"If we dare not approach Him": Jelf's Bampton Lectures on why the invocation of saints

In the fourth of his 1844 Bampton Lectures, An inquiry into the means of grace, their mutual connection, and combined use, with especial reference to the Church of England, Jelf - one of those whom Nockles lists as the 'Zs', the post-1833 continuation of the Old High tradition - turns to the matter of the invocation of saints. Mindful that this was but three years after Newman's attempt in Tract XC to undermine the teaching of Article 22, and that within a few decades advanced Anglo-catholic devotional manuals would be promoting this practice, Jelf's rejection of it is firm and robust, a statement of the classical Protestant position: "one of the worst corruptions of the Church of Rome".

As with the words of Holden Pott, quoted in a recent post, this demonstrates how the Old High tradition was an expression of magisterial Protestantism. What is more, this rejection of the practice of the invocation of saints continues to be normative for the vast majority of Anglicans and for authorised Anglican liturgies. While Jelf's language is not, of course, at all appropriate for an ecumenical age, and should not be employed by how contemporary Anglicans addressing the Roman Catholic practice. Jelf's stance is, however, significant as an expression of the theological principle underpinning rejection of the practice; as a reminder of why the teaching of Article 22 remains normative; and to explain why the vast majority of Anglicans do not invoke the saints.

it is in quality of His perfect Manhood, that the great Intercessor, perfect God and perfect Man, is pleased to be at all times accessible (we may say without presumption personally accessible) to His redeemed creatures; yet who is not so accessible, if we dare not approach Him, or if we seldom approach Him, without the aid of a subordinate intermediator ...

In the Roman Litanies, after the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, a multitude of saints, varying as the occasion requires, are directly invoked to aid the work of grace by their prayers. Hence God is entreated by the blood of Thomas à Becket (surely in awful parody on the invocation of God by the merit of that Blood which cleanseth all sins) to grant His grace. Hence Offices and Litanies proper to the Blessed Virgin, as the Queen of Heaven, the giver of grace ...

Multitudes of worshippers in the Roman obedience totally neglect Christ, His merits and mediation, and rest in the mediation and merits of the particular patron and local saints, looking for grace and mercy to them finally. The whole earth has been partitioned out amongst the various saints, or to different modifications of the same name. The Blessed Virgin has been dishonoured, indeed her person multiplied by a variety of titles. But what is dishonour done to the Virgin Mary, compared with the dishonour done to Almighty God? And yet it is to a Church such as this, with virtual idolatry and saint worship stamped upon her rituals, that we are invited to submit ourselves, as to the sole depository of the means of grace.

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...

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