'The communion of Christian people of the Nicene Faith': the generous orthodoxy of Jeremy Taylor

From the Preface to Taylor's The Psalter of David (1647), a statement of gracious and generous orthodoxy, in a time of bitter and violent confessional divisions in these Islands and in Europe:

For in that which is most concerning, and is the best preserver of charity, I mean practical devotion and active piety, the differences of Christendom are not so great and many, to make an eternal dis-union and fracture; and if we instance in Prayer, there is none at all abroad (some indeed we have commenc'd at home, but) in the great divisions of Christendom, none at all but concerning the object of our prayers and adorations. For the Socinian shuts the Holy Ghost from his Litanies, and places the Son of God in a lower form of address. But concerning him I must say, as S. Paul said of the unbelievers, What have I to do with them that are without?

For this very thing that they disbelieve the article of the holy Trinity, they make themselves uncapable of the communion of other Christian people of the Nicene Faith, and we cannot so much as join with them in good prayers, because we are not agreed concerning the persons to whom our devotions must be addressed; and Christendom never did so lightly esteem the article of the holy Trinity, as not to glory in it, and confess it publicly, and express it in all our offices. The holy Ghost together with the Father and the Son must be worshipped and glorified.

But since all Christians of any public confession and government, that is, all particular and national Churches, agree in the matter of prayers, and the great object, God in the mystery of the Trinity, if the the Church of Rome would make her addresses to God only, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and leave the Saints in the Calendar, without drawing them into her offices (which they might doe without any prejudice to the suits they ask, unless Christs intercession without their conjuncture were imperfect) that we might all once pray together, we might hope for the blessings of peace and charity to be upon us all.

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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

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Pride, progressive sectarianism, and TEC on Facebook

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