Anglican identity today is based on the supreme authority of Holy Scripture as it’s found enshrined in its historic formularies.

The Elizabethan Settlement is thoroughly biblical, confessionally reformed, pastorally generous, and liturgically beautiful.

There is no reason to doubt Elizabeth’s essential and unwavering Protestantism, and her personal commitment to the historic Anglican formularies.

John Jewel expressed the majority view of the English reformers when he called Parker “a holy anchor unto me and others.”

Michael Nazir-Ali did the right thing if his heart is not fixed on Anglican’s commitment to the primacy of Holy Scripture, and to the doctrines of justification by grace through faith alone, the universal priesthood of all believers, and to a sacramental understanding that expresses these core biblical teachings.

Twelve-year old Princess Elizabeth gave her stepmother an extraordinary new year’s present December 30, 1545.

I don’t remember any of my Episcopal seminary professors ever mentioned this important collection, and it was a happy day when I discovered them tucked away in a dusty corner of the seminary library.

Queen Elizabeth was excommunicated by Pope Pius V April 27, 1570, twelve years into her 45 year reign as Queen of England and Ireland. The pope dismissed her as a "heretic and favorer of heretics.”

The “three uses” of the law is now carved into stone, and so firmly that to question it is like bringing a live grenade to the cocktail party

Anglican theology and worship as seen in the Elizabethan Settlement is thoroughly biblical, beautiful, and generous in its balance between doctrinal essentials and liberty in nonessentials.

The last few months I have searched various Anglican and Episcopal Church websites to find out what is being taught in adult SS classes and new member classes. It is actually shocking how shallow (and factually wrong!) are many of the things that are being taught! Early in my ministry I received a very generous postcard with the famous portrait of Thomas Cranmer from Bishop Fitz Allison thanking me for something I wrote. He concluded his card with: “Please don’t stop teaching the Articles of Religion to your folks!” Fitz was right, and for 40 years I have tried to teach Reformation Anglicanism. Here are my notes for an introductory class on Reformation Anglicanism. Please feel free to use them, change them, or dump them as you find helpful.

Gillis Harp, Professor of History at Grove City College, unmasks the three ways the Articles have been interpreted over time in his invitation to consider what Edwardian and Elizabethan reformers considered primary. The historic Anglican formularies do not constitute a wax nose to be shaped in any manner that suits us. Words matter!

When Mary died, her half-sister Elizabeth was crowned Queen of England January 15, 1559. Elizabeth was the last of five monarchs of the House of Tudor. She had private Lutheran leanings, but she was more interested in keeping peace between the different Protestant factions in England. In her long reign as Queen and Supreme Governor…