GREAT movements of faith and ideas that have survived for five centuries do not suddenly implode. But something strange happened in London this week, when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, meekly left Lambeth Palace, his official residence, and crossed the Thames to Eccleston Square, where the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, has his office. The pair made a joint announcement concerning the future of both the Catholic Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion, which Archbishop Williams leads. At least, Archbishop Nichols made the announcement while Dr Williams sat at his side, apparently endorsing what his counterpart had to say, but, as the journalists reported, looking increasingly uncomfortable. At least one reporter, perhaps more used to covering exchanges in the nearby House of Commons, described what had happened as a power shift.
“Dr Williams, who learned of the planned ordinariate only two weeks ago, says he does not regard it as ”in any sense a commentary on Anglican problems offered by the Vatican”
Problems? What problems? There aren’t any problems in the Anglican Communion. Will you pass the sherry…