Three days ago Anglican Bishop John Shelby Spong wrote the following diatribe that quickly engulfed the pro-same-sex-marriage blogs:
http://tinyurl.com/yf3f7d2

I wonder if this is the response from the Vatican?

Hey Ted,

I hope everything is going well for you. You are still in my prayers as I hope I am still in yours.

I read the Sprong essay and WOW it seems so odd coming from a "man of the cloth". I guess I am old school (aka Catholic).

I was wondering if you knew anything about Anglican hierarchy? How high up is this guy in their heirarchy? I have no idea and, after reading the link, am very curious...

John Shelby Spong is the Anglican equivalent of our own Archbishop Wakefield- in almost every respect, including homosexuality. He was the first American Anglican Bishop to come out of the closet with his gay lover, and he lead the discussions on ordination of homosexuals in the Anglican Church that led to the current schism. He's retired now, but was Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, in the American Episcopal Conference.

I surmise that the Archbishop of Canterbury figured out that he has lost the point.

After a period of reflection and prayer, he might find himself close to conversion. I hope you will use your prayers to speed him along his journey.

I do not think the pope gave any direct response whatsoever to this unfortunate fellow.

All I can say is thanks Ted, wow, and God bless the Anglicans.

B16 has just acknowledged reality. The Anglican Communion has been drifting away from traditional Christianity. With the appointment of women bishops, the outlook for full reconciliation is naught.

I don't know how many will make use of the personal ordinariate, among Anglo-Catholics who have not already split with the Anglican Communion. If it is even 5% then the remaining communion will be dominated by modernizers. Within 10-15 years the remaining communion will have adopted all the policies (and more) of The Episcopal Church.

Great post!

I've been aware since the '80s of Spong's position as someone rather far out even within Anglicanism, but had never heard that he was gay. It would make a certain sort of sense, but are you quite sure about it? I thought Eugene Robinson was the first openly gay Episcopal bishop.

But in any case: it seems questionable whether Spong should even be considered a Christian at all, as he has devoted many years to attacking, in a somewhat hysterical way, everything that bears much resemblance to the historical teachings. Dude's got major issues, whatever they are.

and once the Eastern Orthodox see it working well, they too might find ways to reunite with the ancient See of Rome.

This is either a poor joke, or the author is genuinely ignorant of the hatred which the Orthodox churches bear towards the Catholic eastern-rite churches. The existence of the (contemptuously-named) 'uniate' churches is the most significant obstacle to improved Catholic-Orthodox relations. If anything, Pope Benedict has backed away from support for the eastern-rite Catholic churches - take the tiny Byzantine-Slavonic Rite Russian Catholic Church, which has more or less been suppressed by Rome since emerging from the catacombs in the 1990s, in the interests of the bigger prize, namely improved relations between Rome and Moscow.

Pope Benedict's gesture has nothing to do with ecumenism. It's a statement of contempt for the Anglican Communion: in comparison with the Orthodox Churches, it matters so little that there's no need for diplomacy or restraint in enticing its members away.

I think the distinction is that Robinson was an openly partnered homosexual when he was "consecrated" bishop. I doubt if Spong was out when he was made bishop. In any case, the man is long retired and seems to need to create controversy to remind folks of his existence.

He makes a fitting complement to his Christ-hating distaff, Carter Heyward ( a professor of Theology at EDS).

Kamilla

to see my ancestral maternal Anglican Church of St. Peter's in Martley (just to the west of Worcester) return to its Catholic heritage. This small country church amidst the hops fields of the West Midlands of 12th century origin is where my mother was baptized into the faith and where my grandparents and two sets of great-grandparents are buried. The whitewashed walls of the Reformation period have revealed a very early fresco of the Vigin. It is the church where twenty years ago about 25 of us cousins laid claim to this edifice of our faith - both protestant and Catholic - and held a 'prayer service.' Perhaps this heralded what was yet to come. Maybe some bishop would ordain me to the presbyterate to serve as pastor of a returning Catholic community.

