Posted on 08/05/2002 9:53:04 AM PDT by NYer
h3>THE COMPLEX HEIR TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
Pro-life, Anti-War, Pro-Homosexual -- Rowan Williams Isn't Easy to Pigeonhole
LONDON, AUG. 3, 2002 (Zenit.org).- What can one make of a one-time Oxford professor who admits to being a fan of "The Simpsons"? And a pro-lifer who favors women as bishops? The Anglican Communion will find out when its new leader takes over this autumn.
Last week's announcement that Rowan Williams will be the 104th archbishop of Canterbury caught few Church-of-England observers by surprise. News leaks had preceded the appointment. Yet there was still much to write about him when the appointment was officially made by Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Williams, who will take over from the retiring George Carey later this year, is only 52, so he has a long way to go before reaching the retirement age of 70.
The future spiritual leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans has spent much of his life in academia. He studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, and at Oxford. He then lectured in theology for two years at Mirfield Theological College near Leeds. The next nine years were spent in a mixture of academic and parochial work in Cambridge. From 1986-1992, Williams was professor of theology at Oxford. He became bishop of Monmouth in 1992 and archbishop of Wales in 2000.
He the first Welshman tapped for the archbishopric of Canterbury. He speaks Welsh fluently. Attached to his cultural roots, Williams plans to be inducted into the Welsh branch of the druids in August, the London Times reported July 19.
"As the sun rises over a circle of Pembrokeshire bluestones," the Times reported, "the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Dr Rowan Williams, will don a long white cloak while druids chant a prayer to the ancient god and goddess of the land." He will be accepted into the white druidic order, the highest of the three orders of the "Gorsedd of Bards, the Welsh body of poets, musicians, writers and artists."
The decision drew criticism. The Reverend David Banting, chairman of Reform, a conservative evangelical group, was quoted by the Time as saying: "We are concerned that Christian leaders should concentrate on the celebration and promotion of the Christian faith in all its wonder and power rather than dabbling in other things." But the Welsh archdruid, Robyn Lewis, defended Williams, explaining that the Welsh druids, as distinct from the English groups, are more a cultural association than a religious group.
Williams' theological and political views have also drawn attention. The Guardian on July 10 noted that the author of 14 books is also a professed fan of the cheeky U.S. series "The Simpsons." On a more serious note the paper also noted that he is a member of the Christian Socialist Movement.
Headlines such as "Liberal to head Church of England" (from the BBC on July 23) greeted news of Williams' appointment. He favors the ordination of women priests and supports allowing divorcees to remarry in the Anglican camp. He has also admitted knowingly ordaining a practicing homosexual as a priest. In the political field he has criticized the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, and early in July signed a letter condemning proposed American action in Iraq.
His willingness to debate contemporary issues was evident in an extract of one his books, published July 23 in the Times. As the paper's religion correspondent explained, Williams attacked the "corruption and premature sexualization of children by a consumer society, singling out the Disney Corporation, talent shows and computer games for particular criticism."
His assailed Disney for the way it organizes tie-ins of videos, sweets, toys and television shows, which aims to turn even very young children into consumers.
SPUC-nik
Williams' pro-life views generated little attention from the media that preferred to label him a "liberal." The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, however, published a press release July 23 congratulating Williams on his appointment. SPUC national director John Smeaton said: "The archbishop has been a life member of SPUC for many years; we are delighted to see that someone of such positive pro-life views has been recommended for the most senior position in the Church of England."
On July 24 the Telegraph's religion correspondent, Jonathan Petre, commented that Williams is noted for his "Anglo-Catholic spirituality ... and his doctrinal orthodoxy on issues such as the Resurrection." And the next day Petre reported that Dr. Williams "has been accused of 'idolatry' for encouraging devotion to the Virgin Mary in a new book."
The book, "Ponder These Things: Praying with Icons of the Virgin," talks positively of praying to Mary, which for some Anglicans is regarded "as contrary to biblical teaching," noted the Telegraph.
Anglicans today
The change in the leadership of England's established church will come at a difficult time. According to the Church of England Gazette, issue No. 4 for 2002, a recent upward revision of a study made in 2000 puts total attendance figures for Christmas at 2.85 million and Easter 1.63 million. The average Sunday attendance is 1.06 million, including 243,000 children and young people.
But Sunday attendance figures have been in long-term decline, the Guardian noted July 24. And the million who attend services is only a fraction of the more than 25 million Anglicans in Britain.
One of the top candidates for the Canterbury post, Rochester Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, warned that "some people feel that Christianity is rapidly becoming invisible in this country," the Times reported July 6.
Last Sept. 26 the Telegraph observed that for the first time in the history of the Church of England the number of baptized Anglicans is less than half the country's population. Research by the University of Sheffield found that the number of infants born in England and baptized into the Church of England dropped to 21% in 1999. Among the over-50s in England, some 70% are baptized Anglicans.
Beyond the numbers, doctrinal issues are dividing the Anglicans. The current archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, and the recent synod, held July 5-9, favor maintaining the privileged relationship between the state and the Church of England. Williams, by contrast, favors the separation of church and state in England, BBC noted July 7.
Divorce is another sticking point. Last month's synod approved a measure allowing individual clerics to decide whether Anglican divorcees can remarry with the church, the Telegraph reported July 10. The paper noted that critics warned that the move "would weaken the church's doctrine of lifelong marriage and leave clergy open to 'abuse and threats' from divorced couples whom they turned down."
