Fundamental Declarations Compared

By Robin G. Jordan

Introduction

In my previous article, “The Need for a New Rallying Point” I drew attention to the need for a new set of Fundamental Declarations for the Anglican Church in North America, which are not only more comprehensive in their recognition of divergent opinions among orthodox Anglicans but also displays greater solidarity with the Anglican entities that have supported the establishment of a new orthodox province in North America and extend their recognition to the ACNA as that province in formation. In this article I offer the fundamental declarations or equivalent of a number of Anglican provinces and one extramural Anglican ecclesial body for comparison with the Fundamental Declarations set forth in Article I of the ACNA Constitution. They include the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Cone, the Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. With one exception of the all of these entities either have ties to GAFCON or have church groups and organizations with ties to GAFCON.

The Anglican Church of Australia – Fundamental Declarations and Ruling Principles

The Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia is a GAFCON member and a Jerusalem Declaration signatory. Archbishop Peter Jensen is the General Secretary of GAFCON. The Anglican Church League of Sydney is also a major GAFCON supporter.

Chapter I.-Fundamental Declarations

1. The Anglican Church of Australia, being a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, holds the Christian Faith as professed by the Church of Christ from primitive times and in particular as set forth in the creeds known as the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.

2. This Church receives all the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith given by inspiration of God and containing all things necessary for salvation.

3. This Church will ever obey the commands of Christ, teach His doctrine, administer His sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, follow and uphold His discipline and preserve the three orders of bishops, priests and deacons in the sacred ministry.

Chapter II.-Ruling Principles

4. This Church, being derived from the Church of England, retains and approves the doctrine and principles of the Church of England embodied in the Book of Common Prayer together with the Form and Manner of Making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons and in the Articles of Religion sometimes called the
Thirty-nine Articles but has plenary authority at its own discretion to make statements as to the faith ritual ceremonial or discipline of this Church and to order its forms of worship and rules of discipline and to alter or revise such statements, forms and rules, provided that all such statements, forms, rules or alteration or revision thereof are consistent with the Fundamental Declarations contained herein and are made as prescribed by this Constitution. Provided, and it is hereby further declared, that the above-named Book of Common Prayer, together with the Thirty-nine Articles, be regarded as the authorised standard of worship and doctrine in this Church, and no alteration in or permitted variations from the services or Articles therein contained shall contravene any principle of doctrine or worship laid down in such standard.

Provided further that until other order be taken by canon made in accordance with this Constitution, a bishop of a diocese may, at his discretion, permit such deviations from the existing order of service, not contravening any principle of doctrine or worship as aforesaid, as shall be submitted to him by the incumbent and churchwardens of a parish.

Provided also that no such request shall be preferred to the bishop of a diocese until the incumbent and a majority of the parishioners present and voting at a meeting of parishioners, duly convened for the purpose, shall signify assent to such proposed deviations. Such meeting shall be duly convened by writing, placed in a prominent position at each entrance to the church and by announcement at the morning and evening services, or at the service if only one, at least two Sundays before such meeting, stating the time and place of such meeting, and giving full particulars of the nature of the proposed deviation.

5. Subject to the Fundamental Declarations and the provisions of this chapter this Church has plenary authority and power to make canons, ordinances and rules for the order and good government of the Church, and to administer the affairs thereof. Such authority and power may be exercised by the several synods and tribunals in
accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

6. This Church will remain and be in communion with the Church of England in England and with churches in communion therewith so long as communion is consistent with the Fundamental Declarations contained in this Constitution.

The Anglican Church of Canada – Solemn Declaration of 1893

The Anglican Network in Canada affirms the Solemn Declaration of 1893 along with the Thirty-Nine Articles and the Montreal Declaration of Anglican Essentials.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

We, the Bishops, together with the Delegates from the Clergy and Laity of the Church of England in the Dominion of Canada, now assembled in the first General Synod, hereby make the following Solemn Declaration:

We declare this Church to be, and desire that it shall continue, in full communion with the Church of England throughout the world, as an integral portion of the One Body of Christ composed of the Churches which, united under the One Divine Head and in fellowship of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, hold the One Faith revealed in Holy Writ, and defined in the Creeds as maintained by the undivided primitive Church in the undisputed Ecumenical Councils; receive the same Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as containing all things necessary to salvation; teach the same Word of God; partake of the same Divinely ordained Sacraments, through the ministry of the same Apostolic Orders; and worship One God and Father through the same Lord Jesus Christ, by the same Holy and Divine Spirit who is given to them that believe to guide them into all truth.

