Regarding Anglicans: Have I got this right?

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This is not about Anglicans. It is about the Roman Catholic Church and how it chooses to integrate “Anglican style” services. These will not be Anglican services, they will be imitation Anglican services. Just as Eastern Uniate churches are not really Eastern Orthodox, they just look like Eastern Orthodox.

sheesh!
 
Yeah, the whole terraforming the planet with a giant dome is just a turn-off. Plus wasn’t it Elton John that once said, “Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids…in fact it’s cold as hell!” Yes, that is a direct quote from Rocket Man! 😛

I tend to look at catholicity through the lens that John Henry Newman used, that development of doctrine is not a bad or evil thing. Did the entirety of all Church theology and truth and doctrine exist in the early early church of Paul’s day? The Holy Trinity was not expounded upon, worship was in its infancy and still in the Synagogue, no penitential system existed, the nature of Christ was not debated in full, and several pieces of the puzzle didn’t exist. As history opened up councils and great doctors of the church debated these issues whether it was Arianism or Docetism or Gnosticism, Monotheletism, you name it, and steadily the fullness of doctrine and truth came to fruition. I feel Christ is constantly revealing things to us. The papacy was able to function in a more collegiate environment during the first millenium of Christianity as a primus inter pares and yet he functioned infallibly in that office. The “Rome has spoken, the case is closed” environment gave him a de facto infallibility and it didn’t need to be put in writing officially with a stamp of approval. We see a wealth of quotes and statements from early Fathers pointing to the Holy Father’s jurisdiction over all other bishops. I could easily cite them here and will if need be but I think it unecessary since we see them regularly. The Eastern bishops made a wealth of comments about the Pope’s powers and authority. And it isn’t merely a chief at the head of the table among equals only, it’s a final authority, which in itself is infallible.

Quite frankly, if I didn’t believe in the claims of the papacy or the Catholic Church, there is no other conclusion to be drawn than the fact that Catholicism is totally absolutely insane and proposterous! Any Church that would claim infallibility, universal jurisdiction, anathemas attached to Church pronouncements about certain beliefs (which Rome has done on several occasions), the Marian dogmas, and being the One True Church, if I didn’t believe these to be true, and I thought them wholly false, I would FIGHT Roman Catholicism with all my heart and soul. There really can be no middle ground IMO. I have heard several Catholic apologists make the same statement. Either Catholicism is truth or it is a fabrication of epic proportions and a tale told by an idiot, an offensive lie and truly something to be loathed. If the Church is lying the way so many Anglicans and other Protestants claim it is, then how can they even stomach listening to it and why would they even admire anything about it? There can be no middle ground. If the Pope is not infallible then he and his previous popes are usurpers, liars, and total dictators. I myself believe the papacy to completely be what it says it is. It is logical, scriptural, historic, and there exists a myriad of quotes and arguments in favor of it. I find it exceptionally compelling.

Also, regarding Orthodoxy, I never thought they were pro-choice. I hope I didn’t send out that vibe. Not at all. But I think the Catholic Church has been stronger in the global sense of standing up for life and fighting the culture of death. Pope Benedict has declared his desire to re-Christianize Europe, which has collapsed into a secular abyss. I wish him well and think it a huge undertaking. Europe is pitifully secular and anti-religious. I also think in the U.S. here where I live it is Catholic bishops in our communitiies standing up to gay marriage laws and sticking up for the hungry and homeless and fighting for health care, protecting immigrants, and making a loud voice for life. Compare this to Orthodoxy. They are not at all pro-choice but I feel Catholicism has a stronger, braver voice on a bigger stage.

While I think persecutions by civil governments have impeded Orthodoxy to a great degree, I have yet to see much of a “united Orthodoxy.” They often disagree on much and there is a lot of in-fighting. I know many Orthodox have no love for the OCA and Metropolitan Jonah, who reached out to Anglicans a year ago or so. Catholicism is united, has its share of goobers from within and some rebellious jerks, but in general it is united and the type of leadership I believe Christ would want. Catholicism has a catechism that shows us exactly what God expects from us, direction, leadership, unity, Peter, and validity. I think it’s the only true choice. But that’s just me. :cool:🙂
I’m afraid my husband has vetoed moving to Mars. No grouse, pheasants, etc.🤷

