Bishop Lillibridge, of the Diocese of West Texas has posted his notes from a recent clergy day in his diocese. As part of his reflections he discusses the writing of Fr. Gary Jones on being a middle Anglican.

Bishop Lillibridge then goes on to list some of the key pieces of his beliefs. I’d be comfortable signing on for all of the ones he has listed, especially the ones listed in the second set (after the jump below):

“What, then, are our beginning foundational points and core values if a new reformation is really upon us?  I gave you some of mine at diocesan council, and I repeat them here along with traditional Anglican principles which have guided us as a church.  All of these are my passions and my life’s work.

• I am scripturally centered and Gospel focused. 
• I am sacramentally grounded. 
• I am committed to the missionary call of Jesus Christ. 
• I am positive and hopeful for a fresh emergence of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. 
• I am actively engaged in empowering creative and innovative leadership. 
• I am committed to spiritual growth (formation) and numerical growth (evangelism). 
• I fully believe the promise I made at my ordinations that ‘I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation.’

In addition to the above, some of the foundational and historical beliefs and definitions of what it means to be an Episcopalian and an Anglican include:

• Proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior;
• Affirming the Old and New Testaments as containing all things necessary for salvation;
• Believing that Jesus is really the unique son of God, that he was crucified and that he rose from the dead.   
• Affirming the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed as sufficient summaries of the Christian Faith;
• Immersing ourselves in the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist;
• Accepting the locally adapted historic episcopate; 
• Believing in the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ at the Eucharist;
• Affirming worship as including both word and table;
• Affirming that baptism and the covenantal relationship established through it is the doorway to the life of holiness;
• Recognizing the gifts and ministries of all persons, laity and clergy, women and men;
• Teaching the need for prayer and holiness of heart and life as a means of growth in the Christian faith;
• Recognizing that Christian discipleship inherently includes the pursuit of justice and social action;
• Worshiping in ways that reflect our liturgical and sacramental roots;
  And there are many others as well.”

Read the rest here: Lillibridge 7.13.06

(Thanks to Fr. Tony Clavier for the link!)