'We do not dream of anabaptistical perfection': Bramhall and the modesty of the Laudian vision of the Church Catholic

Bramhall, addressing a Roman apologist who accused the Church of England of schism, demonstrating the modesty and generosity of the Laudian vision in the midst of a disunited and divided Christendom, rejecting both "anabaptistical perfection" and complete agreement in doctrine and practice before living together in communion:

He maketh our Church to be in worse condition than the Church of the Donatists, because "Protestants grant" the Church of Rome doth still retain 'the essence of a true Church', but the Donatists did deny that the Catholic "Church of their time was a true Church". Doth he not see, that he argueth altogether against himself? The schism of the Donatists consisted therein, that they did uncharitably censure the Catholic Church to have lost the essence of the Church; this was indeed to go schismatically out of the communion of the Church: and on the other side this is our safety and security, that we are so far from censuring the Catholic Church, that we do not censure the Roman Church, which is but a particular Church, to be no Church, or to have lost its communion with Christ, nor have separated from it in any essential of Christian religion, but only in corruptions and innovations. Our charity freeth us from schism; the uncharitableness of the Donatists rendered them schismatics. It may be a good lesson for the Romanists, who tread too much in the steps of the Donatists ...

[We] do not dream of an anabaptistical perfection, and upon this very ground do admit them to be a true Church, though imperfect; who have not separated ourselves, but been chased away; who have only forsaken errors, not Churches, much less obstinately, and least of all in essentials; who would gladly be contented to wink at small faults, so they would not obtrude sinful duties upon us as a condition of their communion.

---

From The Works of The Most Reverend Father in God, John Bramhall, Volume II.

Comments

Why I support the ordination of women: a High Church reflection

A number of commenters on this blog have asked about my occasional expressions of support for the ordination of women to all three orders. With some hesitation, I have decided to post a summary of my own views on this matter. The hesitation is because I have sought on this blog to focus on issues and themes which can unify those who identify with or have respect (grudging or otherwise!) for what we might term 'classical' Anglicanism (the Anglicanism of the Formularies and - yes - of the Old High Church tradition). Some oppose the ordination of women (and I have friends and colleagues who do so, Anglo-Catholic, High Church, and Reformed Evangelical). Some of us support it (again, friends and colleagues covering a wide range of theological traditions). Below, I have organised my thinking around 5 points (needless to say, no reference to Dort is implied). 1. The Declaration for Subscription required of clergy in the Church of Ireland states: (6) I promise to submit ...

How the Old High tradition continued

Charles Gore's 1914 letter to the clergy of his diocese, ' The Basis of Anglican Fellowship ', can be regarded as a classical expression of the Prayer Book Catholic tradition. A key part of the letter - entitled 'Romanizing in the Church of England' - addressed the "Catholic movement", questioning beliefs and practices within it which tended to "a position which makes it very difficult for its extremer representatives to give an intelligible reason why they are not Roman Catholics". Gore provides the outlines of an alternative account and experience of catholicity within Anglicanism, defined by three characteristics. What is particularly interesting about these characteristics is their continuity with the older High Church tradition. Indeed, the central characteristic as set out by Gore was integral to High Church claims over centuries: To accept the Anglican position as valid, in any sense, is to appeal behind the Pope and the authority of t...

Pride, progressive sectarianism, and TEC on Facebook

Let me begin this post with an assumption that will be rejected by some readers of laudable Practice , but affirmed by other readers. Observing Pride is an understandable aspect of the public ministry of TEC. On previous occasions , I have rather robustly called for TEC to be much more aware and respectful of the social conservatism of the Red states and regions in which it ministers. A failure to do so risks TEC declining yet further into the irrelevance of progressive sectarianism. At the same time, TEC also obviously ministers in deep Blue states and metropolitan areas - and is the only Mainline Protestant tradition in which a majority of its members vote Democrat .* With Pride now an established civic commemoration, particularly in such contexts, there is a case for TEC affirming those aspects of Pride - the dignity of gay men and lesbian women, their contribution to civic life, and their place in the church's life - which cohere with a Christian moral vision. (I will n...

laudable Practice

Search This Blog