Well, safe to say I disagree over Anglicanism and its catholicity. The Orthodox - well, I’m not Orthodox for a reason, (though I suppose I would become Orthodox before I became a Catholic - though either would have serious difficulties.) However, I think that a big part of the Anglican problem is something the Orthodox probably rightly ascribe to Rome - an over-emphasis on reason and its fruits. Now, I can’t say much more than that, because it is still something I am thinking about, but it seems to me that Tradition is not adequately represented somehow, or perhaps the unknowable aspects of the Divine. Catholics have gotten away with this to some extent because they have a strong central authority (though not totally, given that I think they have “innovations” that are clearly outside of what is proper.) In Anglicanism it has simply been a disaster in the last 80 years or so.
 
It’s all in your perspective. From a Catholic angle, these services will retain the beauty of Anglican liturgy (which is indeed lovely!) but it will restore the liturgical worship to proper understandings of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and bring Anglican worship back home to Rome, where it belongs. Imitation? That’s not how I’d see it. When I was Anglican and became more savvy with theology and went back to my Catholic roots, I realized there was no sacrifice of the Mass taking place. The sacrificial element was missing. The proper understanding of the Eucharist was absent and replaced with a more intentionally vague Calvinist slant. Essentially you’re saying it is imitation if it’s not non-papal. I disagree. I would see it as fulfilled and complete, not imitation. I felt, as an Anglican, that the liturgy I participated in was more imitation of the fullness of Catholic worship than the reverse.
This is not about Anglicans. It is about the Roman Catholic Church and how it chooses to integrate “Anglican style” services. These will not be Anglican services, they will be imitation Anglican services. Just as Eastern Uniate churches are not really Eastern Orthodox, they just look like Eastern Orthodox.

sheesh!
 
I’m sorry to hear of your experience with the Anglican Mass. I suspect you had fallen in with the wrong sort of Anglicans. That is easy to do.

GKC

Anglicanus-Catholicus
 
You have a reputation in CAF for being completely cynical about writers from the twentieth century onward. I’ve been told that by many. You trashed anyone I mentioned as being spurious or suspicious. That’s your perogative of course but I tend to disagree. Eamon Duffy has just as good of credentials as the other folks I’ve mentioned yet you’re ok with him.
Regarding Duffy it is a question of attitude !
The British attitude toward the papacy is mixed, as with anyone anywhere. You can choose to cite saints and famous personalities that were anti-papacy. That’s fine. But what you fail to mention is, as Duffy points out, that England had a great love for the papacy, Catholicism, the hierarchy, and their daily church life right up until the Reformation, which I choose to call the Deformation, as well.
That is where I would not accept Mr Duffy’s conclusions. The English were believers in to Catholicism, but not particularly of papalism! The Saxons had not been particularly friendly to the Bishop of Rome, especially since he gave his blessing to William the Butcher! That is why William got rid of all the leadership of the Saxon Church, as a thank you to the pope! But he refused fealty to the Papacy, because his Saxon Forebears had not paid it either!

**After that several English Kings had tussles with the Rome set up, but only Henry was totally positive in his actions, even then it was Rome who broke with Henry!
It is interesting that even Thomas More, was a Conciliarist at that time, claiming in a letter to Crumwell that he believed the pope was subservient to the Council! [Cam.Hist.Mag.1963.]
**
Celtic Christianity was founded by Roman missionaries loyal to the Holy Father, were separated for 150 years or so, and very quickly and easily re-joined union with the Holy See of Rome.
**Very nice and clear cut, just where is the proof?As I have told you even Parsons a Roman believer claimed that the faith came from the east! As did Cardinal Pole. Plus the Roman or Latin Councils of the middle ages.
**

not a follower of Monty Python, More a Drop the Dead Donkey fan!

And one can easily read anti-papal reactions in England and anti-monarchy rhetoric as well during the Interdict that Innocent III laid down on England thanks to the idiotic King John trying to interfere with ecclesiastical appointments. That fiasco angered just about everyone and John used the situation to confiscate church property and wealth. And it’s just such a motivation that really brought on the English Reformation—land, wealth, greed, and power. The bad blood between some royals and popes created a tension that brought some anti-papal sentiment, naturally. And the propaganda that Cranmer, Ridley, and company laid down on the English people would manage to sway many against the Church. But there were many recusants, pro-Catholic loyalists in England, who stayed true to the Church when Catholics were terribly persecuted. England was never in a solidarity of anti-papal hatred. Most of it came from the Reformers’ propaganda and laws prohibiting Mass to be said, and edicts from the crown like Elizabeth I.

