Letter for February 2025

Dear Friends

I was talking with the St Luke’s Church Council (PCC) at our last meeting. We have been going through the 39 Articles of the Church of England, one at the beginning of each of our meetings. I realise that you may associate this with possible cures for insomnia, but there is a good purpose.

When there is confusion about what the C of E stands for, we need help to see more clearly. The 39 Articles of Religion were a clearly stated list of things which helped define the Church of England from the start. For four centuries, clergy, when ordained or starting a new post, have been required to give their assent to these Articles. It is an interesting list. And a heartening one for me. I am reminded that the Church of England is built on a foundation of good doctrine and good discipline.

The article we recounted in our January meeting was Article 26: ‘Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament.’

It says this (in modern English):

“Although in the visible church, the evil are always mingled with the good, and sometimes evil people possess the highest rank in the ministry of the Word and sacraments, nevertheless since they do not do these things in their own name but in Christ’s and minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry both in hearing God’s Word and in receiving the sacraments”.

The presenting issue addressed for Christians in this Article is a common one. If my vicar or bishop is unfaithful to Jesus and the Bible (that is, they could be called ‘evil’ since they are pulling against the Lord and his true church), should I still hear their sermons and receive holy communion from them?

Some Christians might answer ‘no, stay away, don’t associate with them in any way’. In our generation we are quick to desert the church or avoid bad ministry. But the Article says the opposite. It says you may still receive their ministry, because “the effect of Christ’s institution is not taken away by the wickedness of these people, nor is the grace of God’s gifts diminished, so long as the sacraments are received by faith and rightly.” Don’t stop going to church! Because you can still hear from the Bible Readings what is good and true (even if the sermons may include what is bad), and holy communion’s effect is to do with the heart of the receiver not the heart of the distributor (so receive bread and wine faithfully).

This classic Church of England teaching has an ageless wisdom. It is based on godly biblical common sense.

1. For a start, it recognises there is a visible church, which does not necessarily equate to the true church of God (which is invisible to us, and seen only by God: He alone knows which people are His faithful people). The Sunday congregation is the visible church. Not all who attend church are God’s people.

2. Next, it bases this understanding on Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds. It is always the case. The evil are always mingled with the good in the way that weeds are always mingled with the wheat in a harvest field. By pulling up the weeds we may lose some of the wheat, so our God (who wishes to maximise the number of souls saved on the last day) lets the two grow together until His day for harvest.

3. Article 26 is not shocked by the faithlessness of some senior church leaders. It says sometimes evil people possess the highest rank of ministry. It could well be talking about some bishops or even archbishops.

4. The Article is concerned that the life of the church (and the churchgoing of the people of God) is not disrupted by the faithlessness of some senior leaders. Carry on coming to church! Carry on hearing the Word of God spoken (just use a bit of discernment to recognise what is true). Carry on receiving Holy Communion regularly (as Jesus calls his people to do, in remembrance of him).

This is ageless wisdom for our benefit. But the Article does not end there.

The last paragraph makes clear that the issue of bad church leaders should be tackled. Article 26 finishes with these words:

“It belongs to the discipline of the church that investigation be made into evil ministers. Those who are accused by witnesses having knowledge of their offences and who in the end are justly found guilty, should be deposed.”

Godly discipline in the C of E may have been in short supply in recent years. But it is part of our heritage and important for our future.

Yours in Christ,

Rob