Comments on: Anglican Angst and Papal “Poaching”

By: Rod Blaine

Rod Blaine — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:13:47 +0000

Well, the Anglicans made the most concerted effort of all the Reformation Faith Communities to put “sola Scriptura” into practice, and yet even they are now finding that it cannot work. When someone like Gene Robinson can sincerely “search the Scriptures” and conclude that homosexuality is morally optional from the Bible’s point of view, this forces Anglicans to admit that they cannot do with an episcopal hierarchy, sacraments, rituals, and a collegiate decision-making process that pays respects to ancient tradition while remaining open to new moves of the Spirit.

When even Anglicanism (which Max Weber described as the purest form of Protestantism) sees its own members deserting it for Rome – when diehard fundamentalist Protestants like Williams Oddie and Leonard follow Newman – then the Reformation experiment is truly over. Other, more half-hearted versions of Protestantism – Calvinism, Lutheranism, and Baptistery – will surely follow soon.

By: Sal

Sal — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:43:06 +0000

Nicely said, Steve. I came home 25 years ago, and have seen many old friends from my former parish do so as well. I pray that even more will consider Benedict’s gracious offer.

By: Steve P in La Crosse, Wis.

Steve P in La Crosse, Wis. — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:19:02 +0000

I am one of those who learned catholicism as an Anglican, and hoped for years for a rapprochement between the two churches. But as it became apparent that orthodox catholic-minded religion was but one option in world Anglicanism — and decreasingly tolerated on at that — it didn’t require any “poaching” by the pope to get me to “come over.” The Anglican experiment in reforming Catholicism is over, and it hasn’t worked. It time to take what’s good, beautiful, and true in Anglicanism, and come home.

By: The Anchoress | A First Things Blog

The Anchoress | A First Things Blog — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:32:18 +0000

[...] Is Benedict “poaching” amid the Anglicans? [...]

By: Nancy Ott

Nancy Ott — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:52:39 +0000

Behind this meeting between Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, there lies much more than just what was said. I sense that Benedict was invited to come, not just for a meeting between faiths, but because England, being overwhelmed by islamic immigration, senses that in their separation from Rome, they are becoming increasingly weakened, and their Anglican Church has become ineffective (most Britons are apathetic to any religion at all. Can Rome help? Well, the time is very late, and so much has changed since the days of Henry VII, is return to Rome even possible? No one knows, but one thing for sure….England is a large ship that is listing dangerously.

By: Botolph

Botolph — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 04:16:59 +0000

I speak as a Catholic from the States. Watching the developments in the Episcopal Church over the last decades made me sad and very concerned about any real substantive work toward unity. The Anglican Communion and the Church of England are somewhat different however, as I see it.

Yes, they have come to decisions problematic not only within their own ranks but certainly in their relations with both Catholics and Orthodox [the Russian Orthodox just threatened complete suspension of further work together]. However, I cam away from Pope Benedict’s speech at Westminster Abbey as focused on Christ and the Vatican II understanding of Church as ‘communion’, of which the Anglicans are connected if not in full communion.

As I listened and watched and reflected on what was being said and even not said, so to speak I sensed that Pope Benedict had not only listened carefully to his own bishops in GB but also to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop at a recent feast day lamented that Great Britain was becoming anti-Christian. Here was the successor of Peter, ‘the Servant of the Servants of God’ as Pope Saint Gregory the great called himself [the same Saint Gregory who sent the benedictine monks under Saint Augustine of Canterbury to Angleland] confirming the faith of his brothers and sisters in Christ, who are in great need.

The significant differences remain between the Catholic Church and Anglican Communion. However, this visit was a shoring up of the weakening knees and drooping spirits of our Anglican brothers and sisters under such consistent attack by secularism, materialism and relativism

Saint Augustine of Canterbury pray for us
Saint Anselm pray for us
Saint Thomas Becket pray for us
Saints Thomas More and John Fisher pray for us