"Seen from certain perspectives, the Henrician settlement looks less like 'Catholicism without the Pope' than like Lutheranism without justification by faith." - Alec Ryrie (The Strange Death of Lutheran England)
- HT Dr. Tighe (and thanks for a most fascinating article!)
Hmmm...I am not sure I agree at with that statement. I did some research on the AC's influence on the doctrinal developments of the Church of England. Under Henry the doctrinal statements and confessions put out were very strong on justification by faith. Remember, it was under Henry that the Wittenberg Articles were formulated, articles which proved to be very influential on the doctrine of justification for the Church of England.
ReplyDeleteMy research can be read, dissected and torn apart here: http://lutherantheology.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/a-lutheran-influence/
Here is the relevant bit from that above mentioned essay:
ReplyDelete"In The Ten Articles (1536), which were penned shortly after the English delegates returned from Wittenberg and hence were influenced by The Wittenberg Articles, we read that justification “signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God…our perfect renovation in Christ.”(44) They proceed to state that sinners attain justification “by contrition and faith joined with charity…not as though our contrition or faith, or any works preceding thereof, can worthily merit or deserve to obtain said justification…” Instead, it is only the grace and mercy of the Father, promised to us for the sake of His Son, and the merits of his blood and passion, that are the only sufficient causes of our justification.(45)
"Here we see the effects of the Wittenberg meetings upon the English doctrinal formulations as it is stressed that justification signifies the remission of sins and his or her acceptance and reconciliation into the grace and favour of God, or “our perfect renovation in Christ.” What is interesting is the stressed laid upon the role of good works in the life of a human being, both before and after justification, which is given much ink in The Ten Articles. It was stated that sinners attain justification by contrition and faith “joined with charity.” If this statement was left as it is, Lutherans probably would object, saying that our good works in no way contribute to our justification. But here we might see even more of the Lutheran influence as The Ten Articles precede to make the important caveat that works which precede our justification can in no way merit said justification. Instead, stress is laid upon the duty of the justified following his or her justification, stating that we must have good works of charity and obedience to God. Further, while the attainment of everlasting life is conjoined with justification “yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life…”(46)
"The Lutheran reformers were not blind to this vital, and possibly contentious, relationship between faith and good works, for they were “falsely accused of forbidding good works.”(47) They proceeded to confess that “our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins and grace…”,(48) hence dealing with the status of works prior to justification. But as the Ten Articles would later proceed to do, so to the framers of the AC treated of works subsequent to a sinner’s justification, stating “Our teachers teach in addition that it is necessary to do good works, not that we should trust to merit grace by them but because it is the will of God.”(49) While there is great consonance between the AC and The Ten Articles on both works prior and subsequent to justification, one could quibble that the traditionalist views of Henry still worked their influence in the statement of The Ten Articles due to the confession that our good works are “necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life.”"
And so, like I state above, one could quibble over the statement dealing with good works and everlasting life but I don't think one can honestly conclude that the Ten Articles confess a Lutheranism without justification by faith.
Bryce,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on these points, having been in the Anglican Church. The 10 articles also deal with works of supererogation and that you can not build up a store house of merit to be dispensed, speaks in another place that "good works" prior to justification are deplorable in the sight of God.
They would not argue that justification is by grace through faith in Christ alone at all from what I saw in their teachings. Their liturgy also makes it very clear that we come before God the Father through faith in the work of Christ and by no other means.
Unless I am much misreading the article, the point was addressing HENRY'S own approach; not that of those around him - many of whom were (as the article goes on to demonstrate) quite Lutheran.
ReplyDeleteHenry always rejected anything resembling "justification by faith alone." This was one of the few matters on which Cranmer sought to argue with, and correct (according to his lights) Henry -- but Henry would have none of it.
ReplyDeleteHenry did accept the Ten Articles in 1536 -- but at the same time he made it clear that no traditional practices or customs would be abolished bwecause of them (Henry's endorsement of a selective form of iconoclasm came later). In 1537 he appears to have had second thoughts, and at his behest, and after some contentious meetings, the bishops produced "the Bishops' Book" for the king's approval. Once again, seven sacraments were asserted, and traditional ceremonies were upheld. But Henry filled the book with hostile marginal annotations whenever "justification by faith" appeared in it, and in the end refused to accept it.
In 1538 further negotiations took place, with the Ten Articles of 1536 as their basis. This time, three sacraments were accepted by both sides, and a very diluted statement on justification by faith was being discussed -- when Henry made it clear that on no account would clerical celibacy, communion in one kind and private masses be subject to question or alteration. At this point the Lutheran representatives terminated the discussions and returned to Germany.
There followed Henry's sharp reversion to a more tradtional stance in 1539-1542, accompanied by proscriptions and burnings, and then, finally, the confused policies (and politics) of the final years of the reign, 1543-1547, which ended with a ourge of the more traditionally-minded (for alleged treason) in late 1546, and the reform-minded in complete control of the gov't by the time of Henry's demise in January 1547
I appreciate the analysis and this is something that I will have to read more about in the future.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't have the essay: What would be the actual ramifications of this thesis for the Church of England today, if any?