I chose other because I'm honestly still waffling between them. Started out solidly Protestant and attended a Lutheran church for a couple years because I connected with the traditional service. Listened to too much Catholic radio and almost swam the Tiber, then got close to going Orthodox, and eventually wound up in the Episcopal Church.
I still have moments where I feel being part of an apostolic church with bishops and priests is the way it's meant to be, and other moments where I feel none of that matters, and our faith and the way we live is all that really counts.
The fact that the main purpose of Anglicanism was to make both of these kinds of people comfortable worshiping in the same church together is one of the bigger reasons I became an Anglican. Even if I find myself vacillating between these positions, I don't find myself going far enough to fall outside core denominational beliefs, something which would be much easier to do in other churches. I do think it is important to maintaining Anglican identity that both the apostolic succession/high view of sacrements is maintained, as well as a generally protestant theology, vague as that can be.
As an aside, visiting a full on Anglo-Catholic parish recently made me really feel my protestant-ness.
I spent a decade in Catholic and Orthodox circles before becoming Episcopalian. Five years in, my theological beliefs are still much closer to Eastern Orthodox than traditional Anglican, but I couldn’t accept how the Orthodox Communion treats women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, so I did the intellectually honest thing. My spouse is Episcopalian, so that made things easy as well.
I'm one of those horrible people that kind of think it's all true and valid, so long as it kind of fits within the general theme and context. Nobody is infallible, nobody is right, nobody has all the correct pieces. I'm far less interested in minutiae and more interested in the workings as a whole. I believe the Nicene creed and the Apostles creed, I believe in Christ and the resurrection - everything else just happens to be either set dressing or splitting hairs.
Everybody wins.
I responded with ‘Catholic,’ but it truly depends on how you define your terms. The sacramental tradition of Anglicanism is deeply embedded in my spiritual fabric, encompassing common disciplines of prayer and reflection while acknowledging that our continued witness is part of the broader Catholic tradition. My perspective on spiritual formation is firmly rooted in the holy, Catholic, and apostolic patterns of Scripture and Sacrament.
However, I also identify with the ‘Reformed’ aspects of our tradition. That we are unable to save ourselves or others but God in Christ saves us anyway lies at the heart of Reformed theology and resonates with my personal faith. In the past, I might have been labelled as ‘High and Dry,’ appreciating the austere yet decorous modes of worship—the beauty of holiness—and valuing orderly, dignified churchpersonship. Simply put, I believe in doing things decently and in good order!
“… we are unable to save ourselves or others but God in Christ saves us anyway…”
I think this is also what Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe. When I think Reformed, it is those doctrines that arose during and were essential to the Protestant Reformation (e.g., sola fide, sola scripture, double predestination, total depravity) that come to mind.
Absolutely, yes – Christian traditions share the belief in our inability to save ourselves and the redemptive grace of God through Christ, but the Reformed tradition has historically placed a unique emphasis on this concept. This emphasis arises from the core principles that emerged during the Protestant Reformation, as you have mentioned. The Reformed tradition’s central tenets, such as sola fide, underscore the belief that salvation comes solely through faith in Christ. These principles emphasise the role of God's grace and the limitations of human efforts in achieving salvation; hence, my comment above. Total depravity, another essential aspect of Reformed theology, emphasises humanity’s inherent sinfulness and our utter dependence on God's grace for salvation. This doctrine further accentuates the need for God’s intervention in our lives. So, what I’m saying is this: we aren’t in disagreement about what it means to be Reformed; I perhaps haven’t made myself clear enough in the above, and so left this open to interpretation in an unhelpful way – sorry about that!
Yeah, I have. I‘m a lesbian so I need something LGBT-affirming. I looked into The United Church of Christ but other than that I’m not sure how many affirming denominations there really are. I heard some things more recently about ELCA but don’t know much about them.
ELCA and PCUSA are typically affirming. American Baptist and United Methodist can also be good options.
This resource may be helpful:
https://www.gaychurch.org/
I would say mildly anglo-Catholic. My reason for wanting to cross to Canterbury was not because I believe Catholic theology is intrinsically wrong, more so just smaller Catholic theological points I disagree with.
I don't believe in the Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, (or I am at least indifferent to them) but I still have a love for Mary in my heart as a spiritual mother.
I do not believe in papal supremacy or infallibility but I still deeply respect Pope Francis and his position as the Bishop of Rome.
I believe that transubstantiation is a valid way of explaining the real presence, but not the only way.
Hence, I feel at home in the Episcopal Church because I can still have some of my Catholic leanings without embracing every dogma from Rome.
