Tag Archives | sacraments

Deep Anglicanism

I finished all of Deep Anglicanism by Gerald McDermott today, at just under 400 pages. Every word. The book offers a thorough and thoughtful overview of the Anglican tradition. It highlights both the common ground Anglicanism shares with Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches and what sets it apart in its practice and theology. Anglicanism doesn’t claim to be the one true Church unlike Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. However, it strongly affirms the authority of Scripture and the importance of the sacraments, grounded in the teachings of the early Church Fathers. The author presents Anglicanism as both catholic and reformed, with its identity particularly rooted in the English Reformation. The book paints a compelling picture of what the Anglican Church can and should be, especially regarding its biblical foundation, liturgical worship, and sacramental life. While generally supportive of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the author expresses serious concerns about its current direction, warning that it may be on a path similar to that of the Church of England and its demise in recent years.

The book Deep Anglicanism serves as a reference text, comprehensively exploring Anglican thought, faith, and practice. It is a necessary resource for the Church as a whole, addressing topics highly relevant to congregants, clergy, and the broader world. For readers seeking to understand Anglicanism’s background, history, and theological convictions—including its perspectives on doctrine, culture, social turmoil, and ecumenical positioning—this book provides basic biblically centered insights. McDermott’s thoughts rest firmly on the supreme authority of Scripture, interpreted according to the intent of its biblical authors, making it a critical guide for those who wish to engage with Anglicanism authentically and deeply.

Author Gerald McDermott highlights Anglicanism’s roots in the teachings of the patristic fathers, reformed and renewed during the 16th century. He explains how the Reformation corrected errors and abuses within the Roman Catholic Church, influencing churches in Canterbury, Constantinople, Rome, Geneva, and Wittenberg. Although Reformers, Puritans, and Anglicans were labeled “Protestant” as a pejorative, they aimed to recover biblical imperatives for faith and practice. According to McDermott, Anglicanism remains firm when correctly applying Scripture to doctrines like soteriology (sola fide), Christology, and ecclesiology while honoring its tradition.

The author organizes the book around essential segments that he believes are paramount to understanding Anglicanism. He covers topics like liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), Anglican spirituality, the sacraments, marriage, death, and how the Anglican tradition compares to others like Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The book isn’t trying to be an exhaustive history but rather offers a focused look at how Anglicanism can be understood as part of the broader catholic tradition. Throughout, McDermott encourages readers to think carefully and biblically about Anglican identity and how it is lived out.

As the chapters unfold, McDermott unpacks Anglican practices like prayer and worship, especially as shaped by the Book of Common Prayer. He shows how Anglicanism seeks to hold together Scripture, tradition, and ecclesiology in a way that’s faithful to the creeds and teachings of the English Reformers and the Anglo-Catholic tradition. He also takes on modern theological trends, challenging what he sees as distortions of the faith disguised as social justice. In particular, he critiques liberation theology and individualistic expressions of Christianity, tracing their roots to thinkers like Schleiermacher and arguing that they stray from biblical teaching.

While he doesn’t dwell extensively on harmful ideologies like feminism or egalitarianism, McDermott grounds his discussion in a vision of Anglicanism as a visible expression of God’s Kingdom on Earth. His attention to the Book of Common Prayer is especially prominent, and he explores how its development has shaped Anglican theology and practice.

According to McDermott, the BCP—especially Cranmer’s original version from 1549—was meant to unify the English Church around a common, vernacular liturgy rooted in Scripture. It replaced the Latin Sarum Rite with services people could understand and participate in. He explains how it preserved the sacramental structure of earlier worship but with a clearer focus on the authority of Scripture. The BCP blends prayer, Scripture reading, sacraments, and traditional forms of worship into a cohesive structure that reflects both Reformation priorities and ancient Christian practice.

