The Saint Barnabas’ Blog

Ignore the photograph, I am not anti-royalist, it is just a cheap joke! But I do want to pause and consider how the wisdom of the psalmist might guide our thinking as Catholic Anglicans. As we continue to reflect on the offer of Sanctuary from Rome, and ponder our future with Canterbury, we must avoid the danger of pretending that either of them is a means of grace alone! Our eyes must not look to institutions, they must not look to offices (however re-assuring), they must only look to Jesus.

Quite clearly both Rome and Canterbury are imperfect in many ways. How could they be otherwise when they comprise of fallen human beings? Neither the Pope (however holy he may be) nor the Archbishop of Canterbury (likewise) can offer salvation, that gift is reserved for Christ alone. Nor are the sacraments validated but by the miracle of the Holy Spirit irrupting into this world for the sake of mankind.

Thus what is at issue is not ‘Is Rome better than Canterbury?’ or even ‘Is Rome more valid than Canterbury’ (though I think it may be!) What is at stake is ‘where is God calling us, as Catholic Anglicans, to live out our faith? Where will we be best placed to worship, evangelise and live out our calling with integrity and purpose?’

At Saint Barnabas, and many churches like this, that question raises some obvious points. Do we not already preach and teach the Catholic faith and not the fuzzy doctrines of home? Does the consecration of women not leave us with little choice unless we desire becoming congregationalist sacramentalists! Yet Anglicanism raised us and taught us our faith. Do we owe it to England to stay and fight for reform from within?

Until details of the Pope’s offer materialise that question is impossible to answer. It may remain true that the Church of England no longer has room for Anglican Catholics, but how will we build God’s kingdom effectively if the authorities block and stifle our move? How will we gather the sheep if resources are taken from us? So much of the future will depend on things so far unknown but we should not therefore worry.

God has a plan for those who are faithful, he will never abandon and it is HE who will guide our actions. That might involve a dramatic move or it might involve remaining where we are against all odds. At present only HE can know. What we must do is try to discern his still, small voice.

Premature cases of Roman fever are not helpful! Nor are nostalgic dreams of a Church of England long forgotten! We must get on our knees and pray, aknowledging the very difficult and painful decisions before us. And as we pray we must lift our eyesto Jesus, for he remains alone as ‘Christ our future’.

My good friend Father Ivan Aquilina SSC has long run an impressive blog, indeed it was he who encouraged me to start this one! Being somewhat less excitable than me he tends to produce more measured articles and I have long enjoyed reading them. But yesterday’s post was of an even higher standard than usual and I wholeheartedly agree with his every point. It is a rich, plum pudding of a post with so many delicious thoughts and phrases. The one that has stayed with me is this:

‘However some Churches are happier to listen to the spirit of this world than the Spirit of the living God.’

Amen! Do read the whole post by clicking on this link.

This morning the half term break afforded me unexpected space in the diary. I used it to produce a paper which will be given to each member of my congregation this Sunday. It is intended as an educational tool to equip the faithful for prayer and reflection as we seek to discern God’s will. If you would like me to email you a printable copy simply send me a message on frtomlinson@yahoo.co.uk I have tried to be measured and fair but it is obviously reflective of my own thinking at this time:

What has the Pope done?

Pope Benedict has responded to cries for help from Catholic Anglicans feeling marginalised within a national church which is heading in an increasingly radical and progressive direction. He has done this by offering a unique chance to leave the Church of England and unite as a new body within the Roman Catholic church. This new body will be distinctly Anglican in history, identity and patrimony.

How will this new body be distinctly Anglican?

We do not yet have details of the Pope’s offer so little is known! However we do know that this new body will accept married priests in the present, encourage Anglican liturgy (such as the English Missal we use at S. Barnabas) and encourage whole congregations to move together.

Why has the Pope done this?

This move suggest the Pope believes the Church of England is no longer capable of supporting Catholic Christians. Anglo-Catholics have long feared that, in the face of secularism and political correctness, Anglicanism is abandoning the faith and watering down the Gospel. This move demonstrates that the Roman Catholic authorities agree. It spells an end to any hope of unity between Rome and Canterbury, leaving anyone professing to be Catholic (yet staying within the Anglican fold) on very shaky ground doctrinally.

