| Letters from the week of 18 — 24 July 2016
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The Status of the Articles
Thank you as always for your thoughtful and thought-provoking leaders or editorials. Just a note regarding the status of the 39 Articles in the Church of England and Churches that were in some sense part of it until the 2nd half the 20th century, including the Australian.
Dean Arthur Stanley of Westminster Abbey in one of his typically very interesting books, Essays chiefly on Questions of Church and State, tells the story of the long campaign to end the requirement for clergy to subscribe to everything in the Articles (and the Prayer Book). That was successful as long ago as 1865 ! The subscription was replaced by a general assent to the Articles, never legally defined. In the Church of England itself, that has now been re-worded and modified. In the Church of Australia, that general assent is still required but in my Diocese of Sydney there have been attempts to require of both clergy and e.g. lay members of church school councils, etc, the signing of a far narrower credal statement, this, like some other things that have happened in Sydney in recent years, I think contrary to the Constitution of our Church and the Acts under which it holds it property.
Chaplain John Bunyan
S.John the Baptist's, Canberra; King's Chapel, Boston, MA.
Campbelltown, New South Wales
bunyanj@tpg.com.au
19 July 2016
Starting the day
I have to be ordinary and just say, you guys are just great and your column starts my every day. This week is just what the doctor ordered. Thanks.
JC Eriksen
St Clare's Episcopal
Blairsville, Georgia, USA
18 July 2016
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