You can read the full "teaser" on it here.
In his doctoral dissertation, Orthodox Anglican Identity, the Rev. Dr. Charles Erlandson examines this orthodox Anglican identity in terms of the complex identity that consists of structural, normative, stylistic, and historical definitions. Structurally, he argues, orthodox Anglicans desire to live together in a clear and authoritative communion life but are likely to produce a messy and ambiguous structural identity. Normatively, orthodox Anglicans desire to assert a relatively clear and strong identity by turning to the Bible, the Prayer Book, and the Articles but that many orthodox Anglicans will be unwilling to submit to the Prayer Book or Articles in any meaningful way, and important differences in the interpretation of Scripture will still exist. Stylistically, orthodox Anglicans are seeking a unity in comprehension of diverse spiritualities but practically speaking the comprehension required is so great that a clear and coherent orthodox Anglican identity will be difficult to maintain.
Erlandson concludes that while orthodox Anglicans are articulating a clear and coherent identity, they are likely to find themselves living in a historical reality that is also messy, diverse, and not as clearly Anglican as is commonly assumed, a reality he calls “Post-Anglican” Anglicanism."
There is a charge of $10 to download the PDF file (which is 322 pages, including End Notes). If any reader is sincerely interested in having a copy, but the $10 is an impediment, please contact me, and I will see what I can do to get you a copy.
3 comments:
I took a look at the parish website and it appeared to me that its clergy and probably people as well are something close to functional illiterates. The misuse an orthodox prayer book to the point that they have invented a religion that is other than what the prayer book, indeed the whole tradition of classical and orthodox Anglican prayer books demand. There are no daily services of Morning and Evening Prayer and while there are eight am services of Holy Communion every Sunday, it is only on the first Sunday of the month that the bulk of the congregation obeys our Lord's commandment to "do this." To me that is nothing less than Puritanism pretending to be Anglican and not Anglicanism at all.
Pity! Other than that they look fairly intelligent. Maybe they need to sing a few more stanzas of "Hear and obey."
Thank you for writing, canon tallis.
Your note is a delightful proof of the truth of Dr. Erlandson's thesis: that even in the gedankenexperiment in which we drop the L-bomb (which magically rids Anglicanism of all theological Liberals and revisionists), it would still be very, very difficult for the remaining (godly) Anglicans to get along with one another, and for them to treat one another as beloved brethren, as fellow Anglicans.
Thanks again for writing!
--Paul
Hot Rod Anglican
I like how Canon Tallis designates this group of people "functional illiterates" and then begins his next sentence with "The misuse an orthodox prayer book". Excellent.
Post a Comment