39 Articles
Commentary by The Rev. Andy Bracken
Each week, and for centuries, Christians meeting in private and corporate worship around the world have been reciting the basic profession of our faith using the words of the Nicene and Apostles Creeds. Along with the authority of Scripture, the Creeds are and have been the basic tenets of Christian belief.
During its infancy in the 16th century, the Church of England believed it needed to articulate its unique role in Christendom. As in most Christian traditions, one component of this has been an expression or Confession of Faith. It looks quite similar to what we would read in a creedal statement but more broadly articulates the doctrines of its belief. For example, at that time, the Lutherans had published the Augsburg Confession, Calvinists would later publish the Westminster Confession of Faith. Faced with the notion that the Anglican Church had no distinctive theology, in 1553 the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer presented his Forty-Two Articles to his church and crown. Later revised, the 39 Articles of Religion have stood as the confession of what Anglicans believe and have been included in each of the Books of Common Prayer (BCP) throughout our history (see p. 867 of the BCP.)
In the Articles, you will find doctrines of the Trinity, the nature of humanity and our salvation, sacramental theology and the church’s relation to the State. Beyond this relatively simple outline, three major themes run through the Articles: that Scripture is authoritative in all matters of faith and doctrine; that sinful humanity is justified by faith in the grace of God expressed in the sacrificial death of Christ; and that death is commemorated and celebrated in the service of Holy Communion where the consumption of physical bread and wine is likened unto the spiritual partaking of his body and blood.
Much more could be said as these are all very weighty topics on which entire libraries of scholarship have been devoted. I would encourage you to take some time to read through the 39 Articles. Test them against your own beliefs and preconceptions, and if you have any questions or need any further discussion, one of the Parish Ministers would welcome your inquiry.