As I said, the Church of England is dying and one of these days just might be extinct. Anglicanism as a whole is dying or diffusing and/or morphing into something else. It is a church built on a political compromise between two extreme groups in a historical time of upheavel. It stands for little and has never had any solid structure, authority, or coherence. Despite ‘realignment’ the Anglican Communion is ailing in $$$, attendance, spirit, and mission. The fruit of history is evident on the platter. It’s rotten. We can debate the origins of the “celtic church” until doomsday but the fruit of Anglicanism, which claims a pedigree/lineage from the celtic church, is wholly full of worms and foul scents.

You’re right, history cannot and should not be hidden. But the origins of the Church in the British Isles is from Roman missionaries loyal to the Pope, the Church rejoined Rome at first opportunity, and Rome was ultimately pushed out of England by greedy opportunists with a pro-Geneva agenda and a desire to confiscate monasteries, bask in wealth and new-found real estate, free themselves of financial obligations to the Holy See, and it was a time of political rebellion and the rise of nation-states. The British government forced Anglicanism on its populace, that is also a matter of historical fact. More Catholic priests were drawn and quartered, gutted, murdered, and humiliated under Henry, Edward VI, and Elizabeth than “bloody” Mary Tudor x 5. Catholicism was made illegal and squashed by a greedy gov’t with an agenda all its own, not the populace and the folks. And yet here in 2009, Catholicism is on the rise in England and dwarfs CofE attendance on Sunday. God is good…
I would not denounce Duffy as a goon, you’r getting over excited! Duffy, whose books I read, has his own ideas, they do not have to be correct in every aspect, to be interesting,do they? The Reformation is not an easy subject to study, especially if you read Anglo Catholic literature, which I try not to, from the middle or last quarter of the 19th, Cent, Anglo Catholic ideas changed! This progressed rapidly in the later years of the 20th, Cent, whereas ,I, have always followed the High Church School, which is more traditional!
 
The English were believers in to Catholicism, but not particularly of papalism! The Saxons had not been particularly friendly to the Bishop of Rome, especially since he gave his blessing to William the Butcher! That is why William got rid of all the leadership of the Saxon Church, as a thank you to the pope! But he refused fealty to the Papacy, because his Saxon Forebears had not paid it either!
Could you compare this attitude with that of other European monarchs? How did the attitude of the English differ? Please give *specific *examples of Continental subservience to the papacy which cannot be found in England.
**
It is interesting that even Thomas More, was a Conciliarist at that time, claiming in a letter to Crumwell that he believed the pope was subservient to the Council! [Cam.Hist.Mag.1963.]**
Indeed. This was still a genuine option in the minds of many devout early-sixteenth-century Catholics, even though the Popes had done their best to stamp it out. And I think the best that can be said for Anglicanism is that it’s a messed-up, imperfect, even twisted way of hanging onto that conciliarist vision within the Western Church, in the hope that eventually it can be implemented in a healthier way. (Note: the “twisting” has to do with the power of monarchs historically, and more broadly with the limitation of Anglicanism to a particular ethnic/cultural tradition and its subsequent subservience to the dominant cultural patterns of the English-speaking world.)
 
Could you compare this attitude with that of other European monarchs? How did the attitude of the English differ? Please give *specific *examples of Continental subservience to the papacy which cannot be found in England.

Indeed. This was still a genuine option in the minds of many devout early-sixteenth-century Catholics, even though the Popes had done their best to stamp it out. And I think the best that can be said for Anglicanism is that it’s a messed-up, imperfect, even twisted way of hanging onto that conciliarist vision within the Western Church, in the hope that eventually it can be implemented in a healthier way. (Note: the “twisting” has to do with the power of monarchs historically, and more broadly with the limitation of Anglicanism to a particular ethnic/cultural tradition and its subsequent subservience to the dominant cultural patterns of the English-speaking world.)
I sort of like your last para.

