Why Anglicanism?

All those who love Jesus are members of God's eternal family, regardless of their denomination or church background. The orthodox Anglican tradition provides the venue for one form of worship. We love it, and value the gift and breadth of Anglican liturgy and traditions. Anglican worship is a great way to connect with Christ.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Anglicanism:

What is Anglicanism?
The Anglican Church was founded in England in the 16th century amidst the great Protestant Reformation. During the Reformation, godly theologians recognized the need to return to the centrality of Scriptures as the ultimate authority for the teaching, life, and structures of the Church (above leaders and tradition).  Thomas Cranmer, an Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VIII, was instrumental in birthing the theology, liturgy, prayer book and overall gospel focus of the Anglican Church. For us, Anglicanism represents the best of Christianity—a connection to believers past and present, a commitment to the authority of the Bible, and the call to proclaim the gospel and serve others within a variety of worship styles and ministries.

What do the Colors, Symbols, and Postures represent?
The colors we use, the clothes participants wear, and the reason we sit, stand or kneel all point to the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, during Advent, we use the color purple or serum blue because purple is the color of Kings and we are celebrating the coming of the One true King.  Candles remind us that not only is Christ the light of the world and present among us, but that we are called to be the light of Christ to the world.  (Matt 5: 14). The clergy and other participants wear white robes to remind everyone (most especially their spouses, parents and children!) that it is not their own goodness that makes them worthy to serve but the righteousness of Christ (Eph 4:24.). We kneel to display our outward submission and humility before the Great King who is worthy of all honor. We stand to honor the One who has come among us by His Holy Spirit. The clergy wear “slave collars”, to remind them that they are to be bond-slaves of Christ & servants of the entire church (Colossians 3: 23—24). Please ask if you have a question about our worship service! 

What is Anglican Worship like? 
Worship is a Verb. Anglican worship is centered around the active participation of hearing and responding to God’s Word through worship, prayer, confession, and fellowship with Christ in Holy Communion. Worship at Church of the Resurrection is biblically-based and shaped by the Book of Common Prayer and the Church Year (a calendar based upon the life of Christ). The Liturgical Calendar is divided into six major seasons: Advent (Christ’s Coming), Christmas (Christ’s birth), Epiphany (Christ for the whole world), Lent (a time for reflection, repentance and grace in preparation for Easter), Easter (Christ’s resurrection from the dead), and Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of Christ’s Church on earth) followed by “normal time” (growing together as the Body of Christ and His witnesses in the world).  

Why do Anglicans use Liturgy in their worship?
Liturgy is the structural form that any church uses to facilitate worship. Historically, Anglicans have believed that a balance of traditional and more informal liturgy can be helpful to facilitate worship for a variety of different people. Here is why: A steady Liturgy transcends the ever-changing realities in our daily lives, and so we can count on it to bring us back to things that are true and constant. Also, Anglican liturgy teaches us how to pray scripture, as it was written by biblically grounded theologians who crafted and taught Christian prayer based on certain scriptures. Also, Anglican liturgy connects us with millions of other Christians (from all over the world and throughout time) who have said the same prayers to the same God.

Can someone ‘fake it’ through liturgy and simply go through the motions? Sure. Though you can pretty much ‘fake it’ through any style of worship, whether formal or informal. We think that if you engage your mind and heart,  and give this style of worship a chance (that is, stick around for a bit), you’ll begin to love it!

What are the various parts of an Anglican worship service?

     Music and Singing–The Scriptures extol us to, "Sing to the Lord a new song," and to "Let every
     instrument be tuned for praise.” While we love and honor timeless hymns which speak of and respond
     to the majesty of God, you will notice that we sing a variety of music to appeal to different tastes,
     experience, and temperament. If you are not comfortable singing a particular song, we invite you to
     just listen to the words and be encouraged by the truth others are singing.  

     The Collect—The prayer at the beginning of the service is taken from a collection of prayers that have
     been assembled to coincide with the church calendar. The “prayer of the day” seeks to focus the
     congregation together on Jesus Christ and ask the Lord to lead the congregation in worship. 

