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To: Alex Murphy

As I understand it, Anglicans prefer not to think of themselves as Protestants (that is, as inspired by Luther or anyone else in that line), but as a sort of special English branch of Catholicism. I think this is nonsense, of course, because you can't be Catholic while rejecting Rome, and nationality or language group does not make you a separate church. But that seems to be the belief of many of the more traditional groups among them, and hence they are unlikely to go to a Protestant church as a solution. We are also talking about the group "migration" of a church in this case, and not individuals, if I understand it right.

So in terms of what the more orthodox, traditional Christians among them are going to do in the future, I think their options are pretty limited. The "continuing" churches are under heavy attack from the raving heretics who have taken over the mother church, partly because the heretics fear the loss of the property, and as a result the continuing churches are often very embattled and hardly an ideal environment for faith, particularly in places like Africa. I think some of the African leaders felt that the flaky Anglican/Episcopal church leadership wouldn't impose its ways on them, but it appears that, as usual, the raving heretics want everybody else either to do as they do or at least give approval to it.


7 posted on 02/20/2007 3:07:53 AM PST by livius
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To: livius

"I think this is nonsense, of course, because you can't be Catholic while rejecting Rome,..."

Oh, I wouldn't go that far, L! :)


8 posted on 02/20/2007 3:56:40 AM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: livius; sionnsar
As I understand it, Anglicans prefer not to think of themselves as Protestants (that is, as inspired by Luther or anyone else in that line), but as a sort of special English branch of Catholicism

Indeed, that's one current of Anglicanism. But then you have the more evangelical wing, the liberal wing, neither of which will look Romeward anytime soon. Lot of different currents there. Plus, even within the Anglo-Catholic fold, there's a school of thought that holds "we are Catholic already" and so sees no need for corporate reunion.

FWIW as a Roman looking at this, I think the *entire* Anglican body reuniting with Rome is a pipe dream. The Communion is shattered now, probably for good, and sionnsar has said that he thinks the compromise that has held these disparate elements together for 400+ years is effectively dead. There simply isn't enough cohesion at the institutional level, and Abp. Williams can't provide it.

What is happening is that some movements that come out of Anglo-Catholicism are seeking corporate unity with Rome (e.g. Hepworth and the Traditional Anglican Communion). Others will proceed on as continuing churches, etc.

12 posted on 02/20/2007 6:40:03 AM PST by Claud
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