Historically, the BCP became central to Anglican life and identity, anchoring worship practices in biblical theology while preserving the Church’s link to the catholic tradition. McDermott contrasts the God-centered orientation of the BCP with modern ideologies that, in his view, attempt to weaken biblical authority. He sees the BCP not just as a liturgical tool but as a theological and spiritual foundation for the Anglican way of life.

In specific chapters—such as 6, 10–12, 27, and 30—McDermott goes deeper into Anglicanism’s history, theology, and worship, paying particular attention to the Daily Office and the influence of major theologians. He presents Anglican spirituality as shaped by the Bible and the early Church, as well as the devotional movements of the medieval period and the theological insights of the Reformation. He discusses how Anglicanism navigates between sola scriptura and prima scriptura and how it approaches doctrines like hell.

On the Daily Office, McDermott explains its roots in early Christian monasticism, which itself drew on Jewish prayer traditions. The Benedictine Rule provided a framework for regular prayer, which was later adapted in England through the Sarum Rite. Cranmer’s reforms in the 16th century condensed these hours into Morning and Evening Prayer, making daily worship accessible to all Christians, not just monks. Morning Prayer combined Matins, Lauds, and Prime into a single service focused on thanksgiving, confession, and Scripture. Evening Prayer drew from Vespers and Compline, emphasizing reflection and gratitude. These services structured the day around Scripture and prayer, connecting modern believers to an ancient pattern of devotion.

The 2019 BCP, issued by the Anglican Church in North America, reflects a return to these older traditions while addressing the needs of the contemporary Church. Unlike the 1979 Episcopal version, which included various liturgical experiments, the 2019 edition restores Cranmer’s vision of clear, Scripture-based worship. Its layout—from the Daily Office to the Psalter and lectionary—aims to root Anglican spirituality in Scripture and tradition.

Cranmer’s initial 1549 Prayer Book was itself a careful reform. Drawing from early Christian theologians like Augustine and Basil and monastic traditions like Benedict’s, Cranmer sought to create a common worship life that emphasized order, grace, and Scripture. McDermott highlights how this reform retained sacramental depth while grounding services in the Bible.

He also draws attention to the influence of figures like Augustine, Benedict, and Anselm on Anglican spirituality. Augustine’s theology of grace, Benedict’s focus on disciplined prayer, and Anselm’s blending of devotion and reason all helped shape Anglicanism’s spiritual landscape. These influences were later developed by thinkers like Martin Thornton, who saw Anglican spirituality as a balance of corporate worship, structured devotion, and thoughtful theology.

Medieval English mystics such as Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton, and Julian of Norwich also left their mark on Anglican devotion. In the post-Reformation period, divines like Lancelot Andrewes, Richard Hooker, and Jeremy Taylor continued this tradition, each emphasizing different aspects of sacramental theology, liturgy, and spiritual formation. Hooker, in particular, helped define the Anglican “middle way”—a theology that holds together Protestant and Catholic elements.

McDermott discusses how Anglicanism relates to the principle of sola scriptura. While holding Scripture as the final authority, he argues that Anglicanism traditionally affirms prima scriptura, meaning Scripture is best interpreted within the context of Church tradition and reason. This approach allows Anglican theology to be biblically faithful while engaging the wisdom of the historic Church.

He also explores changing views on the doctrine of hell within Anglicanism. He traces the idea of universal salvation back to Origen, noting its resurgence in modern theology. He outlines three dominant views: eternal conscious torment, annihilationism, and universalism. While the Thirty-Nine Articles affirm the reality of hell, contemporary Anglican thinkers debate its nature and duration. McDermott presents these positions clearly, offering both traditional and alternative interpretations within the bounds of Anglican theological discourse.

