Is Anglicanism orthodox and catholic?
My question to Grok and its answer
Being as I have a Twitter account — which you can find here — I occasionally ask questions of Grok, its native AI generator. Usually I do so for fun, but there have been serious questions every once in a while.
So, I was moved this afternoon to do so again. I asked Grok “Is it correct to refer to the Anglican Church as orthodox and catholic?”
Here is its answer, which I have reproduced below. Of course my question used the lowercase terms “orthodox” and “catholic” quite intentionally. In their lowercase use, both are theological terms. Whenever I use “orthodox” or “catholic,” I always mean them theologically. Whenever I want to use them not theologically, but jurisdictionally, I will explicitly say “The Orthodox Church” or “The Roman Catholic Church” or some such variation.
Being as my Substack is called “The Orthodox-Catholic Anglican” I have a stake in what Grok’s answer would be. I must say I was fairly surprised by what came out. I will comment further on a future post.
In the meantime, let me know in the comments what you think of what Grok had to say!
Me: Is it correct to refer to the Anglican Church as orthodox and catholic?
Grok: Referring to the Anglican Church as "orthodox" and "catholic" can be correct in specific theological and historical contexts, but it requires nuance due to the terms' varied meanings and the Anglican Church's diverse expressions.
Orthodox
Meaning: "Orthodox" typically denotes adherence to correct or traditional Christian doctrine, as defined by the early Church councils and creeds (e.g., Nicene Creed). In this sense, Anglicanism is orthodox when it upholds these foundational beliefs, such as the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and the authority of Scripture.
Anglican Context: The Anglican Church, rooted in the Church of England, affirms the historic creeds and the first four ecumenical councils (e.g., Nicaea, Constantinople). The Thirty-Nine Articles and Book of Common Prayer emphasize continuity with early Christian doctrine. However, "Orthodox" (capitalized) often refers specifically to Eastern Orthodox churches, which differ from Anglicanism in liturgy, governance, and some theological emphases (e.g., theosis). Thus, calling Anglicanism "orthodox" (lowercase) is accurate for its fidelity to historic doctrine, but it’s not "Orthodox" in the Eastern sense.
Caveats: Anglicanism’s broad spectrum—ranging from evangelical to Anglo-Catholic—means some expressions (e.g., liberal revisions of doctrine) may deviate from traditional orthodoxy, which critics might argue undermines the label.
Catholic
Meaning: "Catholic" (lowercase) means "universal," referring to the Church as the whole body of Christ across time and space, united in faith, sacraments, and apostolic tradition. "Catholic" (capitalized) often refers to the Roman Catholic Church under the Pope’s authority.
Anglican Context: Anglicans often describe their church as "catholic" in the universal sense, emphasizing continuity with the undivided Church of the first millennium. The Book of Common Prayer and Anglican formularies affirm the "holy catholic Church" in the creeds, and Anglo-Catholics particularly stress apostolic succession, sacraments, and liturgical tradition. The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral (1886-1888) defines Anglican identity as rooted in Scripture, creeds, sacraments, and the historic episcopate—hallmarks of catholicity.
Caveats: Anglicanism rejects Roman Catholic doctrines like papal infallibility and certain Marian dogmas, so it’s not "Catholic" in the Roman sense. Some Protestants within Anglicanism may also downplay "catholic" to avoid confusion with Rome, favoring "reformed" instead.
Anglican Self-Understanding
Anglicanism historically positions itself as both "reformed and catholic," balancing Protestant reforms (e.g., sola scriptura) with catholic tradition (e.g., sacraments, episcopacy). The phrase "via media" (middle way) is often used to describe this synthesis, though it’s debated whether Anglicanism is a distinct tradition or a spectrum. Anglo-Catholics, like Fr. Matthew C. Dallman, are more likely to emphasize the "catholic" and "orthodox" labels, aligning with patristic tradition and liturgical richness, while evangelicals might prioritize "reformed" or "biblical."
Historical and Ecumenical Considerations
Historical: The Church of England, post-Reformation, retained bishops, sacraments, and creeds, unlike some Protestant denominations, supporting claims to catholicity and orthodoxy. However, its break with Rome and diverse theological developments complicate universal agreement.
Ecumenical: Some Anglicans engage with Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics, seeking shared ground in early Church tradition. However, issues like women’s ordination and liberal theology in parts of Anglicanism create tensions with those communions’ definitions of orthodoxy and catholicity.
X Community Perspective
Posts on X reflect Anglican voices like @FrMCDallman emphasizing a robustly catholic and orthodox identity, rooted in Church Fathers and apostolic faith. For example, his focus on traditional worship and patristic theology aligns with Anglo-Catholic claims to these terms. However, X also shows debates where critics argue that Anglicanism’s diversity dilutes its orthodoxy, while others (e.g.,@anglocatholic99) defend its catholicity as a legitimate heir of the undivided Church.
Conclusion
It is correct to call the Anglican Church "orthodox" and "catholic" when referring to its adherence to historic Christian doctrine and universal Church tradition, especially in Anglo-Catholic or traditionalist contexts. However, the terms must be qualified: Anglicanism is not Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic, and its internal diversity means not all expressions uniformly embody these labels. For precision, one might say Anglicanism is "reformed, catholic, and orthodox" to capture its unique identity. If you’re specifically referencing Fr. Dallman’s perspective, his Anglo-Catholic lens strongly supports using both terms to describe Anglicanism’s apostolic and patristic heritage.
Here are the screen-grabs from the Grok page:
Small o for small orthodoxy, small c for small catholicism ( and here even the autocorrect gets confused) , small t for small tradition, small f for small faith, small l for small love, small h for small hope.