Can us anglicans ask for intercession from Mary and the saints?

Can we pray the rosary, use prayer candles, etc. btw I more or less am a Anglo catholic but I just want to know if we can.

 

I mean, you can, but it's not looked kindly upon by the Anglican reformers. The Books of Homilies, one Anglican authority, are against it, and the 22nd article of the Articles of Religion says that the invocation of the saints is repugnant to the Word of God. The Homily asks, why pray for intercession from the saints as if they have either greater power to do so than God, or why ask them as if they would be more willing to help than God?

The Rosary, prayer candles, and other Roman trappings are fine-ish, but it depends on what you are doing with them. If you pray the Rosary, I would recommend omitting the final part of the Hail Mary, the "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." That part was added later anyways and wasn't originally part of the prayer IIRC, nor is it derived from Scripture like the rest.

My personal answer, being very high church myself, is that it is rocky ground to tread, and that one should exercise more caution than anything else unless one is firmly rooted in the Scriptural and sublime faith of God. And ask yourself; why do you use these things?

 

The reason I do these is because I come from a Latino background, which is very catholic, I also feel like it brings me closer to God. I was baptized Roman Catholic but I changed to Anglican catholic due to problems I had with the Roman Catholic Church, and the church I go to is totally fine with me using the rc rosary, but I just want to know for sure.

 

And most Anglicans use the articles of religion and the homilies more as guidelines, it's not really suited to our age of living

 

Anything which enhances your prayer life is of use

 

The Rosary is a powerful prayer. It contains numerous references to scripture and it asks Our Blessed Mother to pray for us. Very powerful indeed. Also I like to light a candle when I pray as it helps with meditation and reminds me that The Lord Jesus is present.

 

Absolutely, and I do not mean, @Gio , to make a blanket condemnation of your practices. I'm a fan of such things myself. But we must make sure that we hold on to practices because they glorify God, not because they are cultural. Some cultural practices are, regrettably, superstitious in nature, so deserve some inspection to make sure they are spiritually edifying.

Also, though the Homilies and Articles are not universally considered authoritative, but they are considered standards of orthodoxy on this forum, so I figured they deserved some mention, though you are correct. I am still discerning whether or not I full assent to them.

 

Yes,and I guess it depends on how you see yourself as an Anglican, a traditional product of the Reformation of more of an ancient Orthodox pre-reformation, pre Norman Conquest, pre-Schism type Anglican. Or any combination there of.

 

Yes, I mean, in all honesty, all christians are going to heaven.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/passage/?q=romans+10:9-10
That being said, I think anyone can worship God how they see fit, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, baptists, they are different practice wise, but as long as they trust in jesus, they will be saved a spot in heaven.

 

Welcome to the forum

 

Sounds like the traditional Anglican definition of the Catholic Church...

 

What do you mean by that jay?

 

I can't say I agree with that. We certainly don't believe that everyone goes to heaven. Some go to Hell, and not just on the basis of moral sins. The Church is real, has boundaries, outside of which there is no salvation.

 

Some people pray to Mother Earth, so should we condone that? How about Mormonism or Jehovas witnesses heretics?

 

That is only something stated by liberals who seek to revise and undermine the Church and her faithfulness to our Lord

 

Jesus,JESUS, the lord and savior said ANYONE who comes to him for salvation, and proclaim their faith, will be saved, you don't want to start a argument against the Bible do you

 

About praying to Mother Earth, that's a random topic that shouldn't even associate with Christianity, and mormons and jehova's wittness, so what? They can beilive in god whatever way they want, sure not many people would agree, but who's to stop them and say they can't?

 

I respect your opinion anglican74, just as I respect everyone's, and I can even agree with you to an extent, outside the church and god, there is no salvation, however, life-church+god still equals salvation.

 

You don't have to be in a church, unless your denomination is Roman Catholic, there you would have to.

 

So in essence, I can do what I am doing currently? What do you guys think.