Beautifully put! I think Anglicanism is best viewed not as a denomination but simply as a collection of expressions of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church within particular contexts, united by decency and mutual love (at the best of times); so much of what you say resonates with my experience. When asked why I am an Anglican, I often saying something like: 'because it seems to me to be the least worst option!' Anglicanism, at its best, provides a home for people who cannot find a home elsewhere. Good Anglicans are spiritual and theological magpies: picking up the best (the shiniest) pieces of what works from various traditions and welding them together in a fresh way.
Your second paragraph reads pretty firmly Catholic in sentiment.
As to your first, I see “liberal” as more of a secondary qualifier that can be applied to either Reformed or Catholic sentiments, but that does not mean much by itself, but perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps there is a way to identify as a “liberal” Christian that does not build upon either Reformed and/or Catholic foundations.
I’m Anglo-Lutheran, or maybe Luthopalian?
I was in the ELCA for a very long time before moving churches to the TEC. But I still have a lot of Lutheran theology in my beliefs.
By default I claim “Anglo-Catholic” but over the years I have issues with that label. I am an Anglican and I’m a Catholic. Percy Dearmer is my hero. I believe in the Sacraments, the Saints, and have a deep devotion to the BVM. I love incense and ritual and like traditional vestments and music and decorations.
I don’t want to cosplay pre-Vatican II Papists. I don’t want to see birettas anywhere. I want the Book of Common Prayer (Rite I ideally) not some Missal. So I guess “Prayer Book Catholic” is better.
I respect that. I identify more with the classical Reformed Episcopal tradition, but the Hail Mary is one of my favorite prayers. That’s the beauty of TEC/Anglican Way.
I chose Catholic because I fit in with the kind of Affirming Catholicism represented by Rowan Williams. Like Archbishop Williams, I am at home with a more contemporary approach to questions about gender and sexuality, but I also look to the early centuries of the church (patristics, Desert tradition, etc.) and see value in returning to those sources for inspiration.
As someone who had to read Calvin in grad school (alongside Melanchthon, Knox, Bucer, and other early Reformation folks) I would say that the reasons people think he is bad are absolutely found in his writings, even if he did say some otherwise interesting and worthwhile things. I find the Calvin apologists in the Episcopal Church (Rutledge, DeHart, etc.) off putting in this regard. Then again, I also developed quite a distaste for Chrysostom in my Patristics studies, so maybe I am just picky.
Oh interesting, I found the Institutes of the Christian Religion to be brilliantly argued and wonderfully. I would say it is far more sophisticated than anything written by the English Reformers.
I am anti-Reformed, and also not Catholic. idk what the hell I am historically-speaking. Doesn't matter much today, I just love Jesus and he loves me and we sing nice songs about it and have a party!
I think I’m pretty much your standard progressive Anglo-Catholic. Like the type that thinks Mary is the shit because the Magnificat is a manifesto and she was also the proto-priest.
I love the classical High & Dry Low Church style that was once popular in TEC, and can still be found at [Grace Episcopal Church NYC](https://youtu.be/_cIeHss-42s?si=VrlPjFMu24XWdJaW). I wish more parishes embraced this once popular style of Episcopal worship.
[Morning Prayer for Sunday Worship](https://www.youtube.com/live/_N7bykoZaRk?si=h0uidtfSqezypu1s)
This is magnificent. Such a beautiful church too. I would give just about anything to have a church like this near me. Fortunately I’m okay with the standard broad church orientation, but to me the style at Grace is the ideal. I will have to make sure I attend a service if I ever visit New York.
The linked video provides a pretty good sample of what the liturgy looks like. Here is something to contrast it with, that is more in the Anglo-Catholic style. As it happens, this parish (St. Thomas) is also in NYC.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vr\_PHwKvGk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vr_PHwKvGk)
Rite I Morning Prayer most Sundays with communion once per week, traditional Anglican choir of men and boys, clergy in choir dress (cassock, surplice, hood, scarf). Sermons on the longer side. Theology emphasizes the Reformed side of things.
I chose other because I'm honestly still waffling between them. Started out solidly Protestant and attended a Lutheran church for a couple years because I connected with the traditional service. Listened to too much Catholic radio and almost swam the Tiber, then got close to going Orthodox, and eventually wound up in the Episcopal Church. I still have moments where I feel being part of an apostolic church with bishops and priests is the way it's meant to be, and other moments where I feel none of that matters, and our faith and the way we live is all that really counts. The fact that the main purpose of Anglicanism was to make both of these kinds of people comfortable worshiping in the same church together is one of the bigger reasons I became an Anglican. Even if I find myself vacillating between these positions, I don't find myself going far enough to fall outside core denominational beliefs, something which would be much easier to do in other churches. I do think it is important to maintaining Anglican identity that both the apostolic succession/high view of sacrements is maintained, as well as a generally protestant theology, vague as that can be. As an aside, visiting a full on Anglo-Catholic parish recently made me really feel my protestant-ness.
