In an extraordinary bid to lure traditionalist Anglicans en masse, the Vatican on Tuesday announced that it would make it easier for Anglicans who are uncomfortable with their church’s acceptance of women priests and openly gay bishops to join the Roman Catholic Church.
A new canonical entity will allow groups of Anglicans “to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony,” Cardinal William Levada, the prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said at a news conference here.
Though both Catholic and Anglican leaders sought on Tuesday to present the move as a more coherent, unified response to those seeking conversion, the Vatican appeared to have announced the move to the Anglican Communion only in recent weeks and as a fait accompli. And many Anglican and Catholic leaders expressed surprise, even shock, at something they said would undermine efforts at ecumenical dialogue and capitalize on deep divisions within the Anglican Church over issues like the ordination of gay bishops and blessing same-sex unions.
“And many Anglican and Catholic leaders expressed surprise, even shock, at something they said would undermine efforts at ecumenical dialogue”
— Well, yes, as anyone other than a chimpanzee would want to do. The “Ecumenical” movement is the greatest waste of time in 2000 years. Like a twenty-year “Going steady” relationship except with none of the charm. Get a ring and a date or break it off. This is called “Getting a life”.
When one is being purged, one ‘lures’ easily.
Now lets see if Metropolitan Jonah of the American Orthodox Church does one better than the Pope in luring orthodox American Episcopalians. I’d sure like to see it happen. Union with the Orthodox Church makes more theological sense to me than union with Rome.
Just curious, David+, why?
Speaking of the Orthodox, was there this much talk when the Antiochenes set up their Western Rite?
Sadly the Western Rite seems to be Orthodoxy’s best kept secret. We will have to see where things go in the discussions between the ACNA and +Jonah. My guess is that some of the Anglo-Catholics will find union with Rome a bit challenging. We may see some of them migrate into the Orthodox Church. Time will tell.
There was a time (50+ years ago) when the idea of Anglicans becoming Orthodox was seen as almost silly unless they were marrying into the Church. A Greek priest once wrote that when he was growing up Episcopalians were treated as something very close to Western Orthodox. Not anymore. Now he says “we keep the light on and the welcome mat out.”
Here is a very interesting and I think heavy weight blog post on the current debate over Orthodox- Anglican ecumenical dialogue which I strongly recommend.
http://tinyurl.com/ygeaw87