The Elizabethan Solution

Elizabeth I (1558–1603)
Via Media

Against the Excesses of the
Medieval Church

John Jewel (1522-1571): Early Career

Jewel’s Challenge (1559-60)

If any learned man of all our adversaries, or if all the learned men that be alive be able to bring any one sufficient sentence, out of any old catholic doctor, or father; Or out of any old general council; or out of the holy scriptures of God; Or any one example of the primitive church whereby it may be clearly and plainly proved that there was any private mass in the whole world at that time, for the space of six hundred years after Christ . . . [I will] give over and subscribe to him.

—John Jewel “Challenge Sermon”  (1559)

Jewel’s Apology of the Church of England

Jewel’s Apology of the Church of England

We receive and embrace all the canonical Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament…Also that these be the heavenly voices, whereby God hath opened unto us His will: and that only in them man's heart can have settled rest; that in them be abundantly and fully comprehended all things, whatsoever be needful for our salvation, as Origen, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Cyrillus have taught:

that they be the very might and strength of God to attain to salvation: that they be the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles, whereupon is built the Church of God: that they be the very sure and infallible rule, whereby may be tried, whether the Church do stagger, or err, and whereunto all ecclesiastical doctrine ought to be called to account: and that against these Scriptures neither law, nor ordinance, nor any custom ought to be heard.

—John Jewel Apology of the Church of England

If we be heretics . . . why do they not, as they see the fathers, which were Catholic men, have always done?  Why do they not convince and master us by the Divine Scriptures?  Why do they not call us again to be tried by them? Why do they not lay before us how we have gone away from Christ, from the Prophets, from the Apostles, and from the holy fathers?  Why stick they to do it?  Why are they afraid of it?  It is God's cause.  Why are they doubtful to commit it to the trial of God's word?  . . .

And how is it meet to call them, which fear the judgment of
the Holy Scriptures--that is to say, the judgment of God Himself--and do
prefer before them their own dreams and full cold inventions; and, to
maintain their own traditions, have defaced and corrupted, now these many hundred years, the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles?

—John Jewel Apology of the Church of England

Hath Christ Himself, then, the Apostles, and so many fathers all at once gone astray?  Were then Origen, Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, Gelasius, Theodoret, forsakers of the Catholic faith? Was so notable a consent of so many ancient bishops and learned men nothing else
but a conspiracy of heretics? Or is that now condemned in us, which was then commended in them? Or is the thing now, by alteration only of men's affections, suddenly become schismatic, which in them was counted Catholic? Or shall that which in times past was true, now by-and-by, because it liketh not these men, be judged false?

—John Jewel Apology of the Church of England

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion

Outline of The Thirty-Nine Articles

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

XX.  Of the Authority of the Church.

The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of Faith: and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything that is contrary to God’s Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.

XXII. Of Purgatory.

The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.

XXIV.  Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.

XVIII.  Of the Lord's Supper.

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner.  And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is Faith.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

XXX.  Of both Kinds.

The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay‑people: for both the parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike.

XXXI.  Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross.

The Offering of Christ once made in that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone.  Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.

XXXII.  Of the Marriage of Priests.

Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God’s Law, either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness.

Discussion Question

How do Anglicans continue to look to the Early Church as a source of Authority?