Are our hopes for a mass conversion of the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church of England, to be dashed once again?
Even as the Anglican Bishop of Ebbsfleet seeks "magnanimous gestures" from Pope Benedict XVI, gestures that will allow him and his flock to become Catholics en masse, another major leader of the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church of England is showing more reluctance.
John Broadhurst, Anglican Bishop of Fulham and Chairman of Forward in Faith (representing some 800 parishes and a considerable number of Anglo-Catholic priests in UK, North America and Australia), has released a statement that, while deploring the decision of the Church of England to consecrate women bishops, also downplays news reports of imminent mass conversions to Catholicism.
The relevant passages in the message are reproduced below. Emphases mine.
"The vote in General Synod on the proposal for Women Bishops will have been a real shock to many in our parishes. This is not the time for rapid decisions or knee-jerk reactions but rather a time calmly to take counsel together."
...
"As a priest and as a bishop, and as Chairman of Forward in Faith, I have always believed that the changing ecclesiology in the Church of England made collective demands on us. My conviction has always been that we have to seek a common ecclesial way forward. Our hope was that this would be established by the General Synod and though this now seems unlikely, it is still not an impossibility. I remain determined to find a way forward.
"There has been speculation in the media about contact with Rome. I am strongly committed to Christian unity and, as many of you know, I was involved in the talks with the Roman Hierarchy in 1992 and later spent a considerable time with the then Cardinal Ratzinger in 1996. My problem then was that, although there was great generosity, there was no offer of an ecclesial reconciliation. In other words, our common Eucharistic and spiritual life was not recognised. That remains a problem for me. I am fascinated by the conversations between the Traditional Anglican Communion and Rome as well as those between some of our Bishops and the Holy See. Will these now offer a way forward? "
"There has been speculation in the media about contact with Rome. I am strongly committed to Christian unity and, as many of you know, I was involved in the talks with the Roman Hierarchy in 1992 and later spent a considerable time with the then Cardinal Ratzinger in 1996. My problem then was that, although there was great generosity, there was no offer of an ecclesial reconciliation. In other words, our common Eucharistic and spiritual life was not recognised. That remains a problem for me. I am fascinated by the conversations between the Traditional Anglican Communion and Rome as well as those between some of our Bishops and the Holy See. Will these now offer a way forward? "
Many of you have phoned me in the last twenty four hours, angry or distressed. Several have suggested that we should declare war on those who seek to destroy us. Particularly, the suggestion has been made that we stop paying Diocesan Quota. I am open on this matter but think that now is not quite yet the time for such drastic gestures, for whatever we do needs its timing to be agreed by us all so that we can act together. Be assured of my commitment to our common life and of my determination to continue to seek a common way forward in faith for all of us.
Every Blessing,
+John Fulham
+John Fulham
The message from the Anglican Bishop of Fulham is clear:
1) It is not yet the time for "rapid decisions" and "drastic gestures";
2) He remains determined that traditionalist Anglo-Catholics find "a common ecclesial way forward," apparently within the Church of England;
3) Reconciliation with Rome depends on Rome's recognition that it shares a "common Eucharistic and spiritual life" with the Anglo-Catholics; (This can scarcely be interpreted in any other way than as a demand that Rome first recognize the validity of Anglican Orders -- which will never happen)
More than ever, prayers are necessary.
