Pope's gambit could see 1,000 quit Church of England

Telegraph UK ^ | 10/20/09 | Ruth Gledhill

[pissant]

As many as 1,000 priests could quit the Church of England and thousands more may leave churches in America and Australia under bold proposals to welcome Anglicans to Rome.

Entire parishes and even dioceses could be tempted to defect after Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to offer a legal structure to Anglicans joining the Roman Catholic Church.

His decree, issued yesterday, is a serious blow to attempts by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to save the Anglican Communion from further fragmentation and threatens to wreck decades of ecumenical dialogue.

Dr Williams was notified formally only last weekend by the Vatican and looked uncomfortable at a joint press conference with the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, to announce the plan.

[pissant]

A little payback after 500 years later.

[GeronL]

The Church of England is not a real church anyways.

As much as I disagree with the Catholics, this would be a big improvement. IF they have some integrity.

[the invisib1e hand]

gambit? yeah, that's the word. it's like freaking poker, isn't it?

well, maybe it is a little like a crapshoot...

[Salvation]

Catholic bump.

[piytar]

“threatens to wreck decades of ecumenical dialogue”

Yup, the Pope is THREATENING. Why? Because He is offering a path for Christians to leave the corruption of the Angelican Church.

No bias here. None at all. /spit

[piytar]

“threatens to wreck decades of ecumenical dialogue”

Yup, the Pope is THREATENING. Why? Because He is offering a path for Christians to leave the corruption of the Angelican Church.

No bias here. None at all. /spit

[Salvation]

Welcome home to our Anglican and Episcopal brother and sisters!

[Jeff Chandler]

I don’t suppose we could work out a trade? Our liberals for their conservatives?

[neodad]

Right after our church left the Episcopal Church, our Bishop left for the Catholic Church. This is going to snowball fast.

[Infidel Heather]

“Wrecking dialogue”???

Methinks the Archbishop of Canterbury has not been speaking for quite a few Anglicans/Episcopalians for a while now...

[pissant]

That would be perfect.

[Cicero]

and threatens to wreck decades of ecumenical dialogue

When the ecumenical dialogue started, the Church of England looked like one of the best prospects to talk with. There were a few kooks, like the Red Dean of Canterbury, but for the most part they were closer to the Catholic Church than many other Protestant denominations.

No longer. There's no way on earth that they can agree on any of the basics, when the Episcopal leadership keeps moving further and further away from basic Christianity. So, this makes sense. Offer shelter and help to those Anglicans who still want to be traditional Christians. It's not as if the Anglican leadership wants these people anyway. I have a friend who was an Episcopal clergyman. His bishop in Connecticut kicked him out because he refused to preach in favor of gay rights.

[montag813]

Outstanding. The grandfathering in of married priests is a master stroke. Great move from the REAL “Big Papi”.

[FormerACLUmember]

Now why, oh why, are Anglicans/Episcopalians fleeing the Archbishop of Canterbury and are reuniting with the Catholic Church?

Who can offer any explanation for mysterious phenomenon?

[hinckley buzzard]

Badly muffed by the usually capable Gledhill. She appears to value "decades of ecumenical dialog" which have availed nothing, more than the accomplishment at a stroke of an ecumenical triumph. Sort of like opposing MidEast peace because its achievement would mean the destruction of the "Peace Process."

[montag813]

As much as I disagree with the Catholics, this would be a big improvement. IF they have some integrity.

Hey I'm Jewish, and I love my Christian brothers and sisters, and am rooting for the Pope. Any advance of Christianity against secularism is a victory for all who treasure liberty.

[Vince Ferrer]

“threatens to wreck decades of ecumenical dialogue”

No, it offers a conclusion to the dialogue. Without the work done in previous decades, this offer would not be possible. Without this resolution, the previous dialogue would have been meaningless.

Realistically, the choice in Anglicanism is not liberal or conservative Anglicanism. Over the long term, it is rejoining Catholicism, or dissolution into nothing.

[FormerACLUmember]

I don’t suppose we could work out a trade? Our liberals for their conservatives?

LOL! Start with all those completely fake Pretend Catholics like Pelosi, Kerry, Biden, ad nauseum.

[chris_bdba]

No I’m sure the Pope has noticed how many have already came over in the last few years and just wanted to let the rest know they were welcome if they wanted to make the switch.

[Jeff Chandler]

That would be perfect.

Perfect would have been Yoko stepping in front of John.

[pissant]

Or Teresa giving Lurch a little shove during their Grand Canyon photo op.

[EDINVA]

It’s a BRITISH paper writing about the Church of England .. of course it’s going to come from that perspective.

But if the CoE and RCC and other Christian denominations (especially in Europe) don’t get together and forge alliances instead of their centuries-long bickering, all of Christendom is going to be in serious trouble.

