The 39 Articles of Anglicanism - Part I

Part of a Series - Part I

The Thirty-Nine Articles are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine. The articles were established by a Convocation of the Church in 1563, under the direction of Archbishop Matthew Parker, using as a basis the Forty-Two Articles written under the direction of Thomas Cranmer in 1552 and passed under Edward VI in 1553. Adherence to them was made a legal requirement by parliament in 1571. They are printed in the Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican prayer books. The Test Act of 1673 made adherence to the Thirty-Nine Articles a requirement for holding civil office in England (an act which has since been repealed). Clergy of the Church of England are still required to take an oath that the doctrine in the Articles is "agreeable to the Word of God," but the laity are not, and other Churches of the Anglican Communion do not make such a requirement.

The Articles were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but as a statement of the position of the Church of England over against the Roman Catholic Church and against dissident protestants. The Articles also argue against some Anabaptist positions such as the holding of goods in common, and the necessity of believer's baptism. The reason for the imposition of the 39 articles at this point in British history was that, since the separation with Rome, it had not been possible to find a protestant consensus. The establishment was concerned by the rise in influence of dissenters who wanted the reformation to go much further, and, for example, to abolish hierarchies of bishops. The democratic threat could be calmed down by imposing a compromise position - the thirty nine articles.

John Henry Newman, in his Tract 90, written before his conversion to Roman Catholicism, attempted to show that the Articles could be interpreted in a way less hostile to Roman Catholic doctrine.

Outside the Church of England, Anglican views of the Thirty-Nine Articles vary. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America regards them as an historical document and does not require members to adhere to them.

Anglican priest John Wesley adapted the Thirty-Nine Articles for utilization by American Methodists in the 18th century. The adapted Articles of Religion remain official United Methodist doctrine.
Content of the document

The Articles highlight some of the major differences between Anglican and Roman Catholic doctrine, as well as more conventional declarations of a Trinitarian Christianity. They are divided (according to command of Queen Elizabeth I) into four sections: Articles 1-8, "The Catholic Faith"; Articles 9-18, "Personal Religion"; Articles 19-31, "Corporate Religion"; and Articles 32-39, "Miscellaneous."