Beneath these particular quarrels are two deeper problems within Anglicanism, and these problems shed light on the deeper problems within every ecclesial body derived from the Protestant Reformation.<\/p>\n
The first problem is one of identity. Just what is Anglicanism? Before it went global, Anglicanism was the Church of England, with all its genteel and lovely customs. The Anglican Communion was the Church of England transplanted.<\/p>\n
Things have moved on. Now, most Anglicans live in Africa. Anglicanism is uncertain about itself. Is it English or African? Is it Protestant or Catholic? Is it essentially liberal? It used to be that no one much cared. Now the Anglicans in all three groups are entrenched and are increasingly adamant about their own stance \u00c2\u2014 and are prepared to fight the other two sides for the heart of their church.<\/p>\n
The second foundational problem is the one of church authority. When I was an Anglican priest, thinking through the problem of women\u00c2\u2019s ordination, I listened to both sides. They both had their experts. They both had arguments from Scripture. They both had arguments from tradition. They both were made up of prayerful, sincere people who believed they were being led by the Holy Spirit. How to decide?<\/p>\n
This question led me to realize that Christians need an external authority structure to make the final call, and of course, that question led me to the banks of the Tiber.<\/p>\n
As Catholics, it is important to understand the problems facing Anglicanism because the underlying fault lines can expand into our own church if we are not careful.<\/p>\n