Stendahl based his then-novel interpretation on the theory that Paul wrote in a patriarchal society, which makes it necessary (in his view) to reevaluate and reinterpret Galatians to make it applicable to "modern, enlightened" times; he differentiates between continually applicable biblical commands and nonbinding, adiaphoric passages, subjectively making one's worldview the determinative factor.
Read moreLegalism orders our lives, and the Pharisees viewed justification as a process of transformation. Whole systems of religion are devised to facilitate our understanding of salvation-by-increments: acquiring grace by participating in the sacraments or modern-day discipleship plans that are meant to lead us towards the goal of obtaining human worthiness to stand before God. Preachers thrive on this.
Read more'Although reformed'? Perhaps nothing so quite indicates the extent to which Nazir-Ali has rejected classical Anglicanism than this statement. Anglicanism is Catholic not in spite of the Reformation: it is Catholic because of the Reformation.
Read moreThe tragic loss of Cranmerian conviction and biblical clarity bequeathed to us by our great Reformer has led to the confusion of faith and practice within the Church of England that has also spread disastrously to the majority of her daughter churches throughout the post-colonial world. The third largest Christian grouping on our globe has lapsed into error and irregularity that results from abandonment of our Reformational heritage.
Read moreIn his replies, Archbishop Runcie, while rehearsing some of the arguments in favour of ordaining women, expressed his inability to prevent any province of the Anglican Communion from acting independently on the issue. Runcie's argument revealed a fault line in the Communion which was to become even more pronounced over other issues such as divorced and remarried clergy, and the ordination to the priesthood and episcopate of those in sexually active homophile relationships.
Read moreBut Ash Wednesday has a powerful draw bringing thousands of people to church who would usually not go otherwise for the Imposition of Ashes.
The Ash Wednesday tradition was apparently started by Pope Gregory the Great who was Bishop of Rome from 590 to 604 AD. He is also credited with sending St. Augustine of Canterbury to England to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons in 595 AD. Two years later in 597 AD Augustine was named the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
Read moreEdmund Spenser was once secretarial assistant to the Calvinistic Bishop of Roches-ter, John Young, and upheld the doctrines of grace and endorsed their great ex-ponent Edmund Grindal in his majestic poesy in such works as The Fairy Queen and the Shepherd's Calendar:
The Fairy Queen, Book 1, Canticle X - Her faithful knight fair Una brings to House of Holiness, where he is taught repentance, and the way to heavenly bliss.
Read more"And yet they are still not seen as something that a lot of white evangelicals are interested in taking part in and, as a result, people are dying. I just didn't see that happening and certainly not at this scale."
Read moreOne-stream Anglicanism is completely at home with traditional worship and practice. The 16th century English reformers were crystal-clear that the Bible is primary (sola Scriptura), while maintaining a high regard for how it has been interpreted over time (i.e. tradition). Reading the reformers is like reading Scripture through the glasses of the esteemed church fathers.
Read moreI became a scientist because of my sense of wonder at the beauty and immensity of the world. I felt that I was about to begin a journey of discovery which would answer all my great questions about life and the universe. I had no idea where this excitement about the beauty of the world would lead me. I just knew it would be worthwhile and satisfying.
Can you tell us a bit about your faith journey?
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