FOUNDATIONS OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH

ON THE 39 ARTICLES

 

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament.

  

Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sac­raments, yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ’s, and do minister by His commission and authority, we may use their ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving of the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sac­raments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.

 

This is an old dispute coming from very ancient days. In our days we see it alive in the question of the crimes of priests raping children. It is a Question resolved already longtime ago before this Article came to adopt the same answer by the Catholic Church done to the problem of unworthy shepherd and innocent sheep.

When I go to communion, with no knowledge whatsoever of the unworthiness of the priest in office, is My Sacrament diminished in Power because that unworthiness?

While in office my confession receives forgiveness, the unworthiness is to be imputed, before God, to Christ?

It is of Christ, as Lord, to take care of His servants. When am hungry a eat bread, and  it feeds me no matter the hand it gave it to me. It belong to the law to prosecute the man, if the bread was stolen, and there ends the jurisdiction of the law, at least that a tyrant wants the bread back, or put me in jail for having eating that bread.  

The evil is not in the office, but in those powers in the Hierarchy which knowing the unworthiness of the priest behaves not like the Article says : Deposing the man. On those powers the Lord will put the damage done to His Name and Church.

Will I go not to church because it could happen that the priest in office is a perpetrator of the crimes he preaches against? Will I have to ask the Church the history of every single priest in office before going to church? Of course I will go, leaving to the Lord the damage done to His Cause by His Servant. I am just a sheep. The wolves are the duty of the Shepherd.