We in the Continuing Anglican Movement have had our ups and downs. Our whole movement began with a shaky start, and immediately fell into disunity. It has been our greatest weakness. What I intend to do with this little blog is promote the unity that is much needed amongst us. Not just among a few of the bodies, such as the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Province of Christ the King, and the United Episcopal Church of North America. The aim of his blog goes much deeper than that. My aim in establishing this blog is to get people talking. To get them moving in the direction of unity.
The Continuing Anglican Movement began in the 60's when a much flawed, and opinionated Priest from Statesville, North Carolina left the PECUSA. It culminated in the Congress of St. Louis (which, incidentally, ignored and completely slighted the earlier movement which began in teh 60's), which eventually brought about the creation of the Anglican Catholic Church. Unfortunately, it also brought about quite a few other churches as well. Why? The unity wasn't there. Everyone had their own ideas about how things were going to work, and politics and ambition got in the way.
Now here we are 30 years later, and we are still as fragmented as we have always been. Precious few take us seriously because of it. There is a whole new movement of people out of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and because we are fragmented, we are not part of that. In fact, quite early on, we lost the one symbol of unity that Anglicans have had for centuries... the Archbishop of Canturbury. We have never replaced him with another symbol of unity. We have never done what has been needed.
I know a man who has a pretty good idea about this. He's in my own parish. He says that we need to get all of these Bishops together, lock them in a room, and not open the doors until they have hashed everything out. Well, I think that's a good idea. The Roman Catholics call that a Conclave, and its how they elect a new Pope. I think it is way past time that we call another Congress of St. Louis. A new Congress to push for unity. And I think EVERYONE should be brought to the table, whether it is believed their orders are valid or not (that can be very easily taken care of). One of the goals of this new Congress of St. Louis should be the establishment of a See of St. Louis. Put all of the Bishops together in one room, and don't let them out until they have decided on a new Archbishop of St. Louis, whose sole job it will be to promote unity among the Continuing Anglican Churches. Any other ecclesiastical authority could be decided upon at a later date. The initial intent of creating the position is to provide a mouthpeice for the movement, and an arbiter of disputes. This is something that might have saved the movement from splintering in the first place back in the 70's, but no one had the forethought to do it.
That is my intentions in creating this blog. To bring together people of like mind, who can work together to bring this unity about, and maybe even to eventually call that new Congress of St. Louis. 30 years is too long to hold to these petty differences, when they can be solved with a little effort and a lot of repentance and humility.
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2 comments:
Actually, even though I'm strongly urging unity as a necessity, both morally, and practically, I am NOT looking for "a central figure to speak for Continuing Anglicans" We need, with one heart and one mind, to seek a consensus. What unity other than formal does one see in the present Roman Church? Not much, I'm afraid. What unity has resulted from Anglicans' reliance on the Archbishop of Canterbury? The East, while it does have an "Ecumencal Patriarch" in Constantinople, has no trusted spokesman, and yet (for all its apparent division) has a far greater degree of real unity than either of the other communions I mention. Enforced unity doesn't work, but the unity of those whose hearts desire to draw together doesn't require mechanisms to make it happen. Unity is in Christ, not in either systems or specific leaders.
How do we express this in visible practice? Simply by talking to one another, sharing one another's altars, involving one another as brethren in all our deciding. If we are not prepared to stop biting and devouring one another now, instantly, without the need for a big meeting to force it, then we've already given up the game, and probably should fold up our tents and quietly sneak away.
Instead we argue over different views of history (My account would be much different from yours}, over bad actions and hurt feelings (on all sides), over picayune little points which serve, not to seek truth, but to cement division.
Yes, there are differebces of opinion and practice that need to be resolved, but until we are willing to approach them with a determination to find a way to be one, there is no meeting or concordat or covenant that can bring us together. Pray for a repentant heart in each one of us. Standing at that great watershed between ACA and ACC, I don't see much of that on either side, and I believe Our Lord weeps.
ed
I thought of the same thing years ago. It is a shame because there is a solid parish in Dunwoody, GA that is APA and there are smaller parishes that belongs to the ACC in Marietta and Atlanta. It would have been much better if bishops did not large egos.