High Anglicanism

Pope Benedict XVI has created an "Anglican Rite" within the Roman Catholic church for High Anglicans who wish to leave the Church of England.

Two things strike me about this announcement.

First that the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church seems to have abandoned the idea that Anglicans are heretics and has, logically, conceeded High Anglican clergy equal status with Roman Catholic clergy.

Secondly, that inviting High Anglicans to enter the Church of Rome rather misses the point about High Anglicanism.

The Oxford Movement which developed High Anglicanism emerged from antiquarian research and philosophical enquiry in the 19th century that reached the conclusion that the Church of England WAS the true Catholic and Apostolic Church - purged of error, with the Apostolic Succession maintained, representing the purest form of the Christian religion (insofar as any Church can claim to have "the truth").

It's very gracious of the Pope to invite High Anglicans to join the Roman church, and no doubt we should return the compliment by inviting Roman Catholics to join ours.

The newspapers have generally written up this announcement as another episode in the "tottering" Church of England at war with itself over gay clergy and women bishops.

At the parish level this commentary has no meaning and is unrecognisable.

Tomorrow, across the land:



Above: the brass will be burnished.



Above: the flowers will be arranged (not normally in such a jokey fashion).



Above: the bells will ring.



Above: the candles on the altars will be lit (six candles for High Anglicans).



Above: the choirs will sing (this is actually choir practice - they will wear robes on Sunday).



Above: and the congregations will take their places as they have done for hundreds of years (these hassocks are stuffed with wool and date from the 18th century - they are very hard to kneel on, but the height of the hassock means you do not have to crouch on the edge of the pew).