What was making life so difficult for Anglican Catholics?

The decision to ordain women in 1992 dealt a massive blow to those believing holy orders are not ours to tamper with. Whilst we admire the desire for equality we do not believe we have authority to change church teaching at whim and without the backing of scripture. We oppose women priests, not because they are women (a sexist position) but because we are unconvinced that they are authentic priests (a theological position). Now the church has decided to make women bishops as well, meaning a question mark will hang over the heads of all, men and women, whom they ordain. Clearly sacramental unity within our own church will be shattered forever.

So is this all about women bishops?

Certainly not! Women priests, like the push for gay marriage, are mere symptoms of a deeper malaise. Anglican Catholics, along with Evangelicals, Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox Christians believe in a revealed faith. That Jesus really was born of Virgin and raised from the dead! Our calling is therefore one of obedience. We look to Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever. The Pope is not offering space because we oppose women priests, he offers space because we affirm Catholic truth!

In contrast modern Anglicanism is growing theologically liberal and fuzzy. Many no longer believe that Jesus was unique, they suggest his teaching was limited by his culture, they claim that Christian tradition is not yet fully revealed. It follows that if God is still in the process of revealing, we can altar historic teaching when it feels appropriate. Anglicanism now comprises two irreconcilable beliefs.

Could we not just differ from within the same church?

The triumph of Anglicanism has always been to hold conflicting views in tension, allowing for diversity and choice. But this only worked when holy orders were not in doubt and when we could unite around an altar in unity. More recently the church has been fractured and unable to maintain this status quo. It has been increasingly obvious that, in seeking to be progressive, the Anglican Church has grown less tolerant, especially of those espousing an orthodox faith.

Are Catholic Anglicans disloyal then in welcoming this gesture?

Hardly. The Anglican church has had plenty of time to provide something similar and it is telling that the General Synod has repeatedly and stubbornly refused to do so. Anglo-Catholics have long campaigned for the creation of structural space so that when women become bishops, we are not forced to accept the innovation.

But those campaigning for women Bishops have resented this, stating that concession for Catholic Anglicans is an affront to social justice. And whilst we were begrudgingly given flying bishops in 1992, many now wish to remove this. Instead of being provided for, we have been pushed to the margins and treated with disdain. Fortunately the Pope’s offer of help exposes the wickedness of those who have accused us of bigotry, his affirmation demonstrating that it is we orthodox, not the progressives, who are wanted by Rome.

In July 2008 the lack of charity towards us worsened when the General Synod broke a promise made in 1992, that ‘those opposing the ordination of women would always be granted an honoured place within the Church’. Instead they passed a vote proclaiming that all opponents to this innovation were no longer faithful Anglicans! On that day every motion put forward by Catholics was defeated. It was a crushing day for the orthodox which left many in tears. It is a very sorry reflection on the Church of England that the Pope now offers, in love, what they have continually refused us in scorn.

So how will General Synod respond?

That is anyone’s guess! Following that synod in July a Revision Committee was charged with sorting the mess. ++ Rowan Williams lamented our treatment and there was a flicker of hope that provision might be found. Encouragingly the revision committee was headed by our own Archdeacon, Clive Mansell, whom we know to be fair.

A few weeks ago the revision committee reported back. The group have worked hard and should be praised. Their proposal, whilst falling short of what Catholics require, shows a definite increase in generosity. But we must remain cautious! The final decision will rest with General Synod and already the progressives have lambasted the generosity shown and avowed to defeat this report at the vote.

Might the Pope’s offer prompt Synod to think again?

Perhaps but do we really wish to be a part of a church that no longer loves us? And what would stop a Synod, that has already broken one promise, from doing so again? In a church where all is decided by vote there is little protection for those who stand firm! That said we must be open to every possibility as we seek to follow God’s will. It may be that a life exists for Catholics inside the Anglican fold but a lot of reassurance, love and penitence will need to be shown by those who have, thus far, shown little love at all.

As we weigh up the options we must further ask why any Catholic Anglican, who prays daily for reunion with Rome, would turn the Holy Father down? This is a hugely momentous occasion, affording the possibility to join a body who not only want us but proclaims the same faith. Not even the most optimistic optimist can state that Anglicanism can give us similar assurances!

But what of buildings, fabric and money?

