Previously on here, I have spoken to the truth that the Church must be recognizable—in other words, she must be visible. However, the question that sometimes follows this claim is in regards to where the Church is, and also, where she isn't.
If the Church is visible, she must also be distinguished from other visible entities that are "not the Church." Some clear examples would include Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Seventh-Day Adventists. These bodies claim a kind of Christianity but are not to be regarded as part of the Church.
The question becomes more nuanced when dealing with the issue of Protestantism, Rome, and Orthodoxy as a whole. Clearly, the various denominations and confessions pose, at least, the appearance of schism. Where is the Church?
As an Anglican, I believe that Bishops in apostolic succession form the visible unity of the Church. This means that those outside of communion with the episcopate cannot truly be said to be in visible communion with the Church. Breaking from the bishops is a break with that which holds the keys to visibly bind and loose.
That being said, we must also recognize the mystical reality of Christ's body. It is this reality that we can point to in affirmation of the Christian status of our brothers and sisters in various traditions.
Essential to the Church are baptism and confessional orthodoxy—summed up in the Nicene Creed. Essential to the visible unity of the sacraments and doctrine are the bishops of the Church.
Thus, our brothers and sisters—I'm thinking of Lutherans, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, and Baptists may truly possess sacraments and doctrinal orthodoxy, but they do so on dubious grounds, outside the means of visible continuity and assurance.
I believe this is the Mere Catholic way. It avoids the extremes of the East and Rome, while also maintaining the necessity of bishops and visible unity.
This is the first video reflection for the Great Fast.
Welcome to the Mere Catholicity Locals Community! Here, you will find like-minded Christians with a desire to live ecumenically and pursue Christ in all things.
The Mere Catholicity movement runs only through listener support. The work that I (Jonah) do requires time and money. Without the financial support of my Locals community, I would not be able to continue making content. Simple as that. It is only thanks to this group that I can continue providing you with content that (hopefully) both edifies and challenges!
The good news for you is that joining the community itself is completely FREE! Once you sign up, you will be able to see most posts, live streams, and even content posted by other users. However, you will only be able to observe. You will not be able to comment, post, or see any exclusive content. This might be a good way to see if you want to support later down the line. So please join! Even if you cannot afford to give at this time!
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Friends - as I consider the various platforms that I operate, I find Substack to the most conducive to the model of online ministry that I am aiming for. Though I still plan to post here, as many of you still support me through this platform, Substack is where I will be focusing the majority of my time. If some of you wish to move your subscription from here to Substack, you are welcome to do that. Those who continue to support here, I will continue to post here — mostly the stuff that is behind the paywall on Substack so that you are getting the exclusive content regardless of where you are subscribed.
Hope you all are doing well. Lord bless you.
- Rev. Jonah
I've been gone again for a time preparing for my ordination. I was ordained a Deacon in the Holy Catholic Church on March 8th, 2025.
It was a joy beyond words. I am now back in full swing with ministry, media, and work.
I hope you all have been doing well. More to come soon.
Good morning everyone. I wanted to quickly update you on the Mere Catholicity Podcast. I’ve been posting videos on my channel, but it has been quite sometime since my channel has had a podcast episode release.
With my new job as a classical teacher, scheduling interviews has been a challenge. However, my plan is to use my summer breaks as time to double down on planning and recording new podcasts. The idea will be to record a ton of interviews that will then slowly release throughout the school year, expiring around the time the following summer arrives. This will ultimately result in a consistent once a month interview.
All that to say, the podcast will resume here in May or June of 2025 with some excellent interviews lined up!
Blessings on your Sunday!
