Why another Bible-believing Church in the Loganville area? Don’t we already have plenty?
We are something of an anomaly in today’s world; we are Anglican and Reformed in our theology and teaching. that is, we actually follow the Thirty-Nine Articles that Thomas Cranmer wrote during the Reformation of the 16th Century. We think the good news of the Gospel, which was rediscovered during the Reformation, needs to be proclaimed in a fresh way, and so we have a message people need to hear today
Why do you use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer?
We use that prayer book because it expresses a truly biblical understanding of what it means to worship God as Christians who know that God accepts us not because of our performance, but only because of His love and free grace. The 1928 Prayer book follows the tradition of the original English prayer books of Thomas Cranmer, which faithfully express worship under the authority of God’s Word, the Bible.
Why do you use a Prayer Book at all? Can’t Christians simply worship God without one?
Yes, of course; but we use a Prayer book so we can all pray “on the same page,” so to speak. If someone is leading a congregation in prayer, and all are praying with the leader, although he’s the only one speaking, there’s really no difference if you’re listening to pray along or if you reading along as well; you’re still praying with someone else’s words. Also, the prayers of the Prayer Book teach us how to pray, since they were written by godly people expressing the faith of the Church according to the Word of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit. This makes the Prayer Book very useful, for it gives us words to express our worship that are informed by Scripture, instead of the mood or the biases of the leader.
Are you part of the Anglican Communion?
We are not in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, but it’s a mistaken idea that one isn’t genuinely “Anglican” unless you’re recognized by Canterbury. The original churches established in the American Colonies in Jamestown and Savannah were founded at a time when there was no Archbishop of Canterbury. They were simply Christians in the Anglican Tradition planting churches to worship God and spread the Gospel.
Are your bishops in the Apostolic Succession?
The answer to that question is Yes, but it’s probably helpful to define “Apostolic Succession” precisely. First, that expression is usually referring to a historic succession of ordination. This historic succession dates back through time to the original apostles of our Lord Jesus. The Church was established after the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2. We are indeed in the Apostolic Succession in that sense, as our Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Jerry L. Ogles, was consecrated in a line that includes Anglican, Old Catholic, Armenian-Uniate, Russian Orthodox, Syrian Malabar, among others. Second, However, it is important to note that such a “pedigree” does not in itself guarantee faithfulness to the Apostles’ doctrine, their teaching, faithfulness to the Bible and the biblical Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ by faith alone. This faithfulness to Apostolic teaching is the true Apostolic Succession. It doesn’t mean anything if a minister can trace his Episcopal ordination back to the Apostles, if he is teaching a false gospel.
Are you part of the new Anglican Church of North America (ACNA)?
No, we are not. The Anglican Orthodox Church predates the ACNA. Back in 1963 the theological direction of the Episcopal Church was becoming evident. This direction was towards liberalism and a lessening of the primacy of Scripture. One of the Episcopal Church priests, at that time, James Parker Dees, left the Episcopal Church and formed the Anglican Orthodox Church. In recent years that action has been confirmed as the direction of apostasy has become painfully obvious in the leadership of the Episcopal Church. The recently formed ACNA (Anglican Church of North America) is an attempt to reform the Episcopal Church, but has not truly returned to the sources of the Reformation. The Anglican Orthodox Church maintains the integrity of the Reformation’s stand on Scripture and authentic tradition. The Anglican Orthodox Church has declined to be a part of ACNA due to its ambiguous commitment to authentic Anglicanism.