I welcome the news of Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican to make provision for the conversion of certain Anglican Christians to the Roman Catholic Church.
In the past ten years, I have noticed many of my disenchanted Episcopal and Anglican friends drifting toward Roman Catholic structures. They have been arguing for more ecclesiastical order and authority. It has long been my prediction that our current Anglican controversies will be cleared up, finally, with a choice between distinctly Anglican and distinctly Roman ecclesiologies. Much of our current controversy, having been precipitated by sexuality issues (ordination of women and homosexuality), is more accurately about authority, uniformity, and legal order.
The Roman Catholic tradition, certainly a long and esteemed tradition, is very good on these very issues: authority, uniformity, and legal order. The Anglican tradition (in my opinion having begun in the fourth century A.D., and thus almost as old as the Roman tradition) is very good on other matters. In particular, the Anglican tradition of Christianity is very good at allowing local authority and jurisdiction to exist in partnership with wider authority and jurisdiction.
Many disenchanted Anglicans and Episcopalians have actually been arguing in the last ten years for more centralized and universal jurisdiction, when the Anglican tradition of Christianity has always resisted such universal and centralized jurisdiction. Thus, it is gratifying that the best centralized and universal jurisdiction in the world –the Roman Catholic Church—has been able to make provisions to welcome such disenchanted Anglicans.
I note, too, the gracious words in the joint statement of the Archbishop of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury. There is good relationship between these two branches of Christendom, the Roman and the Anglican. Fruitful ecumenical conversations have certainly enabled the Vatican to go forward with these provisions, and I salute all those who have been involved.
I believe there is room in the kingdom of God for various ecclesiastical styles, and I pray that God will direct us all to a place where we can more freely preach the gospel and work toward the kingdom of God.
The Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler
Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip
Atlanta, Georgia
Thanks Sam. Your own generosity of spirit is helpful for cynics like me who have a hard time attributing anything like magnanimity to Rome's actions. I agree that there is room for more than one ecclesiology. The way in which many of us reduce our differences to binary comparisons leaves me wondering exactly what our contribution will seen to be. I'm pretty sure RC's will get to be the ones who have rightly divided "authority" by keeping it simple and central. Perhaps our contribution will have more to do with margins than centers. More later. Keep up the good work. Peace, Dann
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reflections. A quick note: it is the Archbishop of WESTMINSTER who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. The Bishop of WINCHESTER (One of the Oldest Sees in England founded in 676) is Anglican and not an Archbishop.
ReplyDeleteThe Venerable Edward Simonton OGS
Archdeacon of St Andrews
Diocese of Montreal
I am sure that is what you meant. Sorry the previous e-mail stopped abruptly, seeming a bit snipy. This was unintentional. Only noticed it afterwards.
ReplyDeleteThanks for noticing the error! Yes, of course it is the Archbishop of Westminster. Grace and peace to you. --Sam Candler
ReplyDeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteYours is the most positive spin I have seen on this from within the Episcopal Church. As a cradle RC myself, I saw nothing but arrogance in the Pope's message – the same arrogance that drove me and thousands of others (very happily, it turned out) to the Episcopal Church.
I suspect the Pope's action brings an end to ecumenism, at least in our lifetime. Even my non-Episcopalian friends were shaking their heads over this one. I don't think we should kid ourselves that this was a kiss of peace.
Bob Miller (aka Sempringham)