Thirty-nine Articles of Religion: A Personal Perspective

One of the many ironies of Anglicanism is the position of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. A statement meant to promote some degree of harmony in the sixteenth-century Church of England (1562,1571) has occasioned much debate and disagreement over the years. Many Anglicans of various persuasions have distanced themselves from the Articles. Some others have tried to force the Articles to say things that they do not say.

Yet, despite differing understandings of details, most Anglicans over the last four and a half centuries have affirmed the Thirty-Nine Articles. Since at least 1662, they have been printed with the English Book of Common Prayer and Ordinal (and since 1801 with the American Book of Common Prayer). Furthermore, when non-Anglicans from almost any perspective write about Anglican doctrine, they always seem to mention the Articles along with the Prayer Book. So whether particular Anglicans like the Thirty-Nine Articles or not, it seems clear that the Articles are an inescapable part of the Anglican heritage and identity.

Personally, I view the Articles as an important part of my Anglican heritage. Alongside the Prayer Book liturgies, the Articles were one of the things that first attracted me to Anglicanism. They seem to be rooted in Scripture, consistent with the ancient catholic faith, and filled with valuable insights from the Reformation era. Despite historical developments since their sixteenth-century approval, the Articles contain valuable principles. While certain phrases may be linguistically, institutionally, or theologically dated, the Articles still provide a broad summary of the Christian Faith. They affirm core Christian beliefs, help distinguish the Anglican perspective from the views of other Christian traditions, and at the same time, allow for some breadth in emphasis and interpretation.