What is the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church?
"The central organizing reform of the Continental Reformation - to restore this ancient catholic (universal, authoritative, Apostolic) precedence to the authority of Almighty God's Holy Word written, and "the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42) - is at the heart of Anglican Reformed Catholic identity."
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In naming this Anglican Church the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church (ARCC), our intention, as devout Anglican Christians, is neither to abandon Reformation principles, nor to drift toward Roman Catholic doctrines with which Anglicans take exception.
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"Reformed Catholic," as a descriptor, is intended to accurately characterize our understanding of what is now referred to as "Anglican" or "Anglicanism." The early 16th-century Western Catholic Church in England gradually became the Church of England (Anglican) as a result of its severance from Rome and the English clergy Reformers' (all trained and ordained via Rome) application of Continental Reformation principles to the Church in their land. "Reformed Catholic" is intended to describe how the work of these English Reformers, and their successors (e.g., the Anglican Divines, and subsequent movements within the Church of England) purposed and acted towards restoration of the theology and practices of the Church in England to the truly Apostolic nature of the ancient, undivided Church. Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is truly Apostolic when it gives precedence to this ancient authority and proclamation of the Holy Scriptures, in Spirit and Truth, with due respect to Holy Spirit inspired reason and sacred tradition.
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The central organizing reform of the Continental Reformation - to restore this ancient catholic (universal, authoritative, Apostolic) precedence to the authority of Almighty God's Holy Word written, and to "the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42) - is at the heart of Anglican Reformed Catholic identity. This restoration of Scriptural authority, and of the tradition of the Apostles' teaching and fellowship (which was the worship of the Early Church), is the Reform of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church to which we refer.
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Yet, unlike the outcomes of most of the Continental Reformers' good efforts (fracturing into 'Protestant denominations'), the English Reformers retained well-established ancient traditions of the Church as given by Christ Jesus, who is the eternally begotten Son and living Head of His Church.
These traditions include:
1. The ancient polity (order) of the Church via Conciliar governance, and Holy Orders passed on to us via the Ordinal;
2. The life of Christian faith and worship - in the vernacular - organized around proclamation of God's Holy Word written and faithful administration of the Sacraments;
3. The Early Church conviction that every Christian should participate in the sacramental life of the Church;
4. The three Creeds (Apostles', Nicene-Constantinopolitan, Athanasian);
5. The teachings of the first four Councils of the ancient, undivided Church (Ecumenical);
6. The consensual teachings of the Early Church Fathers of the first five centuries.
The Rt. Rev. Lancelot Andrewes wrote that it is sufficient that "one should believe the canonical Scriptures, freely affirm the three Creeds, respect the first four Councils, and allow the unanimous consent of the Fathers in anything necessary to salvation." (Responsio, p. 25)
The English Reformers intended to reform those teachings and practices in the Church that were not in accord with or had fallen out of accord with Holy Scripture, the Apostolic faith, the ancient undivided Church, and inspired reason. This English Reformed understanding is articulated through what have become known as the Anglican Formularies of the Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal, and the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, with honorable mention given to the Second Book of Homilies.
An essential element of the Anglican Tradition has been a respect for the tensions related to our understanding of Holy mysteries, as well as respecting varied convictions related to liturgical practice, within the limits of sacred tradition; said limits including faithful stewardship of the liturgies of authorized Prayer Books without deviation or innovation. This is not to say Anglican clergy, theologians, and doctors of the Church do not continue to wrestle with such questions. Nevertheless, knowing that the definitions of "essentials" and "non-essentials" will continue to be argued, and regardless of who authored the following quotation, it seems reasonable to assent to the statement:
"In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity."
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Unequivocally Biblically Complementarian
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The ARCC holds unequivocally to the innate complementarian nature of Almighty God's creation which is fundamental to our understanding of Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders; and to the sanctity of human life, from conception to the grave. Failure by various participants in the Anglican Tradition to uphold biblical truth and these godly convictions has led to much division and disunity in Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and a seemingly hopeless fracturing of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
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The ARCC will hold its clergy accountable to these convictions, and will expect them to uphold them with integrity, serving as faithful stewards of the sacred trust bestowed upon them via their ordinations and consecrations.
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Classic Anglican and Apostolic in Ethos
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In our promotion of 'Classic Anglicanism,' we intend to hold to and demonstrate orthodox and faithful bounds to our theology and practice, beginning with this clear articulation of what we mean by The Anglican Reformed Catholic Church. And in so doing, we also hope to demonstrate our longing for our blessed Lord Jesus to use us towards the restoration of an orthodox and faithful worldwide Anglican Communion.
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Christmas Season 2025