Questions

Here are my main questions about the Constitution. I sent these to David Harper, rector of Church of the Apostles, yesterday. He has forwarded them to Mary McReynolds, chancellor and secretary of ADV. If I get answers to the questions, I will post them!

I would encourage anyone else who has concerns or even just questions about the Constitution to not only post them here and discuss them with your friends from church, but to send a letter to leaders in your church. After all, we've been asked to vote on it!


Dear Rev. Harper,

Thank you so much for extending the invitation to ask questions about the proposed ADV Constitution before the Dec. 9th meeting. I have nine questions, so I thought it would be best to get them out there as soon as possible.

I am well aware that we need an ADV constitution. However, I am troubled by the scope of the proposed changes to our doctrine, especially the addition of the Athanasian Creed and the 39 Articles of Religion. I doubt that many of the members at COA could in good conscience accept the confessions of faith set forth in Article 1 of the ADV Constitution. I am also merely curious about some structural changes.

I hope that my questions do not seem inconsequential, "foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law" (Titus 3:9). If ADV is going to produce a document as defining as a constitution, it will carry forth much of the weight of our entire ecclesiastical stance. It will affect the identity of all its churches and members. It will be a witness to others of what was so important that we disaffiliate from the Diocese of Virginia. It will also have an enormous influence on the constitution of whichever permanent ecclesiastical structure is eventually created to replace ADV. So, we need to do it justice. Furthermore, some of the issues I address below have been the subjects of their own bloody controversies, and so should not be lightly bundled into documents that define COA's stand in our own controversy. Lastly, regardless of the practical impact of a document, I always try to make sure I understand and truthfully agree with the meaning of any confessions of faith that I sign. I trust that there are others who feel the same way.


1. Article 1 says "We confess...the historic faith of the undivided church as declared in...the Athanasian [Creed]." The Athanasian Creed is listed in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as a "historical document" that we are not currently required to believe in its entirety but rather encouraged to know for its strikingly sound Trinitarian doctrine. But in addition to that doctrine, the Creed also states that "before all things it is necessary that" "whosoever be saved" believe the contents of the Athanasian Creed "whole and undefiled;" if a man does not "believe [it] faithfully, he cannot be saved" and "without doubt he shall perish everlastingly."
I think there can be some reasonable doubt as to whether a flawed understanding of the Trinity necessarily spells damnation. In this one instance I would hold to the earlier statement of William Chillingworth (1602-1644): "The damning clauses in St. Athanasius's Creed are most false, and also in a high degree schismatical and presumptuous." Why has ADV decided that its members must agree with the Athanasian Creed?

2. Article 1 says that we receive the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as "a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline" and "the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship." If we ratify this Constitution, will COA continue using the 1979 version of the liturgy in our worship, or will we comply with the standard?

3. Article 1 says "We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1562, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as...expressing fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief." In those 39 Articles, Article 6 lists the first and second books of Esdras as canonical Scripture. I am not aware of any document prior to the ADV constitution that would require our agreement with the 39 Articles. So, would this Constitution make the difference between whether or not COA is compelled to accept the books of Esdras as canonical Scripture?

4. There are only a few differences between the 1572/1662 and 1801 versions of the 39 Articles of Religion. Given the nature of those differences, I find it odd that Article 1 of the ADV constitution specifies the 1572 version as the one ADV believes. The only significant differences I could find were the following:
- Article 8 of the 1572 version included the Athanasian Creed along with the Apostles' and Nicene creeds as doctrine that "ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture." The 1801 version omits the Athanasian Creed.
- Article 21 of the 1572 version included this phrase: "General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes." The 1801 version omits the entire Article.
Why would we prefer to reject these changes? I cannot see any reason why the 1572 version would be preferable than the 1801 version to ADV, except maybe their aforementioned affinity for the Athanasian Creed; except that that is covered separately in the ADV constitution.

5. Among other specifications, Article 2 defines the Anglican Communion as comprising Dioceses, Provinces, and regional churches "upholding and propagating the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament, and Discipline...as taught in the Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal, 1662, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion." I was under the impression that at least in 1997, no churches in the Anglican Communion required either clergy or laity to subscribe to any version of 39 Articles. Why are we redefining the definition of the Communion on this point, and does ADV - or even Nigeria - have the authority to do so? Does this mean we will be able to say that any church that does not uphold and propagate what is taught in the 39 Articles is not part of the Anglican Communion?

6. Article 4, Section 3 says that "membership shall include each baptized individual member of each member church who accepts the confession of faith set forth in Article I of this Constitution. The name of each individual member shall be entered into the church's register of his or her respective church." What is this register - is it separate from the list of COA members, or is it meant to replace it? Does the vote on Dec. 9th determine individual membership in ADV as well as ratification on behalf of COA, or will individual registration come at a later date if the constitution is ratified?

7. Article 4, Section 4 says that "any member may disaffiliate from ADV at any time." Would not becoming an individual member of ADV, or would disaffiliating from ADV at any time, affect an individual's membership in COA? Would it affect one's eligibility to serve on vestry or in any other leadership positions?

8. Article 5 says that ADV churches shall not be subject to any interpretation of present or future canon law that would warrant a claim on our properties. Are Canterbury and/or Nigeria okay with the principle of churches just deciding to make themselves exempt from canon law - especially future canon law?

9. If COA votes not to ratify this Constitution, what will happen? Should we propose an alteration to the Synod and the Committee on Constitutions and Canons? Is there any chance that not ratifying the Constitution would affect our court case?


Thank you again for hearing these questions. Please feel free to pass them along to any others or to our lay delegates who represented us at the constitutional convention, or to read from them during the meeting on Dec. 9th.