Cranmerian Theological Anthropology: An Exploration of the Collects.

The collects of the Book of Common Prayer contain a rich, yet often neglected, reservoir of Anglican theology. Whilst some of them were freshly composed at the time of the English Reformation, many were adapted from earlier prayers in the Verona, Gelasian and Gregorian Sacramentaries. As such, the collects themselves are an epitome of what ecclesia Anglicana sought to represent as both catholic and reformed. In seeking to explore the anthropological heritage of the collects, this article presents an opportunity to consider the doctrine of humanity according to an Anglican understanding. This in turn is anchored to a Trinitarian theological framework, so that the various facets of what it means to be human are referenced against what it means to have been created by God, redeemed in Christ, and comforted through the Holy Spirit. The conclusion of the article moves to a distillation of significant themes for Christian living which emerge -- in particular, the importance of relationality, the need for affective engagement, and necessary adherence to both spiritual discipline and catechesis -- with each of these inviting further reflection by thoughtful readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]