On the sacraments, he highlights that they are a visible image or a reflection of the sacred that is itself invisible. A sacred signum, for example, is baptism as a cleansing from sin. The bread and wine represent the sacred signum as the actuality of the body and blood of Christ. As such, these are visible signs of an invisible grace. These are the means by which salvation is made possible to humanity and made real to believers in Christ. The sacraments are the work of Christ himself, and they are independent of the worthiness of the minister serving them. Moreover, according to Aquinas, they are made present to us as it is necessary to know them through our senses (Summa Theologica III.60.I). As the hearts of people are darkened by sin (Romans 1:21), Christ makes holy His people through His grace via the sacraments while He is bodily absent. The sacraments, in this way, are a means of grace.

With more specifics, McDermott informs readers that sacraments inform us about what they do as a means of Christ’s grace. That they are re-enactments of Christ’s passion applied to us as believers. They are lived out within each person as they have a direct bearing and action upon those who live, suffer, and die as Christ did. They apply to us as if we had suffered and died. Similarly, Aquinas wrote that the sacraments cause divine realities to happen where Christ is brought as gifts to the present as his love is communicated to His family. The sacraments are sacred actions that change participants’ lives. They possess a hidden power as they show invisible evidence where they appear in additional things like the Lord’s Prayer and the creeds.

The book Deep Anglicanism covers many topics pertaining to the Anglican tradition and expression of faith. Taken together, McDermott’s work presents a picture of Anglicanism as a tradition grounded in Scripture, shaped by history, and capable of addressing modern challenges without losing its core identity. His writing encourages a deeper appreciation for Anglican worship and spirituality as a living inheritance that continues to speak to today’s Church.

On Infant Baptism

Today, I completed reading John Stott and J. Alec Motyer’s The Anglican Evangelical Doctrine of Infant Baptism, published by Latimer Trust. This book is a compilation of two papers written in defense of infant baptism from the position of Anglican tradition with biblical and theological support.

First, this book provides a thorough theological reflection on the sacrament of baptism within the Anglican tradition. It emphasizes that baptism, like all sacraments of the gospel, is fundamentally a sacrament of divine grace and initiative rather than human action. New Testament examples show that baptism is always administered by another, emphasizing the recipient’s passive reception of God’s grace. Furthermore, the Articles of Religion within the Anglican tradition affirm this understanding by defining sacraments as signs of God’s actions rather than human merit.

Saavedra, Antonio del Castillo y. “Baptism of St. Francis of Assisi.” 1660s.

The theological significance of baptism is explored in three interconnected ways: union with Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism symbolizes a profound union with Jesus in His death and resurrection, marking the death of the old self and the birth of a new life grounded in righteousness. This union also signifies the washing away of sins, as reflected in scriptural passages like Acts 2:38 and 1 Corinthians 6:11. The imagery of water cleansing impurities highlights baptism as a transformative act of spiritual renewal and moral purification.

Finally, baptism signifies the reception of the Holy Spirit, aligning the believer with the promises of the New Covenant. This spiritual endowment, foretold by the prophets and fulfilled in Christ, incorporates the baptized individual into the body of Christ—the Church. The Book of Common Prayer supports this interpretation by reinforcing themes of unity with Christ, forgiveness of sins, and regeneration through the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of baptism thus stands as an eschatological sign, marking the believer’s entrance into the new age of God’s redemptive grace and the communal life of the Church.

The effect of baptism explores three primary theological interpretations concerning how the sacrament conveys grace:

  • ex opere operato
  • the bare token view
  • covenant sign view

The first interpretation, ex opere operato, posits that baptism inherently conveys grace simply by being performed, regardless of the faith or disposition of the recipient. This view implies that all baptized individuals, including infants, are automatically regenerated. However, the narrative challenges this belief, highlighting scriptural distinctions between the visible Church (those outwardly baptized) and the invisible Church (those truly regenerated in heart and spirit). Biblical examples, like Simon Magus and the Israelites baptized into Moses but later condemned, illustrate that baptism alone does not guarantee salvation or genuine regeneration without faith.

