Anglicans are not Protestants

AS art avid reader of your excellent paper. I object strongly to the headline (June 25) "Protestants urged to coordinate Rome contacts." Under this heading both Anglicans and Methodists are referred to as "Protestants."
Anglicans arc not protcstants and are never referred to as such by the Holy Father. Further. it is for this very reason that many thousands of Anglican priests and laity have opposed. and will continue to oppose by every possible means, this once rejected Anglican Methodist merger. The "scheme" strikes at the very roots of Catholicism inherent in the Anglican Church which is believed in and held sacred by multitudes of Anglicans.
If this Anglican-Methodist Scheme is passed it will convince all Catholics that for generations the Anglican Church has not really believed that for which it has stood. It will further contradict canon laws recently passed.
We pray and know that this will not happen and we will continue to pray and work for the only realistic unity, that with the Successor of St. Peter, the Lord's representative on cart h.
Rev. P. F. D. Spargo Sunderland, Co. Durham
mAY I voice a note of sadness at a phrase used by your contributor, Mr. Norman St John-Stevas, MP, who says that "The Church of England is Protestant and reformed . ." (July 2).
In the old days. before Vatican II, Anglicans were accustomed to be thus misdescribed by Roman Catholics. That we have never thought of ourselves as Protestant may be judged from two things. First, you may remember the outcry there was 'at the time of the Coronation in 1953 that the Queen would have to promise to support the "Protestant Church as by law established." Somewhat specious argument-, were used by the government of the day to explain that there were parts of the Queen's
dominions where the Established Church was in fact Protestant. Scotland was cited as one such. Secondly, there is not one single instance in any official Anglican formulary (Book of Common 'Prayer, Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, or in Canon I.aw) where we describe ourselves as Protestant. But, on the contrary, the word "Catholic" is one that we claim over and over again.
I have nothing to say against Protestants, among whom I count many good friends. But many of us find it deeply hurtful when we find ourselves included as such by members of the Church of Rome.
Pope Paul is careful not to make the mistake. He always used the phrase, "Catholics, Anglicans, and Protestants . .." In these days of such won
derful ecumenical rapprochement is it not time that this baseless accusation be dropped in polite parlance?
Rev. I. M. Scott London, N.W.3.