The Lead

From the Very Rev. Sam Candler, dean of St. Philip's Cathedral in Atlanta writing at Good Faith and the Common Good

I SALUTE THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF A PLAN TO ACCEPT ANGLICANS

I welcome the news of Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican to make provision for the conversion of certain Anglican Christians to the Roman Catholic Church.

In the past ten years, I have noticed many of my disenchanted Episcopal and Anglican friends drifting toward Roman Catholic structures. They have been arguing for more ecclesiastical order and authority. It has long been my prediction that our current Anglican controversies will be cleared up, finally, with a choice between distinctly Anglican and distinctly Roman ecclesiologies. Much of our current controversy, having been precipitated by sexuality issues (ordination of women and homosexuality), is more accurately about authority, uniformity, and legal order.

The Roman Catholic tradition, certainly a long and esteemed tradition, is very good on these very issues: authority, uniformity, and legal order. The Anglican tradition (in my opinion having begun in the fourth century A.D., and thus almost as old as the Roman tradition) is very good on other matters. In particular, the Anglican tradition of Christianity is very good at allowing local authority and jurisdiction to exist in partnership with wider authority and jurisdiction.

Many disenchanted Anglicans and Episcopalians have actually been arguing in the last ten years for more centralized and universal jurisdiction, when the Anglican tradition of Christianity has always resisted such universal and centralized jurisdiction. Thus, it is gratifying that the best centralized and universal jurisdiction in the world-the Roman Catholic Church-has been able to make provisions to welcome such disenchanted Anglicans.

I note, too, the gracious words in the joint statement of the Archbishop of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury. There is good relationship between these two branches of Christendom, the Roman and the Anglican. Fruitful ecumenical conversations have certainly enabled the Vatican to allow go forward with these provisions, and I salute all those who have been involved.

I believe there is room in the kingdom of God for various ecclesiastical styles, and I pray that God will direct us all to a place where we can more freely preach the gospel and work toward the kingdom of God.

20 October 2009

Comments (4)

He slightly mars his opinion with a reference to Winchester, not Westminster.

So far as I know, the Bishop of Winchester has not yet moved towards Rome, nor is likely to !

--J.R. Leighton

Posted by JRL | October 20, 2009 11:35 PM

Thanks J.R. -- we have made that change. ed.

Posted by Ann Fontaine | October 21, 2009 8:55 AM

If Anglican/Episcopalians are truly of no consequence in the eyes of Rome, why does she continue to make these kinds of efforts toward Anglicanism? Is this another "Methinks she doth protest too much"? If we are so bad, why not leave us to our "destiny"? Strange, what?

K F King

Posted by el cura viejo | October 21, 2009 8:17 PM

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1294766.html

``I've always said the road between Canterbury [the seat of the Anglican church] and Rome is well traveled,'' [Bishop Frade] said. ``I'd rather have those who leave the Anglican church join the Roman Catholic church instead of going elsewhere.''

Posted by John B. Chilton | October 22, 2009 10:14 AM

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