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20050920095725/http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3941 (archived 20 September 2005)</ref> Rubrics in contemporary Lutheran worship manuals, including ''[[Evangelical Lutheran Worship]]'' of the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] and ''[[Lutheran Service Book]]'' used by LCMS and [[Lutheran Church–Canada]], provide for making the sign of the cross at certain points in the liturgy.<ref>''Evangelical Lutheran Worship''. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2006</ref><ref>''Lutheran Service Book''. St. Louis: Concordia, 2006</ref> The sign of the cross is made with three fingers, starting with touching the head, touching the chest (heart) and then going from the left shoulder to the right shoulder.<ref name="Weber2014"/>

In the Lutheran Churches, the lesser sign of the cross is made by the celebrant on the [[Gospel Book]] and on his/her forehead, lips, and breast when announcing the [[Gospel]] text (to which the people acclaim: "Glory to you, O Lord"). The faithful trace the lesser sign of the cross on their foreheads, lips, and hearts while praying "May the Word of the Lord be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart".<ref name="Ballmann2023"/>

====Anglican and Episcopal traditions====
The [[English Reformation]] reduced the use of the sign of the cross compared to its use in Catholic rites. The [[Book of Common Prayer (1549)|1549 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] reduced the use of the sign of the cross by clergy during liturgy to five occasions, although an added note ("As touching, kneeling, crossing, holding up of hands, and other gestures; they may be used or left as every man's devotion serveth, without blame") gave more leeway to the faithful to make the sign.<ref name=HistDictAnglican>Colin Buchanan, ''Historical Dictionary of Anglicanism'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd ed.: 2015), pp. 533-35.</ref> The [[Book of Common Prayer (1552)|1552 ''Book of Common Prayer'']] (revised in 1559) reduced the five set uses to a single usage, during baptism.<ref name=HistDictAnglican/> The form of the sign was touching the head, chest, then both shoulders.<ref name=Nelson/>

The use of the mandatory sign of the cross during baptism was one of several points of contention between the [[Established church|established]] [[Church of England]] and [[Puritans]], who objected to this sole mandatory sign of the cross,<ref name=HistDictAnglican/><ref name=Nelson>Louis P. Nelson, ''The Beauty of Holiness: Anglicanism and Architecture in Colonial South Carolina'' (University of North Carolina Press: 2009), p. 152.</ref> and its connections to the church's Catholic past.<ref name=Nelson/> [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformists]] refused to use the sign.<ref name=Nelson/> In addition to its Catholic associations, the sign of the cross was significant in [[English folklore|English folk traditions]], with the sign believed to have a [[Apotropaic|protective function against evil]].<ref name=Nelson/> Puritans viewed the sign of the cross as superstitious and idolatrous.<ref name=Nelson/> Use of the sign of the cross during baptism was defended by [[James VI and I|King James I]] at the [[Hampton Court Conference]] and by the 1604 Code of Canons, and its continued use was one of many factors in the [[English Dissenters|departure of Puritans from the Church of England]].<ref name=HistDictAnglican/>

The 1789 Prayer Book of the [[Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America]] made the sign of the cross during baptism optional, apparently in concession to varying views within the church on the sign's use.<ref name=HistDictAnglican/> The 1892 revision of the Prayer Book, however, made the sign mandatory.<ref name=HistDictAnglican/> The [[Anglo-Catholic]] movement saw a resurgence in the use of the sign of the cross within Anglicanism, including by laity and in church architecture and decoration;<ref name=AZAnglicanism>Colin Buchanan, ''The A to Z of Anglicanism'' (Scarecrow Press: 2009), pp. 126-27.</ref> historically, "[[high church]]" Anglicans were more apt to make the sign of the cross than "[[low church]]" Anglicans.<ref>Corinne Ware, ''What Is Liturgy?'' Forward Movement Publications (1996), p. 18.</ref> Objections to the use of the sign of the cross within Anglicanism were largely dropped in the 20th century.<ref name=HistDictAnglican/> In some Anglican traditions, the sign of the cross is made by priests when consecrating the bread and wine of the [[Eucharist]] and when giving the priestly blessing at the end of a church service, and is made by congregants when receiving Communion.<ref>Marcus Throup, ''All Things Anglican: Who We Are and What We Believe'' ([[Canterbury Press]], 2018).</ref> More recently, some Anglican bishops have adopted the Roman Catholic practice of placing a sign of the cross (+) before their signatures.<ref name=AZAnglicanism/>

