Posted on 10/24/2009 3:47:20 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Rt Rev John Hind, the Bishop of Chichester, has announced he is considering becoming a Roman Catholic in a move that could spark an exodus of clergy.
Bishop Hind said he would be "happy" to be reordained as a Catholic priest and said that divisions in Anglicanism could make it impossible to stay in the church.
He is the most senior Anglican to admit that he is prepared to accept the offer from the Pope, who shocked the Church of England last week when he paved the way for clergy to convert to Catholicism in large numbers.
In a further blow to the Archbishop of Canterbury's hopes of preventing the Anglican Communion from disintegrating, other bishops have cast doubt over its survival.
The Rt Rev John Broadhurst, the Bishop of Fulham, even claimed that "the Anglican experiment is over". He said it has been shown to be powerless to cope with the crises over gays and women bishops.
In one of the most significant developments since the Reformation, the Pope last week announced that a new structure would be set up to allow disaffected Anglicans to enter full communion with Rome, while maintaining parts of their Protestant heritage.
The move comes after secret talks between the Vatican and a group of senior Anglican bishops.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the only reason the Anglican church exists at all is because ol’ Henry couldn’t keep it in his pants.
Seems to me that they never shoulda left Rome, so this makes sense.
All RIGHT! He has SEEN the LIGHT!
The Bishop sees the Anglican “Church” is well on its way to becoming an atheist social club and he wants no part of it.
And the dominoes begin to topple.
Some things are too precious to abandon on a whim.
It is the only branch of Protestantism with Apostolic Succession. That worked for a while.
I would think these guys would be a little uncomfortable forsaking the national church of their country, however unsatisfactory.
**Rt Rev John Hind, the Bishop of Chichester**
Welcome home, Bishop Hind.
Sounds like he might be married since it talks about him being ordained as a priest.
“Correct me if I’m wrong,”
You’re wrong.
If that were true then Anglican converts wanting to be Catholic Priests wouldn't have to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
“Seems to me that they never shoulda left Rome, so this makes sense.”
I think the proper admonition is that they never should have had to leave Rome. They did, and they did.
This is meant as no slight to the todays RCC, but in Henry’s time they were the center of much political intrigue. Rome openly favored Spain, and by refusing to replace English Bishops, funds went straight to Rome instead of remaining in the respective Dioceses in England.
Henry really had little choice but to break with Rome. He did what was best for England. To be sure he had is own personal reasons, but Rome typically allowed folks to buy their way out of most any personal jam, especially monarchs - they refused Henry for aforementioned political reasons.
I’m not trying to start a religious war - I am happy for anyone who finds solace in a conversion to the RCC (or any other faith).
The traditional Anglican faith is a beautiful one, and I will not give it up.
Cheers.
“If that were true then Anglican converts wanting to be Catholic Priests wouldn’t have to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders.”
They do have apostolic succession. That the RCC doesn’t recognize it’s validity (post-Reformation) for their own purposes is hardly a surprise.
I am reminded of the comedy show “Yes, Prime Minister”, in the episode ‘The Bishop’s Gambit’, in which a new Church of England bishop needs to be appointed by the government.
Sir Humphrey explains that the Church is always seeking to maintain the balance of bishops between those who believe in God and those who do not.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: The Queen is inseparable from the Church of England.
Jim Hacker: And what about God?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: I think he is what is called an optional extra.
Henry might have been a beastly man, but he didn't create the Church of England on his own. He didn't just give an order to his Catholic bishops, and then they immediately threw up their hands and said "What ever you say Henry." Reform movements had been winding through Catholic England for several centuries starting with John Wycliffe in the 14th century who translated the Bible into English. By the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation was in full swing on the continent of Europe. Many Catholic priests in England fell under the sway of Protestant ideas. These priests wanted reforms in liturgy and independence from Rome. When Rome refused the annulment of Henry's marriage, English Catholic priests came to his aid. All the king had to do was break with Rome and these reformists priests would grant him his annulment. After all, they told Henry, the Old Testament forbids that a man should marry his brother's wife.
Such is history, but on another matter, I do wonder when the Italian state is going to give the Papal States back to Pope.
see #12.
Keep telling yourself that. That argument comes right out of the George Costanza Book of Relativism:
"Remember Jerry, it's not a lie if you believe it."
“Keep telling yourself that. That argument comes right out of the George Costanza Book of Relativism: “
Look friend, don’t get testy with me. That the RCC doesn’t recognize Protestant Apostolic Succession is hardly a surprise. I’m sure you like your religion, I’m genuinely happy for you, but if you don’t like mine, just be content that your “one true path” to heaven will be uncluttered with those not quite as Holy as thou.
It's hard to tell what might have happened if Henry had had a son by Catherine of Aragon who had survived. If there had been a line of Tudor kings after Henry who were loyal to Rome, Protestantism would have still come into England from the Continent and from Scotland. The question is how much of the population would have gone over to it--10% ... 20% ... more? They might have ended up with a situation like in France, with 90% of the population Catholic and 10% Protestant, but England and France are very different countries so it isn't safe to argue from analogies.
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