Readers respond to articles about Vatican's proposal to welcome former Anglicans
Episcopal News Service. October 27, 2009 [102709-01]
Episcopal Life Online has received several letters responding to "Pope announces special provisions to accept former Anglicans in Roman Catholic Church" and "Vatican proposal to welcome former Anglicans generates mixed reactions, commentary".
A selection of these letters follows.
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Vatican proposal to welcome former Anglicans generates mixed reactions, commentary
Bishop Catherine Roskam's idea of "a church that treasures diversity of thought" is to be warmly welcomed. As I have recently argued in two Australian newspapers, the Anglican church is "theologically more spacious, liturgically more accommodating, ethically more comprehensive, and pastorally less strident, than any other part of the church universal." There are no seriously arguable reasons why anyone should leave this church, in particular to join a church that promotes a monolithic, Rome-centered version of the Christian religion that is quite indefensible on historical and theological grounds.
How fortunate is the Episcopal Church to have a bishop with the theological and spiritual insight of Catherine Roskam -- insight that was much in evidence quite recently at the Episcopal Church's General Convention. We have no Australian episcopal counterpart -- a matter of great regret.
By the way, I speak as a former Roman Catholic priest, now happily working in the Anglican Church of Australia.
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If the professor of ecclesiastical history at General Theological Seminary feels that the pope's announcement is more for Britain, it is because the Episcopal Church is being run and overrun by anything but Episcopalians. His query as to whether or not the constitution would newly recognize Anglican orders is as shallow as the new wave theology in the Episcopal Church, and suggests it would include the apostasy that is driving the church apart. Shame on you, professor. The pope has extended his offer to those who desire to retain orthodox worship, theology and practice, and who understand that the unity of Christ's body is ultimately more important
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Travel advisory to those thinking of or about to cross the Tiber: be advised that despite outward appearances (especially in North America), the American Roman Catholic church is autocratic, non-democratic and suffering a chronic loss of callings to the priesthood. Lay Eucharistic ministers and altar girls are not the desired norm. It is a top-down order. The laity has no voice, vote or hope for change. Be advised that the only approved of sexual act is for procreation but only if the marriage is a catholic one. No sex otherwise. No birth control and no other means of contraception can go on. Oh, by the way, the Roman priesthood is rife with tortured gay men. The pain is dreadful to observe. Think prayerfully; join an Anglo-catholic congregation, cherish your vestry vote. Safe journey to all. I crossed the Tiber upon my graduation from a Roman Catholic boys-only high school in 1978 -- the brothers had in fact asked me to join. I am so glad I journeyed the way I did.
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I am, always have been and always will be an Anglo-catholic rejoicing in the great inclusiveness and wonderful services of the Anglican Church. Yes, there are many points of view and many different church practices within the Anglican Communion but as long as we all can admit that there are many different views then there is no need for anyone to go across to the Catholic Church or go into fundamental Christianity.
I adore my Anglo-catholic church life wherever I travel, but of course in the Dominican Republic I do not have this life. But nothing would induce me to go to Rome.
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One of my Roman Catholic clergy friends said to me several years ago, "We send to you our brightest and our best, and you seem to send to us your dregs, dissidents, clergy and laity who won't be happy anywhere." This latest effort on the part of Rome will show the truth in that thinking. May they go in peace, with our blessing.
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I am a lay Eucharistic minister in St. John the Divine Episcopal Church and I, with our priests, am troubled with the misconception that the Episcopal Church's Holy Communion is a "symbolic act" (as stated in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Tampa Tribune). The Episcopalians believe in the "real presence" of Jesus in our Holy Communion as well as the Catholics do. I think this "misconception" should be cleared up or addressed.
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I would venture to say that there are more disenfranchised Roman Catholics than Anglicans/Episcopalians. We should do the same. Evangelism through the press is not something we would do on our own -- however, it may be a powerful tool we should be using.