====Methodism====
The sign of the cross can be found in the [[Methodist]] liturgy of the [[United Methodist Church]].<ref name="UMC 1">"Why don't we make the sign of the cross?". United Methodist Church. https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-why-dont-united-methodists-make-the-sign-of-the-cross. (accessed September 19, 2022)</ref> [[John Wesley]], the principal leader of the early Methodists, in a 1784 revision of ''The Book of Common Prayer'' for Methodist use called ''The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America'', instructed the presiding minister to make the sign of the cross on the forehead of children just after they have been baptized. (This book was later adopted by Methodists in the United States for their liturgy.)<ref name="UMC 1"/><ref>John Wesley's Prayer Book: The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America with introduction, notes, and commentary by James F. White, 1991 OSL Publications, Akron, Ohio, page 142.</ref> Wesley did not include the sign of the cross in other rites.<ref name="UMC 1"/>

By the early 20th century, the use of the sign of the cross had been dropped from American Methodist worship.<ref name="UMC 1"/> However, its uses was subsequently restored, and the current United Methodist Church allows the pastor to "trace on the forehead of each newly baptized person the sign of the cross."<ref name="UMC 1"/> This usage during baptism is reflected in the current (1992) ''[[The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992)|Book of Worship of the United Methodist Church]]'', and is widely practiced (sometimes with oil).<ref>The United Methodist Book of Worship, Nashville 1992, p. 91</ref> Making of the sign is also common among United Methodists on [[Ash Wednesday]], when it is applied by the [[Elder (Methodism)|elder]] to the foreheads of the [[laity]] as a mark of penitence.<ref name="UMC 1"/><ref>The United Methodist Book of Worship, Nashville 1992, p. 323.</ref> In some United Methodist congregations, the worship leader makes the sign of the cross toward congregants (for example, when [[Benediction|blessing the congregation at the end of the sermon or service]]), and individual congregants make the sign on themselves when receiving [[Holy Communion]].<ref name="UMC 1"/> The sign is also sometimes made by pastors, with oil, upon the foreheads of those seeking healing.<ref>The United Methodist Book of Worship, Nashville 1992, p. 620.</ref> In addition to its use in baptism, some Methodist clergy make the sign at the [[Communion table]] and during the [[Confession (religion)#Methodism|Confession of Sin and Pardon]] at the invocation of [[Jesus' name]].<ref>Neal, Gregory S.. "Prepared and Cross-Checked". Grace Incarnate Ministries. 2011. http://www.revneal.org/Writings/Writings/preparedandcrosschecked.html. (accessed 25 April 2019)</ref>

Whether or not a Methodist uses the sign for private prayer is a personal choice, although the UMC encourages it as a devotional practice, stating: "Many United Methodists have found this restoration powerful and meaningful. The ancient and enduring power of the sign of the cross is available for us to use as United Methodists more abundantly now than ever in our history. And more and more United Methodists are expanding its use beyond those suggested in our official ritual."<ref name="UMC 1"/>

==== Reformed tradition (Continental Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregationalist) ====
In some [[Reformed churches]], such as the [[Church of Scotland]] and [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]], the sign of the cross is used on the foreheads during baptism and the Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant.<ref>J. Dudley Weaver Jr., ''Presbyterian Worship: A Guide for Clergy'' ([[Geneva Press]]: 2002), pp. 86-87.</ref> It is also used at times during the Benediction, the minister will make the sign of the cross out toward the congregation while invoking the Trinity.

