Reconciliation in the Anglican Way?

see-- www.american-anglican.fsnet.co.uk

Perhaps impossible.

Perhaps it is not worth trying.

Perhaps the disorder will remain in the USA until the Parousia.

Or, perhaps soon those who are walking away from each other will begin to walk toward each other and to the One Christ to be together in the Anglican Way in the USA!

Let us remember a few things.

Before the revolutionary 1960s virtually all Anglicans/Episcopalians in the USA were within the comprehensive Protestant Episcopal Church. Those outside were not more than 1%.

After the 1960s, and the rush by the Episcopal Church into the adoption of innovations in liturgy, doctrine and order in the 1970s, the whole Anglican Family and the total Anglican Map in the USA were torn apart. Disorder, disorientation and dysfunctionality became the obvious external signs of this ancient Family. Internal controversy and division increased within the Episcopal Church itself, and there was soon also internal controversy and division amongst those who left the Episcopal Church (via the gate of St Louis)in 1977 with high ideals to form "the Continuing Anglican Church."

And, regrettably, controversy has continued unabated since the 1970s and the schisms, splits and divisions have multiplied, so that there is within the Episcopal Church not only different schools of thought but parties who are not in communion one with another; and, further, amongst the Extra-Mural Anglicans/Episcopalians the divisions have also continued to appear and create an every increasing number of Anglican groups, who are often not on talking terms with each other.

Yet, amazingly within all this turmoil some churches/parishes both inside and outside of the Episcopal Church have prospered both numerically & spiritually. God is good and does not always remember our sins!

But from the outside and with a bird's eye view the picture is grim - " by schisms rent asunder by heresies distressed."

Happily, there is a growing number who know in their hearts and minds that Anglicans, who claim to be biblically-based and true to their own tradition and polity, ought to be in fellowship and pulling together. But they seem to be fighting against the odds for the simple reason that every grouping/denomination/jurisdiction has its own internal reasons for perpetuating its own existence and independence, and the "freedom" which is the American ethos makes apartness so easy to maintain.

Do enough American Anglicans care sufficiently about the will of the Lord Jesus for the unity of his people to work to re-unite those who aspire to orthodoxy (from within the Episcopal Church and from the Extra-Mural Anglican diaspora) and who are now so tragically divided? It seems like an impossible task but, after all, with God all things are possible!

Let us pursue: Unity in Truth and Truth in Unity, but Unity without Uniformity!

The Revd Dr Peter Toon November 20 2003