There are naturally a range of quite mixed reactions to Pope Benedict XVI's initiative in offering an 'Apostolic Constitution' within the Roman Catholic Church for Anglicans wishing to flee their own troubled shores.
Some have greeted it as an aggressive attempt to poach members, others have conceived of it as a generous recognition of the regard in which the Vatican holds the Anglican 'patrimony'.
In truth, it is both a cause for sadness and celebration. On the one hand, it is clearly a recognition by the Vatican that divisions within Anglicanism are now so bad that it is no longer possible to address Anglicanism entirely through the traditional 'diplomatic' channels. Indeed, I am aware that some Anglican bishops have had private meetings with Cardinal Kasper of the Secretariat for Unity over the years about the setting up of some form of Uniate scheme, similar to some church relationships in the Middle East.
On the other hand, it is an initiative which would clearly not be possible without closer relationships developed through decades of official dialogues and many other initiatives. It builds also on the extraordinary progress made in relationships among the churches represented by the 1995 Encyclical, 'Ut Unum Sint' in which Pope John Paul II invited Christians to address the ways in which the office of the Papacy could be shared as a gift to all the churches. So, somewhat ironically, it just could be that a crisis within Anglicanism concerning homosexuality and women bishops might provide a catalyst for a fresh start for closer relationship between our two Communions: joined at the hip, sharing one tragic history, yet united in so many ways that indicate a common destiny.
But let's be careful. A time of reflection and caution is now needed without precipitate responses, either of offense taken, or euphoric overreaction. After all, the differences between Anglicans and Roman Catholics have not disappeared overnight. For many Anglicans, doctrines such as Papal infallibility and the Marian dogmas remain considerable barriers to unity with the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is not yet clear which aspects of Anglican tradition, practice and theology are to be embraced by the Apostolic Constitution.
Yet Anglicanism has also had a very strong strand which is an ambivalence towards its own survival. As another former Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, put it in his magisterial address to the 1988 Lambeth Conference: "The Churches of the Anglican Communion have never claimed to be more than a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Anglicanism has a radically provisional character which we must never allow to be obscured." In other words, we have never claimed the last word, or insisted that unity must be on our terms.
It is for this reason that 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. Historically, we have been a Church formed and shaped from a 'troika' of three traditions - evangelical, high church and liberal. Many evangelicals are now hiving off to the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans and refusing to have anything to do with the rest of the church. If Anglo-Catholics are wooed by Rome we could see the Church of England becoming a mainly liberal church, espousing little more than tolerance and liberality in all things; a kind of green party at prayer. Yes, the troika we have inherited has been, at times, a wild group of horses but, for myself, I would rather have that, than what we are likely to have if distinctive groups go their separate ways.
We do indeed live in uncertain times but I remain quite convinced that Anglicanism stands for something that is not quite caught by other traditions and, with respect, not even by Rome. That is to say, Catholic and Reformed. This has sometimes been put in the Latin tag: 'Ecclesia reformata et semper reformanda' (the Church reformed and constantly in need of reform). In faithful continuity to the past and yet open to all that God wishes to reveal to us through the fundamental sources of our faith, namely, the scriptures.
By George Carey
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