G
gurneyhalleck1
Guest
Trying to comprehend how, why, and when the Anglican Communion went wrong is subject to a vast body of theories. A Catholic might say that the Anglicans first went wrong when they left Mother Church in the 16th Century for all the wrong reasons and steadily became a Calvinist body only to reinvent part of herself as anglo-catholic in the
19th Century. A lack of validity and proper authority was the beginning of the end from this vantage point. A Catholic could also argue that the Elizabethan Compromise trying to join two things that never should be joined–Calvinism and Catholicism, was the beginning. Some more Anglican-sympathetic in Catholic circles might say 1930’s Lambeth Conference and its liberalization of contraception was the beginning.
Anglicans would focus more on the 1960’s and the moral/societal uphevals that ensued. The women’s movement, gay rights crusades, the new sexuality/sexual revolution, and re-shuffling of our values affected Anglican navigation into scary, shark-infested waters. Some might say the 79 Prayer Book (although I find that the least compelling) and some might speculate women’s ordination only, on and on.
I think the very structure and nature of Anglicanism itself is the ultimate undoing of Anglicanism. It started off a political animal, is based not on a firm Rock but rather compromise, it is too vague in theology, has too many holes to fill in, started in schism so permitted more, has heroes that are utterly divergent (i.e. Cranmer/Ridley vs. Newman/Pusey/ and Hooker/Andrewes), is based on worship (the prayer book is for worship, not catechesis, theology, morality, or anything else) and not organized around a set of principles that are hard and fast and cogent, etc.
When ten Anglicans can look at the Anglican church and claim they see 10 different things, a church turns into a Rorschach Ink Blot test. One says “I see Evangelical” another “I see hardcore Calvinist Evangelical” and another says “I see Orthodoxy and Catholicism with no pope or metropolitan” and that spelled trouble long ago.
Anglicanism, sadly, has become a stepping stone, a waiting room, on the way to two schools of thought rather than a place to stay. Many go on to become Catholics or Orthodox. The other end of the spectrum go on to become Reformed or Lutheran or Mega Church evangelicals. It has become a waiting station. I notice a lot of Anglicans online or even on this CAF site see Anglicanism as an “I’m Anglican FOR NOW” type of thing. That speaks volumes about the state of affairs it has been in and how Anglicanism as seen with regard to reputation for theological seriousness these days. It’s sad.
19th Century. A lack of validity and proper authority was the beginning of the end from this vantage point. A Catholic could also argue that the Elizabethan Compromise trying to join two things that never should be joined–Calvinism and Catholicism, was the beginning. Some more Anglican-sympathetic in Catholic circles might say 1930’s Lambeth Conference and its liberalization of contraception was the beginning.
Anglicans would focus more on the 1960’s and the moral/societal uphevals that ensued. The women’s movement, gay rights crusades, the new sexuality/sexual revolution, and re-shuffling of our values affected Anglican navigation into scary, shark-infested waters. Some might say the 79 Prayer Book (although I find that the least compelling) and some might speculate women’s ordination only, on and on.
I think the very structure and nature of Anglicanism itself is the ultimate undoing of Anglicanism. It started off a political animal, is based not on a firm Rock but rather compromise, it is too vague in theology, has too many holes to fill in, started in schism so permitted more, has heroes that are utterly divergent (i.e. Cranmer/Ridley vs. Newman/Pusey/ and Hooker/Andrewes), is based on worship (the prayer book is for worship, not catechesis, theology, morality, or anything else) and not organized around a set of principles that are hard and fast and cogent, etc.
When ten Anglicans can look at the Anglican church and claim they see 10 different things, a church turns into a Rorschach Ink Blot test. One says “I see Evangelical” another “I see hardcore Calvinist Evangelical” and another says “I see Orthodoxy and Catholicism with no pope or metropolitan” and that spelled trouble long ago.
Anglicanism, sadly, has become a stepping stone, a waiting room, on the way to two schools of thought rather than a place to stay. Many go on to become Catholics or Orthodox. The other end of the spectrum go on to become Reformed or Lutheran or Mega Church evangelicals. It has become a waiting station. I notice a lot of Anglicans online or even on this CAF site see Anglicanism as an “I’m Anglican FOR NOW” type of thing. That speaks volumes about the state of affairs it has been in and how Anglicanism as seen with regard to reputation for theological seriousness these days. It’s sad.