Ultimately, if Anglican Catholics accept this offer (and no decision can possibly be made until the details are clear), the Anglican church can respond in one of two ways.

It could seek to work with the Vatican, helping congregations who sincerely believe God is calling them to create a new home. This would then allow women to become bishops much sooner!

Such response would lead to a sharing of resources. Buildings could be released where congregations were united or shared where divided. This seems the Christian way, especially as no Diocese can confidently claim to own a building built, maintained, resourced, cleaned and worshipped in by the local congregation?

The alternative is too terrible to comprehend. It would involve litigation, bitterness and in-fighting.. Nobody benefits but lawyers! Please God spare us from this!

So what happens now?

Undeniably we are at a turning point in history. Anglo-Catholicism will never be the same whatever path we choose! As we seek to discern God’s voice let us pray that love and not hatred might be exercised by those on both sides of this challenging theological divide.

Congratulations to Sarah and Tom Kempster who contacted me yesterday evening on the birth of a baby daughter, Freya weighing in at 5lb and 5oz! It has not been an easy pregnancy nor birth and therefore mother and babe are being kept in hospital for a few days… but so far all signs are extremely promising. Please pray for them and, if you should see my gorgeous wife, tell her to get on with it. I am bored of waiting!!

The rock band pictured above released a hit which is running through many a mind at present…’should I stay or should I go?’ For there can be no authentic Catholic Anglican who is not intrigued by the recent developments in the life of our Church and weighing up the prospect of remaining together but under new management.

Let me state for the record EXACTLY what my position is because many journalists, members of the public and even some of my family seem to be jumping the gun and planning for my reception into the Roman Catholic church!!! This is hardly suprising because S. Barnabas is exactly the sort of parish the Pope’s invitation is aimed at! However, as of this moment, I have MADE NO DECISION and how could I when the details of the offer and the response of the Church of England are not yet clear?

Secondly I will not be making a decision alone- WE the parish of S. Barnabas will. At some point it will be for the entire congregation to consider our options together and ask God where he is calling us. He MAY want us to take a leap of faith and help create a new and historic branch of the Roman Catholic church. He MAY want us to stay within the Church of England despite the many challenges before us. As of today nobody can know and the process will require a lot of careful consideration with all the facts in hand.

We also need to understand that we are not being asked to become ROman Catholics in the way others who left for Rome became Roman Catholics. We are not being invited to join the Latin Rite (ie go and join S. Augustine’s) rather to transfer allegiance to the Vatican and create something new. IF (and it is an IF) we were to be part of an exodus it would have a very Anglican feel as we would move with other Church of England parishes and be led by those from within and not without.

Finally please note that the media are as confused as everyone else! When I returned from a funeral yesterday they were camped at the church and I felt it better to put things in my own words rather than be misrepresented again. The reporter was charming, fair and did everything she could to present the fact that no decision was made. Indeed I thought we Catholics were presented in a very positive light. Alas though the main news presenters were not as well briefed and introduced the item badly by claiming ‘An Anglican vicar is off to Rome!’ No I AM NOT! I am preparing with my congregation to consider the options that have been placed before us and that is a very different thing…..please pray for our parish as we do seek to discern God’s will in all of this.

I wonder how I might be reacting to the news of the Pope’s offer to Anglican Catholics if I were a supporter of women bishops? With the proclamation coming like a bolt from the blue there is a danger that, alongside the conservative Catholics, emotions might be running high and threatening to eclipse level thinking. I would probably feel a sense of indignation that ++Rowan was not consulted sooner. I might be alarmed at the prospect of long term damage to the Church of England. And, quite possibly, a deep rooted and very English brand of ‘anti-papalism’ might be causing me to grind my teeth.

But as my shock ebbed a little I might pause and reflect. Could this actually be a blessing and not a curse? It is far to early for any decisions but let us imagine that the vast majority of FIF want to go. Might it be possible to work WITH the Vatican in creating space for those who in good conscience cannot accept the ordination of women? After all this group of people, many of them principled and decent, are clearly journeying on a very different path to the wider Church of England. A path which is clearer in closer sympathy with the teaching of Rome.