And we are determined by the help of God to hold and maintain the Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded in his Holy Word, and as the Church of England hath received and set forth in The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England; together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches; and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons and in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion; and to transmit the same unimpaired to our posterity.

The Anglican Church of Kenya

A number of the provisions of the constitution of the Anglican Church of Kenya function in the same manner as fundamental declarations do. In the ACK constitution these provisions are found in Articles III and IV.

Note that Article III contains an affirmation of Resolution 11 adopted by the third Lambeth Conference in 1888, not to be confused with the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral adopted by the Episcopal House of Bishops in 1886. Section 14 is particularly noteworthy. Each diocese is at liberty to adopt the Thirty-Nine Articles and to require subscription to the Articles at its own discretion.

Article III - On Doctrine and Worship

1. This Province, being in full communion with the Anglican Churches throughout the World, receives all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old an New Testaments, given by inspiration of God, as containing all things necessary for salvation and as being the ultimate rule and standard of the faith and life of the Church.

2.This Church holds the Faith of Christ as preached by the Apostles, summed up in the Apostles’ Creed, and confirmed by the first Four General Councils of the Holy Catholic Church.

3. The Province shall remain a member of the Anglican Communion and accepts the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council as the Institutions which form the focus of unity of the Anglican Communion.

4. The Church shall send its Bishops to attend the Lambeth Conferences and shall discuss any recommendations made by the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council to the Provinces.

5. The Church further accepts the Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888 which outlined the Anglican essentials for a reunited Christian Church. The text of the Articles is as follows:

(a) The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as “containing all things necessary to salvation”, and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

(b) The Apostles’ Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol, and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith.

(c) The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself- Baptism and the Supper of the Lord- ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s Words of Institution, and of the elements ordained by Him.

(d) The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.

6. This Church, being wholly autonomous and self-governing part of the Body of Christ, affirms its right to draw up its own formularies of faith, and to set forth in terms that it considers suitable to the present day and to the needs for the peoples of this Church, the Faith which this Church holds; and also to determine those forms of liturgical worship by which it judges that its peoples can best be edified and led into the maturity of Christian life and expression, and in which God will be glorified.

7. Until such time as these formularies can be drawn up and accepted, and the liturgical life of this Church can be established on its own foundation, this Church is content to declare its acceptance of the doctrine, Sacraments and discipline of the Church as these are set forth in the Book of Common Prayer of 1662 and the Form ordering Bishops, Priests and Deacons attached to the same Book. It accepts the Principles of Worship set forth in the said Book as consonant with the Gospel of Christ, and as the source from which Anglican Christians in East Africa have long been tradition.

8. On the other hand, this Church does not interpret this declaration as implying any limitation on its right and duty to discover for itself the truth as it is in Jesus, and to express that truth in life and in liturgy. On the other hand, this Church disclaims any wish or intention now or at any future time to depart from the standards of Faith and Order, so nobly set forth in these venerable documents of the Church.

9. This Church may make and authorize such deviations from and additions or alternatives to the forms of service provided in the said Book of Common Prayer and such new forms of Liturgy as may, in its judgment, be required to meet the needs of this Church and shall be consistent with the spirit and teaching of the said Book of Common Prayer.

10. In the interpretation of the aforementioned standards and formularies and in questions of Faith, Doctrine, Discipline and Worship, this Church is not bound by any decisions other than those of the Provincial Synod….

14. The absence from the foregoing section of this Article of any reference to the Thirty Nine Articles shall not preclude the Synod of any Diocese including reference to the document in its own Diocesan Constitution and from requiring subscription to it in oaths and declarations made at the ordination or licensing of its clergy.

Article IV - On the Ministry

1. The Church is the body of Christ upon earth, and to it has been committed the task of continuing and completing all that Jesus began both to do and teach (Acts 1:1). It is therefore the purpose of this Church, in all its Ministries, pastoral, prophetic, and priestly, to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, who is himself the good shepherd, the living word of God and the heavenly high priest.

2. No one order and no one office in the Church can claim exclusive possession of any one of these ministries or of all. Every Christian, by his/her baptism, is a member of the body; to each one, therefore, has been committed in his due order and proportion, a share of responsibility for the life of the Church and for all its ministries.

