Inv. 4410 DI 45 H43 PREFACE THIS Volume is composed of the Charge to the Cathedral Church and to the Clergy and Churchwardens of the Diocese prepared for my Primary Visitation. Owing to special circumstances only the first two chapters of the Charge and the last two Addresses to the Members of the Cathedral Church were actually delivered, as I found it necessary to dispense with the presence of the Clergy at the Visitation, and to leave the Chancellor of the Diocese to administer the Oath to the Churchwardens. Most of the Clergy will now, for the first time, become acquainted with the contents of this Charge. I have not, however, thought it necessary to remove the marks of its origin. A Charge does not deal with its subject in quite the formal manner of a set book. It discusses each point in close relationship with the problems and needs of the Diocese and of the particular occasions when it was delivered. There should be in it a personal touch, and for that personal touch I do not think that any apology is necessary. What I should like to apologize for is the slovenliness of much of the writing. The circumstances under which the Charge was written are the cause, and I do not feel that I have succeeded in removing irregularities of expression in my revision. I should like to express my thanks to Dr. Maynard Smith for his kindness in putting at my disposal and allowing me to publish the catena of passages of Anglican Divines of the sixteenth and seventeenth century on the position of the Church of England, especially in relation to the Church of Rome. Provided we do not allow ourselves to be controlled by it, a catena of passages is often of the greatest value. It makes clear to us both what the Church has agreed on and also-and that is most important what it has not agreed upon, and it prevents us from confusing the opinions of individual theologians with the common traditions of the Church. It enables us to distinguish the realities of the Anglican position from the one-sided opinion of different parties in the Church. The purpose of this Charge has been twofold. On the one side to investigate and define the position of the Church of England, and on the other to give directions and advice to the Clergy of the Diocese on questions of doctrine, worship and policy which are before us at the present time. I have tried throughout to define the principles of Anglicanism as they have gradually formed themselves in history, and to treat the detailed problems in the light of these principles. THE PALACE, GLOUCESTER. August 3, 1924. A. C. GLOUCESTER. CONTENTS The foundation of the Christian Church. The promise to St. Peter. Jesus and the Church. The Church in History. The Divisions of the Church. The true doctrine of the Church. The teaching of the THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND: HOW IT CAME TO BE WHAT IT IS 1. The Anglo-Saxon Church. Its double origin. A National 2. The Medieval Church. King and Pope. The decay of the Papacy. Wycliffe. The religion of the Middle 3. The Reformation. Its political causes. A national religion. The influence of Humanism. 4. The Church of the present day. Religious freedom. Comprehension. Movements of religious thought. The THE DOCTRINal Teaching of the Church of England 1. Our doctrinal Authority. Scripture. The Church. The Creeds. No infallibility. Christain Authority. 2. The Creed. The simplicity of the Faith. The Christo- logy of Chalcedon. The Virgin Birth. The Atonement. 3. The Sacraments. Their importance. Mediæval Develop- ments. The teaching of the English Church. Simplicity. Medieval Worship. The claim of the Church of England. 1. The principles of the Prayer Book. Loyalty to the Church. The authority of the Bishop. The tendencies in the Church. Variety in worship. 2. The Ornaments Rubric. The policy of Queen Elizabeth. 1. Desire for definite direction. Confession. Fasting. Fasting Communion. |