Anglican Catechism: An Outline of the Faith (Jesus, Creator, Moses)

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Thanks Kat. It's nice to know someone else is reading this. If you'd like to start another thread elsewhere for discussion or questions I'd like that. I'm not going to debate articles of faith but if you'd like to do a compare and contrast kind of thing, that's cool.

luna

I really think that a compare and contrast thing would be fun -- just a one-on-one discussion between the two of us. We could take one point at a time and work through them. If you'd prefer, we could open the discussion up to the entire forum, but with so much information to cover, I have a feeling we'd end up off-topic really quickly.

[lunamoth]

Hi evearael, I just saw this.

Originally Posted by evearael

Great thread, Luna!

Are these the only laws that Anglicans/Episcopalians obey prior to the New Testament?

To answer this I'd point out the phrasing of the catachism here. You'll find a range of interpretation among individual Episcopalians about what this means. The ten commandments is where we see God's will for us shown. IMV with Christ our relationship to and understanding of the law has changed. The next part of the Catechism will show this.

Is baptism the only way to heaven or does God have mercy on infants, young children and other good people?

God's mercy is for everyone.

Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. It is the sacrament by which we are adopted into God's Church, made members of the Body of Christ. The Anglican Communion and Episcopal Church baptize infants as a sign of grace.

Baptism, becoming a member of the Body of Christ, is not about "getting into heaven when you die." To paraphrase a bit from a book I am just finishing called "Simply Christian" by N.T. Write (Bishop of Durham, England), Christian living is a summoning to live as people under the lordship of Jesus within the present world, to live now in the light of the future world when heaven and earth are one. My way of saying this is: salvation is for now.

Thank you for the questions!

luna

[Katzpur]

Actually, Laurie, I do have one question: Where and how did the Book of Common Prayer originate?

[evearael]

Thank you for answering! It's pretty cool that there is allowance for personal interpretation. Please keep posting on this, I enjoy learining the details of other's faiths.

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I really think that a compare and contrast thing would be fun -- just a one-on-one discussion between the two of us. We could take one point at a time and work through them. If you'd prefer, we could open the discussion up to the entire forum, but with so much information to cover, I have a feeling we'd end up off-topic really quickly.

I'm game, although a couple of warnings. First, it'll be best if you just want to pick out some of the points that you find most interesting because I'm only about a quarter of the way through the Catechism--way too much material to discuss point by point. I don't think I'd have the stamina. I'd be more interested in it being open and also in discussion, rather than debate.

Also, you might get frustrated with my answers because Episcopalians do not make a point of nailing down what each of these must mean for everyone. The words are there for us to understand as we will. It strikes me as I type them out--what exactly does this mean? But, I'll try to give my views as long as we're clear that that's what they'll be--my understanding of the Anglican understanding. It would be best if Terry, Sojourner, and other Anglicans or people close to/knowledgable of the Anglican tradition also participate.

luna

[lunamoth]

The New Covenant

Q: What is the New Covenant?
A: The New Covenant is the new relationship with God given by Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to the apostles; and, through them, to all who believe in him.

Q: What did the Messiah promise in the New Covenant?
A: Christ promised to bring us into the kingdom of God and give life in all its fullness.

Q: What response did Christ require?
A: Christ commanded us to believe in him and to keep his commandments.

Q: What are the commandments taught by Christ?
A: Christ taught us the Summary of the Law and gave us the New Commandment.

Q: What is the Summary of the Law?
A: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Q: What is the New Commandment?
A: The New Commandment is that we love one another as Christ loved us.

Q: Where may we find what Christians believe about Christ?
A: What Christians believe about Christ is found in the Scriptures and summed up in the creeds.

[lunamoth]

Here I've been typing out the whole thing and I just found a site that has it all:

Catechism

But I'll keep posting it here anyway, along with other tidbits of interest that I find.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

I'm game, although a couple of warnings. First, it'll be best if you just want to pick out some of the points that you find most interesting because I'm only about a quarter of the way through the Catechism--way too much material to discuss point by point. I don't think I'd have the stamina. I'd be more interested in it being open and also in discussion, rather than debate.

Also, you might get frustrated with my answers because Episcopalians do not make a point of nailing down what each of these must mean for everyone. The words are there for us to understand as we will. It strikes me as I type them out--what exactly does this mean? But, I'll try to give my views as long as we're clear that that's what they'll be--my understanding of the Anglican understanding. It would be best if Terry, Sojourner, and other Anglicans or people close to/knowledgable of the Anglican tradition also participate.

luna

That's fine. I really wasn't thinking of a real debate, but I would prefer if it just be a compare and contrast between LDS and Anglican beliefs as opposed to a free-for all. I'm going to be out of town tomorrow and Saturday, but we could maybe start a discussion when I get back.

By the way, did you see my question?