Well, help is at hand in this terrific article by Peter Toon as he distils the wisdom of that grand old master J.C. Ryle in a way that will clarify our minds and encourage our hearts.
Toon helpfully sets out Ryle’s presuppositions as to why a certain comprehensiveness is to be expected – we are after all aiming to be a National and Protestant church, and we are all still fallen in our theological understanding. Following this Toon then explains out what Ryle understood to be the purpose of a National Church – to include as many true Christians as possible; and the limits of that comprehensiveness in regards to the Church’s ministers.
Consequently, Toon states that for Ryle ‘ministers who denied the doctrine of the Trinity, the proper deity of Jesus Christ, the personality and work of the Holy Spirit, the atonement and mediation of Christ, the inspiration and divine authority of Holy Scripture, justification by faith, and inseparable connection of saving faith and holiness, or the obligation of the two dominical sacraments had no place in the ministry of the Church of England.’ Surely to that we must heartily agree! Consequent to this Toon gives us Ryle’s sociological, theological, historical and ecclesiological reasons for such limits.
Whilst the article has some moments which reflect more of Rev. Toon’s breadth than Rev. Ryle’s, this is a hugely edifying piece reminding us that – as we unite around the doctrine set forth in the Creeds, the Articles and the Prayer Book – we are a gospel coalition, an army who contend together for the gospel, even a gospel partnership.
Toon, Peter. “J C Ryle and Comprehensiveness.” Churchman 89/4 (1975): 276–83.