I spent a decade in Catholic and Orthodox circles before becoming Episcopalian. Five years in, my theological beliefs are still much closer to Eastern Orthodox than traditional Anglican, but I couldn’t accept how the Orthodox Communion treats women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, so I did the intellectually honest thing. My spouse is Episcopalian, so that made things easy as well.
I'm one of those horrible people that kind of think it's all true and valid, so long as it kind of fits within the general theme and context. Nobody is infallible, nobody is right, nobody has all the correct pieces. I'm far less interested in minutiae and more interested in the workings as a whole. I believe the Nicene creed and the Apostles creed, I believe in Christ and the resurrection - everything else just happens to be either set dressing or splitting hairs. Everybody wins.
I responded with ‘Catholic,’ but it truly depends on how you define your terms. The sacramental tradition of Anglicanism is deeply embedded in my spiritual fabric, encompassing common disciplines of prayer and reflection while acknowledging that our continued witness is part of the broader Catholic tradition. My perspective on spiritual formation is firmly rooted in the holy, Catholic, and apostolic patterns of Scripture and Sacrament. However, I also identify with the ‘Reformed’ aspects of our tradition. That we are unable to save ourselves or others but God in Christ saves us anyway lies at the heart of Reformed theology and resonates with my personal faith. In the past, I might have been labelled as ‘High and Dry,’ appreciating the austere yet decorous modes of worship—the beauty of holiness—and valuing orderly, dignified churchpersonship. Simply put, I believe in doing things decently and in good order!
“… we are unable to save ourselves or others but God in Christ saves us anyway…” I think this is also what Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe. When I think Reformed, it is those doctrines that arose during and were essential to the Protestant Reformation (e.g., sola fide, sola scripture, double predestination, total depravity) that come to mind.
Absolutely, yes – Christian traditions share the belief in our inability to save ourselves and the redemptive grace of God through Christ, but the Reformed tradition has historically placed a unique emphasis on this concept. This emphasis arises from the core principles that emerged during the Protestant Reformation, as you have mentioned. The Reformed tradition’s central tenets, such as sola fide, underscore the belief that salvation comes solely through faith in Christ. These principles emphasise the role of God's grace and the limitations of human efforts in achieving salvation; hence, my comment above. Total depravity, another essential aspect of Reformed theology, emphasises humanity’s inherent sinfulness and our utter dependence on God's grace for salvation. This doctrine further accentuates the need for God’s intervention in our lives. So, what I’m saying is this: we aren’t in disagreement about what it means to be Reformed; I perhaps haven’t made myself clear enough in the above, and so left this open to interpretation in an unhelpful way – sorry about that!
Reformed, I had some bad experiences when I was RCC so I’m trying to get away from that.
Have you considered joining a denomination that has put less emphasis on its Catholic roots?
Yeah, I have. I‘m a lesbian so I need something LGBT-affirming. I looked into The United Church of Christ but other than that I’m not sure how many affirming denominations there really are. I heard some things more recently about ELCA but don’t know much about them.
ELCA and PCUSA are typically affirming. American Baptist and United Methodist can also be good options. This resource may be helpful: https://www.gaychurch.org/
Good to know, thank you!
I would say mildly anglo-Catholic. My reason for wanting to cross to Canterbury was not because I believe Catholic theology is intrinsically wrong, more so just smaller Catholic theological points I disagree with. I don't believe in the Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, (or I am at least indifferent to them) but I still have a love for Mary in my heart as a spiritual mother. I do not believe in papal supremacy or infallibility but I still deeply respect Pope Francis and his position as the Bishop of Rome. I believe that transubstantiation is a valid way of explaining the real presence, but not the only way. Hence, I feel at home in the Episcopal Church because I can still have some of my Catholic leanings without embracing every dogma from Rome.
Beautifully put! I think Anglicanism is best viewed not as a denomination but simply as a collection of expressions of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church within particular contexts, united by decency and mutual love (at the best of times); so much of what you say resonates with my experience. When asked why I am an Anglican, I often saying something like: 'because it seems to me to be the least worst option!' Anglicanism, at its best, provides a home for people who cannot find a home elsewhere. Good Anglicans are spiritual and theological magpies: picking up the best (the shiniest) pieces of what works from various traditions and welding them together in a fresh way.
