"Church" of England Continues to Decompose

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        After forty years of "ecumenical dialogue" supposedly aimed at restoring "Christian unity," the so-called "Church of England" is farther than ever from the Catholic Church.

        Witness the naming of Rowan Williams, the "Archbishop" of Wales, to succeed George Carey as the "Archbishop" of Canterbury. As the BBC reported on July 23, 2002, this was wonderful news for the "Reverend" Richard Kirker, General Secretary of something called "the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM)." As BBC reports, Kirker is happy because "Lesbian and gay Christians have many good reasons to believe that Rowan Williams will be our friend and an unapologetic ally rather in the way that South Africa's inspiring Desmond Tutu has become."

        For one thing, says BBC "Rowan Williams, a noted theologian, academic and author, has eloquently advocated that Christianity and homosexuality should be viewed as wholly consistent with each other. God's gift to human beings includes, for some, homosexuality as well as for others, heterosexuality." This is what passes for "theology" in the decrepit debating society which calls itself the "Church" of England.

        But it is even worse than that. According to BBC, Rowan believes that "Neither should clergy be expected to be celibate just because they are gay or lesbian." What can one say?

        BBC helpfully observes that "Rowan Williams will be judged, over time, by the extent to which he is able to present homophobia as equally unchristian and by how long it takes to carry the Church with him." The same "Church," of course, condones abortion and has just recently approved remarriage after divorce. And, as both former "Archbishop" of Canterbury, George Carey, and Rowan agree, sooner or later there must be women "bishops" to go along with the "Church" of England’s women "priests."

        One must ask: Why does Pope John Paul II continue to dignify this morally and theologically decrepit husk of an institution by appointing yet another "working group" to discuss theological "issues" between the one true Church and the Anglican "Church"? Why does he not call upon Anglicans to abandon their damnable errors and leave their false church for the good of their souls? What has happened to the Church’s perennial concern for souls lost in error? Why do the leaders of the Catholic Church no longer say, with Pope Pius XI and all the preconciliar Popes: "The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the true worship. This is the fount of truth, this the house of Faith, this the temple of God: if any man enter not here, or if any man go forth from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate wrangling. For life and salvation are here concerned …"

        Yet "obstinate wrangling" is precisely what "ecumenical dialogue" encourages. It is long past time for the leaders of the Catholic Church to tell the Anglicans and the other "partners" in "ecumenical dialogue" that their obstinate wrangling over divine truth imperils their souls and that they must return to the house of Faith for their own eternal safety. Apparently, it will take another Pope to return to the course set by all of this Pope’s predecessors.