Statement from Rome on Reception of Anglican Groups and Re-ordination (Editorial)

by The Rev'd Keith J Acker (Rector of Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity, Alpine CA)

Moving toward full communion should be a desire of all Christians in seeking to live out our Lord Jesus' prayer that   we "may be one." As Anglicans we maintain that we are part of the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church as it "upholds the faith and order of the undivided Church." The Statement is one we should read carefully and consider, in humility, how it challenges our Anglican understanding.

For those considering or not, we should welcome this opportunity to look at our ecclesiology and sacramental theology. We should see this as a good opportunity to have discussion as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. The  words of this Statement should encourage every Anglican to look more carefully at Holy Scripture and our understanding of the Catholic nature of the Church. My serious questions are positive challenges to us as Anglicans. For Anglicans to look at our understanding and our failures to wrestle with our Lord's calling.

1. The Statement on Personal Ordinates For Anglicans Entering the Catholic Church is a preliminary statement. We can expect more details to follow explaining the exact nature of the receiving of "former Anglicans" and the "former Anglican clergy." So my comments are preliminary. We await the publishing of the "Apostolic Constitution."

2. The Statement is creating a place within the Roman Catholic Church which will provide former Anglicans an Ordinary, a bishop of jurisdiction with pastoral oversight of congregations and clergy. Our Anglican understanding our life in Christ must be within the Body of Christ and it needs to have functional reality in the Catholic and Apostolic Church. Anglicans understand that Apostolic Succession (Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral) is a bare minimum of our being within the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. As Anglicans we have a starting place for our discussion and study.

3. The Personal Ordinariates is to provide for "former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church." As I read this provision anyone desiring to enter full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church can become part of the Roman Catholic Church. The nature of the reception is to become Roman Catholic. Will there be any provision NOT requiring belief that 1.) Mary was bodily assumed in to heaven; 2.) Mary was conceived without sin; and 3.) the Pope can speak infallibly on matters of faith and morals? While many Anglicans may believe some or all of these doctrines, our Catholic understanding is that they may not be required for belief as there is no certain warrant of Holy Scripture.

4. Provision is being made for "preserving elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony." Anglicans, especially those in the United States have always held in high regard the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, and many can cite the four minimums for ecumenical discussion listed later in the document. However, the rational solemnly declared, the first four points, includes item three "that in all things of human ordering or human choice, relating to modes of worship and discipline, or to traditional customs, this Church is ready in the spirit of love and humility to forego all preferences of her own." As Anglicans we recognize our "liturgical patrimony" is secondary to Christian Faith and Order. While we love our "Anglican Rite" we are wiling to forgo these things for the sake of Christian unity. As Anglicans our goal is not to keep our Book of Common Prayer as the "right way of worship."

5. For "historic and ecumenical reasons" married men will not be ordained as bishop. The ordination as Catholic priests of married former Anglican clergy will be permitted. Except on a personal basis, the important aspect for Anglicans is not having married bishops or priests, but the re-ordination of former Anglican clergy. To Anglican laity married clergy isn't a major issue of Faith and not an obstacle standing in their way to becoming Roman Catholic. But the forthcoming Apostolic Constitution will say much to the Roman Catholic understanding of Anglican orders and the sacraments received. Here Anglicans should be challenged to look at our understanding of orders as related to the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. This was part of the challenge set forward by Metropolitan Jonah, at the inauguration of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), give the anomaly of women being admitted as priests in some jurisdictions. We have much to confess in our failure to articulate the Catholic understanding of Holy Orders. We are guilty of "Can't we all just get along" instead of wrestling with scripture and theology. How often I've tried to avoid what is known by most of the ACNA as the "elephant in the room."

6. Rome's "commitment to ecumenical dialogue" as a priority. The Holy See of Rome has made significant moves toward moving forward the dialogue with the Churches of Eastern Orthodoxy in recent years. This is a significant statement that dialogue with Anglicans might be included in this priority. As Anglicans we need to look at the shared "common Catholic faith" referred in the quote from Cardinal Levada. I must admit I have not seen the Catechism of reference nor discussed it with other Anglicans.

We have been given a great gift and opportunity to come to a great understanding of our place and life in the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. My thanks to Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and for the Anglicans who have sought to open doors toward the unity of the Catholic Church.

Father Keith Acker, SSC
www.AlpineAnglican.com    8:30am Sundays @ Alpine Elementary School Auditorium       
frkeitha@alpineanglican.com