FOUR STRANDS OF ANGLICAN SPIRITUALITY

by The Rev. Michael Fry

Within the agreed-upon standards of the Bible, Prayer Book, 39 Articles and (later) Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, a variety of spiritual expressions have been practiced in our Communion. People are often only familiar with the practice of their own parish when concluding what is "properly" Anglican; however, it is incorrect to label one over the others as the correct form of spirituality for an Anglican (or a Christian).

All of the below can and have been practiced in traditional, orthodox and faithful Anglican congregations throughout the world.

PRAYER BOOK

The 17th century has been described as the "golden age" of Anglicanism. The leading churchmen of the period, collectively known as the "Caroline Divines" aimed for a balanced devotion of "true piety with sound learning." The place of the Prayer Book in their spiritual life is emphasized by Martin Thornton: 'Bible and Prayer Book' were the twin pillars of Caroline spirituality, with the latter given almost equal status, and subjected to the same kind of systematic study as the former.... The Prayer Book is not a list of church services but a foundation for Christian living in all of its minutiae.

To the seventeenth- century layman the Prayer Book was not a shiny volume to be borrowed from a shelf on entering the church and carefully replaced on leaving. It was a beloved and battered personal possession, a lifelong companion and guide, to be carried from church to kitchen, to living room to bedside table.

EVANGELICAL

Bible reading and prayer were the hallmarks of the 18 th century Evangelical revival in England and America. The Rev. Henry Venn advised his daughter: "Rise always by seven. Be sure that you do not omit prayer; and strive to pray in earnest, that you may be of a meek and humble spirit." Charles Simeon reportedly rose at four a.m. each day in order to devote four hours to prayer. One scholar noted that "if [Simeon] overslept he fined himself a guinea which he threw in the Cam; this he had to do only once." John Newton, author of Amazing Grace wrote "Secret prayer, and the good word, are the chief wells from whence we draw the water of salvation."

The emphasis on the Bible and prayer (personal, family and corporate) was not to the exclusion of the Prayer Book for Anglican Evangelicals. In fact, a group of enthusiasts were so methodical in their use of the Prayer Book services and devotion to good works that they came to be called Methodists.

ANGLO-CATHOLIC

Whenever the Church neglects one aspect of Christian truth, the Holy Spirit raises up leaders to restore the balance. The 19th Century brought a movement led by men raised on the Prayer Book and taught by leading Evangelicals who, in their study of the ancient Christian Fathers, felt the full depth of the Christian spiritual tradition had been lacking in contemporary Anglican practice-thus the advent of the Oxford or Anglo-Catholic movement in the Church of England and America.

Their spiritual emphasis included the return of the Holy Communion service as the central act of worship in the Christian Church, a devotion to Christ in the sacraments, and worship which utilized all five of the human senses

(e.g. color in vestments, incense, etc...). The services we're accustomed to during Holy Week are part of the lasting influence of this tradition on our forms of worship as well as the fact that we offer Holy Communion each Sunday. A fair amount of our beloved musical tradition can be traced to the Anglo-Catholic movement as well, such as the 39 hymns authored or translated by John Mason Neale in the 1940 Hymnal (e.g. All glory, laud, and honor).

CHARISMATIC

The 20th Century brought a return of a Biblical form of spirituality long lost to the Church. In a broad sense to be Charismatic is simply to be touched by God's grace (Greek: charis = grace). More commonly, the term refers to one for whom the charismata or "gifts of the Spirit" enumerated by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 are part of their spirituality. While misunderstood and actively opposed in some Christian circles today, this was the expected practice of new believers in Biblical times. A pioneering leader re-introducing this form of spirituality in the mainline denominations in the 1960's-80's was the Episcopal priest Fr. Dennis Bennett. A foundational belief of this form of spirituality is that God's power is as available to believers today as in New Testament times.

An Anglican Synthesis

Most Anglicans, whether consciously or not, owe a debt to some combination of the above spiritualities. Some would say "I'm a Prayer Book Anglican"; others "a Prayer

Book Catholic" or "Evangelical Catholic"; perhaps an "Evangelical Anglican" or "Charismatic Evangelical". It's even possible to be a "Prayer Book Evangelical Anglo- Catholic Charismatic." Any parish that does not include in its life the full diversity of spiritual expressions in our heritage is handicapping itself spiritually and cutting itself off from the fullness of what God has available for them-traditional church order and doctrine; love for the Bible and a zeal for the salvation of all; respect for the fullness of the historical tradition and the sacraments; and a belief in the present and available power of God for our lives today. Sadly, due to pride, fear and naiveté, it is only the rarest and most special of congregations that are blessed with the ability to balance these well.

God loved us so much that He gave up His only Son.

Christ loved us so much that He gave up His life.

The measure of love is what one is willing to give up for it.

Does Our Love Measure Up?


----The Rev. Micahael Fry is Rector at All Saints Anglican Church in Peachtree City, GA.