GKC
 
Could you compare this attitude with that of other European monarchs? How did the attitude of the English differ? Please give *specific *examples of Continental subservience to the papacy which cannot be found in England.
I’m sorry! I cannot answer your question! You will probably have a better idea than I have All I know is that the European Monarchs were a cynical crowd and at one time it appears that Henry expected Francis to join with him in an anti papal pact. But Francis was frightened of the Emperor ! Sorry again! However, from the laity, there must have been a deep antipathy to papalism. Otherwise Protestantism wouldn’t have spread so far as it did. Whilst I deride Trent, from a Roman point of view it was a splendid success and when you consider various factors, religious conservatism, fear, after the various Massacres and other cruelties it must have been a very strong emotion to drive the continentals to protestantism.
Indeed. This was still a genuine option in the minds of many devout early-sixteenth-century Catholics, even though the Popes had done their best to stamp it out. And I think the best that can be said for Anglicanism is that it’s a messed-up, imperfect, even twisted way of hanging onto that conciliarist vision within the Western Church, in the hope that eventually it can be implemented in a healthier way. (Note: the “twisting” has to do with the power of monarchs historically, and more broadly with the limitation of Anglicanism to a particular ethnic/cultural tradition and its subsequent subservience to the dominant cultural patterns of the English-speaking world.)
I do not think that a virulent anti-papalism was rife in England, Conciliarism had a quite long history in this country! Even Edward iind, visited Constance according to one source!
I agree with you about the Reformation in England, it wasn’t that the laity or clergy hated or had deep dislike of the Bishop of Rome, it was to my mind that they had very little interest in him! Very few supported him, till the effects of the great steal took hold in people’s
mind. I think Pius Vth, and the King of Spain played a greater part in events than they were ever aware of. Trouble was, its effect were not what they sought.
 
This is not about Anglicans. It is about the Roman Catholic Church and how it chooses to integrate “Anglican style” services. These will not be Anglican services, they will be imitation Anglican services. Just as Eastern Uniate churches are not really Eastern Orthodox, they just look like Eastern Orthodox.

sheesh!
And how do you know that? Can you prove it? If so, please prove your allegations.

PAX DOMINI :signofcross:

Shalom Aleichem
 
And how do you know that? Can you prove it? If so, please prove your allegations.

PAX DOMINI :signofcross:

Shalom Aleichem
I think you could argue this by definition. Since they won’t be Anglican, it won’t be an Anglican service.
 
Just like Christianity is Judaism fullfilled, an Anglican-style Mass obedient to the Holy Father and in line with the Catholic Church is Anglicanism fullfilled, home. :):signofcross:
I think you could argue this by definition. Since they won’t be Anglican, it won’t be an Anglican service.
 
Just like Christianity is Judaism fullfilled, an Anglican-style Mass obedient to the Holy Father and in line with the Catholic Church is Anglicanism fullfilled, home. :):signofcross:
I think this line of thinking could involve a logical fallacy. In any case, since you’ve said “Anglican-style”, it rather makes the point.
 
I think you could argue this by definition. Since they won’t be Anglican, it won’t be an Anglican service.
So long as you stipulate that by definition an Anglican service is not a Catholic one 😉

(Don’t mind me, I’m just being a pain today!)
 
Anglicanism is by definition, English Catholicism!

Bad luck.
Well, most Anglicans aren’t English (or even English speaking), and most would take issue with what you and I might call the “more specifically Catholic” elements within Anglicanism. So I’m not sure that definition is accurate.

By and large, traditional (read: non-revisionist) Anglicans are evangelical Protestant in theology, with widely varying sacramental theologies and practices.

