The 39 Articles of Religion are the foundational statements of Anglican doctrine and practice. They were adopted by the Church of England in 1571, after a long and turbulent process of reformation and consolidation. They reflect the historical and theological context of their time, as well as the distinctive identity of Anglicanism as a via media between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. In this article, we will briefly explore the origin, content, and significance of the 39 Articles, and how they continue to shape Anglican faith and life today.
The Origin of the 39 Articles
The 39 Articles have their roots in the English Reformation, which began in the 16th century under King Henry VIII. Henry’s break with Rome over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon led to the establishment of the Church of England as a national church, independent from papal authority. However, the doctrinal and liturgical direction of the new church was not clear, and various attempts were made to define its beliefs and practices in relation to the Catholic Church and the emerging Protestant movements in continental Europe.
The first attempt was the Ten Articles in 1536, which showed some slightly Protestant leanings, such as the rejection of purgatory, the invocation of saints, and the veneration of images and relics. However, they also affirmed the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the authority of the church to interpret Scripture, and the necessity of baptism and penance for salvation. The Ten Articles were followed by the Six Articles in 1539, which swung back to a more Catholic position, reaffirming transubstantiation, the celibacy of clergy, the use of Latin in worship, and the prohibition of communion in both kinds. The King’s Book in 1543 was another attempt to reconcile the Catholic and Protestant views, but it was largely ignored by both sides.
The reign of Henry’s son, Edward VI, saw a more radical shift towards Protestantism, under the influence of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and other reformers. In 1549, the first Book of Common Prayer was introduced, which simplified and revised the liturgy according to Protestant principles. In 1552, the Forty-two Articles were written, which expressed a Calvinist theology, rejecting the Catholic doctrines of purgatory, the intercession of saints, the sacrifice of the mass, and the authority of tradition. However, the Forty-two Articles were never officially adopted, as Edward died in 1553 and was succeeded by his half-sister Mary, who restored Catholicism and persecuted the Protestants.
The accession of Elizabeth I in 1558 marked the beginning of the Elizabethan Settlement, which aimed to establish a moderate and comprehensive form of Anglicanism that could accommodate both Catholics and Protestants. Elizabeth restored the second Book of Common Prayer, with some minor revisions, and appointed Matthew Parker as the Archbishop of Canterbury. Parker convened the Convocation of 1563, which revised the Forty-two Articles and reduced them to Thirty-eight Articles, which were more moderate and ambiguous than their predecessors. The Thirty-eight Articles were ratified by the Queen in 1570, but they were not published until 1571, when they were amended by the Convocation of 1571 and became the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion.
The Content of the 39 Articles
The 39 Articles are divided into four sections: Articles 1-8 deal with the doctrine of the Trinity and the person and work of Christ; Articles 9-18 deal with the doctrine of sin and salvation; Articles 19-31 deal with the doctrine of the church and the sacraments; and Articles 32-39 deal with the discipline and order of the church and the civil authorities.
The 39 Articles affirm the basic tenets of the Christian faith, such as the Trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, the resurrection, the ascension, and the second coming of Christ. They also affirm the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, the creeds, and the first four ecumenical councils. They reject the papal supremacy, the doctrine of purgatory, the invocation of saints, the veneration of images and relics, the sacrifice of the mass, the transubstantiation of the bread and wine, the five extra sacraments of the Catholic Church, and the necessity of works for justification. They affirm the doctrine of original sin, the doctrine of predestination, the doctrine of justification by faith alone, the doctrine of the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the doctrine of the two orders of ministry of bishops and priests, and the doctrine of the royal supremacy over the church.
The 39 Articles are not meant to be a comprehensive or systematic statement of the Christian faith, but rather a summary of the essential points of agreement and disagreement between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant churches. They are also not meant to be a rigid or infallible confession of faith, but rather a flexible and adaptable guide for teaching and learning. They allow for a diversity of interpretation and application, as long as they are consistent with Scripture and the catholic tradition.
The Significance of the 39 Articles
The 39 Articles have played an important role in the history and identity of Anglicanism. They have served as a basis for the unity and continuity of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, as well as a source of diversity and controversy. They have been used as a standard for ordination and subscription, as well as a criterion for doctrinal orthodoxy and heresy. They have been interpreted and applied in various ways by different schools of thought and movements within Anglicanism, such as the High Church, the Low Church, the Broad Church, the Evangelical, the Anglo-Catholic, the Liberal, and the Charismatic. They have also been revised and supplemented by other statements of faith, such as the Lambeth Quadrilateral, the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, the Lambeth Conferences, and the Anglican Communion Covenant.
The 39 Articles are not the only or the final expression of Anglican doctrine and practice, but they are a significant and enduring one. They reflect the historical and theological context of their time, as well as the distinctive identity of Anglicanism as a via media between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. They also invite us to engage with the living and dynamic tradition of Anglicanism, which is rooted in Scripture, shaped by reason, and enriched by experience. They challenge us to seek the truth in love, to hold fast to the essentials, and to be generous in the non-essentials. They call us to be faithful to the gospel, to be loyal to the church, and to be respectful of the world. They remind us that we are part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, and that we are called to be a witness and a servant of God’s kingdom.
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