During the Middle Ages the various Churches of the west of Europe were gradually brought to acknowledge the supremacy of the Popes or Bishops of Rome. So that the Pope was able to exercise an authority over all these Churches. Hitherto learning had been confined to a very few. But now, through the invention of printing, the knowledge of Holy Scripture was rapidly extending; and people were finding not only that the claims of the Pope were without foundation, but also that many of the ceremonies and practices, to which they were accustomed, were superstitious and wrong.
This then was the work of the Reformation—to free the Church of England from the unreasonable claims of the Papal Supremacy; and to bring back the faith and worship of the people into harmony with the writings of the ancient Fathers of the Church.
The result was that new services were compiled in English out of the old Latin books, which the people had been unable to understand; and much that was superstitious was omitted. But the changes were introduced gradually, and as the people were prepared to accept them. The same Parish Clergy, in most cases, ministered as before, only according to the new forms; the Churches were used by the same worshippers; the same Creeds were repeated. For the Reformation touched not the ancient Catholic Faith. It only removed the modern ceremonies and superstitious beliefs which had been added to it.
Like all great human efforts, the Reformation was not unmixed with evil; but, at the same time, the blessings gained by our country were very great. And if other countries had succeeded in reforming abuses, in a similar manner, no doubt the Church of Christ would have gained great influence for good, not only in Europe, but also throughout the world. But the power, which the Church of Rome had usurped to herself, was too valuable to be parted with. The Pope denounced the Reformation, and broke off all communion with our Church and nation.
What then became the position of the Church of England? We have seen how the unity of the various branches of the Church was provided for by our Lord, through the Apostles and Bishops, to whom He entrusted His commission to extend His Kingdom. And by the Providence of God the unity of the Church of England with the Holy Catholic Church has been maintained, notwithstanding this unhappy schism between us and the Church of Rome[28]. Our Archbishops and Bishops still exert as before an indisputable authority, as the officers of the King of “The Kingdom of Heaven;” and having fellowship with them, we know that we are in the same position as the first members of the Church, who “continued stedfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship” (Acts ii. 42). Nothing but time separates us from the Apostles and the early Church of Christ. What was necessary for the first subjects of “The Kingdom of Heaven” we enjoy. What they were taught to believe, we believe. What they were led to hope for, we hope for likewise. The promise of our Lord to His Apostles, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (S. Matt. xxviii. 20), includes our Bishops, with all the other successors of the Apostles from that day until now.
To the question, What is the Holy Catholic Church[29]? the answer must be given, It is “The Kingdom of Heaven”—the Kingdom of Messiah—which, according to His own prediction, has spread from land to land through all the world. And when we speak of the Church of England, we speak of that branch of the one great spiritual Kingdom which was founded, under God’s Providence, in our own land, in ancient times, and which includes ourselves. For Bishop has followed Bishop, and the Gospel has been preached, and subjects have been brought into the Kingdom of Christ, in this favoured land of England, from one generation to another, from the very beginning of our national life until our own day.
FOOTNOTES:
[22] The word “Catholic” is the Greek for “Universal,” and expresses the truth that the Church of Christ is open to, and embraces, all the nations of the world; because the Kingdom of Messiah was not to be restricted to one nation, but was intended to spread over the whole earth. And, consequently, the word also expresses the essential unity of the Church, because there can be but one Church which is purposed to include the whole race of man.
[23] See the marginal note in a reference Bible.
[24] The word “Elders” is in the Greek Presbyteroi, from which comes “Presbyter,” and from the shortened form “Prester,” which was once in use, comes our present English form “Priest.” The use of this word “Priest” to translate the word Hiereus, which is the name in the Greek of the Jewish Minister, and the mistaken idea that the sacrifices he offered were propitiatory in the sense that they “could take away sin” (Heb. x. 4), have caused much misunderstanding of the word, and prejudice against it, which the knowledge of its meaning removes.