One of the greatest treasures of our Anglican identity is the balance we hold in our threefold stand: Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. This balance is not optional—it is essential. Any Anglican clergyman, Knight, or serious churchman who neglects one of these pillars risks standing outside the very stream of our heritage.
Why “Scripture Alone” Is Not Enough
It is an aberration for an Anglican clergyman to say, “I only believe in the Scripture,” or “I am only interested in soul winning.” While Scripture is our first authority, the Anglican Church has never been a “Bible-only” fellowship that disregards the wisdom of the ages.
Scripture must be read, understood, and lived out within the framework of the Church. Without that, one risks turning the Bible into a private interpretation. The Reformers themselves, who emphasized the primacy of Scripture, never intended that the Church should abandon her sacred traditions.
The Gift of Tradition
Ignoring Tradition is not what should come from a trained Anglican priest, or indeed from any serious Anglican. Our traditions are not human inventions to be discarded at will; they are Spirit-inspired practices handed down by our forebears and Church Fathers.
It was through them that we received the liturgy we pray, the sacraments we administer, and the very structure by which we are governed. To dismiss tradition is to cut ourselves off from the roots that nourish us.
Whether you are Anglo-Catholic, Evangelical, or Broad Church, one truth unites us: Anglican tradition is a gift, not a burden.
The Role of Reason
But we are not called to blind ritual either. God gave us minds to think, discern, and apply His Word to the issues of our time. Reason keeps us from rigidity. It allows us to engage new realities without losing the eternal truths of Scripture and Tradition.
Reason does not stand above the Bible or the Church—it works with them, ensuring that our faith is living and relevant.
Why All Three Are Needed
To abandon any of the three is to cripple our witness:
- Without Scripture, we lose the voice of God.
- Without Tradition, we lose our roots and unity.
- Without Reason, we lose our relevance in the world.
This is why it is totally wrong for anyone—clergy or laity, priest or Knight—to say, “I don’t believe in tradition,” or “traditions are just human things.” That is not Anglican. That is not the way of the Church of Nigeria. That is not the faith of the Communion to which we belong.
The Catholic Stand vs. the Anglican Threefold Stand
While Anglicanism emphasizes the threefold balance of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason, the Roman Catholic Church stands primarily on Scripture and Tradition, interpreted through the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the Pope and bishops).
- Scripture – The written Word of God.
- Tradition – The unwritten practices and teachings handed down from the apostles.
- Magisterium – The Church’s living teaching authority, believed to be guided by the Holy Spirit, which has the final say in interpretation.
So, while Anglicans give an important role to Reason (the God-given gift to interpret and apply Scripture and Tradition to new situations), the Catholic Church places that interpretive role in the hands of the Magisterium.
In short:
- Anglicanism = Scripture + Tradition + Reason.
- Catholicism = Scripture + Tradition, interpreted by the Magisterium.
Conclusion
No matter the variations we come from—High, Low, or Evangelical—we must maintain this threefold balance if we are to remain truly Anglican. It is Scripture that grounds us, Tradition that guides us, and Reason that equips us to face the present age.
This threefold stand is not just a teaching; it is our Anglican DNA. And it is only by embracing it fully that we will remain faithful to Christ, relevant in our Communion, and steadfast in the mission of the Church.
