Tuesday, October 20, 2009

ACTION - REACTION

[Episcopal News Service] His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has announced his plans to allow provisions that would accept groups of former Anglicans who wish to convert to the Roman Catholic Church, according to an Oct. 20 press release from The Vatican.
[from episcopalife online]

In science classes a lifetime ago we learned that there is no action without an equal and opposite reaction.
And so it is, apparently, with regard to the actions of ECUSA, the Anglican Communion, and the Roman Catholic Church.

A few of the news sites we visit are all abuzz with releases regarding this news out of London and Rome.

For those of us who are concerned members of ECUSA, a lot is going on in this old world in which we live.

ECUSA should be concerned.

Perhaps interested is the better word, for the Pope is really providing a nuanced way for a significant segment of the disenchanted members of ECUSA to leave, a development which would strengthen the hands of the liberals now in charge of the national church.

And Roman Catholics should be interested, as the option will allow a new class of Christians to enter their ranks, and again, the old rule would again hold true, that action begets reaction.

The steadyasyougoers of ECUSA [I know, not a word] should be interested too, for even though perhaps uncomfortable with trends in ECUSA, they will find themselves further marginalized if they opt to stay the course while compatriots are leaving the fold.

Interesting stuff!!

6 comments:

Upnorfjoel said...

Paul, you said...."a development which would strengthen the hands of the liberals now in charge of the national church". I'm sure that you meant "weaken", for this is yet another potential avenue for disenfranchised Episcopalians to take their so-called "orthodox" beliefs elsewhere.

Also, please use the correct title/acronym of "TEC"; the new name of our highjacked Church....for this ain't your father's ECUSA anymore!

Paul said...

Joel,
I'm sure I meant 'strengthen' inasmuch as it is likely that an even greater number than otherwise of Episcopal conservatives might be drawn to the Roman Church.
What do you say?

Paul said...

And Joel,
the photos on your new website are, as our British cousin would say, brilliant!

Upnorfjoel said...

Ah-ha. I see your angle now. I think I would still say weakened though, first because conservatives in the Church have practically no standing now, so how much more strengthening can the liberals achieve? And second, because I beleive that externally, TEC is already being marginallized on so many fronts. Between so called othodox schism, this Roman offer and the decline in Church membership generally, they could number less than a million in five years. A very small minority here, and only a whisper on the world stage.

On the photo comment, first thank you, but are you talking about my occasional postings at The Mole Hole, or have you cracked my photo site? I haven't officially launched that yet!

Paul said...

"...have you cracked my photo site?"

Photo compliments were directed toward your 'Artifacts of Light."

Have not commented there as yet.

Upnorfjoel said...

Great! Glad you liked it. There are actually two out there under the same title "Artifacts of Light". Different URL's though. I'm shutting down the one with the black background. (No discriminatory intent). The official one is artifactsoflight.blogspot.
I'll be linking that to The Mole Hole very soon. I wanted a good "inventory" there before I did it.
Check back often for new shots.