Time for a Prophetic Voice In the Anglican Struggle

http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=28672

[Catholic Online] 22 Jul 2008--Earlier in the week, Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury stated that the Anglican Church is facing “one of the most severe challenges” in its history. He went on to say that the church’s most immediate need is for "transformed relationships" that will not break apart over interpretations of the Bible, particularly regarding homosexuality.

As Dr. James W. Tonkowich, from the Institute of Religion and Democracy, pointed out, “Dr. Williams' stated goal of a Communion that will not break apart over interpretations of the Bible is laudable, but this crisis is not about conflicting interpretations, it is about longstanding church tradition and the authority of the Bible itself.”

This rhetoric all sounds so wonderful. We need to just love each other and accept each other, we can have unity in diversity. And remember, we can’t let our mere interpretations, frail as they are, stand in the way of unity.

Anglican have always been wonderful with words. Their liturgies are some of the most beautiful prose in the English language. Their turn of a phrase can melt cold stone. As a friend of mine, who was an Episcopal priest, once said, “Anglicans have raised the term ‘dialog’ to an art form and made it an end in itself rather than the means to an end.”

I have heard a lot about unity at Lambeth so far, but what about Truth. Throughout Scripture unity is celebrated but truth is mandated.

There are essential issues that must be addressed by the Anglican Church, perhaps beginning with, “who is Jesus Christ?” These core areas, which the Church calls our “kerygma,” must be re-visited and re-affirmed.