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THE QUESTION
Rome's Anglican annex
The Vatican is making it easier for Anglicans -- priests, members and parishes -- to convert to Catholicism. Some say this is further recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic and Anglican traditions; others see it as poaching that could further divide the Anglican Communion. What do you think?
Posted by
Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on October 21, 2009 12:34 AM
FROM THE PANEL
People want faith not polity
The Vatican's opening to Anglicans is sadly like a footnote in an obscure academic text buried in the stacks of a university library. Most people of faith and certainly those outside of the faith simply do not care about such church policy and polity chess moves.
Posted by Mark Tauber, on October 27, 2009 2:03 PM
Catholic Church says, 'Welcome home'
By responding to the requests from these Anglicans, the Vatican is not poaching on someone's property, but is putting out a welcome mat at the Church's front door for people who have long desired to enter in.
Posted by Thomas G. Bohlin, on October 23, 2009 12:18 PM
Catholics and Anglicans: Related but can they live together?
Will even the most conservative Episcopalian contemplating a move to Rome accept the centralized authority of Roman Catholicism where bishops and pastors are appointed and decision come top down? And will Roman Catholics be content with the Episcopal propensity for doctrinal latitude and disciplinary ambiguity?
Posted by Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, on October 23, 2009 11:42 AM
Cause for sadness and celebration
Pope Benedict's invitation must be seen as an opportunity for Anglicans to consider the claims of church unity against the strengths and attractions of the Anglican tradition before they send their RSVP's. Nevertheless, if - and it is a big 'if' - large numbers of Anglicans from the Church of England leave for Rome, I fear for our national church.
Posted by George Carey, on October 22, 2009 1:46 PM
Ecclesiastical kindergarten games
In this embarrassing conflict the Pope seeks to gain an advantage by making Roman Catholic Christianity more welcoming to those Anglican clergy and members who cannot adjust to new truth and new consciousness, while the Archbishop grieves over the results of his own inept leadership.
Posted by John Shelby Spong, on October 22, 2009 12:41 PM
Fair is fair
Fair enough. We've been doing the inviting for years. We welcome the Pope to the business of welcome. We all know that religious boundaries and "brands" mean a good deal less than they used to. As far as I can see, the Pope's invitation continues a de facto period of pilgrimage.
Posted by William Tully, on October 22, 2009 11:04 AM
Vatican's cynical and opportunistic overture
The Vatican's sudden overture to disaffected Anglicans strikes me as both cynical and opportunistic in that Rome is making the overture at what might be viewed as a moment of crisis or weakness in the Anglican Communion.
Posted by Randall Balmer, on October 22, 2009 9:50 AM
Religions need to live and let live
If the prophetic traditions spent less time counting their flock and more time tending to them and their needs and also inspiring them to better co-exist in a multi-faith world, we would have much less violence to worry about and far more compassion and empathy to address the real problems we all face.
Posted by Ramdas Lamb, on October 22, 2009 4:57 AM
Episcopal Unorthodoxy
The only thing that has divided the Anglican community is the failure of orthodoxy on the part of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The Catholic Church didn't contribute to that. Sadly, the Episcopalians did it to themselves.
Posted by Charles "Chuck" Colson, on October 21, 2009 4:04 PM
Vatican's move a dishonest distraction
Too often, organized religion sets itself up as a sort of god on earth, pushing people away from the real God as it jams oppressive doctrine and rules down the throats and into the spirits of people seeking to know who God is.
Posted by Susan K. Smith, on October 21, 2009 11:24 AM
Business as usual for Vatican Enterprises, Inc.
The Roman Catholic Church is facing a huge drop in revenue thanks to a dramatic decline in its customer base in the wake of years of sexual abuse scandals, shameful cover-ups and costly legal settlements. Its stock has never been lower. It urgently needs to acquire more customers.
Posted by Paula Kirby, on October 21, 2009 11:12 AM
Rome's new home for Anglicans
The experience of the new emigres will be closely watched by other Anglicans -- and will strongly affect the prospects of long-term Anglican-Catholic unification. History is being made.
Posted by Austen Ivereigh, on October 21, 2009 10:56 AM
Catholicism and Anglicanism: the end of an era
The theological gulf between Rome and Canterbury had become wider, not narrower, since Vatican II. An honest recognition of that fact might lead to a more fruitful, less fantasy-driven theological dialogue, as well as to new and intriguing historical explorations of just what the English Reformation entailed, back in the 16th century.
Posted by George Weigel, on October 21, 2009 9:01 AM
The divisiveness of Christian unity
Pope Benedict's bold move to embrace disaffected Anglicans paradoxically opens a path for Christian unity while also reemphasizing the doctrinal difficulties in bringing Christian denominations closer together.
Posted by Mathew N. Schmalz, on October 21, 2009 8:53 AM
Welcoming the Vatican's welcome of disaffected Anglicans
Why does a rabbi care about whether or not the Catholic Church becomes more welcoming of disaffected Anglicans? In this case, it's because I welcome all moves which increase diversity within religious community. But whether or not this new move will accomplish that remains to be seen.
Posted by Brad Hirschfield, on October 20, 2009 5:27 PM
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