====Armenian Apostolic====
It is common practice in the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] to make the sign of the cross when entering or passing a church, during the start of service and at many times during [[Divine Liturgy]]. The motion is performed by joining the first three fingers, to symbolize the Holy [[Trinity]], and putting the two other fingers in the palm, then touching one's forehead, below the chest, left side, then right side and finishing with open hand on the chest again with bowing head.<ref>"Making the Sign of the Cross (Khachaknkel)". http://www.armenianchurch.org/index.jsp?sid=1&id=5811&pid=2429&lng=en. (accessed 6 December 2015)</ref><ref>"In the Shadow of the Cross: The Holy Cross and Armenian History". http://www.armenianchurch-ed.net/feasts/the-holy-cross/about-the-exaltation-of-the-cross/. (accessed 6 December 2015). Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222080108/http://www.armenianchurch-ed.net/feasts/the-holy-cross/about-the-exaltation-of-the-cross/ (archived 22 December 2015)</ref>

====Assyrian Church of the East====
The [[Assyrian Church of the East]] uniquely holds the sign of the cross as a sacrament in its own right. Another sacrament unique to the church is the [[Holy Leaven]].<ref>Royel, Mar Awa. [https://www.academia.edu/12388908 "The Sacrament of the Holy Leaven (Malkā) in the Assyrian Church of the East"], in ''The Anaphoral Genesis of the Institution Narrative in Light of the Anaphora of Addai and Mari''. edited by Giraudo, Cesare. (Rome: Edizioni Orientalia Christiana, 2013). p. 363. ISBN 978-88-97789-34-5</ref>

==Small sign of the cross==
The small sign of the cross has been documented in [[early Christianity]] by [[Tertullian]], an [[Church Fathers|Ante-Nicene Church Father]], who wrote in AD 204 in {{Lang|la|De Corona}} ({{Gloss|On Crowns}}): "In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before retiring to sleep we form on our foreheads the sign of the cross." Tertullian attested to the Christian practice of tracing this small sign of the cross on objects, such one's bed before sleeping. It is traced on the forehead, or various objects, with the thumb (sometimes using [[holy water]] or [[Holy anointing oil|anointing oil]]).<ref name="SlocumArmentrout2000"/><ref name="Couchman2010"/><ref name="Crock1938"/><ref>"Why Bonhoeffer made the sign of the cross". Ortho Christian. https://orthochristian.com/79955.html. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref><ref name="Guzman2013"/><ref name="CavallettiCoulterGobbi2021"/>

=== Anointing of the sick ===
During the Christian rite of the [[anointing of the sick]], practiced liturgically in Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism, the small sign of the cross is traced on the forehead of the individual being anointed.<ref name="USCCB2025">"Order for the Blessing of the Sick". [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]]. https://www.usccb.org/prayers/order-blessing-sick. (accessed 6 March 2025). "394 A lay minister traces the sign of the cross on the forehead of each sick person and says the following prayer of blessing."</ref><ref name="Gusmer2017">Gusmer, Charles W.. ''And You Visited Me: Sacramental Ministry to the Sick''. (Liturgical Press, 5 May 2017). p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8146-6325-7</ref>

{{quotation|By tracing the sign of the cross on the forehead during the anointing, the priest indicates that all divine favors come to us through the salvific power of Christ, Who continues to be present with His Church, since "Christ is among us!" (Mt. 18, 20) And the faithful, in turn express their faith in Christ’s presence and assistance by answering, "He is and He shall be."<ref>"MIROVANIJE: THE ANOINTING WITH HOLY OIL: A Traditional Custom of the BYZANTINE RITE". [[Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh]]. https://archpitt.org/mirovanije-the-anointing-with-holy-oil-a-traditional-custom-of-the-byzantine-rite/. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref>}}

