Subscription the disgrace of the English Church [1st edition]Wodehouse, C. N. (Charles Nourse)
Religion
Subscription the disgrace of the English Church [1st edition]
Wodehouse, C. N. (Charles Nourse)
Church of England -- Controversial literature; Church of England. Thirty-nine Articles
If we were to transfer this whole precedent, as the writer understands
it, to our own Church, the change it would make would be simply this,
namely, that it would be left to the Bishops, each exercising the
discretionary power now vested in him, to judge, upon examination, of the
doctrinal views of a candidate, instead of requiring him to subscribe to
the Thirty-nine Articles. And if we draw this out into practice, the
loss as to security for any particular doctrines would be none. Each
Bishop would of course exercise the discretionary power as he now does,
and the same candidates would be admitted; but the evils now attending
upon Subscription would be remedied, or immeasurably diminished.
A candidate would be examined as to his general qualifications, and also
by questions on the Thirty-nine Articles, according to the judgment of
each Bishop, and might be received or rejected, as is now the case.
Whatever point in the Articles might appear to each Bishop to require
particular attention would be made a subject of examination, as is now
the case. Any question relative to doctrinal views, deemed necessary,
might be put, and the Bishop would have the actual view of the candidate
in his own words; and, if his word will not bind a man, will his
signature? If a candidate, for instance, professed that he considered
the Reformation injurious or imperfect, the Bishop might reject him, or
not; and if he did not profess this, but afterwards came to that opinion,
the case would only be as it is sometimes now. Possibly Bishops might
differ as to their mode of conducting such examination; and in one
diocese a candidate might be received who might fear being rejected in
another; for so it has been, and may be again; and thus persons of
various shades of opinion are admitted to the ministry, probably to the
benefit of the Church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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