Ecumenism Roman Catholic style
by
In this Washington Post story, the Very Rev. Thomas Ferguson, Dean of Bexley Hall Seminary does a nice job of gently expressing concern and dampening some of the hype surrounding the “ordinariate” that the Roman Catholic Church has created to welcome disaffected Anglicans.
First the hype:
“It’s the largest reunification effort in 500 years,” said Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the new body, called an ordinariate.
Then Tom:
“If this papacy sees this as the only way to dialogue with other religions, that’s troubling,” said the Very Rev. Thomas Ferguson, who from 2001 until 2010 worked on ecumenical outreach. Ferguson is dean of Bexley Hall Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.
He predicted that the new structure wouldn’t draw that many people.
“In the end, we’re a country founded on religious beliefs, and people need to go where they’re called to go,” Ferguson said.
“That’s fine. God bless them.”
My hunch is that five years from now, there will still be more former Catholics in a single large Episcopal diocese than there will be former Episcopalians in the ordinariate.
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OK - put out my own blog post on this now: http://liturgy.co.nz/launching-the-us-ordinariate/8352
Blessings
Bosco+
Good points, good discussion, and thanks for the pointer to Tom's blog post - but why does Tom think of himself as belong to another "religion"?! In my book, these are denominations in the same religion - and hence involve no "conversion".
Christmas Season blessings
Bosco+
Obviously. I mean who wouldn't want to come home to the church started by Jesus Christ himself?
Anyone HUMBLE enough to recognize ANY church proclaiming Jesus Christ can be said to be "started by Jesus Christ himself"?
You really think repetition of a bog-standard Popoid claim, Mark, is going to play among those who use Scripture, Tradition and REASON? [At least "Catholics Come Home" has media production values! :-p]
JC Fisher
In spite of it's bias and subtle inaccuracies, it is a very good commercial and we should have one that good. I do wish they would go back to talking about their "Christian faith" instead of this emphasis on their "Catholic faith". It makes everyone else look like chopped liver.
The most significant thing about the RC ad is that they choose to acknowledge it was even remotely possible they needed to produce and air it, and that approval was given to do so.
"In other words, the RC hierarchy's version of ecumenicism is that everyone else "comes home" to the true (RC) church."
Obviously. I mean who wouldn't want to come home to the church started by Jesus Christ himself?
I really wish we had some good numbers to put out there that reflect just how many former RC's and former RC priests now call TEC home. I watched the "Catholics Come Home" ad and found that it wasn't in the least bit attractive. I have found my home and am so proud to be a part of this church.
And we graciously continue to accept RC Orders while they make our clergy get re-ordained. We need to actively recruit the second largest denomination in the USA, ex Romans like myself.
"five years from now, there will still be more former Catholics in a single large Episcopal diocese than there will be former Episcopalians in the ordinariate."
I'd join you in that bet, Jim.
the RC hierarchy's version of ecumenicism is that everyone else "comes home" to the true (RC) church
If someone like rick allen were around here, I think he'd say that was ALWAYS the plan, even within Vatican Two (Unitatis Redintegratio).
JC Fisher
Been having a back-in-forth with St. Barnabas Church in Omaha, NE today about this topic. I think they are still an Episcopal Church, but have separated themselves from the Episcopal Church some time ago and still fighting over their building. They apparently are going to join this new institution. What set me off was their contention that this is bringing about unity. Of course, I see it being the opposite of unity. As I stated in our back-in-forth, their is no unity in the Roman Catholic Church, there is only unity in Christ.
Official announcement that Jeffrey Steenson, former bishop of Diocese of Rio Grande, is the new head of the Ordinariate -- He cannot become a bishop because he is married but will have many of the same responsibilities.
"WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - According to the Vatican Press Office (News.va) earlier today the first pontifical act of the New Year is the erection of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in the Bishops Conference of the United States. "
He makes other points in his blog posting on the topic:
http://crustyoldean.blogspot.com/2011/12/ordinariate-less-ordinary.html
He ends this way: "Cardinal Kasper, the head of the Pontifical Council on Promoting Christian Unity, said in 2009 that the establishment of ordinariates is not 'fishing in an Anglican lake.'
This is partly true; they are not fishing in the Anglican lake. They want to drain it."
In other words, the RC hierarchy's version of ecumenicism is that everyone else "comes home" to the true (RC) church.
The whole idea of the ordinariates seems silly to me. What's the point of Roman Catholic converts calling themselves Anglican?
But most of those joining the new structure are Anglicans who aren’t part of the Episcopal Church.
Since a large number of the converts have already left the Episcopal Church, I can't see how the ordinariates bring about reconciliation. It's still the RCC calling the shots: our way or no way.
June Butler
Have you seen the RC ad during the bowl games? Click on Epic commercial