     Reading Scripture—We believe that the whole Bible speaks of God’s glorious gospel. Therefore we
     read portions of the Old & New Testaments in our services, including Psalms. 

     The Creeds—are statements of faith written by the early Church and recited by the people during the
     service after the hearing of the Word. Christians recite the Creed to recommit their lives to Christ and
     be reminded of what they believe.

     The Creeds proclaim succinctly to those interested in becoming believers in Jesus Christ what
     Christians believe.  The Creeds also keep the Church accountable to the gospel. 

     The Prayers of the People—We respond to God and His Word by relating to Him in and through
     prayer. In prayer we listen to the Lord, give thanks, present our petitions and requests, and pray both
     corporately and individually. At Resurrection we pray silently and aloud during the Prayers.

     The Confession of Sin and Absolution—is placed after the hearing of God’s Word as an opportunity
     to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are given the opportunity to individually and corporately
     acknowledge and repent of our sins and to confess our need for Jesus Christ. The Confession is an
     Anglican “altar call” so to speak. The priest then proclaims the gospel: that by grace through faith in
     Jesus Christ complete forgiveness is offered to all who repent and trust in Christ. 

     The Peace—The purpose of “The Peace” before communion is for members of the church to 1)
     remind each other of the peace of Christ given because of the gospel, and 2) to allow members of the
     church who have been at odds with one another to “make peace in Christ” before they come to the
     communion table.  (See Matthew 5: 23—24)

     The Holy Communion—Jesus Christ gave the command for his people to break bread and drink wine
     not only as a memorial of his death and resurrection, but as an invitation to have fellowship with
     Christ through faith. Anglicans believe in the “real presence of Christ” not only in the bread and wine,
     but among the church gathered for Communion. Thus, the whole communion service is called a
     “sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.” Taking communion is not just an individual encounter but a
     corporate experience of Christ’s Presence among His people. 

     Receiving Wine and Bread—All baptized believers of Jesus Christ “in love and charity with their
     neighbor” (1928 BCP) are welcome at the Lord’s Table for communion.  The bread is placed on an
     open palm and may be eaten followed by drinking from the common cup or may be “intincted”
     (dipped) into the common cup of wine. If  you do not wish to receive communion, you are welcome to
     come forward and cross your arms across your chest as a sign to request a prayer and blessing or to
     remain seated for reflection and prayer.  

     The Charge—As we end our worship we are charged to 1) Remember the Gospel 2) Go forth in peace,
     courage, strength and joy because of the gospel and 3) Seek to serve as Christ has served us
     throughout the week, living and proclaiming the gospel in thought, word, and deed to the world
     around us. 

Some find Anglican Terminology to be confusing.
Here are some definitions to frequently used words:

     Rector - Head-pastor of a local parish church.

     Vestry - The ruling board of a Church, made up at Resurrection of 9 people (plus the Rector).

     Eucharist - Derives from a Greek word meaning "to give thanks"; often used to describe Holy
     Communion.

Who is welcomed to receive Communion at Church of the Resurrection? 
All who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are welcomed to receive the Sacrament with us, regardless of a person’s denomination or church background.

My spouse is a Catholic and I’m a Protestant. Would we both be happy in an Anglican Church?
We certainly think so. While our beliefs are Biblical, orthodox, and reflect the theology of the Protestant Reformation, Anglicans retain some liturgies along with helpful traditions from the early Church that Roman Catholics would find comfortably familiar. So, both groups would feel very much at home.

Where can I read about the basics of Anglican theology?
The founding theology of the Anglican Church can be found in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. The theology presented there is in line with the Protestant Reformation and the ancient Creeds of the Church.

Additional Resources

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The Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic (DOMA), of which we are a part, has released a new, informative booklet entitled “Why Anglicanism?”
 
It is a compilation of essays on the theology and beliefs to which Anglicans subscribe.  We invite you to download the document HERE.