Does the New ACNA Catechism Teach a Synergistic Arminian View of God and Salvation?

By Robin G. Jordan

As we begin our examination of the new ACNA catechism proper, the first thing that we notice is that the catechism has no table of contents. If we scroll down to the end of the catechism, we also discover that it has no indices.

In the Introduction to Part I the authors of the new ACNA catechism boldly assert that what it teaches “is essential for Christian faith and life.” As we shall see, all Anglicans would not agree with this assessment.

Before we precede any further a brief refresher of what the Thirty-Nine Articles tell us about the sufficiency of the Scriptures for our salvation may be in order. I am citing from Philip Edgcumbe Hughes’ The Thirty-Nine Articles – A Restatement in Today’s English. I have also provided a link to the original text.

Holy Scripture sets forth everything that is necessary for our salvation. Consequently, nobody should be required to believe as an article of the Christian faith, or to regard as necessary for salvation, anything that is not found in Scripture or that cannot be proved from Scripture. By the term Holy Scripture we mean the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, namely:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1 and 2 and 3 John, Jude, Revelation. (Article VI – Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation)

Anglicans are not required to believe anything that is not found in Scripture or that cannot be proved from Scripture.

In Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs J. I Packer provides six rules that if they are faithfully observed, will help Christians to avoid misinterpreting the Scriptures. These rules include: “No meaning may be read into or imposed on Scripture that cannot with certainty be read out of Scripture—shown, that is, to be unambiguously expressed by one or more of the human writers.” To be unambiguous the meaning of a verse or passage of Scripture must be clear, plain, and unmistakable. There can be no difference of opinion as to what the text means.

Among the implications for Anglicans is that if the Scriptures do not unambiguously express a teaching, they are not required to accept it, much less teach it to inquirers and new Christians.

In stating what it describes as “the key facts” of the Gospel,” the Part I of the catechism makes this statement:

He [Christ] enables us by the Holy Spirit to turn whole-heartedly from our sinful and self-centered ways (repentance) and to entrust ourselves to him to live in union and communion with him (faith).

The particular choice of words in this statement is highly suggestive of a synergistic Arminian view of God and salvation. We are given the capacity to make an informed decision for or against Christ.

Further on in Part I we read:

God the Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and hearts to believe in Jesus, and gives us spiritual birth and life as we do. Our loving Father will “give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13). As we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and wonderfully provides us with power and gifts for life and ministry as Jesus’ disciples.

This statement is also highly suggestive of a synergistic Arminian view of God and salvation. InThe Reformed Faith Loraine Boettner examines the “five points” of Arminianism. In describing the Arminian belief that “the Holy Spirit can be effectually resisted,” Boettner writes:

The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. But inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit's call. The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man's contribution) proceeds and makes possible the new birth. Thus, man's free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christ's saving work. The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God's grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man. (The Reformed Faith, p. 15)

The preceding statement from Part I of the catechism essentially says the same thing: The Spirit cannot regenerate sinners until they believe. Faith precedes the new birth. The Introduction’s emphasis upon what is sometimes described as the “sinner’s prayer” as a response to the gospel invitation also points to a synergistic Arminian view of God and salvation. The adequacy of this kind of prayer as a response to the gospel invitation has been a topic of heated debate on the Internet between Reformed and Arminian evangelicals in recent months.

One of the questions and responses in the section on Salvation further points to a synergistic Arminian view of God and salvation in the new ACNA catechism.

14. How may a person repent and place faith in Jesus Christ?

Anyone may repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ at any time. One way to do this is by sincerely saying a prayer similar to the Prayer of Repentance and Faith given above. (John 15:16; Acts 16:31-34; Romans 10:9; Hebrews 12:12)

It points to the Arminian doctrine of Universal Redemption or General Atonement (The Reformed Faith, p. 15)

The presence of a synergistic Arminian view of God and salvation in the catechism shows that the writing team did not follow the three guidelines that J. I. Packer listed in the Introduction to the catechism. At a very early point in the catechism it shows that everything taught in the catechism is not compatible with, and not acceptable to, all recognized schools of Anglican thought. All are not able to use with confidence all the material in the catechism.

While the questions and answers in the section on Salvation in the new ACNA refer to grace and faith, they do not mention the doctrine that lies at the heart of classical Anglican understanding of justification: we are redeemed by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This doctrine is briefly articulated in Article 11 and explained more fully in the Homily on Justification. Its absence from this section of the catechism is a serious defect. It is also another reason that all are not able to use with confidence all the material in the catechism.