BREAKING: Archbishop of Canterbury to Resign

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You never know, but with the continued marginalisation of Christianity in the UK, we might eventually see the official parting of ways between Church and State with the Church of England left able to select a strong leader on the basis of faith, wisdom and theological orthodoxy.

Politicians, in my humble opinion, should step away from the affairs of the Church with their apparent headlong drive towards secularism and blatant encouragement of the discrimination of ‘mainstream’ Christianity.

The appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury has the potential to be a turning point that might see more Anglicans (especially the more conservative clergy and laity) return to Rome. We wait with interest, but won’t hold our breath! 😉
 
CantoNova said:
The appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury has the potential to be a turning point that might see more Anglicans (especially the more conservative clergy and laity) return to Rome.
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Yes, I’m sure there are many Roman Catholics who are hoping for another liberal Archbishop of Canterbury for that very reason.
 
Peter_J said:
Actually, liberal is a pretty vague descriptor. Perhaps I should have said that he’s a strong proponent of unity-without-unity.
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Unity without uniformity (and certainly without a central authority that can “lay down the law”).
 
Peter_J said:
Oh, alright. I can’t say I’m not a little surprised – aren’t Anglo-Catholics usually a bit more conservative than that?
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Depends how you define it. But in C of E definition, in which there are two wings, both wings have more conservative and more liberal members.

There has been a strong “Liberal Catholic” movement in Anglicanism since the end of the 19th century. Of course, “liberal” can mean a lot of things. One term that has been used in recent decades is “Affirming Catholic”–meaning that they are liberal on social issues and more broadminded in their attitude to other Christians than traditional Anglo-Catholics are, but hold to creedal Catholic faith and to Catholic liturgical patterns.

Many people want to dismiss Williams by labeling him a “liberal.” He deserves better than that. I don’t always agree with him–but then I don’t always agree with Pope Benedict, yet I strongly oppose those who try to dismiss him by labeling him as a reactionary conservative. My own views can usually be found somewhere between the two of them. I consider myself fortunate to have lived in a time when these two brilliant and pious Christians led the Anglican and Roman communions respectively.

Edwin
 
Peter_J said:
I thought there were three – high, low, and broad.
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I’m confused as to how to understand Anglicanism. So there are Anglo-Catholics, Anglican Evangelicals, and they can be high, low, broad, liberal, conservative and traditional? So what is Anglicanism?

Am I to understand that the Anglican Communion is essentially just a federation of semi-independent Protestant churches with a Catholic-like hierarchy and a common historical origin?
 
King_Lazy said:
I’m confused as to how to understand Anglicanism. So there are Anglo-Catholics, Anglican Evangelicals, and they can be high, low, broad, liberal, conservative and traditional? So what is Anglicanism?

Am I to understand that the Anglican Communion is essentially just a federation of semi-independent Protestant churches with a Catholic-like hierarchy and a common historical origin?
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That’s pretty close, yes. Though some don’t respond to the protestant label.

What is Anglicanism? A motley crew.

GKC

Anglicanus-Catholicus
 
Peter_J said:
I thought there were three – high, low, and broad.
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Yes, that’s another way of reckoning it. But in terms of choosing the ABC the tendency is to go back and forth between high and low. The liberals don’t get consideration per se, though the archbishops tend to come from the relatively liberal sections of Anglo-Catholicism and evangelicalism respectively. However, Anglo-Catholicism is probably defined (in that context) a bit more broadly than evangelicalism, so that if anything the AC archbishops tend to be more liberal. But I could be wrong on that. Certainly no archbishop of Canterbury in the past couple of centuries has been on the extreme liberal side of things (and yes, that generalization certainly includes +Williams). When liberals have become bishops, they have been bishops of relatively less important Sees (+Jenkins of Durham, for instance).

Edwin
 
Peter_J said:
It is rather confusing. You might try Two heads are better than one.
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Well, the article clarified it a bit, but then the comments blurred it even more. Anglicanism is mysterious beast. One can pray that this ship changes course, as much of it seems to be straying very far from the Truth and some of the more heterodox parts of the Communion may be leading some good Anglican Christians away from God.
 
GKC said:
That’s pretty close, yes. Though some don’t respond to the protestant label.

What is Anglicanism? A motley crew.

GKC

Anglicanus-Catholicus
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GKC,
I knew “motley crew” would make another appearance. 😉 It’s been awhile.

