Trinity Sunday- Matthew 3:16-17, John 3: 5-16, Ephesians 2:18, I Peter 1:2

Much has been and can be said about the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity.  It is appropriate that we focus on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity one week after celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. Although human beings can use both reason and poetic language to talk about the nature of the Triune God, our personal appreciation of this unique Christian teaching depends on the divine grace which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts and minds. In other words, perceiving, confessing, and appreciating the doctrine of the Trinity is not a natural human ability but a gift of divine grace. 

There are numerous Scriptural passages that both maintain divine oneness and unity and refer to all three divine Persons.  There are New Testament texts such as Matthew 3:16-17, John 3: 5-16, Ephesians 2:18, 2 Corinthians 13: 14, and 1 Peter 1:2 that express a Trinitarian understanding of God's self-disclosure to humanity. In particular, the Gospel for this day from John 3 alludes to the work of all three divine Persons in being born anew by water and the Spirit. These biblical teachings are also summarized and explained in the three ancient Creeds, the ancient church fathers, and statements in numerous Christian sources. In other words, the doctrine of the Trinity embodies and expresses core Christian beliefs about creation, redemption, and sanctification.

Is Anglicanism "Orthodox"?

From the sixteenth century to the present, Anglicans have had a penchant for labels. They have frequently tossed about labels such as reformed, catholic, protestant, evangelical, high church, low church, broad church, etc. These labels often have different meanings for different people. Sometimes the labels have a historical reference, sometimes a doctrinal meaning, and sometimes a liturgical or ceremonial context.

One Anglican label has been "orthodox." Like other labels, this one also means different things to different Anglicans. For some, it refers to a general respect for Scriptural standards of faith and conduct. For some, it means loyalty to the ancient ecumenical creeds. And for some, it means affirming the teachings of the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the ancient Church. 

There are understandable reasons for such varied uses of the term "orthodox," but anyone who uses the label should seek clarity about what he means. After long reflection, I have some observations about what the label "orthodox" means in an Anglican context. The following five points summarize my understanding of orthodox Anglicanism:

 - acceptance of Holy Scripture and truly catholic traditions of faith and morals,

- affirmation of the ancient Creeds, especially the original Nicene (Nicene-Constantinopolitan) Creed,

- regular use of traditional liturgies, sacraments, and prayers rooted in the ancient Church,

- respect the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the ancient Church,

- and historic male orders of ministry (bishop, priest, deacon) received through unbroken succession.

These five points serve to keep traditional Anglicanism broadly orthodox and open to dialogue with other traditional Christians.

Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday- John 14:26

This Sunday is Pentecost or Whitsunday. the fiftieth day after Easter, This Christian feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples in a powerful new way, and it has sometimes been called the birthday of the Christian Church. There are many things that we can say about the Holy Spirit, but today I would like to focus on one verse from the Gospel of John. In John 14:26, Jesus tells the disciples, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

As Jesus looks toward the end of His earthly ministry with His approaching death, resurrection, and ascension, He promises His followers that divine aid will continue. God the heavenly Father will send the Paraclete, Comforter, or Helper to the disciples in Christ's name. Christians will still need teaching. In particular, they will continue to need reminding in a lively way of the teachings that Christ has already given. In other words, the central work of the Holy Spirit among Christians is to help them remember and apply the Gospel.

Unfortunately, through the centuries and into our time, many people have misunderstood and distorted this main work of the Holy Spirit among believers. Some have gone to emotional and imaginative extremes. Some have neglected Scripture and Christ's Sacraments in favor of some nebulous "spirituality." However, true spirituality inspired by the Holy Ghost must never be separated from the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other Gospel that can save souls. So the Holy Spirit never contradicts the revelation in Christ. Rather the Holy Spirit recalls the Scriptural message, makes it alive, and helps us apply it in our situations!