The prayers of Cardinal Newman, the intellectual giant of the 19th Century, who paid a heavy price to become the first modern convert from Catnerbury to Rome; the prayers of Cardinal Newman, whose spiritual legacy stretches from G. K. Chesterton to the lay apostolates of the internet age; the prayers of Cardinal Newman, whom Pope Benedict XVI will beatify in England next spring; the prayers of Cardinal Newman have been a factor here, as have those of Blessed Dominic Barberi, who prayed throughout his life, and still prays in Heaven, for the conversion of England and her people, whose true Faith was stolen from them nearly 500 years ago.

I has been some time since I read something positive in the news. I rejoice and praise God. I know it will be resented by some for a variety of reasons. It is good to know that traditional and orthodox (meaning not the Orthodox Church but unorthodox in doctrine) believers have a place to go home after watching their communion devolve into disaster which is what happens when you compromise with the world and this current age rather than follow Tradition and Holy Scripture.

As one Englishman said in the UK Telegraph, this was a "bold and generous move by Pope Benedict."

I hope it doesn't hit them in the you-know-what on their way out...

I once saw a prophecy about England, which stated that the English were lost to the Church through Elizabeth and will be reunited to the Church through a second Elizabeth.

Also, the English will be brought back into the Church through the Blessed Mother when they at last appeal to her for help.

I think the one thing keeping the Orthodox schism from ending is pride, more so from the Orthodox side than ours from what I can see. This seems to be very pervasive in their clergy, with some exceptions as seen from the good Archbishop in the linked article: http://tinyurl.com/yjl3pns

I don't think Benedict is showing liberals the door. Rather, he is once again reaffirming what the Catholic Church teaches and hoping for conversion. It would be wonderful if some of these new Anglican Use parishes could reevangelize many of our liberal Roman rite brethren, who may be attracted to them due to their acceptance of married priests.

Doug

I love Venerable Newman, I pray for his canonization every day, and my work is actually focused on him. However, he was not the first Anglican clergyman in the 1800's to come home to Rome...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Spencer

There may have been others I don't know about.

I'm all for that, naturally.

But I don't see how anything in this announcement constitutes "showing [presumably Catholic] liberals the door."

Did I miss something?

In what way does allowing Anglicans a comfortable way to embrace their Anglican liturgical and pastoral heritage as non-dissenters within the Catholic Church, constitute a rebuke or even a nudge toward dissenters in the Church who aren't connected with that heritage?

Sorry. I thought I'd read the piece carefully; but that observation seemed to come out of the blue.

I grew up in England during the '40's and '50's and after every Mass we said a prayer "for our separated bretheren, that they may united with us in the one true fold" I think that this new development is an answer to those prayers. As far as I know that prayer was said in every Church after Mass on Sundays. I can't remember if it was said after the weekday Masses, but it's quite possible.

If the Anglican hierarchy doesn't want to let the new Roman Catholic Anglicans take their property with them, I'll bet a lot of inner cities have closed Catholic churches which can be given to them. Cleveland certainly does, Pittsburgh as well. It would probably be a matter of just moving down the street in many cases.

I belonged to one of the first parishes who approached Rome and our priests were the ones who in my opinion made it possible for the Pastoral Provision and the first Anglican Use parishes.

In the end the Cardinal denied our parishes to be part of the Anglican Use. If is funny how God worked and the door was closed to us.

Our parish split three ways, some stayed as they loved the building and became Continuing Anglicans, our building was not owned by the diocese, but they sued us and lost. One group went Orthodox and the rest of us became Catholic. All of our priests became Catholic.

From our experience I don't know that any of the churches will be handed over and I don't think that Rome would want a fight over property.

I have read many negative responses, that Rome is stealing sheep, that these Anglicans are going to very unhappy submitting to the Pope etc. That they will be Papists, this from Anglicans. There might be some in TAC who aren't really for this, but they can stay in the Continuing Anglican movement if they want.

No one is forcing Anglicans to become Catholic, the Holy Father doesn't need to be recruiting more into the flock as there are millions of Catholics. I feel sad that there is all this anger being shown from other Christians. We all must choose where we feel that God wants us to be and not judge others for their choices.

"...and they shall hear My Voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."