Anglican/Methodists in Britain

[Diane_Windsor]

http://www.anglican-methodist.org.uk/

St. Mary's Church (http://www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk/)

:groupray:

[TomUK]

Thanks for remninding us all of that - the Anglican-Methodist covenant is a really positive step towards unity.

I don't quite see why you posted the church link though.

:wave: Tom

[Diane_Windsor]

Tom,

From the church site:

Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
Shared by the Church of England and Methodist Church


(Underline mine.)

DIANE
:)

[TomUK]

Well how was i supposed to spot that! :P

[Diane_Windsor]

Well how was i supposed to spot that! :P

It is at the top of the home page :P Since you're in Britain perhaps you can make a visit.

diane
:)

[Naomi4Christ]

You'd need a better reason that that to go to Rickmansworth

[higgs2]

You'd need a better reason that that to go to Rickmansworth
nice slippers

[Diane_Windsor]

You'd need a better reason that that to go to Rickmansworth

How close is Watford? If it's close you could go catch a Hornets match (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford_F.C.). :D

Diane

[Naomi4Christ]

I only go to Watford for Costco

[Naomi4Christ]

BTW,

We have an Anglican/Methodist LEP in our deanery, as well as an Anglican/United LEP.

[SirTimothy]

Yep, I know of at least one in brum. I am very pleased to be honest with you.

Timothy

[Diane_Windsor]

I only go to Watford for Costco

That's a shame-you should really go to a Hornets or Saracens match :D :D

diane

[ContraMundum]

I wish I was in both communions at once. It's hard preaching Methodism in an Anglican church these days, yet it is such an important emphasis and message. I really pray that one day this seperation will all be behind us.

[Wiffey]

I think this is a wonderful example of brotherhood. :thumbsup:

[CSMR]

EDIT - in error as pointed out by Contramundum

[Diane_Windsor]

My family is mostly Anglicans and Methodists. I think it is good that there is cooperation. I am somewhat skeptical about union because Methodism ended up affirming natural human freedom with Wesley against our articles on sin and grace. Often in practice Methodist preaching is fine and put our work and God's work in the right order. But can Methodism officially accept the 39 articles (they have only 35 of them) and if not can there be union?

I don't think that would be an issue. Aren't the 39 Articles of Religion placed in the Historical Documents section of the Book of Common Prayer?

DIANE
:wave:

[pmcleanj]

I don't think that would be an issue. Aren't the 39 Articles of Religion placed in the Historical Documents section of the Book of Common Prayer?

DIANE
:wave:
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer only applies in ECUSA. England still uses the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; and the Canadian province's 1662 Book of Common Prayer although it has minor additions to the 1662 BCP doesn't have a "historical documents" division. And there are some in ECUSA who would argue that "historical" doesn't equate to "obsolete".

In fact, we are formed and shaped by our history. Even historically, of course, the 39 articles were not a binding confession -- and that fact too shapes Anglican thought. But the 39 Articles remain a significant part of the theological thinking, discussion, and tensions by which we define ourselves as Anglican.

[ContraMundum]

My family is mostly Anglicans and Methodists. I think it is good that there is cooperation. I am somewhat skeptical about union because Methodism ended up affirming natural human freedom with Wesley against our articles on sin and grace. Often in practice Methodist preaching is fine and put our work and God's work in the right order. But can Methodism officially accept the 39 articles (they have only 35 of them) and if not can there be union?

Actually, friend, Wesley never affirmed "natural human freedom", not once. This is why he is not considered an "Arminian" in the classical sense (and the Remonstrants never affirmed natural human freedom either, btw- check it out). In fact, the Methodist Articles of Religion are merely slightly truncated versions of the 39 Articles on the issues you indicated.

Please check them out.

http://www.godonthe.net/cme/methdist/articles.htm

What Wesley affirmed was almost the same as Calvinists on this matter, with the exception that Wesley taught that God offers and gives prevenient grace to mankind, which enables one to choose to follow Christ. This means, in agreement with Reformed theology, that God is the sole source of all salvation and grace, as only His initiative can cause man to turn to Him.

It's a complicated subject and we would never do it justice here but I like to think Wesley knew what his own theology was about when he said "we are a hair's breadth from Calvinism".

I hope this helps us all see that Methodism is quite compatible with Anglicanism, which is diverse enough to accomodate far less orthodox forms of Christianity, let alone something as foundationally scriptural as Methodism.

[CSMR]

I am sorry Contramundum I misremembered the Methodist articles which I had read quite a long while back. I remembered that they were the Anglican articles with some parts taken out but I got those parts wrong, perhaps because of reading about the Wesley/Whitefield controversy in the interim. Now it seems the major cuts are to allow for Wesley's belief that a Christian is in himself perfectible; is that correct?
Now certainly I was wrong about the differences in the articles (although there is a certain freedom allowed by the methodist articles, to stand in power over the grace of God and choose whether to accept it or not), but not that there are differences, and would it be acceptable, even if we agree that Methodism is more sound than much of Anglicanism, to unite the Anglican church with does not accept its principles - even if many Anglicans also do not? Allying is one thing, but uniting is another.

[ContraMundum]

I am sorry Contramundum I misremembered the Methodist articles which I had read quite a long while back. I remembered that they were the Anglican articles with some parts taken out but I got those parts wrong, perhaps because of reading about the Wesley/Whitefield controversy in the interim. Now it seems the major cuts are to allow for Wesley's belief that a Christian is in himself perfectible; is that correct?

I'm not sure if Wesley's "Christian Perfection" is at odds with the Articles. I would suggest that such a teaching is not, but I suppose it would make an interesting topic.

Now certainly I was wrong about the differences in the articles (although there is a certain freedom allowed by the methodist articles, to stand in power over the grace of God and choose whether to accept it or not), but not that there are differences, and would it be acceptable, even if we agree that Methodism is more sound than much of Anglicanism, to unite the Anglican church with does not accept its principles - even if many Anglicans also do not? Allying is one thing, but uniting is another.

I hear you brother. I suppose the common ground with Methodists is fine, but perhaps other issues, which stand clearly outside of the in-house debates within Anglicanism (such as liberalism etc) are another thing. I'll be an interested onlooker in this development.