I welcome the news of Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican to make provision for the conversion of certain Anglican Christians to the Roman Catholic Church.
In
the past ten years, I have noticed many of my disenchanted Episcopal
and Anglican friends drifting toward Roman Catholic structures. They
have been arguing for more ecclesiastical order and authority. It has
long been my prediction that our current Anglican controversies will be
cleared up, finally, with a choice between distinctly Anglican and
distinctly Roman ecclesiologies. Much of our current controversy,
having been precipitated by sexuality issues (ordination of women and
homosexuality), is more accurately about authority, uniformity, and
legal order.
The Roman Catholic tradition, certainly a long and
esteemed tradition, is very good on these very issues: authority,
uniformity, and legal order. The Anglican tradition (in my opinion
having begun in the fourth century A.D., and thus almost as old as the
Roman tradition) is very good on other matters. In particular, the
Anglican tradition of Christianity is very good at allowing local
authority and jurisdiction to exist in partnership with wider authority
and jurisdiction.
Many disenchanted Anglicans and Episcopalians
have actually been arguing in the last ten years for more centralized
and universal jurisdiction, when the Anglican tradition of Christianity
has always resisted such universal and centralized jurisdiction. Thus,
it is gratifying that the best centralized and universal jurisdiction
in the world"”the Roman Catholic Church"”has been able to make provisions
to welcome such disenchanted Anglicans.
I note, too, the gracious words in the joint statement of the Archbishop of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
There is good relationship between these two branches of Christendom,
the Roman and the Anglican. Fruitful ecumenical conversations have
certainly enabled the Vatican to go forward with these provisions, and
I salute all those who have been involved.
I believe there is
room in the kingdom of God for various ecclesiastical styles, and I
pray that God will direct us all to a place where we can more freely
preach the gospel and work toward the kingdom of God.
Sam Candler
20 October 2009
Sam Candler is Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact him at scandler@stphilipscathedral.org.