Anna
 
Anna_Scott said:
GKC,
I knew “motley crew” would make another appearance. 😉 It’s been awhile.

Anna
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Circumstances change, people are different. It’s not as often I find that phrase fitting into a thread, and fewer folk posting here expect it.

GKC
 
King_Lazy said:
Well, the article clarified it a bit, but then the comments blurred it even more. Anglicanism is mysterious beast. One can pray that this ship changes course, as much of it seems to be straying very far from the Truth and some of the more heterodox parts of the Communion may be leading some good Anglican Christians away from God.
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The more heterodox parts have led some of the more orthodox parts to depart the Communion.

GKC
 
GKC said:
The more heterodox parts have led some of the more orthodox parts to depart the Communion.

GKC
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Some orthodox are still fighting for orthodoxy from within the Communion.

Anna
 
Anna_Scott said:
Marybeloved,
I said something similar in a previous post. Conservatives are leaving, and liberals from many other faiths, along with many otherwise unchurched, are coming into TEC.

There are conservative Episcopalians who are still in the Communion fighting for orthodoxy. Though I fear it is a losing battle.

Peace,
Anna
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My prayers are with you in your fight to preserve Christianity within the Church of England Anna (and TEC & TAC to boot). For all our doctrinal disagreements, the Church of England did great work in evangelization in her day…though, naturally, I cannot really be enthusiastic over her genesis. I also notice how Dr. Williams seems to have a very close relationship, friendship, with the Holy Father – the Ecumenical Service in Westminster was one of the most beautiful events I’ve ever seen. I will take my lead from Benedict XVI, the Vicar of Christ, and do all I can to foster unity and friendship with my Christian brothers and sisters.

I would caution my brothers and sister in the Roman Church not to take pleasure in the Church of England’s distress, in fact Christians of every type are being savaged by secularism, anti-theism, and a kind of radical atheism embodied by Dawkins and his ilk. In America the Episcopal Church was once known as the Republican Party at prayer…that was a while ago now I think. I hope that our common distresses will help foster an Ecumenical spirit, however. We are all Christians, and if we don’t hang together we shall certainly hang apart…I say that because I saw a radical goth type on the street the other day with a t-shirt that read: “So many Christians, so few lions.” :mad:

Indeed the new Archbishop will have nothing les than herculean tasks before him. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, what on earth is going on in England, Britain, to turn people against Christianity so? And I’m not speaking of Muslim immigrants, but of the native secularist crowd. For all the secularism here in the states, the rank and file folks still treasure their Christianity. At least, for now. I’m not optimistic about the future. The West has gone from ‘Happy Days’ in the 60s to the Days of Noah redux in but a few generations.

:nope:
 
TevereNauta said:
My prayers are with you in your fight to preserve Christianity within the Church of England Anna (and TEC & TAC to boot). For all our doctrinal disagreements, the Church of England did great work in evangelization in her day…though, naturally, I cannot really be enthusiastic over her genesis. I also notice how Dr. Williams seems to have a very close relationship, friendship, with the Holy Father – the Ecumenical Service in Westminster was one of the most beautiful events I’ve ever seen. I will take my lead from Benedict XVI, the Vicar of Christ, and do all I can to foster unity and friendship with my Christian brothers and sisters.

I would caution my brothers and sister in the Roman Church not to take pleasure in the Church of England’s distress, in fact Christians of every type are being savaged by secularism, anti-theism, and a kind of radical atheism embodied by Dawkins and his ilk. In America the Episcopal Church was once known as the Republican Party at prayer…that was a while ago now I think. I hope that our common distresses will help foster an Ecumenical spirit, however. We are all Christians, and if we don’t hang together we shall certainly hang apart…I say that because I saw a radical goth type on the street the other day with a t-shirt that read: “So many Christians, so few lions.” :mad:

Indeed the new Archbishop will have nothing les than herculean tasks before him. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, what on earth is going on in England, Britain, to turn people against Christianity so? And I’m not speaking of Muslim immigrants, but of the native secularist crowd. For all the secularism here in the states, the rank and file folks still treasure their Christianity. At least, for now. I’m not optimistic about the future. The West has gone from ‘Happy Days’ in the 60s to the Days of Noah redux in but a few generations.

:nope:
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TevereNauta,

God bless you for your compassion and your prayers. We do so desperately need both from our Christian brothers and sisters.

Anna
 
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