Baptists for Africa

The Truth about Anglicanism

The Truth about Anglicanism (or, the Church of Uganda)

The true Christian church began by Jesus Christ in Palestine in the first century (Matthew 16:18), but the Anglican church (that is, the church “of England”) began as a result of the personal disagreement that Henry VIII of England (1491-1547 AD) had with Pope Clement VII. Because his then current wife, Catherine of Aragon, could produce no male heir, Henry VIII sought to have his marriage with her annulled (in 1527). Being then a strong Catholic, king Henry VIII attempted to have the Catholic Pope officially annul his marriage with Catherine. Due to the Pope’s refusal, Henry VIII then separated the church of England from papal authority, and this new religion (yet still very similar to Roman Catholicism) came to be known as the Anglican church.

Anglican Unbiblical Gospel

The Anglican church teaches that good works, like obeying the commandments, are necessary for salvation (for example, one can see a general catechism at anglicancommunion.org). “Faith,” they say, “involves commitment of our will to God in repentance and obedience to his call.” The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) expressed what Anglicans think is needful for salvation: “I obey him as my Lord. … turning from sinfully serving myself to serving God as I follow Jesus Christ.” But the Bible says that salvation is by faith:

Believing is all you have to do to be saved (salvation is by faith). Acts 16:30-31: “30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (See also John 3:16).

Believing is the only thing you have to do to be saved (salvation is by faith alone). Ephesians 2:8-9: “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast” (see Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5).

Believing is the only way we can be saved (salvation must be by faith)…

  • …so that we cannot boast. Romans 3:27-28: “27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
  • …so that Jesus did not die for nothing. Galatians 2:21: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Believing is how all people have always been saved (salvation has always been by faith):

  • The thief on the cross: Luke 23:42: “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
  • Abraham: Romans 4:3: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
  • David: Romans 4:6-7: “6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

Acts 10:43: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

To believe in Jesus means to trust in Jesus. If someone thinks that they have to be a good person to go to heaven, then they are trusting in themselves, and they are not trusting in Jesus. Matthew 7:22-23: “22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (see Philippians 3:4-9; Luke 18:9-14).

Anglican Unbiblical Leadership

Unbiblical Titles: Most Anglican leaders are titled “reverend.” However, the only time the word “reverend” is ever used in the Bible, it describes that this designation belongs exclusively to God: “holy and reverend is his name.” (Psalm 111:9). Only God should be “had in reverence” by this title (Psalm 89:7). Moreover, Anglican clergy are also called “father,” yet Jesus commanded us “call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). Anglican leaders also are labeled “priest,” but in the Bible every true believer is a priest (I Peter 2:5, 9-10; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)

Unbiblical Clothing: The Anglican vestments (for example, the cassock and surplice) are long and proud clothing. Jesus said to beware of religious teachers “which love to go in long clothing” (Mark 12:38) and who “enlarge the borders of their garments” (Matthew 23:5).

Unbiblical Authority: In Anglican hierarchy, there are non-scriptural positions like the “archbishop” which are found nowhere in the New Testament. Classically, the monarch is viewed as the head of the Anglican church, whereas the Bible describes Jesus Christ as the head of the church (Colossians 1:18; 2:10, 19; Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23).

Anglican Unbiblical Doctrine

Pouring Baptism: The Anglican church baptizes by pouring water on the head of someone. According to the Bible, baptism should be done by immersion:

  1. “Baptize” means to immerse (see “buried” and “planted” in Romans 6:4-5).
  2. 2. Jesus was baptized by immersion (Matthew 3:16).
  3. John the Baptist baptized by immersion (John 3:23; Matthew 3:6).
  4. All Christians in the Bible were baptized by immersion (Acts 8:38-39).

Baby Baptism: The Anglican church practices the baptism of infants, but the Bible teaches the baptism of believers. Believer’s baptism is the proper baptismal method, and baby baptism is wrong for several reasons:

  1. The requirement for baptism is that one believes in Jesus Christ with all of their heart (Acts 8:36-37), but a baby cannot believe in Jesus. Only those who have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit should be baptized (see Acts 10:47-48), but babies are not able to be indwelt by the Spirit because they cannot yet have faith in the Lord.
  2. Jesus was baptized as an adult, not as a baby (see Matthew 3:13-17). Although Jesus was circumcised when he was eight-days old (Luke 1:59), he was only baptized when he was “about thirty years (Luke 3:23). Jesus blessed little children (Mark 10:13-16), and accepted their worship (Matthew 21:15-16), but he never baptized them.
  3. All Christians in the Bible only baptized professing believers, not babies. Faith always preceeded baptism in the practice of New Testament Christians (see Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 9:18). John the Baptist only baptized professing believers who believed “on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus” (Acts 19:4; see also Luke 7:29-30). Whenever whole households were baptized it was because there was no baby in the family: people like the Philippian jailor was “believing in God with all his house” (16:14-15, 33-34); Crispus “believed on the Lord with all his house” (Acts 18:8).
  4. Baptism only has significance for a believer and is meaningless for a baby. Baptism is a symbolic ordinance which symbolizes one’s belief in the gospel, their spiritual salvation (Colossians 2:12), and personal decision to follow Christ (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-4). None of these things can be true of a baby.

II Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you”