The 39 Articles.

[Jash Comstock]

I read here---http://www.churchsociety.org/churchman/documents/cman_116_3_harp.pdf--- an interesting essay that points out the need for confessional Anglicanism. I originally come from a confessional Anglican background myself, and still cherish many of its characteristics, including the 39 Articles. The writer of this essay states that a beautiful thing about the 39 Articles is their brevity and conciseness, which I agree with. What are your thoughts? Yay or nay to the brevity of the 39 Articles?

 

[Jake]

Brevity? It depends which is better.. a large fellowship with little roots in common (although the Anglican Communion would have more in common if even the 39 Articles were faithfully adhered to) or a smaller fellowship of churches who think likemindely and can more effectively work together?

Denominational distinctives aside, I think a group like the PCA, united around the WCF can work together more efficiently for the Gospel than a group like the SBC, united around the broad BF&M.

 

[Edward]

If you think of the 39 Articles as the framework for a house, and Westminster as the fully built house, which would you rather live in? The Articles are foundational and useful, but so much more useful the developed structure.

 

[Jash Comstock]

If you think of the 39 Articles as the framework for a house, and Westminster as the fully built house, which would you rather live in? The Articles are foundational and useful, but so much more useful the developed structure.

Touche. Great analogy

 

[Philip]

If you think of the 39 Articles as the framework for a house, and Westminster as the fully built house

My (confessional) Anglican friends would argue that the 39 are supposed to be complementary to the BCP and the ecclesial structure.

 

[yeutter]

Archbishop Cramner drew heavily on the Augsburg Confession when he composed the 39 Articles. Archbishop Ussher drew on the 39 Articles when he composed the Irish Articles of Religion, and wrote his Body of Divinity. The Westminster Divines composed the Westminster standards they drew heavily on the aforementioned works of Ussher. Therefore the Westminster Standards stand in the lineage of the 39 Articles.

 

[J. Dean]

If you think of the 39 Articles as the framework for a house, and Westminster as the fully built house, which would you rather live in? The Articles are foundational and useful, but so much more useful the developed structure.

Yes but the Bible trumps both

 

[cajunhillbilly53]

I consider thhe 39 Articles to be Reformed in nature. As an Anglican I see them as expressing my views vevy well.