Has anyone out there converted to anglican/church of ireland?

LauraLoo

HI,

As you can see in my question above, im wondering if anyone has converted?

If so, i would love to hear your reasons for it?what drew you toward it? And i ask if your spirituality has deepened since?

I was christened as a catholic but i do not practise it and i dont agree with many of their beliefs but i do have a deep reverence for Jesus. I have been researching alternative christian communities and find that the anglican seems to be changing with the times (ie female priests, priests can be married etc).

I dont feel comfortable when people preach "black and white laws" and use scare tactics to keep people in fear of God. I question everything as i believe its important for a person to discern their own beliefs and through the gift of wonderment they can interpet the teachings of Jesus from their own spirit.

Is the anglican church open to people questioning everything or is it rigid in its "laws"? (i.e your living in sin if your not married etc.)

I would be very grateful if any anglican's or converts to the religion will reply and tell me what they enjoy in their faith.

For anyone else: Please do not reply telling me whats wrong with my faith.

Fanny Cradock

I probably share some of the same thoughts as yourself. I come from an upbringing influenced by Brethren tradition, and while I appreciate many of the experiences and their genuine faith in Jesus, there was just too many beliefs that I could not reconcile with what I believe about the society and the universe we live in. In short, I think it is very much of its generation and its time.

While I haven't made any official move to convert to Anglicism (I still consider myself non-denominational), I find that as a denomination it is more open and responsive to questioning than my religious upbringing. Indeed, quite a few of the theological luminaries that have influenced me have been from an Anglican tradition.

I'm happy that I've found a church that I can call home (although it is considerably more evangelical in its day to day functionality than your average Anglican denomination) but I'd never think that it's the only place for me. In an unnecessarily verbose way, what I'm trying to say is that you should find the denomination and church within that denomination that is right for you. Because no one denomination has cornered the market on truth and accuracy.

Greaney

Though I know this strictly doesn't answer your question... I was Catholic and now I go to a Reformed Presbyterian Church. It's full of former Catholics... The Prodestant denominations are seeing growth the last ten years in Ireland that they hadn't seen in over 80!! Full now, of lapsed Catholics and non-nationals

LauraLoo

Thanks for your replies:

Greaney wrote: »

Though I know this strictly doesn't answer your question... I was Catholic and now I go to a Reformed Presbyterian Church. It's full of former Catholics... The Prodestant denominations are seeing growth the last ten years in Ireland that they hadn't seen in over 80!! Full now, of lapsed Catholics and non-nationals

that is mentioned many times in my research, apparently alot of protestant churches are seeing a huge influx of ex-catholics.

Fanny Cradock:
I have always said i am non-denominational however lately i am feeling this sense of a "calling". I am going to study theology and world religions this september in trinity college, from a non-denominational point of view. But on a personal level, i am feeling a huge energy in my heart drawing me to a religion. I dont think its the fundamental beliefs that i am looking for, its more the companionship of praying/communing with God in a group of like minded people. Maybe a non-denominational prayer group might suit me better...

homer911

I was brought up in the CoI, moved to an independent evangelical chuch and am currently in a "relaxed" (non-traditonal) Presbyterian Church. I would not go back to the CoI, but thats a generalisation - I found most attendees to be very nominal christians. I'm also not mad about their liturgy - I prefer a church meeting with less of a "scripted" service

There are some great CoI congregations out there though - you just have to give them a try

wolfsbane

LauraLoo wrote: »

Thanks for your replies:



that is mentioned many times in my research, apparently alot of protestant churches are seeing a huge influx of ex-catholics.

Fanny Cradock:
I have always said i am non-denominational however lately i am feeling this sense of a "calling". I am going to study theology and world religions this september in trinity college, from a non-denominational point of view. But on a personal level, i am feeling a huge energy in my heart drawing me to a religion. I dont think its the fundamental beliefs that i am looking for, its more the companionship of praying/communing with God in a group of like minded people. Maybe a non-denominational prayer group might suit me better...

I would be very concerned about your 'feeling' emphasis. When God speaks to a heart, He leads them to seek His truth, not feelings. When we have His truth, then appropriate feelings follow.

So you really do need to look for fundamental beliefs. Prayer to God to show you them, of course - but don't go looking for something spiritual in a group of others just as ignorant as yourself. The blind leading the blind is never a good idea.

God wants us to seek Him - and find Him - not by doing our own thing, worshipping as we please, but in faith and repentance:
Acts 17:26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

kelly1

LauraLoo wrote: »

Is the anglican church open to people questioning everything or is it rigid in its "laws"? (i.e your living in sin if your not married etc.)

Sorry if I'm mis-reading this but it sounds like you want to go to a church that condones sin?

God decides what's right and wrong, not us. I would urge you to have the courage to remain with the Catholic Church even if the teachings are inconvenient. Again sorry if I've misread you.

God bless,
Noel.

P.S. Sin is the greatest barrier to a true relationship with Christ.