Abstract
This book adds to a long tradition of attempts to answer the question of what exactly Anglican theology is. Unlike other scholars, MacDougall is not interested in searching for an elusive fundamental set of doctrines but remains ‘explicitly focused on the form of Anglican theology’ rather than its contents (p. 3). Appropriating the famous slogan of St Anselm, MacDougall describes Anglican theology as Fides quaerens sapientiam, or ‘faith seeking wisdom’ (p. 7). While valuing knowledge and understanding, Anglicanism is a wisdom tradition that moves beyond mere facts to grasp nuance, appreciate paradox, and remain sensitive to the pragmatic considerations of faith and practice in the universal and local church (p. 6).
Part One deals with explaining what Anglican theology is not and what makes it distinct from other theological traditions. The Anglican church has no central figure(s) that set its theological agenda, no specific region in which its theology typically originates, and no defining confessional statement of doctrine (pp. 11–17). Anglicans have no figure like what John Calvin provides in the reformed tradition. Likewise, while Anglicans have the 39 Articles of Religion, MacDougall argues that these have not traditionally served as a binding set of doctrines of Anglican identity like the Westminster Confession in the Presbyterian tradition.
In Part Two, MacDougall sets aims to define the boundary markers of Anglican theology. Though committed to the notion that Anglicanism is broadly ecumenical in nature, MacDougall recognizes that there are some definitive boundaries that circumscribe Anglican theology.
Anglican theology prioritizes comprehensiveness which, taking its trajectory from Queen Elizabeth I, emphasized uniformity of practice and liturgy rather than uniformity of doctrine (p. 37). Though this points to one of the virtues of Anglican theology, it is also important to recognize that the Anglican commitment to the authority of the creeds allows it to resist the vice of theological relativism (p. 37).
The second boundary marker is the elusive concept of Anglicanism as a via media. Regardless of the exact positioning of the middle way in history and theology, MacDougall recognizes that the via media has been taken up as a virtue in Anglican theology and critical inquiry. He writes, ‘The via media idea, the conceptual encapsulation of what is taken to be (even if partly erroneously) an Anglican penchant for finding the mean between extremes, has become influential because it is coherent with an attitude that prizes an inclusivity of views over the rigidity of lapidary theological formulas’ (p. 45).
Third, Anglicanism has a particular view of the sources of theological authority. MacDougall approvingly cites Lancelot Andrewes’s classic formulation consisting of the Protestant canon, three creeds, the first four ecumenical councils, the first five centuries of the church, and the Fathers writing in that period who have been received in the tradition (pp. 46–47). He also discusses the often misunderstood ‘three-legged stool’ analogy. Scripture, reason, and tradition for Anglicans are hierarchically ranked rather than equivalent, with Scripture being the primary source and reason being elevated over tradition (pp. 49–51). Anglicans tend to defer to tradition and depart only when careful analysis and discernment can show that some aspect is inconsistent with Scripture, logically incoherent, or antithetical to the expression of the gospel in one’s context (p. 59).
Finally, there are essential doctrines of Anglican theology enshrined in the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral. According to MacDougall, ‘there is no other single artifact that, by itself, epitomizes the Anglican spirit better than the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral’ (p. 71). This extremely minimalist statement, finalized in 1888, defines the essentials as recognizing the authority of scripture as containing all things necessary to salvation, the truth of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds as sufficient statements of Christian belief, the sacraments of baptism and eucharist administered according to the words and elements ordained by Christ, and the local episcopacy (p. 70).
In Part Three MacDougall articulates the shape that Anglican theology tends to take within the circumscribing borders established in Part Two. He identifies eight characteristics that outline the general shape of Anglican theology. These do not comprise a list of necessary and sufficient conditions for something to count as Anglican theology, but simply provide a sense of the nature that Anglican theology tends to take on in light of descriptions and boundaries detailed in the first two parts. MacDougall describes Anglican theology as being scriptural, ancient and modern, non-confessional, critical, pastoral and practical, liturgical, incarnational, and occasional.
Two constructive critiques can be made of MacDougall’s work. First, there is little interaction with Anglicanism in its majority-world context. Whereas European and North American Anglicanism has stagnated and declined over the past few decades, majority-world Anglican churches tend to be vibrant and growing. MacDougall does recognize the balance steadily drifting from Anglo-American Anglicanism to the majority-world and predicts that they will have a major impact on Anglican theology in years to come (p. 141). However, this impact has already taken place. Anglicanism has been, and will continue to be, shaped by pastors, academics, and lay-people in majority-world contexts. For a book seeking to articulate the shape of Anglican theology, the narrow focus on European and North American Anglicanism places a limit on the scope to which MacDougall’s description applies. Robust interaction with the shape of Anglican theology in Africa, Asia, and Latin America would be a welcome addition in future work.
Second, throughout the book MacDougall emphasizes the non-confessional nature of Anglican theology. Anglicans, lacking an authoritative confession, set the boundary markers as wide as possible ‘while retaining fidelity to its sources and tradition’ (p. 17). Yet many Anglicans affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America and many global Anglican bodies would disagree and point to the 39 Articles as an authoritative confession expressing the fundamental principles of Anglican belief. MacDougall does present his case and certainly is speaking from a popular, if not the majority, opinion in the Anglican communion. However he does not present an argument that would cause someone who views the 39 Articles confessionally to reconsider. MacDougall builds his characterization of Anglicanism from the position of non-confessionalism. With a large portion of Anglican pastors and academics operating from the confessional position, it seems that MacDougall only presents a shape of Anglican theology rather than the shape of Anglican theology.
That being said, it seems that both the confessional and non-confessional positions still maintain the same virtues that MacDougall sees as strengths of the Anglican tradition. Though the 39 Articles set the boundary markers tighter than the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral, they are not nearly as expansive as something like the Augsburg Confession. The Articles can be affirmed by Calvinists, Arminians, evangelicals, Anglo-Catholics, infallibilists, inerrantists, and a host of other theological camps. Whether one opts for the confessional status of the 39 Articles or the non-confessional stance that prioritizes the Chicago–Lambeth Quadrilateral, it is apparent that Anglican theology is generally aimed at requiring minimal doctrinal requirements and accommodating a broad range of diversity within its ecclesial unity.
Overall, this is an excellent contribution to the field of Anglican studies. Whereas histories and biographies of Anglicanism and its major figures abound, few have attempted to capture the spirit and shape of Anglican theology in a way that is both faithful to Anglican history and broad enough to encompass Anglican diversity. MacDougall’s work would be appropriate for university students engaged in the study of Anglican and/or reformation theology and lay-people who simply wish to understand their own tradition in more detail. It would also be worthwhile reading for established Anglican theologians, who may be surprised to find how the shape of their own theology is deeply indebted to the Anglican tradition they inhabit.