The Catholic Tradition: an Anglican Approach

I Official Publication of the Diocese of Algoma Volume 28 APRIL, 1983 Number 4 Executive CommiHee A timely sU.bject in view of Algoma's coming Episcopal election ". " " makes preparations 'for meeting of Synod By the Reverend Special Gift plan and The Catholic tradition: Ca non W. H. Graham General Phase will pull ::........ Rural Dean, Muskoka up the deficit. The following are The · Reverend Dr. highlights of the fifth Sandys-Wunch advised of changes taking place at an Anglican approach meeting of the Executive Committee of the Laurentian University' Diocese, held at Sudbury, and of courses now being By the Reverend frank A. Peake, D.O., F.R.Hist.S., Thorneloe College on February 24th and offered by Thorneloe 25th: University College. Not long ago someone said to me that the People of God. Any community has its agenda or Under New Business the Anglican Church sees itself as both reformed and raison d 'etre and its leadership. In some ways In business arising from Committee discussed the catholic but that all too often it has not taught its they are inseparable but I want to talk, for the the minut es of the continuing alarming in- people very well. This is probably true with the present, of leadership. In any community there is previous meeting; the re . crease in the premium result that many Anglicans, particuarly in need for leadership and those leaders must be quest of the Sheguiandah rates of Dental/Extended North America, tend to see their Church as one properly authorized-that is duly appointed and Indian Band, for the Health Care by the pre Protestant sect among others. In the following I willingly received. In the New Testament the Diocese to consider par sent life insurance com want to say something about the catholic tradi- leaders were the Apostles and their position is ting ; with 16.21 acres of pany. During the past tion and how it is understood and received by the clear enough. They were' men called and com lakeshore property for three years the premium Anglican Communion. missioned and sent by our Lord himself as his Band use was discussed has increased more than Many people are made uneasy by the word agents. It is unlikely that they received any and it was decided to of 300 percent. However, the " catholic" which they think belongs exclusively public or formal ordination because it was un fer the land to the Band , General Synod Pension to that church which is in communion with the necessary. They were in direct and personal con for an agreed sum. Office has concluded a Bishop of Rome-an impression which the tact with the Lord Jesus and that was enough. Negotiations are to be new contract with the Church of Ro'me has done its best to encourage. There were also apostolic men, as they have made directly with the Company which has our In order to avoid the word catholic some people-- been called, co-workers or successors of the Band. Group Life Insurance for like to substitute the world "universal." Apostles~men such as John Mark and Bar- When the treasurer's , EHC and Dental But catholic means a lot more than univer- nabas, Timothy and Titus and many others. statements were brought coverage, which provides sal. It comes from ~ Greek word meaning " ac- These were men- perhaps · elected by their con up for acceptance, it was much lower rates than cording to the whol~ " and probably the nearest gregations as were the deacons in the sixth pointed out that accounts our present plan. This we can come to its meaning in English is to say: chapter of the Acts of the Apostles-accepted by receivable as of January plan differentiates bet The whole faith in Christ as sha red by t he whole the apostles and commissioried or ordained by 31st, 1983 , stood at ween stngle persons, people of God-united in one communion and them with ttte laying on of hands. For exampJe $107,848.23, and although m arrt~ d couples without . fello wship throughout the ag(!s-both he re and St. Paul said to Timothy : a few of the accounts children and married hereafter. That is quite a mouthful. No wonder Do not neglect the gift you have, which was have since been paid couples with fqmilies and most people are willing to settle for the word given you by prophetic utterance when the co un ther e is still a con as.a sample, the present "catholic." cil of the elders laid their hands upon you. (1 Tim . siderable a m ount cost for a married couple Now about tradition. Tradition, by definition, 4: 14) , receivable. At present with a family is $28.93 per is that which is given or handed on, undiminished There is, as everyone admits, some difficul ty the Diocese has an over month while the General and unimpaired from generation to generation. in knowing what is meant by the " council of the draft from the Bank of Synod Plan is $14.17 per The Christian faith is such a tradition. It has elders. " In 1 Cor. 12 , St. Paul speaks of apostles, $70,000. month. The Committee passed to successive generations from Jesus and prophets, teachers, healers, administrators and Diocesan Synod plans passed a motion to ter the apostles through the centuries. In fact, it is others, although he does seem to give pre were discussed and ex minate the contract with sometimes called the Apostolic Tradition. We eminence to apostles, prophets and teachers. In cerpts of correspondence the company and join the sometimes speak of " the faith once for all his letter to Titus he speaks of bishops and elders between Archbishop new General Synod Plan. delivered to the saints" and this is a useful or presbyters but it is not absolutely clear that he Garnsworthy and Bishop phrase so long as we remember that the form in means separate and distinct offices, The form of Nock re the election of a The Bishop informed the which the faith is expressed needs to be modified ministry in the New Testament seems to be very Co-adjutor Bishop were meeting that over the from time to time to correspond with changing fluid . Probably it was thought that such things read. The Electoral past few years he has ways of thought and understanding. were unimportant because the Second Com ing Synod will take place at been resisting the efforts The catholic or apostolic tradition is a com- was imminent. , St. Luke's Cathedral on of the Ontario Heritage mon faith-unchanged and unchanging in By the end of the first century conditions has May 2nd, .and will be Founda tion to ha ve itself-shared by the Christian community changed. Christians no longer expected an im followed by the Diocesan Bishophurst declared a - throughout the ages but sometimes expressed in mediate Second Coming and the community- the Synod at the Ramada historical building, as differing forms to meet the needs of a particular catholic church as it was beginning to call Inn, May 3rd to 5th. A this would mean that no generation. itself-was developing ordered patterns of new meeting place was structural alterations or Two questions then arise-how is the tradi- organization as though it expected to be about for necessary as St. even demolishment could tion preserved? Who makes or approves the a long time. Before the year 100 the threefold Andrew's United Church be made without permis changes in expression and interpretation? How ministry of bishops, priests and deacons was ap Hall was unavailable for sion and the property do we -know that they are in keeping with the parent. For example in the letter of Clement, the first week in May. would lose much of its teaching of Jesus and the Apostles? The answer Bishop of Rome, written about 95 A.D. , we find The Ramada Inn has value if the Diocese is that the tradition is maintained through what is this statement: given the Diocese very decided to sell. The house called the apostolic tradition-the corporate life The Apostles for our sakes received the favorable terms. is far ' too large for pre and experience of the Church manifested through gospel from the Lord Jesus Christ ; Jesus Christ Norman Green brought sent day use. Therefore, the apostolic succession-the succession of was sent from God. Christ then is from, God, and the executive up to date it was decided that to bishops down through the ages. Like other parts the Apostles from Christ. Both, therefore, came o~ Anglicans in Mission resist the pressure of the of the catholic heritage the apostolic succession in due 'order from the will of God . ./ . and said that although at Heritage ' Foundation to has often been misunderstood. And so, as they preached in the country and this stage, some areas have Bishophurst It has sometimes been argued that apostolic in the towns, They appointed their first-fruits were well over subscrib declared a historical succession meant a kind of pipe line theory ac- (having proved them by the spirit) to be bishops ed, the Diocese as a ·buildjng. cording. to which bishops could trace their or- and deacons of them that should believe . .. whole was little more The meeting was closed dination, through the actual physical laying on of In the writings of Ignatius, Bishop of An than halfway to the with prayer at 5:00 p.m. hands, called tactual succes~ion back to the tioch, about ten years later the situation was amount expected to date.

Load more