Book Review: Education in Late Antiquity

Abstract

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, AngloCatholics, 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.