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We cannot accept the move to the Roman Catholic Church as an issue. We should keep doing our work as long as we can.
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Pope announces special provisions to accept former Anglicans in Roman Catholic Church
Unmentioned in the commentaries on the Vatican initiative is the possible impact on ecumenical relations of the Episcopal Church involving the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Moravian Church and ongoing conversations with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
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I pray that this will allow some disaffected with the Episcopal Church, the Church of England, etc., to find a comfortable spiritual home. Speaking personally, "crossing the Tiber" is no more attractive than it was last week. You'll have to put up with me for a long time to come.
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Finally, somewhere to go for those of us who believe in the Bible as the inspired word of God! I accept not everyone shares my beliefs but it seems the revisionist agenda didn't leave a place for those of us with traditional beliefs to go. I've tried non-liturgical churches but I really miss our Eucharist. Maybe now I have a new church to try!
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I found this announcement very sad. It represents yet another attempt by the current pope to stand in the way of efforts to bring the Christian church into line with the good news of the gospel: that all who accept Christ as savior are to be affirmed as equal in the sight of God and other human beings -- irrespective of their race, gender or sexuality. Pope Benedict needs conversion to the Gospel!
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After all these years apart I am wondering why as Anglicans we need to look at the Roman Catholic Church for guidance? The Anglican Church is light years ahead of the Roman Catholic Church with the concept of what is ministry; i.e. married priests, women priests and bishops. It is the Roman Catholic Church that should look to us.
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The Episcopal Church should return the favor -- offer a comparable deal to Catholics and Catholic priests who are interested in moving into the 21st century.
Okay, there might be a more diplomatic way to word the invitation.
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This seems like a reasonable proposition.
The Anglican Church has traditionally been inclusive regarding membership and participation in communion; whereas, the Roman Church has ever been exclusive and restrictive in its practices. Those individuals who like to engage in discriminatory practices surely must need someplace to pray; their local Roman Catholic church is entirely appropriate.
Believing that actions speak louder than words, a simple review of the Church of Rome suggests that closed minds would be more comfortable in the Roman setting than the Anglican.
I rejoice that the Anglican Communion continues to honor Christ's invitation to ALL, that they may participate and receive spiritual renewal through his acceptance, love and forgiveness.
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Despite denials on both sides, this is clearly an act of aggression against the Anglican branch of Christ's holy catholic church. As has been the case in the past, when it comes to ecumenism, Rome's consistent principle is "our way or the highway." Rome's idea of Christian unity is "join us."
While unity between Rome and Canterbury may ultimately be a good idea, that cannot happen as long as Rome excludes women from Holy Orders and as long as Rome continues to operate a closed table and does not recognize the validity of Anglican orders.
Unlike the USA, the U.K. does not have a constitution prohibiting the non-interference by the government in religious affairs. The U.K. Parliament had two occasions on which it could have resolved this issue: I - in about 1850, Rome with the consent of the English government re-established its hierarchy in England. Parliament should have conditioned that on recognition of Anglican orders and permitting all Christians to receive communion at Roman Masses. II - in 1896, when Pope Leo issued his famous condemnation of Anglican orders, Parliament should have prohibited its enforcement in England. While some may condemn such ideas as an encroachment on religious freedom, such freedom does not include the right to marginalize fellow Christians -- which has been precisely what Rome has done over nearly 500 years. Unfortunately, we Anglicans have not done what is needed to make Rome respect us. The recent developments are the result. The lesson Rome must learn is respect for those who disagree with it by actions, not words. Let's start with respecting our ordinations -- ALL of them, without regard to gender or sexual orientation.
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If those who become Roman Catholic Christians can truly assent to that communion's (Vatican-approved) statements of dogma, doctrine, and moral theology, that's exactly where they should be. Clergy would have to be ordained again; the infallibility and authority of the pope, assumption of Mary, indulgences, transubstantiation, Roman Catholic "anthropology" and divorce/remarriage come to mind as among the non-negotiables. I wonder how many can genuinely fit within that interpretation of Christianity! I doubt that the pope's invitation implies that one can hold to the form and substance of classical Anglican theology and be housed in any way within the Roman faith community.
