The Wrong One

“And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; that they may be one, as we also are.” (John 17:11)

What if the Church itself is a big reason why Christ’s followers are not “One”?

The schism in the Anglican Church has raised the possibility of a mass conversion to Roman Catholicism. However, experts in greater numbers are openly questioning whether certain elements in the Roman Church will try and prevent this unity. Syndicated columnist Rod Dreher points this out in his Beliefnet.com column, “Ex-Anglicans: The Wrong Kind of Catholics?” (http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2008/08/exanglicans-the-wrong-kind-of.html) The traditional, conservative bloc of the Anglican Church is in revolt over the American Anglican Church’s decision to ordinate homosexuals and women as bishops. Serious discussions are ongoing about this disaffected group uniting with Rome in some capacity. More priests, more Catholics, and more supporters for the Vatican . Why would anyone in the Roman Church object? “Some Catholic clergy don't want those traddie Episcopalians, presumably because they would be a force for Catholic orthodoxy.”

Bingo.

Dreher hits it on the head. The Roman Church, particularly the American branch, contains a strong liberal contingent among its clergy. The shift toward tradition already underway thanks to Pope Benedict is already marginalizing these liberal factions. What could be worse for their careers than an influx of religious conservatives who will diminish their influence even further?

Dreher relates a story “about a former Episcopal bishop of Fort Worth who wanted to convert to Rome but was sabotaged by Catholic clergy”. It’s worth reading.



Donald Tremblay