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Anglican split...?

(first up, sorry, this isn't exactly an action group type post, but it *is* about church issues, so feel free to move it if you think it wants moving, Adam...)

So yes, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6187319.stm .

"Two church congregations in the US are to announce whether they are breaking from the American Episcopal Church amid the continuing row over gay clergy. "

I'm not really trying to start discussions over homosexuality or the rights and wrongs of gay clergy/ bishops. Just wondering what people think about the Anglican Communion splitting over this issue. My personal feeling is that a split is coming -- whether this year or in five years' time, whether over women, over gays or over some particular passage... but that doesn't mean it's something we should be happy about.

Like Edward and people were saying in the "church unity" thread, the term "Anglican" covers a lot of different beliefs and views. Is it right that churches should leave the Anglican communion because their views don't fit the prevailing ideas? Is it right that gay priests and bishops should be allowed within the communion, *no matter what our personal views on this issue might be*, if any of our Anglican brothers and sisters object? Romans 14 and 15: 1-2, 7 -- but then, in this situation who are the weak and who are the strong...?

And in a situation like this, where Anglican unity has manifestly failed and Christian unity is lying whimpering by the roadside, how can we as young Christians respond?

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Thanks for starting this

Thanks for starting this thread Philippa - its an interesting one.

To return to your two examples which I refer to hypothetically rather than trying to give my own view, those in favour of a split over gay priests would say that their view is what the Bible teaches and if the church doesn't, then the church is acting contrary to God etc. Similarly, those against the 'ordination' of women either come from an evangelical wing which bangs on about headship and men and women's differing but equal roles but really doesn't have that much of an issue, or from a catholic perspective which would consider the sacramental function of the apostolic succession and the priesthood, and whether there would be doubts over the validity of the sacrament or not if we were to have women 'priests'. Both reasons, if viewed in these lights would seem to support a split. If one truly believes that the C of E/Anglican Communion is in error, a split would, for those who think like that, seem to be unavoidable.

I am not sure the Anglican Church has ever been united on anything actually as I have said in a previous thread.

Could I quiz you as to what you think 'prevailing ideas' means ?

Perhaps another question to consider is the issue of authority as I think that gets to the crux of the problem when it comes to worldwide anglican disagreements.

Pax Christi,

Edward

  • By mbyo15 at 2006-12-17 21:25
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I realise I didn't address

I realise I didn't address the final point of the OP. How can we address these points ? I would submit that what we need to do (and I know I harp on about this all the time but it is a het up ! ) is to work out what we as young anglicans actually stand for, and what the C of E generally stands for and works towards that.

If our theologies are that different from those of what the C of E historically stands for then we should reconsider our positions within it. By that I do NOT mean that my view of what it should stand for is right (indeed I think my own view is increasinly misguided prompting me to seriously wonder about my own place within our dear national church) but what we should all do is give it some prayerful thought. It makes things more clear, simple and provides them with a direction (if we all do this). What think others ?

Edward

  • By mbyo15 at 2006-12-17 21:49
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To update the news story: as

To update the news story: as was not entirely unexpected, both Falls and Truro have voted to leave ECUSA and join CANA, and several more smaller parishes have announced their intentions to secede. In a way this is more complicated than if they had simply left ECUSA: there remains a sense of unity since they are part of the Church of Nigeria, but I'm not at all convinced that CANA is a good way forward. It seems to me to be against the spirit of both Windsor and Dromantine. The CANA website claims that it was recognised at Dromantine, but does anyone know where I might find objective verification of this?

Peace,

Adam

P.S. If you want to keep up to date with this and other stories affecting the Anglican Communion, check out Thinking Anglicans.

  • By Adam Gundry at 2006-12-18 10:47
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I hope and Pray that thair

I hope and Pray that thair will not been a split

  • By Christopher at 2008-03-07 15:41
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No there should not be a

No there should not be a split in the Anglican Communion and I pray to God that there will not be a split in the Anglican Communion. Surely there must be the answer in the Bible which will guide us.

  • By nikhil.arsud at 2008-03-11 05:20
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Here, Here. That solds like

Here, Here. That solds like the commons.(The Lords have gone to sleep)

  • By Christopher at 2008-04-23 09:23
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