The War

“Now the Anglicans in all three groups[evangelical, Liberal, and Anglo-Catholic] are entrenched and are increasingly adamant about their own stance — and are prepared to fight the other two sides for the heart of their church.” (http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=847&category=News%20&%20Media~News)

This is from a Roman Catholic site looking at Anglicans and basically they are saying the war has started and the prize to the winner is control of the Anglican Communion.

Let’s look at each of the sides

Evangelicals are protestant in Theology, liturgy and ethos of the church. They do communion once a week to once a month, the rituals, sacraments and robes are present but seen as traditions of the church but could be done with out. They really are like Presbyterians with prayer books. They will not ordain women at all.

Liberals can have a high or low practice of liturgy, but their theology is very liberal (higher criticism type things) they are big on justice and working with the poor. They are big on science and learning. They are fine with women “ordination” to all three offices and some are fine with Homosexuals being “ordained”

Anglo-Catholics see themselves as an equal branch of the Catholic church just like Rome and the East. They can have Eastern or western Theology. They usually have a more western liturgy with splashing of the east. They can have an Eastern or Western Ethos of the church. They look very Catholic and have devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints, they go on retreats and pilgrimages, they do all seven Sacraments and say Mass every day. They see the traditions and seven ecumenical councils as having high importance in the church. They put a high stress on apostolic succession and in no way see themselves as Protestants. Some are fine with women being “ordained” to the Diaconate and priesthood but not episkopos. Where as others see that women should not be and can not be ordained at all.

This is a quick over view but these are the factions that are fighting for control of the communion.

All I can say is that this will end in a bloody battle with a church that is demolished in the end but I will admit I will stand with my conservative Anglo-Catholic brothers till the end with the hope we will finally have our chance to run the communion because the others have had their chance and both have failed.

I think we are looking at an Isaiah 6 within the Anglican communion right now.

Pray for a New Oxford Movement and that many Newman’s will rise up!!!

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

Now which of you will say : "Here am I. Send me!"

Tell me which of you will sign your name dedicating yourselves to a New Oxford Movement! And say here am I. Send me!

+Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus+

Written by:

Allen Bailey: aspirant of the Anglican province of America