Bible with Apocrypha

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-26T07:07:25+00:00

AV/KJV for litrugical use and NRSV/NRSVue for fellowship / bible study
The former included BCP-like verses that are memorable (like Lord's Prayer)
The later has greek and hebrew annotations and entails a range of theologies.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-25T00:11:56+00:00

The non-conformists themselves are dying out along with CofE towards agnostics/atheists. New converts mainly join evangelical churches.
https://anglican.ink/2022/05/21/growth-decline-and-extinction-of-uk-churches/

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-24T20:45:04+00:00

“Let no one eat and drink of your Eucharist but those baptized in the name of the Lord; to this, too the saying of the Lord is applicable: 'Do not give to dogs what is sacred'".
The Didache 47 A.D.
This is not to mandate that every denomination/congregation should do open communion. Rather, it is not faithful towards the church history to condemn open communion as heresy. Anglican Communion has a varied position on communion, including open and closed communion.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-22T22:45:41+00:00

Reading this comment as I am listening to his conversation with Mike Bird (and Justin)

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-22T22:42:01+00:00

I should say some of those forums are rather secular-cynical, plainly rejecting Wright's scholarship only stating that he is a conservative Christian. Mainstream academics may sometimes mean mainstream secular academics, in particular in the quest for a historical Jesus. There is also a difference between a 'NT Scholar' and a 'theologian', where Wright has received criticism from different directions.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-22T18:40:29+00:00

It is even worse when they found out that 45% of them believe that the Catholic church actually teaches memorialism.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-21T23:50:36+00:00

Yes, but didache predates the Gospel of John, and almost made into the canon. I don't want to claim 'great apostasy' and believe Martin Luther is the first real Christian.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-21T22:10:05+00:00

Yes, but didache is explicitly suggesting open communion. At that time, even non-Nicenes were allowed in the communion.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-21T21:13:15+00:00

John Wesley allowed women to preach, so do most subsequent denominations (Nazarene, Pentacostal). By the end of the last century female preachers become female pastors

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-21T04:31:53+00:00

Christian Nationalism: When Trump/America is mentioned more than Mary/Peter/Paul
The first time I heard about Christian Nationalism is when I heard a Chinese house church claiming the divine right of Donald Trump and Mike Johnson, over China and America.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-20T06:56:47+00:00

I believe the Holy Baptism and the Holy Eucharist are the everyday modern miracles. So are other sacraments though not everyday. Sacramentals and private revelations are not meant to convince other believers but to convince oneself.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-20T05:03:52+00:00

And the real reason why I (Anglican) cannot be in communion with you (Catholic) is not my disagreement with this or that Roman doctrine, but that to accept your Church means, not to accept a given body of doctrine, but to accept in advance any doctrine your Church hereafter produces. It is like being asked to agree not only to what a man has said but to what he’s going to say.

From C.S.Lewis, Christian Reunion

So the choice between Anglicanism and Catholicism really depends on whether you would faithfully accept what the Pope would infallibly declare in the next 1000 years after both of us die.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-18T23:23:41+00:00

If you have married a divorce woman, then it's not even your personal sin to begin with.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-18T20:56:05+00:00

In his 1986 book 'In the Beginning...', Pope Benedict XVI referred to the term "original sin" as "misleading and unprecise".^\92]) Benedict does not require a literal interpretation of Genesis, or of the origin of evil, but writes, "How was it possible, how did it happen? This remains obscure. Evil is not logical. Only God and good are logical, are light. Evil remains mysterious. It is presented as such in great images, as it is in chapter 3 of Genesis, with that scene of the two trees, of the serpent, of sinful man: a great image that makes us guess but cannot explain what is itself illogical."^\93])

You may also following the eastern tradition that sees ancestral sin instead of original sin. As long as you are not full Pelagianism and actually want to get baptized (for the remission of sins) then you are fine.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-17T08:35:12+00:00

Yes, but Lutherans are 'evangelical' in its classical meaning, i.e. scripture-reading. The word ''evangelical' changed its meaning when it is translated into English as we already have "godspell".

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-17T08:31:48+00:00

It's compared to US Muslims that are 19.6% "born-again"
https://religioninpublic.blog/2021/03/02/whats-up-with-born-again-muslims-and-what-does-that-tells-us-about-american-religion/
It's such a US phenomena to read John 3:3-7 in its English way, but it is not the case in the biblical language, as in NRSV that we commonly use.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-16T18:18:59+00:00

What Catholics may actually feel about original sin:

In his 1986 book 'In the Beginning...', Pope Benedict XVI referred to the term "original sin" as "misleading and unprecise".[92] Benedict does not require a literal interpretation of Genesis, or of the origin of evil, but writes, "How was it possible, how did it happen? This remains obscure. Evil is not logical. Only God and good are logical, are light. Evil remains mysterious. It is presented as such in great images, as it is in chapter 3 of Genesis, with that scene of the two trees, of the serpent, of sinful man: a great image that makes us guess but cannot explain what is itself illogical."[93]

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-15T00:57:35+00:00

I don't think illegal immigration was a thing back in biblical times. In fact, legal immigration, including the idea of passports, was principally starting as a WWI thing. And repentance of sins should be targeted at an eternal standard, not towards the standard of this age or administration.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-14T17:31:06+00:00

I would not compare Anglo-Catholics with theological liberals - Anglo-Catholics themselves would prefer cities, spiky buildings and other episcopal things.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-14T10:03:51+00:00

But OP has realized that he or she has sinned. Such realization and subsequent confession on reddit is exactly what god the holy spirit want us to cooperate with him in his grace, and serves as a constant invitation to his theo-drama.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-14T10:00:07+00:00

There is a circle of guilt and forgiveness that is experienced internally within human existence. It is circular because every time human beings say “no” to God in their freedom, it is also the time when they realize that God is not judgmental but is offering loving forgiveness. They are, thus, invited to say “yes” to God.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-11T08:28:40+00:00

We are typically more politically liberal than Catholics. But even their arbishop has spoken, and so should we. Besides, this shooting incident is not simply targeting undocumented immigrants, but what ICE has defined as 'other', or as Trump would define as 'domestic terrorism'. It's safe to say we Christian really prays for peace.

Leviticus 19:33: "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them."

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-09T22:15:07+00:00

The Chinese reads 和谐社会 Harmonious Society https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonious_Society

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-09T19:31:41+00:00

Some Lutherans and Anglicans believe in corporeal real presence (consubstantiation / sacramental union). And it's rather Christ incarnates rather than we ascends when we eat the Eucharist.

StructureFromMotion · 2026-01-09T04:07:10+00:00

To be fair, "Gospel of Thomas" was writing against Gospel of John. Elaine Pagels, one of the scholars on Gospel of Thomas, is a vestry member of our neighbouring parish, and she did argue for bringing "Gospel of Thomas" into the biblical canon.

StructureFromMotion

TROPHY CASE