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what’s the deal with the Vatican?
That was meant to come across sounding more like Jerry Seinfeld than a normal aggrevated person, but meh.
No doubt many of you will have read about the Vatican offering a complete Papal Makeover of any willing Anglican congregation, probably one of the biggest moves between the Vatican and Protestants since…well, a really long time (a.k.a. when Ramsey went to Rome in 1966). I’ve been reading various reactions over the past week or so, and it’s funny to see the disparity between opinions. One group seems to hold that more conservative Anglican groups, especially those who are a part of the Traditional Anglican Communion (here first, then here), will jump ship almost immediately. This no doubt comes from knowledge of the 2007 proposal made by the Communion to enter into the Catholic fold whilst remaining, in daily rite and liturgy, Anglican. The Vatican is even allowing married Anglican priests to retain their spouse.
The other group thinks not many groups will make the transition, mostly because of key remaining doctrinal difficulties. That is to say, there are reasons the purists are still Anglican and not Catholic - the Pope (especially his infallibility), lack of powers of the laity, bishop powers, marriage after divorce, etc. Thus a group should not base their judgment for transitioning on disliking one issue in their current state, but should judge on what they’d be getting themselves into. This is wise advice.
The main question I ask in all of this is: Why? Surely the Vatican isn’t as opportunistic as it seems to be in this case. Can the Catholic Church afford to offer a “defect now and we’ll throw in a free toaster” sort of scheme like this? Is this really the way to keep ecumenism alive between Anglicans and Catholics, or is there something going on behind the scenes?
What are your thoughts? I’m curious and introductorily-informed.
