Posted on 07/10/2005 7:17:12 AM PDT by sionnsar
ON THE eve of a critical vote on the creation of women bishops in the Church of England, a senior figure has warned he and hundreds of priests will quit if the move is approved.
Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, this weekend becomes the first leading churchman to state that he would be likely to defect to the Roman Catholic Church.
“A woman bishop wouldn’t be a bishop because a bishop is someone whose ministry is acceptable through the ages to all other bishops,” said Burnham. “A Church of England with women bishops would no longer have a united episcopate. Bishops would no longer be what they say they are. I would have to leave.”
He said he would be forced to quit if Anglicans did not make proper provision for opponents of women bishops, and indicated that he believed 800 priests would follow suit.
Until now leading opponents of women bishops have kept their counsel in the belief the church could provide a free (or third) “province” in addition to those of Canterbury and York.
It would have only male bishops, and its members could be drawn from anybody subject to the archbishops of Canterbury and York.
It has recently become clear that a majority of the House of Bishops would not support such a compromise. Traditionalists face the prospect of serving in the church alongside women bishops or leaving.
Geoffrey Kirk, national secretary of Forward in Faith, the main Anglo-Catholic group in the church, was as candid as Burnham. “One option is to become a Roman Catholic. I don’t think there is any other option for me.”
If the church does not provide a free province Kirk said he would have to make a stark choice. “It would be a choice between becoming a Roman Catholic or digging in in my parish and preparing for a period of litigation.”
John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham, who has long been linked with plans to create an Anglican-style grouping within the Roman Catholic Church, forecast that the Church of England would face an exodus if the third province compromise were rejected.
“The introduction of women bishops without proper provision (for opponents) would be intolerable,” he said. Asked if the Roman Catholic Church would be the destination of clergy and bishops if no provision were made, he said: “There certainly would be a very large haemorrhage.”
Last week a group of bishops warned that proceeding with the plans would endanger the unity of the church.
A further sign of that disunity was evident last week when it emerged that Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, had angered Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, by agreeing to become patron of the campaign for the ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church.
The cardinal wrote to Carey questioning the decision of the former leader of the Anglican communion to lend his name to a marginal group calling for reform in the Catholic church. Carey has since removed his name from a list of patrons backing the group’s aims.
Additional reporting: Alex Delmar-Morgan
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. They are so silly!
Welcome home, Bishop Burnham.
"social justice"
The concept of "social justice" is of and from Satan.
Should you and your Bishop indeed swin the Tiber, we'll be waiting for you on the other side! A pre-emptive "welcome home!"
Congratulations ahead of time! 8-)
And the Catholic Church as a whole can use a more reverent liturgy and better music . . . . so don't forget to pack your bags with your best stuff . . .
We're fortunate in our parish (very orthodox priests and a choirmaster with a profound appreciation for the English composers), but if your Bishop comes over and you get an Anglican Use rite, you should be able to continue in the great Anglican tradition, just with better theology and adult leadership . . . < g >
I do truly appreciate the good Bishop's sincerity in this and am gratified by the joyous welcome being offered by the many RCs here.
But, will not this group bring women priests with them? What shall the RC say about that and what response shall these ex-Anglicans make then?
(Note: having female priests keeps a group out of communion with us in APCK, and we're not ready to swim the Tiber ourselves).
In Christ,
Deacon Paul+
Now that is what I call a welcoming invitation!!
And you're quite right -- the APCK is not ready to swim the Tiber. Our biggest difficulty is obtaining enough good (emphasis on "good"; APCK is pretty strict) clergy for all the growth opportunities before us.
"A further sign of that disunity was evident last week when it emerged that Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, had angered Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, by agreeing to become patron of the campaign for the ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church. "
Am I reading this correctly? C of E bishops lobbying for female priests in the Catholic Church? Ha! Enjoy wasting your time and money, boys.
That is good to know as one doesn't until someone who knows steps up to say.
Thanks, tjw.
"But, will not this group bring women priests with them?"
They can't - there is no such thing as a female priest in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
"And the Catholic Church as a whole can use a more reverent liturgy and better music . "
You sure got that right! Maybe we could trade guitars for priests...
Well, yes, but see #16. The point is that the Church of England now 'ordains' women. I am quite happy to hear that there are dioceses in England which have refused to ever 'ordain' any.
Thanks,
Deacon Paul+
Having observed all the priestesses in our former ECUSA diocese for 28 years, I think they were right to so object. I was deluded by feminism at the time, but in retrospect, that and the prayerbook revision were the first rumblings of trouble.
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