The second interpretation, the bare token view, argues that baptism serves solely as a symbolic gesture without imparting any grace or spiritual effect. While this understanding reduces baptism to a mere external sign, the narrative dismisses this view as inconsistent with biblical teachings. Verses such as Acts 2:38, Galatians 3:27, and 1 Peter 3:21 suggest that baptism carries a spiritual significance that goes beyond mere symbolism. These passages imply that baptism is intricately connected with the forgiveness of sins, union with Christ, and salvation, indicating that it holds a more profound theological role than being a simple ritual marker.

The covenant sign view—the evangelical or Reformed perspective—offers a more nuanced understanding, aligning baptism with God’s covenant of grace. This view suggests that baptism is both a sign and a seal of the blessings of the New Covenant, granting recipients a title to spiritual gifts rather than conferring the gifts themselves. The grace signified by baptism, such as justification and regeneration, becomes accessible through faith, which may arise before, during, or after the sacrament. Drawing from covenant theology, this understanding parallels baptism with Old Testament circumcision, which signified God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants without being contingent on the recipient’s immediate faith.

The narrative further explains how the timing of grace reception varies between believers. Infants baptized under the covenant sign receive a symbolic promise of grace that matures when they later profess personal faith. For adults, baptism may signify an acknowledgment of grace already received through faith. This approach respects the sacrament’s significance without implying that grace is mechanically conferred, as argued in the ex opere operato view. Historical church practices, such as refraining from rebaptizing those who come to faith after being baptized in unbelief, reflect this understanding by recognizing the validity of the initial baptism as a covenantal sign.

Lastly, the narrative emphasizes that baptism does not operate independently of faith but serves as a divine pledge of grace that believers must actively embrace. Scripture and liturgical traditions assume that the baptized will possess or eventually come to faith, thereby fulfilling the sacrament’s promises. The Church’s liturgical language often assumes the presence of faith, even in cases where it is only anticipated. This raises our awareness that baptism is a means of grace, not by automatic effect, but through a relationship with God’s covenant, awaiting the believer’s faith to fully live its transformative power.

Review and Impressions

Infant baptism within the Evangelical Anglican Church represents a significant theological and liturgical practice, grounded in covenant theology and interpreted through a Reformed evangelical lens. While Evangelical Anglicans maintain a high view of Scripture and emphasize personal faith in Jesus Christ as essential for salvation, they also uphold infant baptism as a legitimate expression of God’s covenantal promises. Theologically, this practice finds its foundation in both the biblical narrative of God’s dealings with His people and the Church’s historical understanding of sacraments as outward signs of inward grace.

Theological Foundation

In the Evangelical Anglican tradition, infant baptism is rooted in the covenant sign view of sacraments, which reflects a continuity between the Old and New Covenants. Just as circumcision was the covenant sign for Jewish infants in the Old Testament (Genesis 17:9-14), baptism now functions as the equivalent sign under the New Covenant, as explained by the Apostle Paul (Colossians 2:11-12). Evangelical Anglicans view the child of believing parents as a member of the covenant community (1 Corinthians 7:14) and, therefore, eligible to receive the outward sign of God’s grace through baptism.

Theologically, this does not imply that baptism automatically regenerates the infant (ex opere operato), nor that the child is immediately justified apart from personal faith. Rather, baptism signifies God’s promises to the child within the context of the covenant of grace and pledges the gift of salvation, which the child must later confirm through personal faith in Christ. In other words, baptism grants the child a title to covenant blessings that must be appropriated through faith when they come of age. This view harmonizes with the Reformation emphasis on salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Of Faith and Regeneration

While infants cannot exercise personal faith at the time of baptism, Evangelical Anglicans believe that baptism anticipates the faith that the child is expected to embrace later in life. Theologically, this resonates with the potential nature of grace conveyed through baptism—it is not a guarantee of regeneration but a sign of inclusion in the covenant community.

The liturgical language of the Book of Common Prayer (1662) reflects this anticipatory faith: the service assumes the child will grow into the promises made on their behalf by parents and godparents. These sponsors, acting on behalf of the infant, vow to raise the child in the Christian faith, ensuring they are nurtured spiritually until they are capable of personally affirming their faith, typically through confirmation. This process mirrors the biblical model seen in Acts 2:38-39, where the promise of salvation is extended not only to individuals who believe but also to their children.

