Mark D. Thompson: A History of Subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles

It was always intended that those in responsible positions in the church and in government would subscribe to the Articles. This was nothing out of the ordinary. On the Continent, Lutherans and Calvinists required their clergy to subscribe to their confessions at their ordination. Calvin famously expected all citizens of Geneva to swear an oath of allegiance to the Reformed faith as set out in the Genevan Confession (1536).1 From 1564, the Roman Church required its ordinands to subscribe to the Tridentine Profession of Faith, the so-called ‘Creed of Pius IV’.2 We have already noted that by 1549 Cranmer was requiring all who sought a preaching licence from him to sign a declaration of faith.

When the Forty-two Articles were published in June 1553, King Edward sent copies to each of the bishops along with a mandate for subscription. This document makes clear what the king, and presumably Cranmer, had in mind. A copy of the mandate sent to Thomas Thirlby, Bishop of Norwich survives. It begins.... Read more

Among its failings is North American Anglicanism's lack of a genuine commitment to the confessional nature of authentic Anglicanism.

In his article Dr. Mark D. Thompson, now principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney Australia, notes that in the theological discussions leading up to GAFCON the only serious doubts to the confessional nature of authentic Anglicanism was raised by some American Episcopalians. These American Episcopalians came from what is now the Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Mission and now occupy positions of influence in the two bodies.

Its attitude toward the Thirty-Nine Articles has historically set the American Episcopal Church apart from the rest of Anglicanism and continues to characterize the liberal Episcopal Church and the conservative breakaway churches--the Anglican Church in North America, the Anglican Mission, and the Continuing Anglican Churches.

In their interpretation of the Thirty-Nine Articles as well as their attitude toward the Articles, the liberal Episcopal Church and the conservative breakaway churches may be described collectively as a divergent branch of Anglicanism of questionable authenticity.