3. (a) From the Apostles’ times, however, it has been found convenient and profitable that a special responsibility for ministry of one form or another should be committed to persons chosen and appointed for the fulfillment of these respective tasks. Consequently there has been in the Church, since very early times, the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons, together with the lay people (who form by far the larger part of the Church and in their degree share in the heavenly high-priesthood of Jesus Christ).

(b) This Church therefore holds that no person shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest or Deacon in this Church, or permitted to assume any of these offices, except that such person be called, tried, examined, trained, and prepared for the sacred ministry and admitted thereunto according to any ordinal approved in accordance with Article II or has already had Episcopal consecration or ordination, the validity of which has been approved by the Provincial Synod which shall have power to delegate its power to approve to the House of Bishops, or to the Episcopal Synod….

The Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Cone of America – Fundamental Declaration

The Southern Cone Fundamental Declaration is the briefest of the fundamental declarations included in this article. It shows that the fundamental declarations or equivalent in the constitution or canons of an Anglican province need not be lengthy.

The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone is established as a Province of the Anglican Communion, a branch of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which professes the historic Faith and Order as contained in the Holy Scriptures, to conserve the Doctrine, Sacraments, Ministry and Discipline of the Anglican Church and as observed in the Book of Common Prayer and the administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies, in the form and manner of Consecration, Ordination or Institution of Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons and the Articles of Religion maintains the ecclesiastical unity of the Dioceses and Provinces legitimately established and that are in communion with the See of Canterbury.

The Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda – Fundamental Principles

The Fundamental Principles of the Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda are embedded in the constitution of West Ankole Diocese of that Province. Note the place that they give to the Anglican formularies and their disclaimer of any right to depart from the standards of faith and order and principles of worship set forth in these formularies.

The basic principles of the Church of the Diocese of West Ankole are the Doctrine and Faith as originating from the Anglican Catholic Church and the Holy Scriptures.

(a) The Church of Uganda being in full communion with the Church of England and with the Anglican Communion throughout the world receives the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith, given by inspiration of God, and containing all things necessary for salvation.

(b) This holds the Faith of Christ as preached by the Apostles, summed up in the Creeds and confirmed by the undisputed General Councils of the Holy Catholic Church.

(c) It maintains this faith as embodied in the Doctrine, Sacraments and Discipline of the Church as they have been handed down by the Church of England and as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal and in the Articles of Religion commonly called the 39 Articles. It accepts the prayer and disclaims any right to depart from the standards of Faith and Order of the Principles of worship set forth in the said Formularies of the Church of England.

(d) The Diocesan Bishop shall have power to make such changes in the services provided for Public Worship and to authorize such Common Prayer as may in his judgement be desirable to meet the pastoral needs of God’s people, provided that such series do not depart from the doctrine of the Anglican Church of Uganda service.

(e) The jurisdiction to determine any matter concerning Faith, Doctrine and Worship is hereby vested in the House of Bishops constituted in accordance with this Constitution.

The Church of England

A number of the provisions of the canons of the Church of England function in the same manner as fundamental declarations do. In the C of E canons these provisions are found in Sections A and C.

In the C of E the Church of England Evangelical Council, Church Society, Forward in Faith, and Reform are the principal supporters of GAFCON and the Jerusalem Declaration. These organizations have joined together to form the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.

Section A - The Church of England

A 1 Of the Church of England

The Church of England, established according to the laws of this realm under the Queen’s Majesty, belongs to the true and apostolic Church of Christ; and, as our duty to the said Church of England requires, we do constitute and ordain that no member thereof shall be at liberty to maintain or hold the contrary.

A 2 Of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion

The Thirty-nine Articles are agreeable to the Word of God and may be assented unto with a good conscience by all members of the Church of England.

A 3 Of The Book of Common Prayer

1. The doctrine contained in The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the Use of the Church of England is agreeable to the Word of God.

2. The form of God’s worship contained in the said Book, forasmuch as it is not repugnant to the Word of God, may be used by all members of the Church of England with a good conscience.

A 4 Of the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining,and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons

The Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, annexed to The Book of Common Prayer and commonly known as the Ordinal, is not repugnant to the Word of God; and those who are so made, ordained, or consecrated bishops, priests, or deacons, according to the said Ordinal, are lawfully made, ordained, or consecrated, and ought to be accounted, both by themselves and others, to be truly bishops, priests, or deacons.

A 5 Of the doctrine of the Church of England

The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.

