[Rowan] Williams’ mood is unlikely to be as upbeat when he meets with Pope Benedict on Saturday, just a month after the Vatican’s surprise announcement outlining historic new procedures designed to help disaffected conservative Anglicans enter the Roman Catholic fold. Both Anglicans and Catholics are now awaiting the first details of exactly how the Vatican will bring in would-be Anglican converts, groups or parishes. “This announcement from Rome is incredibly messy,” says Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, who heads the Anglican Studies department at Duke University Divinity School. “It’s confused and confusing.”
Depending on who you ask, the two faiths are either closer than ever to bridging their differences or are renewing the kind of mistrust and incomprehension that has marked the relationship since the Anglican Church was formed after King Henry VIII’s split from Rome in the 16th century. For those in the 77-million-strong Anglican Church (which includes the Episcopal Church in the U.S.) who are angry at its policy of allowing women and gay priests and bishops, and perhaps attracted by the liturgical and historical links with Catholicism, Benedict’s official door-opening is an unexpected godsend that might just allow for the best of both worlds: hanging onto their Anglican culture and parish life while moving under the doctrinally rigid umbrella of Roman orthodoxy.
The RCC has just moved on. I am surprised that the ABC does not realize this.
[i] Slightly edited by elf. [/i]
“Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, who heads the Anglican Studies department at Duke University Divinity School. “It’s confused and confusing.””
Perhaps the Rev. Jo Wells is confused and simply quoting a student evaluation of one of her (assuming a ‘Jo’ would be a she) courses?
“This announcement from Rome is incredibly messy,” says Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, who heads the Anglican Studies department at Duke University Divinity School. “It’s confused and confusing.”
Proving that ……….
They are trying to communicate with ANGLICANS who always are?
They have caught an illness from Anglicanism?
They have read too many Anglican documents?
They are imitating the ABC?
The commentator cannot read English or Latin?
Clearly, USCAE and dwstroudmd don’t know Jo. That’s alright. I can apologize to her on your behalf. She’s remarkably patient when confronted by ignorance.
^
Yes, nuts (that is what chipmunks eat is it not?), I suppose ‘patience when confronted by ignorance’ would be an indispensable job requirement for whomever heads the Anglican Studies department.