Anglican Moderation or The Middle Way (Via Media)

In Philippians 4:5, we read, "Let your moderation be known unto all men" (in the Epistle for Advent IV). In context, the Apostle Paul is exhorting believers to live a virtuous life and to be ready for Christ's return. The Greek word translated as "moderation" has several connotations, including moderation, tolerance, gentleness, and kindness. Such moderation reflects the great Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and it is important in relationships among Christians and in the dealings of Christians with all people.

Moderation is a theme often associated with Anglicanism. Over the years, many people inside and outside Anglican Christianity have viewed being moderate or pursuing a middle way as characteristic of Anglicans. Some people admire this idea, and some view it as a kind of weakness or confusion. There are also questions about what moderation means in differing contexts. In Anglican history, moderation has been viewed differently at different times. 

One common understanding of moderation is that there is an  Anglican middle way (via media) between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.  There is a grain of truth in this  view. Anglicanism has preserved more catholic traditions than most other Protestants. This has especially been characteristic of Prayer Book worship. It is also reflected in Anglican insistence on importance of the ancient Creeds.

However, the original meaning of the Anglican middle way was not about some posture between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Anglicans were acknowledged to be Protestants on some basic issues, but in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the middle way concerned the Anglican place within Protestantism. During the Reformation period and afterwards, some Anglicans viewed the middle way as a means to promote Christian unity. It was a diplomatic position to calm disagreements in England and abroad among strict Lutherans and Calvinists, as well as later "Arminians." This type of moderation was claimed to exist in basic Anglican documents such as the Prayer Book and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. These documents did show signs of broad Protestant influences without being extremely partisan. They tried to preserve ancient catholic traditions while incorporating insights from Lutheran and Reformed theology. Such breadth has strengths and weaknesses, but it remains very Anglican.