A 6 Of the government of the Church of England

The government of the Church of England under the Queen’s Majesty, by archbishops, bishops, deans, provosts, archdeacons, and the rest of the clergy and of the laity that bear office in the same, is not repugnant to the Word of God….

Section C - Ministers, their ordination, functions and charge

C 1 Of holy orders in the Church of England

1. The Church of England holds and teaches that from the apostles’ time there have been these orders in Christ’s Church: bishops, priests, and deacons; and no man shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful bishop, priest, or deacon in the Church of England, or suffered to execute any of the said offices, except he be called, tried, examined, and admitted thereunto according to the Ordinal or any form of service alternative thereto approved by the General Synod under Canon B 2, authorized by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York under Canon C 4A or has had formerly episcopal consecration or ordination in some Church whose orders are recognized and accepted by the Church of England.

C 15 Of the Declaration of Assent

1(1) The Declaration of Assent to be made under this Canon shall be in the form set out below:

PREFACE
The Church of England is part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church worshipping the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It professes the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds, which faith the Church is called upon to proclaim afresh in each generation. Led by the Holy Spirit, it has borne witness to Christian truth in its historic formularies, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. In the declaration you are about to make will you affirm your loyalty to this inheritance of faith as your inspiration and guidance under God in bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making him known to those in your care?

Declaration of Assent
I, A B, do so affirm, and accordingly declare my belief in the faith which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds and to which the historic formularies of the Church of England bear witness; and in public prayer and administration of the sacraments, I will use only the forms of service which are authorized or allowed by Canon….

The Church of England in South Africa – Declaration

The Church of England in South Africa is a GAFCON member and a Jerusalem Declaration signatory. Note the similarity between the CESA Declaration and that of the Church of Ireland, which immediately follows the CESA Declaration.

We, the Representatives in South Africa of the Clergy and Laity of the Church of England, recognising the hand of God upon us in maintaining our unbroken identity and desiring to remain in faithful fellowship with the Church of England as by law established in England, in general assembly met in Cape Town, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight, DO SOLEMNLY DECLARE as follows:-

A. The Church of England in South Africa adheres to the faith and doctrine of the Church of England as now by law established in England, and embodied in the XXXIX Articles of Religion, and the Book of Common Prayer of 1662.

The Church of England in South Africa, as a reformed and Protestant Church, doth hereby reaffirm its constant witness against all those innovations in doctrine and worship, whereby the Primitive Faith hath been from time to time defaced or overlaid and which at the Reformation the Church of England did disown and reject .

The Church of England in South Africa receives the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith given by inspiration of God, and containing all things necessary to salvation.

The Church of England in South Africa, being a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, will ever remain and be in communion with Churches maintaining communion with the Church of England so long as communion is consistent with the solemn declarations set forth in this chapter.

B. The Church of England in South Africa, deriving its authority from Christ, Who is the head over all things to the Church, DECLARES that the General Synod of the Church of England in South Africa, consisting of the Bishops (if any), Clergy and representatives of the Laity, shall have full authority and power to make Canons, Ordinances, and Rules for order and good governments of this Church and to administer its affairs, subject to the following Articles.

The Church of Ireland – Preamble and Declaration

The Church of Ireland was at one time united with the Church of England. In the nineteenth century the Irish Church was granted its independence from the Church of England and disestablished. The Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship is a GAFCON member and a Jerusalem Declaration signatory.

Note the reference to the three ministries of bishop, priest or presbyter and deacon and its use of the phrase “maintain inviolate….”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen:

Whereas it hath been determined by the Legislature that on and after the 1st day of January, 1871, the Church of Ireland shall cease to be established by law; and that the ecclesiastical law of Ireland shall cease to exist as law save as provided in the "Irish Church Act, 1869", and it hath thus become necessary that the Church of Ireland should provide for its own regulation:

We, the archbishops and bishops of this the Ancient Catholic and Apostolic Church of Ireland, together with the representatives of the clergy and laity of the same, in General Convention assembled in Dublin in the year of our Lord God one thousand eight hundred and seventy, before entering on this work, do solemnly declare as follows:

I
1. The Church of Ireland doth, as heretofore, accept and unfeignedly believe all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as given by inspiration of God, and containing all things necessary to salvation; and doth continue to profess the faith of Christ as professed by the Primitive Church.