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A headline in an English newspaper, "Vatican parks tank on Rowan's lawn," is regrettably closer to reality than the timid response by Archbishop [of Canterbury Rowan] Williams to the disruptive attempt by the current Vatican administration to undermine the integrity of the Anglican tradition.
Bishop Epting's response is so guarded as to be acquiescent; there are times when clear and compelling leadership trumps "can't we all just get along." This is one of those times!
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I am amazed by the mildness and conciliation of the Anglican response to the insensitive, poaching, schismatic actions of the Roman church. Unhappy Episcopalians may want to leave not because of any substantial issues, like adherence to the creeds or following Jesus' teachings. They are unhappy because they are wed to an interpretation of a seven verses (out of more than 31,000) in the Bible which align with their bigotry. If the Episcopal Church were to make adherence to the creeds or belief in the divinity of Jesus optional, I could understand the Romans or, for that matter, the Lutherans, making special provision to welcome Episcopalians. In the current situation, the pope is just stirring the pot.
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I am not a cradle Episcopalian. As far as I am concerned, I am in the Episcopal branch of Christ's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church because that is where God put me.
Here I will stay. I can do no other.
I am catholic, but not Roman Catholic.
This announcement and procedures remind me of diocesan boundary-hopping at its ultimate.
I will never be "Roman" Catholic.
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Perhaps I am the only Episcopalian who is dismayed to see that the Archbishop of Canterbury has chosen to play a role in making it possible for disaffected Anglicans to "go home to Rome." The road between the Roman Church and the Anglican Church has long been a two-way road, with lay persons and clergy from one church moving to the other, and that is well and good. However, are we now to believe that decades of Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue have come to this, that the "continuing cooperation" lauded today by the archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster has resulted only in making it easier to Anglicans to become Romans? What a waste!
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Go in peace.
Let us not impede the spiritual quest of those who desire to move and grow within the intellectual and self-righteous rigidity of Rome.
Let us, in good faith, pray that our departing "Anglicans" will, in fact, carry with them a few seeds of the Episcopal belief in reason and inclusivity.
Given a bit of God's love, these transplanted seeds may one day force open a window or two in the Vatican -- making it more responsive to the needs of the modern world.
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I think it is fine for people to change churches anytime they wish. I was a Methodist for almost 30 years and have been an Episcopalian for 36 years. I plan to remain in the church I have chosen all my life. It is interesting to me, this latest development, because my friends who are Roman have so little freedom in the area of choice of parish, and in other areas of faith. I wonder if the "Catholic wannabees" will be happy after they change.
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We have long practiced the acceptance of disaffected Roman Catholics, and we call it reception. Do you think that would make news?
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This is amazing! Why this sudden change of heart? Are they so needy for priests? And what about our female priests?
I am a cradle Episcopalian. All my life (73 years) I have been denied the Eucharist at [Roman Catholic] masses. Consequently, if I attend a funeral or wedding, I make sure I leave at the time of the consecration, and return to my pew when their flock have all received.
As a child I was told by my friends that I would go to hell because I was not a Roman Catholic, and I also endured many other verbal abuses. According to my friends this was taught to them by the nuns at parochial schools.
This is so mind-boggling! Maybe the Holy Spirit is working and hopefully so. I pray the Anglican Communion remains holy and united.
I am married for 51 years to a very understanding Roman Catholic. He very frequently attends church with me, and is happy to do so.
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The Episcopal Church should offer positions to Roman Catholic priests who wish to be married and have children.
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The Roman Catholic Church never misses an opportunity to draw the bigoted and reactionary to itself. With every backward move, they doom themselves to irrelevance.
When will we … have an archbishop with the spine to take a stand for the true Gospel values of love and inclusiveness?