". . .intractable differences in two areas"??? With all due respect, sir, those two areas would be male authority and power.

That's a losing battle between Rome and Canterbury. Women are just pawns in that power-play.

Women are not or should not? Big difference.

And then there's the ambiguity of the English language. Yes, women! Stop being a stumbling block.

But, seriously, the ABC is saying this to the Vatican? The church that says the ordination of women is a sin on par with child abuse. (Never mind that systemic cover up of child abuse isn't a sin at all, but rather a noble effort to protect the church from shame.)

Yes, Rowan, let's solve our ecclesial deficit with the Anglican Covenant and the Anglican Communion will achieve unity with the Roman Catholic church. How I yearn for that day. Not.

Why does it often seem that we are apologizing or asking permission to disagree with the Roman Church? We do believe that this is the Will of God for us, don't we?

I think I kind of like being thought of as a stumbling block. It's sort of freeing. I have no dog in this hunt regarding Rome - I have given that up, I don't care. It's enough to do ministry and mission in the name of Christ in my corner of the world, reaching into the world. Let others fight the fight of the women priest issue - we are priests, we will be priests, we aren't going anywhere, we are here to stay. Deal with us.

'failure to recognize each other's ministries fully'. What a euphemism. I think Rome may recognize our Baptisms, but requires our priests to be re-ordained to the diaconate and priesthood. The defecting CofE Bishops are merely pious laymen who will be re-ordained only to diaconate and priesthood, not consecrated bishops. The 50 CofE priests going to Rome are far overshadowed by the over 300 RC priests who moved into TEC whose orders were graciously received and recognized.

Don Hands

... you make an excellent number of points. Why are we constantly trying to appease and unyielding parent? When you look at this in terms of family dysfunction some folks would suggest we go to Alannon and stop being codependent. Also, I would love to read the story about the huge number who have jumped the other way. Someone please write that book and put an end to this pretense that makes it seem otherwise!

Rowan's obsession with Rome and reunification is a bit like President Obama's attempts to foster good relations with Republicans in Congress - admirable but futile. His desired goal will only be fulfilled when he realizes the only way to be in communion with Rome is via the highly suspicious ordinariate. If he is so smitten with all things Roman, he is welcome to join a handful of his fellow Anglicans who say they will cross the Tiber.

Terry Pannell

This seems to me either rather naive or delusional. I think that women priests should not be a stumbling block, but to say that they aren't seems patently untrue.
Doug Spurlin

What troubles me the most here is that Rowan finds this to be wonderful sentiment in the face of Rome's discrimination against women (should be no barrier to unity) but finds the equally sound and parallel argument about the other gendered to be an impediment to unity in the Anglican Communion. One would think a well educated man would see the logical difficulty in holding these two positions at the same time. But of course they serve different political ends which finds the AC hierarchy in the uncomfortable position of embodying Niebuhr's immoral society.

Beth and Peter - Well, I understand the attitude. Really, I do. In my utter frustration, I suppose I've muttered it myself on occasion. The thing of it is is that I've discovered - to my horror - that it fosters the same sort of arrogance that says, "Well, I've got mine. Pity about yours." I've discovered that my own ordination is not complete until every woman and man with a valid vocation to ordained ministry is allowed to act on that vocation - no matter the denominational barriers based on gender, sexual orientation, etc.

As I've often said, too many Anglicans are "haunted" by Rome, always looking over their shoulder to see what Mother Church is doing or thinking, and troubled by a nagging feeling of not being quite "a proper church." Rowan seems to be beset by this particular form of nostalgia.

Indeed, Tobias.

...whereas I, Episcopal lifer, became interested in unity w/ the RCC in the 1970s and 80s precisely BECAUSE where the two churches were then was so similar (liberal Catholic). NOT looking backward to the past (real or imagined), where either church was BEFORE!

JC Fisher