2. The Church of Ireland will continue to minister the doctrine, and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded; and will maintain inviolate the three orders of bishops, priests or presbyters, and deacons in the sacred ministry.

3. The Church of Ireland, as a reformed and Protestant Church, doth hereby reaffirm its constant witness against all those innovations in doctrine and worship, whereby the Primitive Faith hath been from time to time defaced or overlaid, and which at the Reformation this Church did disown and reject.

II
The Church of Ireland doth receive and approve The Book of the Articles of Religion, commonly called the Thirty-nine Articles, received and approved by the archbishops and bishops and the rest of the clergy of Ireland in the synod holden in Dublin, A.D. 1634; also, The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of Ireland; and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, as approved and adopted by the synod holden in Dublin, A.D. 1662, and hitherto in use in this Church. And this Church will continue to use the same, subject to such alterations only as may be made therein from time to time by the lawful authority of the Church.

III
The Church of Ireland will maintain communion with the sister Church of England, and with all other Christian Churches agreeing in the principles of this Declaration; and will set forward, so far as in it lieth, quietness, peace, and love, among all christian people.

IV
The Church of Ireland, deriving its authority from Christ, Who is the Head over all things to the Church, doth declare that a General Synod of the Church of Ireland, consisting of the archbishops and bishops, and of representatives of the clergy and laity, shall have chief legislative power therein, and such administrative power as may be necessary for the Church, and consistent with its episcopal constitution.

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) – Fundamental Declarations

The Fundamental Declarations of the Church of Nigeria are found in its canons rather than its constitution. Note the place that the Fundamental Declarations of the Church of Nigeria give to the Bible and to the Anglican formularies and their attribution of the distribution of the duties among the three ministries of bishop, priest and deacon to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) hereinafter called “The Church of Nigeria” or “This Church” shall be in full communion with all Anglican Churches Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament and Discipline of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as the Lord has commanded in His holy word and as the same are received as taught in the Book of Common Prayer and the ordinal of 1662and in the Thirty-Nine Article of Religion.

.2. The Church of Nigeria has power so to order its discipline as to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines which are contrary to God's word as understood and interpreted in the aforementioned formularies.

3. In the interpretation of the aforementioned formularies and in all questions of Faith, Doctrine and Discipline, the decisions of the ecclesiastical tribunals of the Church of Nigeria shall be final.

4. The Church of Nigeria holds as its standard of worship and authorizes for general use the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England and the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Nigeria.

5. The Church of Nigeria has power to make and authorize such changes and additions or alternatives to the forms of service provided in the said books and such new forms and service as may be required to meet the needs of this Church and are neither contrary to the doctrinal standards named in these Declarations nor indicative of any departure from them.

6. This Church holds that each of the three Orders of the Ministry - Bishops, Priests and Deacons - has particular duties in the Church and that this distribution of duties may rightly be attributed to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Bishops have a special responsibility and authority for the preservation of the
truth of the doctrine of the Church for the purity of its life, and the worthiness of its worship; the Priests, in co-operation with and under the guidance of the Bishops have a special responsibility for preaching the word of God and administering the Holy Sacraments and generally for the cure of souls, and the Deacons have a special responsibility for the care of the poor and distressed, for the instruction of the young and the ignorant, and for giving assistance to the Priests in Divine Service.

7. No fundamental amendment to the foregoing Declarations may be made unless the proposed amendment is first provisionally approved by the General Synod, is subsequently submitted to each Diocese of the Church of Nigeria for consideration and receives the approval of not less than two-thirds of the Dioceses and is finally confirmed by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the General Synod. The amendment shall thereafter be communicated to all the Metropolitans of the Anglican Communion.

The Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda – Solemn Declaration

Note the similarity between the Solemn Declaration of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Solemn Declaration of the Anglican Church of Canada of 1893. The phrase, “through the ministry of the same Apostolic Orders,” used in both declarations can be understood in both a Catholic sense and an evangelical sense.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Anglican Church of Rwanda (Anglican Communion) hereinafter also called “The Church of Rwanda” or “This Church” shall be in full communion with all Anglican Churches Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament and Discipline of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as the Lord has commanded in His holy word and as the same has received and set forth the same in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, together with the Psalter and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, and in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion.