=== Exorcism and deliverance prayers ===
[[File:Lutheran baptism.jpg|thumb|220px|An [[Infant baptism|infant being baptized]] in a [[Lutheran]] church]]
In the [[minor exorcism]] used in the Christian sacrament of [[Baptism]], the Catholic ''[[Roman Missal]]'' (1911), Lutheran ''[[Baptismal Booklet]]'' (1526) and ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' (1549) enjoin the sign of the cross to be traced on the forehead of the baptismal candidate.<ref name="CavallettiCoulterGobbi2021"/><ref name="Senn2012">Senn, Frank C.. ''Introduction to Christian Liturgy''. (Fortress Press, 2012). p. 162. ISBN 9781451424331</ref><ref name="Bradshaw2013">Bradshaw, Paul F.. ''New SCM Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship''. (Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd, April 2013). p. 41. ISBN 9780334049326</ref>

The Saint Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal led by Roman Catholic exorcist [[Stephen Joseph Rossetti]] provides deliverance prayers for the laity.<ref name="Rossetti2025"/> Among these is the Prayer for Cleansing the Faculties and Senses, which enjoins the use of the sign of the cross to be traced on several parts of the body using [[holy anointing oil|holy oil]] or [[holy water]].<ref name="Rossetti2025">[[Stephen Joseph Rossetti]]. "Cleansing the Faculties and Senses". https://www.catholicexorcism.org/deliverance-prayers-for-the-laity. (accessed 6 March 2025)</ref>

=== Ash Wednesday ===
[[File: Ashes to Go at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church.jpg|thumb|A woman receives a cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday outside an Episcopal church (2015).]]
On [[Ash Wednesday]] (the first day of [[Lent]] in [[Western Christianity]]), the sign of the cross is made by the celebrant on the forehead of believers during the ceremony of the imposition of ashes; this takes place in Latin-Rite Catholicism, Lutheranism, [[Moravian Church|Moravianism]], Anglicanism, as well as in a number of [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed]] ([[Continental Reformed]], [[Presbyterian]], and [[Congregationalist]]), [[Methodist]], [[Anabaptist]], and [[Baptist]] churches, among others.<ref name="RCA2018">"The Liturgical Calendar". [[Reformed Church in America]]. 2018. https://www.rca.org/resources/liturgy-rca-basics-worship/liturgical-calendar. (accessed 13 March 2018)</ref><ref name="Lipin2017">Lipin, Bridget. "Lenten Reflections: Ash Wednesday". [[American Baptist Churches USA]]. 27 February 2017. https://www.abc-usa.org/2017/02/lenten-reflections-ash-wednesday/</ref><ref name="Methodist2020">"The Significance of Lent". [[Methodist Church in Singapore]]. 22 January 2020. https://www.methodist.org.sg/the-significance-of-lent/. (accessed 14 February 2024). "Over the last 25 years, more and more Methodist local conferences have been observing Lent, the 46 days before Easter."</ref>

=== House blessing ===
[[Tertullian]], an [[Church Fathers|Ante-Nicene Church Father]], attested to a Christian woman making the sign of the cross on her bed before sleeping.<ref name="Couchman2010"/> Christians of various denominations mark doors, windows and lintels of their house with the sign of the cross using [[holy anointing oil]] for a [[house blessing]].<ref name="MOP2020"/><ref name="Martin2017"/><ref name="Rossetti2024"/> Prayers such as the following are used for the same:<ref name="MOP2020"/>
{{quotation|With the sign of this cross I am making a declaration that this house belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ that no sickness, death, thief or evil can enter this home. This oil is a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ. No weapons that are formed against us or this property shall prosper and any destruction must pass over us, in Jesus name. We are safe and protected under the blood of Jesus.<ref name="MOP2020"/>}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Christian symbolism]]
* [[Crossed fingers]]
* [[Lesser sign of the cross]]
* [[Mudras]]
* [[Prayer in Christianity]]
* [[Rushma]] in Mandaeism
* [[Veneration]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sign of the cross}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5cHmzs769c Why do Lutherans Make the Sign of the Cross? - University Lutheran Chapel]
*[https://catholic-link.org/why-do-catholics-make-the-sign-of-the-cross/page/51/?et_blog Why Do Catholics Make The Sign Of The Cross? - Catholic Link]
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{{Christianity footer}}
{{Catholic Prayers}}
{{Catholic Mass}}
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{{Lutheranism topics}}
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