Posted on 06/26/2008 10:26:37 AM PDT by NYer
Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post
Published: Thursday, June 26, 2008
Formal arrangements have yet to be made, but it now appears that the critical decisions have already been taken for a dissolution of the Anglican Communion. Every 10 years, all the world's Anglican bishops meet at the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Palace. They are scheduled to meet this summer, but already some 250 have decided not to attend, boycotting because of the failure of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, to discipline American and Canadian Anglicans for blessing same-sex unions and ordaining actively homosexual clergy.
Many of those who are not attending Lambeth are in Jerusalem this week for an alternative meeting, to discuss how they see the way forward. The parallel meetings are a clear manifestation that the bonds of communion have broken down. The Archbishop of Canterbury is not in Jerusalem, and is not welcome there. The breach appears irreparable and therefore the Anglican Communion's days as a global community centred in Canterbury are numbered.
That is a sadness for those, like myself, who have affection for the Anglican sensibility. But sensibilities are not doctrines, and it cannot be the case that members of the same communion can hold directly contradictory views on matters of grave importance. The Canadian and American proponents of same-sex marriages are arguing that homosexual acts can be morally good, and even sacramental. The traditional Christian view is that such acts are sinful. That is a gap that cannot be bridged: Either one holds to the ancient and constant teaching of the Christian Church, or one rejects it in favour of a different position. It cannot be that both views exist side-by-side as equally acceptable options.
It is not a disagreement only about sexual morality. It goes deeper than that, to what status the ancient and apostolic tradition has in the Church
today. There can be no doubt that the blessing of homosexual relationships is entirely novel and in contradiction to the Christian tradition. So if that tradition no longer holds, it raises questions about the apostolicity of those communities which have abandoned it.
An additional sadness for Catholic and Orthodox Christians is that if the Anglican Communion embraces the path of doctrinal innovation, they will be closing the door on closer ecumenical relations. By unilaterally choosing to do what Catholics and Orthodox have always taught is outside our common tradition, they would be choosing the path of division.
That has already become dramatically evident. I remember being at the opening ceremonies of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 in Rome, when pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside The Walls. He invited the then-archbishop of canter-bury, Dr. George Carey, and an Orthodox archbishop to open the door together with him, three abreast in unity.
By the time of John Paul's death in 2005, matters had deteriorated significantly. The original draft for his funeral called for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople to offer joint prayers at the conclusion of the funeral Mass, but it never came off. By then it was thought more doubtful, above all in the eyes of the Orthodox, that the Anglican Communion was still in the historic tradition of the apostolic faith.
Ping!
Sad evidence that homosexuality tends to destroy whatever it touches.
Henry VIII is immensely proud, if satan lets him know what’s cooking up here.
Dr. Carey was a different person altogether from Williams the ArchDruid. He actually had principles which were not subject to endless negotiation.
Another error for the sake of ecumenism.
The present Vicar of Christ promises to be more pleasing to his Maker!
The problem is that even if the Anglican Communion excises the cancer that is rotting the communion from the head, the remainder of the body will still be split into a more Orthodox and a more Reformed faction.
Some years ago, NRO's John Derbyshire commented that when homosexuals join a group they eventually reach a certain number where the group stops being about its original intent, and instead, becomes all about homosexuality and their agenda.
The Anglican Church appears to have reached that point.
I concur that you and John Derbyshire are right. I remember when the New Hampshire Bishop assured people that he would be a Bishop who was incidentally a homosexual. How wrong that was. Now it’s all about him being gay and his “calling” to transform the church to his image.
Homosexualism and feminism are both Christian heresies which deny the created order and hence the Creator. Those Episcopalians who have been captured by these heresies just CAN'T LET THEM GO, not for a second.
Over time, EVERYTHING becomes about gay sex or equal "rights", and there's no room any more for Christ.
Amazing, and sad.
In every other aspect, nice guys (although every one had weak, agressive, or absent fathers.) But if you did not agree that what they did was completely fine and completely out of their control to reject, you were a bigot and cast into the night. Over time, they had "gay-colored-glasses" permanently welded to their heads, and there was not an issue, idea or choice not completely at the mercy of their "lifestyle choice." Sad.
Pope Benedict really knows to crack the whip — I admire our current Pope
Many of those who have left the Novis Ordo for sedevacantist and SSPX chapels and churches need to pay strict attention to what Benedict is doing and saying.
The big problem here is that the majority of our bishops are so liberal that they're a disgrace. The liturgical reforms that are now happening, that I have personally observed in Europe may not have a chance here for some time due to these bishops.
The UK and Ireland's Catholic churches are, as of a date certain in the near future, changing to the pre-Vatican II Tridentine Mass. I was astounded when I read this in an English language edition of the official Vatican newspaper.
Unfortunately, during the decades following Vatican II sin, in the eyes of many, has become subjective and those calling themselves Catholic look upon the Church as a cafeteria.
I don’t think of him as a whip cracker at all. I might have thought that before he became pope, but no more. He’s more of a firm father who never raises his voice but doesn’t condone either. One that lets you learn by experiencing the consequences of your behavior.
Similar holds true regarding Muslims and whatever country they happen to be colonizing at the moment: once they reach critical mass there, that country might as well forget all about its original reason for existing.
Would you also apply this to the SSPX?
I’m not a Catholic and I don’t have a dog in the SSPX fight.
The piece seems really confused about the definitions of Anglican, Anglicanism, and the Anglican Communion.
Agreed. Trapped at O’Hare due to a delayed flight, I contemplated whether it merited pinging and concluded that it would result in more confusion than illumination.
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