We declare this Church to be, and desire that it shall continue in full communion with traditional Anglicans throughout the world, as an integral portion of the One Body of Christ composed of Churches which, united under the One Divine Head and in fellowship of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, hold the One Faith revealed in Holy Writ, and defined in the Creeds as maintained by the undivided primitive Church in the undisputed Ecumenical Councils; receive the same Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as containing all things necessary to salvation; teach the same Word of God; partake of the same Divinely ordained Sacraments, through the ministry of the same Apostolic Orders; and worship One God and Father through the same Lord Jesus Christ, by the same Holy and Divine Spirit who is given to them that believe to guide them into all truth.

We, the Bishops, together with the Clergy and Laity of the Anglican Province of Rwanda assembled in Provincial Synod, make this Solemn Declaration and we are determined by the help of God to hold and maintain the Doctrine, Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ as the Lord has commanded in His Holy Word.

The Anglican Church in North America – Fundamental Declarations

Now compare the Fundamental Declarations as set forth in Article I of the ACNA constitution with the foregoing fundamental declarations. They differ from the other fundamental declarations in a number of ways .None of the other fundamental declarations contain anything like the assertion in Article I that the “seven elements” listed in the article is “characteristic of the Anglican Way.” In this regard the ACNA Fundamental Declarations resemble a Lutheran confession of faith more than they do Anglican fundamental declarations. The tenor of the ACNA Fundamental is also different from that of the other fundamental declarations. The ACNA Fundamental Declarations in paraphrasing the second article of the 1888 Lambeth Quadrilateral does not quite say what that article says. They also take an unnecessarily partisan doctrinal position on the historic episcopate. The other fundamental declarations do not touch upon this issue with perhaps the exception of Article III, 4 (d) of the ACK constitution which, while it affirms the fourth article of the 1888 Lambeth Quadrilateral, does not go beyond affirming that article as does the ACNA Fundamental Declaration and claim that the historic episcopate is “an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice.” The other fundamental declarations limit themselves to references to the three ministries of bishop, priest or presbyter and deacon or the” apostolic orders.” They refer to the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed or the “catholic creeds” but make no specific reference to the Athanasian Creed. The other fundamental declarations make no reference to the Councils of the Church or they use wording like “the undisputed Ecumenical Councils,” “the undisputed General Councils of the Holy Catholic Church” or “the first Four General Councils of the Holy Catholic Church.” The other fundamental declarations acknowledge the authority of the Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal of 1661, and the Articles of Religion of 1571 as authoritative doctrinal and worship standards for Anglicans. The ACNA Fundamental Declarations qualify and dilute the authority of these historic Anglican formularies. While they may not go far enough for conservative traditionalist Anglo-Catholics such as recognizing the authority of “Holy Tradition,” seven sacraments instead of two, and all the teachings of the first seven general councils and denying the authority of the historic Anglican formularies altogether, they certainly favor a Catholic view of the historic episcopate, the first seven general councils, and the historic Anglican formularies over a charismatic or evangelical view.

As the Anglican Church in North America (the Province), being a part of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ, we believe and confess Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one comes to the Father but by Him. Therefore, we identify the following seven elements as characteristic of the Anglican Way, and essential for membership:

1. We confess the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation, and to be the final authority and unchangeable standard for Christian faith and life.

2. We confess Baptism and the Supper of the Lord to be Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself in the Gospel, and thus to be ministered with unfailing use of His words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him.

3. We confess the godly historic Episcopate as an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice, and therefore as integral to the fullness and unity of the Body of Christ.

4. We confess as proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture the historic faith of the undivided church as declared in the three Catholic Creeds: the Apostles', the Nicene, and the
Athanasian.

5. Concerning the seven Councils of the undivided Church, we affirm the teaching of the first four Councils and the Christological clarifications of the fifth, sixth and seventh Councils, in so far as they are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures.

6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.

7. We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1571, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and as expressing fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.

In all these things, the Anglican Church in North America is determined by the help of God to hold and maintain, as the Anglican Way has received them, the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to our posterity.

We seek to be and remain in full communion with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacraments and Discipline of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Conclusion

As can be seen from this comparison, the ACNA Fundamental Declarations do not score very high on solidarity with the Anglican entities that have supported the establishment of a new orthodox province in North America and extended their recognition to the ACNA as that province in formation. They also do not score high on comprehensiveness in their recognition of divergent opinions among orthodox Anglicans. A number of the other fundamental declarations offered for comparison with the ACNA Fundamental Declarations are much broader in the range of orthodox doctrinal views recognized in a province. In my next article I will look at the preliminary draft of a proposed new set of Fundamental Declarations for the ACNA.