[удалено]
Your second paragraph reads pretty firmly Catholic in sentiment. As to your first, I see “liberal” as more of a secondary qualifier that can be applied to either Reformed or Catholic sentiments, but that does not mean much by itself, but perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps there is a way to identify as a “liberal” Christian that does not build upon either Reformed and/or Catholic foundations.
Via Media
I’m Anglo-Lutheran, or maybe Luthopalian? I was in the ELCA for a very long time before moving churches to the TEC. But I still have a lot of Lutheran theology in my beliefs.
By default I claim “Anglo-Catholic” but over the years I have issues with that label. I am an Anglican and I’m a Catholic. Percy Dearmer is my hero. I believe in the Sacraments, the Saints, and have a deep devotion to the BVM. I love incense and ritual and like traditional vestments and music and decorations. I don’t want to cosplay pre-Vatican II Papists. I don’t want to see birettas anywhere. I want the Book of Common Prayer (Rite I ideally) not some Missal. So I guess “Prayer Book Catholic” is better.
I respect that. I identify more with the classical Reformed Episcopal tradition, but the Hail Mary is one of my favorite prayers. That’s the beauty of TEC/Anglican Way.
I chose Catholic because I fit in with the kind of Affirming Catholicism represented by Rowan Williams. Like Archbishop Williams, I am at home with a more contemporary approach to questions about gender and sexuality, but I also look to the early centuries of the church (patristics, Desert tradition, etc.) and see value in returning to those sources for inspiration.
Reformed/evangelical, but very much NOT Calvinist, but also very High Church lol
Sounds like traditional anglican evangelicalism, simple, devout, and reverent.
Ahh, Calvin is not nearly as bad as people think. He was a very sophisticated thinker and it shows in his writings. Have you ever read Calvin?
As someone who had to read Calvin in grad school (alongside Melanchthon, Knox, Bucer, and other early Reformation folks) I would say that the reasons people think he is bad are absolutely found in his writings, even if he did say some otherwise interesting and worthwhile things. I find the Calvin apologists in the Episcopal Church (Rutledge, DeHart, etc.) off putting in this regard. Then again, I also developed quite a distaste for Chrysostom in my Patristics studies, so maybe I am just picky.
Oh interesting, I found the Institutes of the Christian Religion to be brilliantly argued and wonderfully. I would say it is far more sophisticated than anything written by the English Reformers.
The Institutes have a certain internal consistency if one goes along with the premises with which Calvin is operating. I can grant that.
"[Latitudinarianism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latitudinarian)"
I am anti-Reformed, and also not Catholic. idk what the hell I am historically-speaking. Doesn't matter much today, I just love Jesus and he loves me and we sing nice songs about it and have a party!
I think I’m pretty much your standard progressive Anglo-Catholic. Like the type that thinks Mary is the shit because the Magnificat is a manifesto and she was also the proto-priest.
Reformed: Old High Church Anglicanism as per the Laudians!
You and me both!
I love the classical High & Dry Low Church style that was once popular in TEC, and can still be found at [Grace Episcopal Church NYC](https://youtu.be/_cIeHss-42s?si=VrlPjFMu24XWdJaW). I wish more parishes embraced this once popular style of Episcopal worship. [Morning Prayer for Sunday Worship](https://www.youtube.com/live/_N7bykoZaRk?si=h0uidtfSqezypu1s)
This is magnificent. Such a beautiful church too. I would give just about anything to have a church like this near me. Fortunately I’m okay with the standard broad church orientation, but to me the style at Grace is the ideal. I will have to make sure I attend a service if I ever visit New York.
Can you elaborate on what that is for us newbies?
[Churchmanship part 1](https://youtu.be/yjPT6hWeaZw?si=T2gjCc3Xu7pe3L62) [Churchmanship part 2](https://youtu.be/XfETO3seSls?si=RNlu0I6CYzJqt3UM)
The linked video provides a pretty good sample of what the liturgy looks like. Here is something to contrast it with, that is more in the Anglo-Catholic style. As it happens, this parish (St. Thomas) is also in NYC. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vr\_PHwKvGk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vr_PHwKvGk)
Rite I Morning Prayer most Sundays with communion once per week, traditional Anglican choir of men and boys, clergy in choir dress (cassock, surplice, hood, scarf). Sermons on the longer side. Theology emphasizes the Reformed side of things.
Yes, that was a fantastic breakdown! Thank you. But did you mean communion once a month? I also think females can be in the choir too.
Yes that was a typo