The Covenant Community

Infant baptism in the Evangelical Anglican tradition reflects a corporate understanding of salvation and the Church’s identity as the Body of Christ. Baptism initiates the child into the visible Church, marking them as a member of the Christian community. This mirrors the Old Testament model, where infants were considered part of the covenant people of God by virtue of their parents’ faith. The visible Church, however, contains both regenerate, and unregenerate members and baptism into this community does not guarantee salvation—true membership in the invisible Church (the community of the truly regenerate) requires personal faith and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8).

This distinction clarifies that while infant baptism places a child within the sphere of God’s covenantal grace and ecclesial fellowship, it does not substitute for a personal conversion experience. Evangelical Anglicans emphasize the need for the baptized child to later respond in faith, typically marked by public profession during confirmation.

The Liturgy of Infant Baptism

In practice, infant baptism within the Evangelical Anglican Church follows the traditional structure outlined in the Book of Common Prayer but with a distinct evangelical emphasis on personal faith. The rite involves parents and godparents making vows on behalf of the child, committing to raise them within the faith, and encouraging their eventual profession of personal belief in Christ. The baptismal formula (“I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”) signifies both inclusion in the covenant community and the expectation of future regeneration.

The service itself reflects theological clarity about the nature of baptism as a pledge rather than an automatic conveyance of grace. The prayers focus on asking God to bestow grace upon the child in His time, trusting in the promises of Scripture while avoiding any mechanical or superstitious interpretation of the sacrament. Many evangelical parishes also encourage post-baptismal catechesis to ensure the child’s understanding of their baptismal vows as they grow in maturity.

Implications and Practice

Infant baptism in the Evangelical Anglican Church highlights the balance between God’s sovereign grace and human responsibility. It affirms that salvation is entirely by God’s grace, extended to the covenant community, while also insisting on the necessity of personal faith for the realization of the sacrament’s spiritual benefits. The practice serves as both a reminder of God’s covenantal faithfulness and a call to personal conversion.

In this framework, baptism remains a meaningful and necessary sign of the Church’s mission to nurture faith across generations. It reflects the Church’s responsibility to instruct and guide baptized children toward personal belief while honoring God’s promises to the covenant community. Ultimately, infant baptism is a visible testament to the hope that children will one day embrace the faith their parents and godparents have professed on their behalf, fulfilling the spiritual potential signified by their baptismal initiation.

Conclusion

The distinction between the reception of the sacrament of baptism and the grace it signifies holds significant theological and pastoral importance in Evangelical Anglican thought. It is crucial to understand that while baptism entitles the recipient to God’s promises, it does not automatically confer the grace of regeneration without personal repentance and faith. This understanding has implications in three key areas: assurance of salvation, baptismal discipline, and the practice of evangelism. Relying on the mere act of baptism for assurance of salvation risks creating a false sense of security, as true assurance stems from a heartfelt reception of God’s promises through faith. This distinction helps prevent a superficial reliance on outward signs while encouraging believers to seek genuine spiritual transformation.

The lack of discipline surrounding indiscriminate baptism, particularly of infants without proper spiritual upbringing, undermines the gravity of the sacrament and diminishes its significance. Thinkers like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and H.H. Henson criticized this lax approach, warning that it leads to a devaluation of grace and weakens the Church’s moral and spiritual authority. Evangelistically, the misconception that all baptized individuals automatically regenerate stifles efforts to call people to repentance and faith, especially among those who may have received baptism without subsequent spiritual formation. Instead, the Evangelical Anglican perspective encourages teaching the true significance of baptism and recognizing the need for continuous evangelization within the baptized community, urging individuals to embrace the grace promised in their baptism through genuine conversion and commitment to Christ.