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Six New Anglo-Catholic Points

Anglo-Catholic Hui
Some of those present at the Anglo-Catholic Hui in Dunedin

A recent conference called by the new Anglican Bishop of Dunedin, Steven Benford, focused on mission and ministry. It was called an Anglo-Catholic Hui.

You can read about it here (link off this site).

I was asked to give an address about spirituality. My talk covered some of the themes that regulars here are familiar with: the lack of letting people (including our own community) know about Christian spirituality; our weakness in online mission and ministry; apophatic and cataphatic being complementary; theosis – growing into God.

But, in this post, I wanted to suggest (from my talk) 6 points for a new era.

In the nineteenth century, Anglo-Catholicism fought for six points:

  • altar candles,
  • Eucharistic vestments,
  • the eastward position (the priest at the altar with his back to the people, rather than standing at the North side of it),
  • wafer bread,
  • the mixed chalice (adding water to the wine),
  • and incense.

All except incense have been essentially “won”. Many (“catholic-minded”) would use leavened bread. And when it comes to the eastward position, most now prefer standing around the altar.

The battle for the centrality of the Eucharist has been “won”. The Lord’s own service for the Lord’s own people on the Lord’s own day.

There are still some battles:
Formation, training, and study are ongoing issues. As is reverence for the Eucharist, issues with ordination, the lectionary, the use of wine, and reservation. Furthermore, Catholic Anglicans can be some of the most congregational of all.

Whilst externals are not unimportant (internal catholic spirituality is expressed and nourished by externals), Anglo-Catholics can still be perceived as fussy and obsessive. A bigger warning: externals (the 6, or whatever number of points) do not make one catholic. There are those without a catholic theology or spirituality wearing chasubles, with candles on their table, adding water to the wine, and/or using wafers.

And we need to be honest: catholic spirituality is struggling within Anglicanism.

Catholic Anglicanism answers yearning for holistic, positive, spirituality; intelligent spirituality – where science and religion are NOT brought into conflict; where, for ethics, one does more than simply quote Bible verses, and with ethics that goes beyond the bedroom. Catholic Anglicanism has a social justice tradition so desperately needed in a world of climate change, poverty, and refugees.

So, here are 6 new points sketched out for 21st Century Anglo-Catholic spirituality, six dimensions/aspects of catholic spirituality for Anglicans. They are both characteristics and challenges:

1) Sacramental & incarnational
2) Orthodox – that includes reclaiming the word; Trinitarian – not individualistic
3) Disciplined – spiritual direction; confession; learning from great traditions of religious orders: Benedictine, Franciscan,…
4) Social justice – back to 19th century roots connected to Christian Socialism; poor; urban – now including environmental issues
5) Comfortable with mystery, ambiguity, non-literal, doubt, uncertainty, being wrong
6) Humour – parties (including Jesus’ example and teaching)

What do you think about those six points? Do you have different ones? A different list?

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15 thoughts on “Six New Anglo-Catholic Points”

  1. Fr. John-Julian,OJN

    Why am I not surprised to find Bosco right once again?

    The simple fact is this: the entire spectrum of church life—liturgical, social, political, pastoral, structural, educational, ethical—depends upon its spirituality— and yet the teaching and practice of serious spirituality is probably the weakest place in the church’s functional agenda. I grew up in a “famous” Anglo-Catholic parish—and never once heard of anything called “contemplative prayer.” And in my sixty plus years of priesthood I have never heard a parish sermon on serious Christian spirituality.

    In my conversations with seminarians I have tried to say that the development of a mature, serious spiritual life ought to be of first importance—and everything else about priesthood and the pastoral life will spring from that.

    We have had massive programs to increase congregations, to undertake social service projects, to convert young people, etc.,etc. without the spiritual base which will make all those things happen automatically.

    1. Thanks, Fr John-Julian. Fascinatingly, this is a central part of my teaching/preaching to young people. The hunger and need for “contemplative prayer” – although they might use different words – is clear and strong. Blessings.

  2. This is very much in line with study I am currently doing – is it possibke to get a copy of your talk to the Hui?

    1. Thanks, Margaret. My talk is not in a publishable form – more in notes form. I will email you links to the blog posts that give the essence of what I talked about (give me some days – I have a few busy days ahead). Blessings.

  3. 7) A thoughtful and creative relationship to tradition.

    It’s appropriate that “Sacramental & incarnational” appears as the first item, because everything else on your list flows from that source.

  4. You echo much of my own thinking. While I serve in a middle of the road parish in the UK, there is a lot of Catholic thinking in our working out our spiritual life. And we do encourage and teach about our Spiritual (or inner life) as being central to our prayer life and worshiping community.

    I have to say that I find most of that sense of spirituality among the older people, which is the focus of my ministry. Particularly those I would describe as Cradle Christians, those who have been in church since the cradle and who we think might be quite blase about their faith, but I have found a depth of personal spirituality in a wide range of people, that encourages my own journey as I seek to meet them.

    It’s the older people who participate in small groups or courses that we run regularly, who bring a life time of insight in living a life as a Christian in many secular spheres, but whose witness to the Gospel is vibrant, open and living. But I’ve also seen it among the young as well. Their curiosity and keen and often very direct questions show an interest and thirst to learn more, to have answers to questions that don’t prevaricate but are clear and understandable can be both a key to our own deeper thinking, but also to how we explain about the Sacraments and the mysteries, which we take on trust and faith in God’s Word. While we have quite a few young families in our parish, we sometimes struggle to meet their needs. Time and resources are stretched, but we somehow need to cope with these difficulties and have faith in God’s providence to add more to the growth of vocations, among the younger members, who have so many external influences, vying for their attention.

    One way that I see of doing this is to move a little more towards the Anglo Catholic Centre ground, and as we will soon be seeking a new Incumbent, I am going to press this case when we design our statement of need. Some will be comfortable with it, while others might doubt a little, but surely, God’s mission to us is to use all possible sources to make disciples and to build his Kingdom here and now.

  5. It is posts like this that make me glad to have two computers! One to read, one to research. I was aware of many of the underlying issues, but had not realized all the controversy over candles, wafers v. bread, vestments, diluted wine… (we had no wine in our communion “wine”). Bring the popcorn again (um, is real butter ok or do I risk a schism?)!

    I much prefer the six you recommend–much more toothsome than considering candles or gluten-free wafers… and kudos again to you for bringing in the contemplation– of causing me to dig to understand the water with the wine.. Taking the time to understand contemplative prayer and its value I think is so much more relevant to one’s development.

    1. Thanks, Clare. I was delighted to spend time with Father Richard Peers when he was in NZ recently. He is an important thinker and we often bat ideas around online. I would see eucharistic as front and centre of my first point? Blessings.

      1. Yes it is front and centre, I guess I’d love that to be explicit. The restoration of the Eucharist to the heart of Anglican worship was what the ACs worked for. But, I do like the simplicity of what you have

  6. Sounds great, but maybe one more to make 7.

    How about a parrot in a golden cage that is trained to lead the congregation’s responses?

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