Ecumenical

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0805b690.jpg" border=0 width="91" height="105" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>©</B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Serifa Th BT" ><B> </B></FONT><B>M M Wright 2005</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE FAMILY PRAYER </B></div> <div> <B>Almighty God, we beseech Thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer  death upon the Cross; who now liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. </B><I><B>Amen</B></I></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#808080" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Holy Catholic Church - Western Rite (in the Family of Catholic Churches)</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>   </B></FONT><B> </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Holy Catholic Church Western Rite ("><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editors Page"><U><B>Editor's Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History"><U><B>History</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tree of Faith"><U><B>Tree of Faith</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who are we?"><U><B>Who are we?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canons"><U><B>Canons</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How to find us"><U><B>How to find us</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Directory"><U><B>Directory</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B>Events</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bookshop"><U><B>Bookshop</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Monastic Page"><U><B>Monastic Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spanish Page 1"><U><B>Spanish Page 1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Spanish Page 2"><U><B> Spanish Page 2</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Xhosa Page"><U><B>Xhosa Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Africa Page"><U><B>Africa Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Ecumenical</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles"><U><B>Articles</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Documentation"><U><B>Documentation</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=370 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="056a5a43.jpg"> <div> <I>Ecumenical</I></div> <div> <B>The The Holy Catholic Church - Western Rite (in the Family of Catholic Churches) is committed to the view that the only true and effective way of re-uniting the Churches is by a return to the Faith of the Undivided Catholic Church (which includes the authentic Catholic Ecclesiology). Much 'ecumenical' activity starts with the Churches as separated ecclesiastical institutions and seeks ways of uniting them. Such activity ignores the basic principles of Christian unity as demonstrated in the collegiate nature of the ancient Ecumenical Councils. The unity of the Catholic Church is a 'given' which must be recovered, not a scheme to be created.</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="ecumenical"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>THE ECUMENICAL INITIATIVE OF THE TRADITIONAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION</div> <bR> <div> A long time ago the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) made an initial contact with the Vatican. Only recently has this contact developed into a significant dialogue. The process has been greatly assisted by the election of the present TAC Primate, Archbishop John Hepworth, and (one may dare to say) the newly established pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. It would seem that both these Christian leaders hold similar understandings of the nature of the Church.</div> <bR> <div> It is important, for the moment, to restrain the almost automatic misgivings generated by the very idea of ‘dialogue with Rome’; these will be dealt with at a later point in this paper. One has the impression that Archbishop Hepworth hopes the outcome of the present dialogue will result in a greater recognition of the status of the TAC by the Vatican - reaching possibly as far as some form of ‘uniate’ status, with the TAC retaining a distinctively ‘Anglican’ character. Such an outcome depends chiefly on the establishment of common ecclesiological ground. (‘Ecclesiology’ in this context means the doctrine concerning the nature of the Church).</div> <bR> <div> As far as the TAC is concerned, it is quite easy to determine its ecclesiological stance. The TAC Concordat is totally committed to the Fundamental Principles contained in the Affirmation of St Louis. The relevant section of the Concordat is as follows:</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3.1 In the firm conviction that "we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ," and that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved," we acknowledge our duty to proclaim Christ's saving Truth to all peoples, nations and tongues. </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3.2 We acknowledge that rule of faith laid down by St Vincent of Lerins: "Let us hold that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all, for that is truly and properly Catholic." Accordingly, we declare our intention to hold fast the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith of God and to transmit the same unimpaired to our posterity.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3.3 We affirm as integral to the history and essential to the formation of this Communion all of the doctrinal, moral and other theological principles set out in the Declaration of loyal Anglicans gathered in the Congress of St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America in the year 1977, generally known as </B></I><I><B>The Affirmation of St. Louis</B></I><I><B>.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3.4 Each member Church or Province of this Communion shall have authority to adopt its own Fundamental or Solemn Declarations consistent with The </B></I><I><B>Affirmation of St. Louis</B></I><I><B>, provided that each member Church or Province of this Communion does and shall disclaim expressly any authority to amend or depart in any substantive manner from the Fundamental Declarations hereof, or to derogate from Holy Scripture, or to determine unilaterally any question of Faith or Order, the authority for determining such residing in the College of Bishops of this Communion acting with such competent advice as may be available to it.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> It is important to note the responsibility and authority of the College of Bishops to rule on all matters of doctrinal and other fundamental issues - as in 3.4 quoted above. Furthermore the role of the Primate of the Communion is set out in Section 5.1:</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>There shall be a Primate of this Communion who shall preside in charity among the Bishops thereof, not as a prelate, but in the Patristic sense as an elder brother.