Going, Going, Gone

I'm not here to judge people: I'm here to provide "footnotes" to my own thinking, which may, of course, be itself in error. But if there is truth even in error, then I don't need to worry too much: for the attempt to avoid error is error itself. I am stimulated by the thoughts of others, whether or not, that thinking will stand the test. No one has a monopoly on truth. But, in all events, I am not the one to put others to that test.

Mr. Beeler:

Point One: The Historic Disaster of Anglo-Papalism

I tend to have a bit of a down on Anglo-Papalism not so much because of what they believe, but because they opened the door to modernism - a point which Victorian Liberal Churchman, the Very Rev. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, understood all too well. Their logic chopping, and more to the point, the fact that after the initial protests of 1841 it was not aggressively condemned, made the Church of England a safe place for Liberal theology. The Latitudinarians had had to watch their backs because the old Protestant High Churchmen would put the dogs on them, but with the A-Ps sweeping the streets for them, the Modernists had to do something egregiously stupid before there was a stink about the heresy being promoted.

Point Two: The Ultimate Fruits of Anglo-Papalism

Of course, the church has changed. Most of the great Anglo-catholic shrines have changed and become 'affirming' of the innovations on holy orders and/or human sexuality. Few, if any, use the old missal/1928. Those going/gone affirming or teetering include St. Mary the Virgin in NYC, Ascension & St. Agnes in DC (received woman bishop), Advent Boston had a gay marriage, St. Paul's K street has the retired bishop of Minnesota as interim and he has invited women clergy to guest function ...

S. Clement's has become an affirming haven with the retiring rector (and a former curate) flaunting the new religion at the Gay Pride Fest in Philly. Good Shepherd Rosemont hardly seems like it can survive with its diminished membership after the Fr. Moyer debacle, and is less than sound now from what I read on her facebook posts. And the rector who is leaving for St. Clement's is a member of the Society of Catholic Priests, the newest incarnation of the old Affirming Catholic movement. I can't imagine the Diocese of Pennsylvania will allow a solid catholic priest into the diocese to revive it.

And let's not forget the many parishes in NYC that were once catholic bastions but have now gone soft; St. Ignatius & Transfiguration to name just two more (and let us not forget that not too long ago being in the the Diocese of Long Island was a badge of honor for catholic clergy) ...

We must not forget St. Thomas, New York, where an Affirming Catholic has been elected Rector and whose wife is also a priest. Will she be celebrating there too? Also, Church of the Ascension, Chicago recently elected an SCP priest as Rector. Will others be falling soon? God forbid!

It is all just faded pictures in some book now.

Say goodbye to the Biretta Belt.

I, myself, am guilty, as well.
Mea maxima culpa.