And then there's the issue of women bishops. A survey reported by the Times on June 29 shows that, eight years after Anglican women priests were first ordained in England, 25% of the clergy and 17% of the laity are opposed to women being bishops. The survey revealed that 20% of clergy might go so far as to leave the Anglican camp if women are admitted to the episcopate.
The fault lines also run along fundamental theological principles. The Telegraph reported Wednesday that a third of the Anglican clergy doubt or disbelieve in the physical resurrection of Christ. A poll of nearly 2,000 clergy also showed that only half believe that faith in Christ is the only route to salvation. The new archbishop of Canterbury will have his hands full.
The book, "Ponder These Things: Praying with Icons of the Virgin," talks positively of praying to Mary, which for some Anglicans is regarded "as contrary to biblical teaching," noted the Telegraph.
Blessed Virgin bump!
This is not at all uncommon for Anglican churches. Though in this country you'll see that a lot more in the northern states than down south. The north tends to be more "Anglo-Catholic" than the south. Most every Episcopal church that I saw when I was growing up had a Marian shrine. Our Lady of Walsingham (that would be Walsingham, England) is a very popular pilgrim destination for Anglicans. We use water from the shrine in our healing prayers in our parish here in lil' ol' Iowa.
We use water from the shrine in our healing prayers in our parish here in lil' ol' Iowa.Do the Anglo-Catholic churches also have relics in their altars? (The altars of Roman Catholic churches are supposed to contain relics of the saint whose name the church bears. For example, I grew up in St. Joan of Arc parish whose altar contained an article of her clothing in place of a piece of bone.)
Some do. Usually in a stone set in altar directly under the spot where the chalice and paten are set during mass. Many of the "low-church" Anglican churches use a table very similar to what is used in RC churhces. In our church, the altar is against the east wall (liturgically speaking) and the priest faces away from the congregation during most of the eucharist.
Well on the path to Unitarianism...
The recipe for a big, amorphous, blob of a Church that doesn't know what it believes in anymore... Oh wait, they've already baked that dish.
Freemasonry
Declaration on Masonic Associations (Quaesitum est)
English Translation of a Latin Document from the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith November 26, 1983
It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church's decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous code.
This sacred congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance is due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.
Therefore, the Church's negative judgment in regard to Masonic associations remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable
with the doctrine of the Church and, therefore, membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful, who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave
sin and may not receive Holy Communion.
It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what
has been decided above, and this in line with the declaration of this sacred congregation issued Feb. 17,1981. [1]
In an audience granted to the undersigned cardinal prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this declaration which had
been decided in an ordinary meeting of this sacred congregation.
Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Nov. 26, 1983
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect
Father Jerome Hamer, O.P. Titular Archbishop of Lorium, Secretary1. Cf. AAS 73 (1981) pp. 240-241.
[This and other Church documents, as well as theological articles, are in our Library. Keyword Search: masonry]
As the declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Masonry says, no Catholic may be a Mason. By grave sin the Church means that to continue as a Mason in contempt of this decision of the Supreme Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, is grave matter, which together with knowledge of that fact and free choice makes for mortal sin. Such a person would be unable to receive Holy Communion until such time as he renounced Masonry and went to Confession. You will also notice that the statement of Cardinal Ratzinger says that the local priest or even a bishop has no authority to change this.
Someone who was not aware of these facts would, of course, not be guilty of mortal sin. However, once a Catholic is aware of the Church's position, he is obliged to follow it. From that point forward, to disregard the judgment of the Church would be, as the Congregation declares, seriously wrong.
Some have tried to say that American Masonry is different from European Masonry, which has a history of plotting against the government and the Church. The basic problem with all Masonry, however, is that it is a society which fosters a religious- philosophical attitude of indifference to religious truth, even substituting its own naturalistic dogma and rituals for those of Christianity. Such indifference is incompatible with belief in the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation. We may not "play-act" in the lodge of the Great Architect on Thursday night, then worship "in spirit and in truth" on Sunday morning at the altar of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the unique Lord and Redeemer of the Universe, the Word-made-flesh who reveals the Father, and who together with the Father sends the Holy Spirit. The Creed and the Masonic oath are irreconcilable!
Masonry is not the Jaycees, in which people of all religions and philosophies come together to work on local business problems. Masonry has its own religious and philosophical worldview, its own religious language, its rituals and its morality. In the library of every lodge you will find Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma. A top American Mason, he is the greatest writer on the real meaning behind Masonic beliefs and rituals. Even the title of his book shows that Masonry has a morality and a doctrine. If they are not Catholic morality and Catholic doctrine, and in fact they aren't even Christian, a Catholic or any Christian may not follow them. This is why, since the 1700s the popes have consistently rejected Freemasonry as incompatible with the faith. The motives and works of most masons may be good and benign, but this does not change the choice which the Catholic has to make between the religious philosophy of masonry and that of Catholicism.
If you wish to learn more you can go to any Protestant or Catholic bookstore and find books and pamphlets that show why Masonry and Christianity is incompatible. (Not only Rome, but also the Church of England and the Southern Baptists have ruled so.) I especially recommend the encyclical letter of Pope Leo, which is available from the Daughters of St. Paul in Boston (1-800-876-4463).
Answered by Colin B. Donovan, STL
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