In reality, it was clearly tense. Relations are strained following the Pope’s recent offer of special conversion terms for disaffected Anglican conservatives unhappy with Dr Rowan Williams’s tolerance of homosexuality and the ordination of women.
The Vatican says the offer was meant as ecumenism. Many Anglicans felt it was a land grab exploiting divisions within their ranks. Dr Williams was criticised at first for his softly-softly response, giving only carefully coded public expressions of resistance to the Vatican’s approach. Anglicans feared their archbishop was a pushover. But judging by icy formalties after yesterday’s encounter, Dr Williams was more forthright in private.
That is the right balance….
That is fiction.
Icy formalities? Does he mean the laughing, the smiling, the handshakes? That’s all I saw.
To me the most damning words come at the end, where the editorial writer says that the established church is valued because it is so innocuous and makes no waves. Hence it can be esteemed by people of other faiths and people without religion. Surely time for disestablishment when this kind of praise starts being heaped on you.
The Anglicans sound more desperate – and bigoted – every time they react to this. ‘OMG! Some English people might convert! (Joining those people.) Well, I NEVER!’
Anglicans, how does accepting English Anglo-Catholics’ request to become Roman Catholics, thus ridding you of a troublesome faction and leaving you Protestants to duke it out among yourselves about homosexuality, challenge your putative ‘unity’ (which seems to consist of being invited to Lambeth)?
What Terry Tee said.
The ABC can’t think beyond tomorrow. The Pope actually has a long term strategy. You can’t ignore the potential of almost 80,000,000 souls.
A ringing endorsement of the CoE as a home for those who have no religion. Gosh. An enormous membership, no doubt, but I wonder what Sunday turnout will be like.
Apparently, the only firm response Rowan Williams is capable of is the one he supposedly gave the Pope.