Saturday 1 January 2011

A Stream and Possibly a Flood

Today John Broadhurst is admitted into the Roman Catholic church and he speaks of his translation from Anglican to Roman Catholic as the beginnings of a stream and possibly a flood.

Of course, the retired (he didn't resign, he has made it clear he has taking his pension and swimming) Anglican is not only free to exercise his desire to become one of Bennie's boys, but is also most welcome to do so. I, for one, applaud his actions, especially when they are born out of a personal desire to put himself in a place where he feels both called and comfortable.

Sadly, I do see a fair degree of posturing in this act and I also see this as being something of a 'Judas Sheep' act as he makes the journey hoping that he will perhaps encourage others to make this stand. For those who hear the news but don't understand the views behind them, let me try to assist a lille.

John is one of many people who have always hoped that one day there would be a return of the Church of England (for whom they always profess utmost love and calling) to the 'true church', that is of course 'Rome'. Looking at this the CofE had a body who looked at the differences and the ways of overcoming them/bringing some sort of coalescence. The problem is that ordaining women has caused a rather insurmountable chasm, especially in the light of recent threats of excommunication from Bennie for those who support such heresy!

John has often said that as a young priest, he had believed that there would one day be a 'reunification' and of course, this is no longer true.

What is sad is that the CofE is a catholic and reformed church and this is as it should be. I for one would not want to see the RC and CofE denominations come together for a number of reasons. But I'll give you just one here:

This would be that it wouldn't be a 'reunification' but a capitulation. The Ordinariate has made this very obvious in that whilst it might suit Bennie to harvest those of a more traditional Catholic faith (after all, many use the Roman Missal and pray for "Benedict, our Pope!" within their Anglican setting) there will be little of the Anglican church that they supposedly treasure by the time the process and time progresses.

The idea of returning 'home' leads me to think that they are in grave danger of representing themselves as merely 'cuckoos' who have enjoyed the comfort of an alien nest, and enjoyed the benefits of marriage (as all five swimming bishops have), whilst not really being part of the family at all. They are in danger of making the CofE appear to be a convenient means of having their cake and eating it whilst their hearts were perhaps elsewhere. A danger and a caution for those who would speak such that this appears to be the case perhaps?

So long John, I pray that you and those who follow find in Rome what you hope for.

For those who remain and have a love that keeps them in the CofE and the via media that it provides, let's move on for, despite the words and actions of some, we have a valuable, valid and important role as the Church in England to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, set the captive free and enjoy the difference that is Anglicanism. A flood, no I think not, merely a drip in the bucket that is Church - important only to those for whom it is important, means little to the majority of the Christians in the UK.

Pax

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You will be smirking on the other side of your face when you see the numbers of those who are returning to the true Church.

The liberals and the women now run the church of England and anyone who considers themselves to be a true believer will find themselves pushed into returning to the sanctuary and stability of the one true Church.

This is merely the first drops in a flood of Noah like proportions and signals the end of the church of England as a credible Christian group of believers.

As our Pope has sad, the church of England is little more than a gathering - it is not Church.

Well done to the five men who have resigned and made the move to Rome and the unbroken reality that is the Magisterium.

Vic Van Den Bergh said...

Do I perceive that you perhaps aren't an Anglican?

I have to (most respectfully) disagree with your take on the situation before us. I think that there is a fair degree of problem caused by the ordination of women and that this makes being RC and Anglican difficult, but then again this is right, because we have chosen not to be RC!

I think the drips are obvious and even though they leave, this will be nothing more than a mildly (un)interesting thing to those outside the Church of England and for many within there's not much interest either.

It will be of interest and import (generally) only to those who wish it to be so.

As for the Magisterium - that's a long and challenging debate topic.

A happy, blessed and peaceful New Year to you.

V