Innovation and Apostasy

Innovation is highly prized in the modern world, especially where it is seen as bringing improvement and efficiency. However, when it is recalled that Christian doctrine and worship are based on divine revelation recorded in the past, and that the Church has been seeking to understand and follow this revelation for twenty centuries, then innovation in churches becomes problematic except perhaps in terms of using the latest technology for heating, lighting and sound systems.

What the Church believes, teaches and confesses is written clearly in the decrees, creeds and confessions of faith resulting from councils and synods. It is set forth in Catechisms, as well as in the books of devotion and hymnody. Certainly there is the continuing necessity laid upon the Church to translate and to interpret its treasury of doctrine to each generation but this, when done aright, does not produce new doctrine. However, where the local church is captive to the dominant, secular spirit of the age, then the creation of new doctrines will seem to be a necessity in order for that church to conform and to appear to be relevant, credible and acceptable. In general, this seems to be what has happened to the Episcopal Church in its desire to innovate continually.

In the past 5 lessons, evidence was presented to show that the Episcopal innovations are all related in the basic sense that they are all rejections of Reformed Catholicism; and, at a deeper level, rejection of the Order which God as Creator has placed in his creation and which God as Redeemer has placed in his new creation, the Body of Christ. We must accept that the innovations were produced by powerful winds of change that were blowing through society and church from the 1960s onward. We also accept that there is within man, a bias to seek his own ends and to rebel against God’s will and order. For the innovations to be rejections of divine order they are also at the same time manifestations of sinfulness and rebellion against God, not only at the personal level, but at the church level.

Also the evidence provided suggests that the innovations are related to each other in that certain of them had to occur first to make the others possible and, as it were, to clear a space for them. There were major changes in the way that people began to think about and then engage in matrimony after World War II which led to a massive rise in divorce and re-marriage. The founding of the Episcopal Women’s Caucus in 1971 expressed a zeal for women’s rights and subsequently led to women’s ordination.

The traditional doctrine of marriage as between a man and woman as one flesh for life was severely weakened and replaced by a doctrine that emphasized personal satisfaction and fulfillment without the risk of procreation. It is highly unlikely that the LesBiGay movement and agenda would have made serious inroads in the Episcopal Church without this change in the doctrine of matrimony. With procreation and God’s order removed from the heterosexual marriage, what was left fit the homosexual lifestyle as well. Only God’s order for relations between male and female stands in the way of redefining marriage to be whatever it takes to create personal satisfaction. God’s order was not left alone either.

The rejection of the historic Formularies of the Anglican Way and the creation of a new Prayer Book as the new Formulary for modern times provided a theological and liturgical basis and justification for all the innovations. The 1979 Prayer Book embodies the new doctrines of matrimony, the ordained ministry and new doctrines of God as Trinity and Jesus Christ as Saviour. Further, in its claim that initiation is complete in Baptism and by changing the meaning and purpose of Confirmation, it brings disorder into the family of God by presenting children for Communion before they are prepared and ready. At the same time, without providing a rite for the blessing of same-sex couples, it provides them and their supporters with the ideas and principles on which to make their case.

The roots and causes of changes and innovations from the 1960’s onwards may be traced back to changes in philosophy, theology, biblical studies and cultural forces occurring since the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. In fact, the United States of America could hardly have been born and given shape had it not been for the stimulation and ideas of the European Enlightenment. We should note that the further changes progress the faster they move. The immediate causation for the recent changes must be sought in the last four decades of the twentieth century when culture and society were experiencing massive and speedy changes.

A vital question arises among traditionalists who do not think the innovations are good and right. “Is TEC reformable?” For God all things are possible, said Jesus, and so in theory one must accept that the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ can and does work miracles. Thus he is able to give the right persons the vision, the energy and the wisdom to work for and see the beginnings of reform. We probably all have friends who are still working on that basis from within TEC.

However, to date in American religious history, mainline Churches have not experienced such reformations and U-turns. As they have proceeded with the progressive liberal agenda, slowly or quickly, some of their “orthodox” and “traditionalist” clergy and laity have left them and sought to create new churches or denominations where purity in the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments is sought.

This has been happening since the late 1970s with respect to ECUSA with the formation of various continuing Anglican jurisdictions and, more recently, of links with more traditional bishops within the Anglican Communion but outside the jurisdiction of ECUSA. The Anglican Mission in America (AMIA) was sponsored by the Province of Rwanda in Africa and consecrates bishops to oversee traditional churches previously in TEC. The Convocation of Anglican Nigerians in America (CANA) also consecrates bishops under the jurisdiction of Nigeria to oversee traditional churches previously in TEC. In addition the Reformed Episcopal Church which was formed in 1873 is still in existence today.

What seems possible, but improbable, is the formation of a new orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion in the USA or North America, wherein all those who long for the fullness of the Anglican Way of Reformed Catholicism can find a home within its comprehensive and gracious ethos.

In reality, the formation of a new orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion is much more difficult than creating a new parallel jurisdiction. There is not harmony within those who would or already have left TEC. The Continuing Anglicans who have already left TEC have very minor if any doctrinal differences. Their differences are generally issues of personalities and a plethora of bishops refusing to relinquish power. The Continuing Anglicans consistently use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and thus share an Anglican Formulary for their faith.

Most of the Episcopal Churches who would leave are using the 1979 Prayer Book. In those dioceses with liberal bishops, the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is banned. A number of the 1928 Books of Common Prayer we use at Trinity have been saved for us by traditional Episcopalians who refused to destroy them.. The majority of those who have sought jurisdiction with AMIA or CANA use the 1979 Prayer Book. As we have discovered over the last few weeks, it enables and facilitates innovations and apostasy. It does not provide a single Anglican Formulary under which churches can gather to continue Christ’s work. The inevitable result among the traditionalists using the 1979 Prayer Book is perpetual argument over how far you can go and remain conservative. The 1979 Prayer Book provides a smorgasbord of practice and consequently of doctrine.

For more details, read “Episcopal Innovations 1960 – 2004” by The Rev. Dr. Peter Toon, M.A., D.Phil.

(Preservation Press of the Prayer Book Society of the USA 2006