It's time to be honest about our past. In the tumultuous period of the English Reformation, Reformed ideals were not always welcomed in England, especially early on. Often, fearing for their lives English would-be reformers sought refuge on the Continent. A classic example is the case of William Tyndale. It probably didn’t help William’s cause any that he wrote The Practyse of Prelates, a tract opposing Henry’s proposed divorce. So it was that William found himself like so many before and after him exiled in Northern Europe. Tyndale is best known for his translation of the Scriptures into English. William’s translation eventually provided the basis for the first authorized English translations (and formed the basis for the later King James Version which, as it exists today is about 80% Tyndale’s work in origin). Sadly, Tyndale never lived to see the spread of the Scriptures through his homeland. He was arrested and tried in Brussels in 1535 where he was burned at the stake as a heretic.
Yet it was the faithful witness of men like Tyndale that set the stage for real and lasting Reformation to take place on English soil. It is and always has been true that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. Under persecution such as that faced by Tyndale and others, the faith grew and strengthened among clergy and laity alike in England.
So this question may be a little big, but I decided to ask it anyway. First, can you do a post on the Anglican (especially AMIA's) take on the Real Presence in the Eurcharist? I'm studying this and its quite interesting and the Articles are clearly reformed (compare "XXIX. Of the Wicked, which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper." to Luther's "Manducation of the unworthy) but the liturgy sought to be a "via media" between Lutheranism and Calvinism and modern theologians of Anglicanism did to go with the "Jesus said "This is my body", not "this is how this is my body" line of argument (sacramental mysterious presence of Christ?) I'm curious to know how AMIA and the global south are looking at this as I have heard some people becoming pretty dogmatic about the articles, which i think is interesting because the same people support N.T. Wright a lot, whose ideas on Justification are not in line with the articles at all. Perhaps that means an article on Scriptural authority and use of the articles? Stuff to think about at least. Thanks for the blog, keep it coming!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the question Aaron. I will "get on it" and post some things on the subject of the Eucharist shortly.
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