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The intention is to repudiate the legalistic concept of authority implied in the term ‘prelate’ and adhere instead to the ancient concept of primacy as a focus of unity and coordination in faithfulness to the Apostolic Tradition - as set out in Apostolic Canon 34.</div> <bR> <div> For an idea of Pope Bendict’s view of ecclesiology I am indebted to an important and informative article on the subject by Dr. Tracey Rowland, Dean of the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, Australia - published in the September 2005 issue of The Messenger. On the subject of Pope Benedict’s view of ‘The Petrine Office, The Episcopate, and Unity ...’ Dr Rowland has this to say:</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Of the Petrine Office he (Pope Benedict) has written that it is not an absolute monarchy. Its powers are circumscribed by the tradition itself. The unity of the Church, he argues, is rooted in the unity of the Episcopate, and the unity of the Episcopate requires the existence of a Bishop who is Head of the Body or College of Bishops, and he sees this head as the Roman pontiff, who as the successor of Peter, is a perpetual and visible source and foundation of unity.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The whole of Dr. Rowland’s article is worth studying as it traces the movement towards a more truly patristic concept of the Faith - and ecclesiolgy in particular - on the part of Pope Benedict and the group of important theological scholars (known as the ‘Communio’ group) with which he has always been associated.</div> <bR> <div> The general impression given, therefore, is that both the Roman Catholic Church under Benedict XVI and the TAC under Archbishop Hepworth are moving forward on parallel lines, lines which might begin to converge at some future date. There are also important peripheral concerns which might encourage further re-assessment of relationships between the two and lead on to an ever closer union. One concern comes easily to mind. Were the TAC to achieve ‘uniate’ status while retaining its tradition of a married clergy, this might ease the considerable problem that the Vatican is experiencing in the area of recruitment of suitable clergy. The Petrine Office would not be compromised, but a new potential for meeting the challenges of both ‘gay’ and ‘feminist’ ideologies would be established.</div> <bR> <div> It is necessary now to return to the misgivings which arise automatically amongst non-Roman Catholics. The history of the entire Church for the past thousand years, and especially in the post-Reformation era, has been dominated by conflict over the role of the papacy and its ‘Universal Primacy’ (meaning total control) over all Christians. I have elsewhere written concerning the historical pathway which made this conflict - of a fundamentally ecclesiological character - inevitable. The Roman claim to such Universal Primacy was defined in uncompromising terms by the First Vatican Council so that any dialogue with the Vatican has too easily appeared as the first steps toward unconditional surrender to that claim.  The period since Vatican II has seen the development of an internal dispute on what the Decrees of Vatican I really involve, and how far that Council itself is totally authoritative.</div> <bR> <div> The image of total, divinely guaranteed, authority projected by Vatican I is still attractive to some in its simplicity - especially as exercised by such a person as Pope John Paul II. Nevertheless it remains an ecclesiological aberration which is now creating enormous internal problems within the Roman Church. As Dr Rowland writes, it reduces the laity to a class of ignorant peasants and such a consequence cannot hope to stand up against the challenges of the modern secular West.</div> <bR> <div> The problem is how to re-define (i.e. unscramble) the status of Vatican I. A possible solution has been aired for some time now. The entire Catholic Church recognises the authoritative status of the first seven Ecumenical Councils - there is even an Eighth Council which was recognised universally, the Council of Constantinople of 880, until the papacy, in the Eleventh Century decided unilaterally in favour of the earlier (discredited) Council of 869. The solution is to re-designate all the subsequent ‘Ecumenical’ Councils held by the Roman Church (from Lateran I onward) as local ‘Western Councils’.  The effect would be to restore the relationship existing among the ancient Patriarchates prior to the Eleventh Century with the Roman Patriarchate again recognised as the senior patriarchate and focus of universal unity. The essential role of Petrine Office would not be impaired by this restoration - except for those who hanker after an authoritarian one man ‘oracle’.</div> <bR> <div> We can now begin to see the context in which the TAC initiative is taking place and the quite radical but positive implications which might flow from it. In no sense is Archbishop Hepworth selling out the TAC to Rome, nor, it would seem, is Rome demanding such a surrender. A process has been put in motion which we all need to support with our prayers in the hope that it may turn out to be the catalyst which initiates the further restoration of a truly universal Catholic Church, and thus enrich our understanding of the Church as the Body of Christ.</div> <div> + M.M.W.  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" >26/12/05</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>|  </B>  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Arial" > H<A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Holy Catholic Church Western Rite ("><U>ome</U></A>   :   </FONT><A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editors Page"><U><B>Editor's Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History"><U><B>History</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tree of Faith"><U><B>Tree of Faith</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who are we?"><U><B>Who are we?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canons"><U><B>Canons</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How to find us"><U><B>How to find us</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Directory"><U><B>Directory</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events"><U><B>Events</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bookshop"><U><B>Bookshop</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Monastic Page"><U><B>Monastic Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spanish Page 1"><U><B>Spanish Page 1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Spanish Page 2"><U><B> Spanish Page 2</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Xhosa Page"><U><B>Xhosa Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Africa Page"><U><B>Africa Page</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Ecumenical</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Articles"><U><B>Articles</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Documentation"><U><B>Documentation</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>