There is something rather retro and quaint about the 10-day gathering of 17 Catholic and Anglican bishops and theologians which begins at a monastery in northern Italy today.
Bose is a community of both men and women, made up of both Anglicans and Catholics, founded in the 1970s, when there was talk of Anglican-Catholic unity within a generation.
Although the aim of the third phase of the official Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, or ARCIC (pron. AR-KICK), is, as it has always been, the full and visible unity between the Catholic and Anglican Churches, there is a new sober realism hanging over this gathering.
“Over the next ten days, in the delightful and prayerful setting of Bose, these men and women must develop some of the trust which will underpin a dialogue process expected to last many years. No one, it seems, is in much of a hurry.”
Ah yes, the professional benchwarmers meet, spend $$$$$ and come up with —– a Statement. The Statement will state that the Statement has stated certain things that will be eagerly ignored by both organizations. It will state the urgent need for another such meeting and state the great hope that Statements always express. Please send us back to do it again, as soon as possible. THis is stating the obvious. The ecumenical movement is and always has been a religious industrial complex producing zero, spending everyone’s time and money. It keeps talentless people employed.
They have no interest in us who ordain women. We have no interest in their magisterium and authority flowing from one human being. So why continue to bother with this ecumenical fantasy at this moment in time?
At one time, I think a reasonable person could have entertained hopes of eventual intercommunion between the Anglican and Catholic churches without necessarily being a starry-eyed fantasist. You could call that “full visible unity” for certain guarded values of “full” and “unity.”
I think that time has passed, of course. Intercommunion is now nowhere on the horizon. Nevertheless, I see no harm and much good in ecumenical discussion — no reason not to get together and really dig into our differences; you can learn a lot in that kind of conversation. So long as nobody has unrealistic expectations of the outcome, by all means, ARCIC away.
#2 – God wants one faithful united church.
#2 If you take the short-view, yes, it seems like a “fantasy.” Some take a long view and hope that some of the recent aberrations that we’ve allowed to crop up within the Anglican Communion will eventually be set to rights. Then some of the barriers that currently exist between our two bodies will no longer be an issue. Taking the same long view, some of the aberrations we (and the Eastern Church) perceive to exist in the Roman system will also be ironed out.
As #4 puts it, “God wants one faithful united Church.” He’s patient. It will take a great deal of humility on both sides and a great deal of time, perhaps, but the discussion is worth having.
Re #2
Amen.
Re #3
The AC has deviated so far from the faith of the ancient church that I entertain no reasonable hope for restoration of communion between her and Rome. The Christian world is fast dividing into two camps. On the one side those churches or communions faithful to the ancient catholic tradition and all that it has consistently taught. And in the other, the make it up as you go along crowd. The AC has chosen its camp. It’s time to move on.
Re #4
[blockquote] God wants one faithful united church. [/blockquote]
One already exists. If the church is divisible and subject to heresy that makes a lie of both scripture and the Creed when we confess our faith in “One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.” We may disagree on here it is. But to believe it does not exist is heresy.
here = where* typos… sigh
Ad Orientem
You are right, but I think God would like the “One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church†to also be one faithful united organization on earth.