Posted on 04/05/2008 7:28:34 AM PDT by markomalley
WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - Many believe the battle for the soul of the Episcopal Church is now over. Frontline parishes are leaving and the continuing battle for buildings is just a part of what lies ahead.
(snip)
About that same time another major upheaval hit the church; this time with an impact that caused many traditional Episcopalians to say, “enough is enough.” With the ordination of women a new classification of Anglicans in America came into existence – the Continuing Church movement. These Anglicans were split into various groups such as the Diocese of Christ the King, the United Episcopal Church, the Anglican Catholic Church, and the Anglican Church in America, and many others.
Each of these groups used only the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the 1949 Hymnal, the early Canon Law of the Episcopal Church, and refused the ordination of women.
The main attraction of these churches seemed to be reactionary – “we are not like the Episcopal Church USA.” After the initial exodus on the late 1970’s and early 80’s these groups maintained a status quo for almost ten years with only nominal growth.
In the decade to follow the Continuing Churches were given greater attention from two fronts – Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, as Robert Webber called it, and disillusioned Episcopalians who were once again faced with a church moving farther from the orthodox center. This time the main concern was gender identity as same-sex marriage and openly homosexual clergy became more public.
Some Episcopalians determined to stay and fight. Others chose to align with other Anglican groups or seek full communion with the Catholic Church or one of the Orthodox jurisdictions. The pastoral provision, instituted by Pope John Paul II even made the way clear for Episcopal clergy to seek Holy Orders as Catholics.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
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What’s missing from this review is the state of the Continuing Anglican churches since the 80s. I can’t speak to growth, though I see it in the churches I know. But there is also an increasing push towards unification; several groups have been absorbed into others, and three of the largest declared a state of communion last summer.
Nothing new here, but it would be useful for those who don't keep up with what is going on.
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