Our common life: approaching the catholic faith through the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion
Ongoing catechesis – Lent 2018
Articles I-VIII: The Catholic Faith
The Substance (Articles I-V)
The Holy Trinity (1)
The Son of God (2-4)
The Holy Ghost (5)
The Rule (Articles VI-VIII)
The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation
The Old Testament
The three Creeds
Articles IX-XVIII: Reformation Truth & the Life of Faith
Its commencement (Articles 9-14)
9 – Original sin
10 – Free will
11 – Justification
12-14 – Good works
Its course (Articles 15-18)
15 – Christ’s sinlessness
16 – Sin after baptism
17 – Predestination & election
18 – Christ alone for salvation
Catholicity in the Articles
Correction on Augustine
I said I thought this was the case for Augustine delayed baptism until his deathbed
However, I was wrong.
Augustine was born to a Christian mother (St. Monica), and was not baptized as an infant for uncertain reasons
In any event, Augustine rejected the Christian faith in his youth.
When he finally converted, he was baptized about six months later by Ambrose. So, as far as I can tell none of Fathers wrote in favor of the practice.
The most notable person to delay their baptism until death that I found was the first Christian emperor, Constantine.
SO MANY ARTICLES AAAAHHHHHH
XIX. Of the Church. (Part 1)
The Visible Church
Why would we need to describe the visible church, if we know how individuals are saved?
Visible vs Invisible Church
Describing the Church Creedally
Describing the Church Reformationally
XIX. Of the Church. (Part 2)
Ecclesiastical humility
Of the Authority of the Church.
XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils
XXII. Of Purgatory.
XXIII. Of Ministering in the Congregation.
It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and send Ministers into the Lord’s vineyard.
XXIV. Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth.
It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.
XXV. Of the Sacraments (Part I)
Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God’s good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.
XXV. Of the Sacraments (Part 2)
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.
XXV. Of the Sacraments (Part 3)
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.
XXVI. Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacraments.
XXVII. Of Baptism.
Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New-Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed, Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God.
The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.
XXVIII. Of the Lord’s Supper (Part 1)
The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ’s death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ.
XXVIII. Of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2)
Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.
XXVIII. Of the Lord’s Supper (Part 3)
The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith.
XXVIII. Of the Lord’s Supper (Part 4)
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was not by Christ’s ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
XXIX. Of the Wicked, which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord’s Supper.
The Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ; yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing.
XXX. Of both Kinds.
The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord’s Sacrament, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike.
XXXI. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross.
The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.