More’s the pity, IMO. English speaking Catholics have had to rely on the dwindling numbers of GKCs ilk to retain any sense of beauty in the English liturgical tradition since the wreckovators started ripping out our altar rails post VatII. 😦

The last thing we want is more Sydney diocese style crypto-Calvinism worming its way into the Anglican tradition.

aaaand with that, I bid you all a Merry and Blessed Christmas. 🙂 (yes, even the Calvinists)
 
I won’t beat a dead horse here. GKC and Father Mark Brown have both summed up the situation rather accurately and succinctly here. The New York Catechism is an Episcopal catechism. Justy90 claimed it was Roman Catholic trying to catch Catholics with a “you Catholics worship the Pope as if he were Christ!” argument. He got caught with his pants down here because he couldn’t find where this “source” of his (that he head in a debate with Ankerberg and Pacwa) came from! Quoting an Episcopal catechism to prove what Catholics believe about themselves is about the worst approach I’ve ever seen. It’s like going to the British and looking at their view of the Revolution to find out the American Revolution’s true motivations, causes, and chain of events…or going to a Democratic senate briefing to find out the Republicans’ views on the legislation. If you want to know what the Church teaches: GO TO THE CATECHISM OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is my opinion. And if Justy did that, he’d find exactly what I posted the other day–that the Holy Father is the Vicar of Christ on earth, his representative and he holds the keys of Peter. He is NOT CHRIST as Justy paints him out to be and we do not worship him or hold him in the same esteem that we hold Our Lord. We hold Benedict XVI in the same esteem that we hold PETER. Big difference. Justy’s argument now is, “well, ok, fine, you got me, it isn’t a legitimate Catholic catechism and never was BUT it’s true, isn’t it!?” The answer is NO. It’s not true. I don’t care what the Episcopalians thought Catholics thought. The lesson I hope that is learned here is, if you want to know what someone believes, go to the horse’s mouth! I have a friend who is like this. He is a great guy but he always listens to Rush Limbaugh to know what the Democratic opposition believes. I tell him, if you want to know what they believe, read their websites, follow their votes, listen to what they say, and watch what they actually do when it comes to voting and intriguing in the Congress. You don’t need Rush to interpret it as a middle man, just listen and watch.
IYHO. As usual.
 
I’m not going to take the time to reply to each reply. You would simply refer to any author that I cite as spurious or a moron since it wouldn’t jive with your pre-conceived notions about the Celtic Church. I’m sure if I ever mentioned Eamon Duffy in a debate about pre-Reformation England, you’d denounce him as a goon.

You know full-well that I was referring to the Bishop of Rome and that the Celtic Church revered and respected him. When I said “roman” western Christendom, you assume I meant it religiously. Roman–politically. The Roman Empire did exist at that time. Hopefully you wouldn’t dispute that. The Christendom that was in the British Isles, largely monastic at that time, was loyal to Rome. After the fall of Rome it became more insular and developed its own traditions for a while. I already talked about this. And when you say, “congrats, at least it’s finally starting to sink in,” I was being fececious and sarcastic, not serious.

When you make a statement that the Church in England came from the East, you’ve lost all credibility with me. Nonsense. Next thing you’ll tell me the Lost Ark is buried somewhere outside of Glasgow.

I find it terribly rude how you choose to call my study of things a “perusal” while somehow your inquiries into the history of Western Christendom are intense and deep. You assume someone with a different view of history than yours to be a ninny who peruses with Cliff Notes. I find you to be an intelligent guy, please don’t be condescending with me and do me the injustice of thinking me a fool. Your characterizations of the British having a disrespect for the papacy are wild and the opinions of a few do not constitute a majority. And as for “Anglo Catholic rubbish,” wow, what to even say to that? Now that you’ve alienated an entire segment of the Anglican communion and the Oxford Movement Tractarians, etc. I’m befuddled as to how to repond to that at all.

You also fail to mention in your comments that Honorious was anathemized forty years AFTER HIS DEATH. The British were loyal to his pontificate while he was Bishop of Rome. I didn’t say they worshipped his every decree.

I will also say that just because you have not heard of a historian or writer does not make the said writer suspicious. This is the height of arrogance. As a teacher, I feel that I am always learning, never all-wise or all-encompasing enough to know every single historian or scholarly source.

I suppose you will also proceed to tell me that the Anglican Church that was created at the time of the Reformation, more specifically during the time of Elizabeth I, was a re-creation of the long-lost Celtic Church that Rome had “ruined?” And would you also say that women’s ordination, ordination of openly-gay clergy, elevating women to bishoprics, indaba meetings, overlapping boundaries, contraception, and no penitential system were also part of the Celtic Church? 🤷
The point he was trying to make is that the Celtics existed outside the realm of Rome whether Rome wants to admit it or not. There was and mostassuredly IS a world outside of Rome.
 
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