[FormerACLUmember]

There are loads of married Roman Catholic priests. They are Eastern Rite Catholics. My best friend is a Catholic Arab, a Lebanese Maronite whose cousin is a married priest.

It appears that Pope Benedict, in his wisdom, has established a new Rite, the Anglican Catholic Rite.

Absolutely brilliant.

[pissant]

Egads!

[vladimir998]

Amen to that!

[centurion316]

The church that I loved is no more. I’m glad that the Bishop of Rome has opened his arms, good for him.

[Slings and Arrows]

It would appear that Benedict XVI is a strategist. Well played, sir.

[luckybogey]

Pissant: payback? Maybe you have confused your history? The Catholic priests were the first to receive the sword. I'm not sure my ancestors in Kilkenny would agree with this offer from Rome. I'm also reminded of the following story during the final Williamite conquest:

After the battle of Aughrim, the bodies of the Irish were left where they fell, to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Among them was an Irish officer, who was killed and stripped in the battle. But his faithful dog discovered his remains and guarded the body day and night; and though he fed with other dogs on the slain around, yet he would not allow them, or any thing else, to touch the body of his master. When all the dead bodies were consumed, the other dogs departed; but this one used to go in the night to the adjacent villages for food, and presently return to the place where his master's bones only were then left. Thus he continued from July, when the battle was fought, till January following, when one of Colonel Foulk's soldiers, who was quartered in the neighborhood, happening to go near the spot, the dog, fearing he came to disturb his master's bones, rushed upon the man, who unslung his musket on the instant, and shot the poor animal dead. He expired faithful as he had lived.

[pissant]

Yes, payback. Might just collapse old King Henry’s wet dream.

[arthurus]

That is how liberals “think.” Results are irrelevant. The Process is everything. Actually results are failure, any results. They leave nothing for diplomats and professors to do.

[April Lexington]

Vultures picking on the carcass!

[April Lexington]

I wonder what Jesus would say about all of this?

[warsaw44]

oh my word...is that photo a joke or are those two actually
episcopalian priests?

[stripes1776]

After the battle of Aughrim, the bodies of the Irish were left where they fell, to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Among them was an Irish officer, who was killed and stripped in the battle. But his faithful dog discovered his remains and guarded the body day and night; and though he fed with other dogs on the slain around, yet he would not allow them, or any thing else, to touch the body of his master. When all the dead bodies were consumed, the other dogs departed; but this one used to go in the night to the adjacent villages for food, and presently return to the place where his master's bones only were then left. Thus he continued from July, when the battle was fought, till January following, when one of Colonel Foulk's soldiers, who was quartered in the neighborhood, happening to go near the spot, the dog, fearing he came to disturb his master's bones, rushed upon the man, who unslung his musket on the instant, and shot the poor animal dead. He expired faithful as he had lived.

And now you know why Muslims hate dogs: they can be loyal.

[pissant]

He’d likely be pleased. Just as He would likely be pleased when the Eastern Church folds back in.

[miele man]

Yes, you are quite right. He speaketh with forked tongue on many of the issues of the day in the church.

[miele man]

It is worse. The one on the left with the purple shirt is a bishop. He formerly was married and has children but after retiring from his diocese, he “outed” himself and then later married the “queen” on his left in the picture. Every time I see this picture, I cringe.

[rcrngroup]

How do they.....?
Never mind, it's too nauseating to even think about it. Barf/

[SuperLuminal]

Sounds like a plan....But, does this mean all the commie sympathizers have to be flushed from the emigrating parishes first?

That will sure cut the numbers down...

[SootyFoot2]

How about the ELCA Lutherans? Any chance the dissidents could be included in the welcoming????

[usacon]

Amen Brother.

[ccmay]

Hey I'm Jewish, and I love my Christian brothers and sisters, and am rooting for the Pope. Any advance of Christianity against secularism is a victory for all who treasure liberty.

Back at you, brother. שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד.

-ccm

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

“Just as He would likely be pleased when the Eastern Church folds back in.”

Or when the fragmented Western Church folds back in with the Eastern Church, from which it split in the 11th century.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Queen Elizabeth needs to send some “rough knights” to Canterbury and do a “Thomas a Beckett” on Williams.

[MinuteGal]

Well, that's a bit of a stretch....but the conservative Missouri Synod Lutherans, of which I am one, are primed and ready for the welcoming of the apostate ELCA's displaced Lutherans.

I love this gutsy Pope!

Leni

[pissant]

LOL. Yea, OK

[Antoninus]

Dr. Williams should look uncomfortable. He's a major part of the problem. His church will now become a lot more lavender and will resemble an actual Christian community even less.

By their fruits....

[Antoninus]

I wonder what Jesus would say about all of this?

"That all may be one."

[April Lexington]

Bingo! You got it correct!