A generous working together would send out a wonderful message of love to the wider world who are watching us with fascination. It would also bring our churches closer together and, wonderfully for those in favour of the move, it would allow for women bishops to be consecrated with (almost) immediate effect. Naturally the revision group would still need to find a solution for evangelicals who oppose this innovation but a ‘headship argument’ is surely easier than an ‘ecclesiological argument’ to sort out practically?

I plead with everyone to look accross the pond to America and see that fighting over fabric and going down a bitter path of litigation is hugely destructive to ALL. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of involved, surely NOBODY can think slashing mission budgets to fund lawyer’s fees is a good way for Christians to spend their money? Ask those who divorce if avoiding lawyers is beneficial? All will agree that they are best avoided, but in order for this to happen fairness on both sides of the dispute is vital.

so I would suggest that we divide the spoils and graciously allow people to decide where God is calling them. Some FIF priests will have to admit that their congregations have no desire to leave, they should resign and respect that decision. But where the vast majority do want to go, why not let them?

I do not have a legal brain but it seems churlish to suggest that a truly conservative Catholic church does not belong to its people in the pews. The congregation are the ones who built it, maintained it, cleaned it, worshipped in it, paid the bills and continue to use it day by day. Whereas the majority of those who oppose our brand of Catholicity have never set foot in it and already have a vast range of churches to choose from within the locality. Any churches which are a hung parliament could have futures decided pastorally between Diocesan and flying bishops. Heaven forbid- we might even SHARE church buildings -leading to chances for social interaction and sharing of bills.

In truth the number of ‘C’ parishes is fairly small. The wider church would not really miss buildings it has no wish to worship in and clearly the people leaving will need somewhere to pray. We are not blessed with strong finances after all, many of us worship amongst the poor and the outcast.

So I am praying for a measured and reasonable response from all sides. It is not hard to see that those who uphold a traditional theology of priesthood have not left the Church of England behind, rather it has been leaving them behind. Everyone knows we are holding irreconcilable beliefs in tension. We all accept that an in-house victory for FIF is a blow to the full ecclesial power of women bishops and that a victory for women bishops is a fatal blow to those unable to accept this move. We have hit stale mate. Perhaps God himself just threw a dignified ‘get out of jail free’ card onto the table. But to get out free we need to abide by his laws. And that means loving neighbour as self, loving those we hate and giving not just the shirt from our back but even more to appease our brothers and sisters in need.

For God’s sake and for the sake of his church. Let us stay friendly and reasonable as we look to the future together.

The reason I am still an Anglican, despite believing the Church of England has lost its faith, is that I made a pledge to stay and fight alongsid orthodox, bible believing Christians some years ago. I do not, you see, believe in ‘escape’- to simply convert to another church for myself is no option. Why? Because I am a priest with people to pastor to and I refuse to abandon my flock when the wolves are calling!

Thus for some years I have stayed within the C of E, despite grave misgivings about its synodical process, praying that God would provide hope and opportunity for those Anglo-Catholics who uphold the teaching of the ages. In short I prayed, not for escape but for exodus. The chance to move, with my people and my brother priests, to new and safer pastures where we may serve the Lord with integrity, according to Catholic doctrine and without risk of persecution and attack. And, if possible, with the building. Not because I care about fabric but because the British are fiercely loyal to their places of worship!

Please note this prayer for salvation came despite a genuine love the Church of England. I weep when I consider how it has been so drastically changed in recent years. But changed it has been and not for the better. Each passing year it seems increasingly alien, a permissive church that panders to secularisation, tolerating almost anything except, perversely, orthodox biblical teaching! Only this week the Swedish Anglicans ‘voted’ to allow gay weddings…once I would have gasped, now I just shrug my shoulders in resignation.

Last July was the turning point for me. The General Synod made it abundantly clear that we Catholics were not only unwanted but also unloved. I saw with clarity that the long term future for Anglo-Catholics was extremely bleak. Those who oppose us believe it is a politically correct ‘justice issue’ that we should not be appeased. Hence the over whelming lack of desire to provide the structural solution that we Catholics have consistently and patiently explained that we need in order to survive. The sort of structure which the Pope in love is now offering. A structure the Synod, in seeming hatred, refuses to give.

Which leaves me in a funny place tonight. I will still never go for the ‘escape’ clause (despite what some papers might claim!) Indeed I promise my congregation what I have always promised- that we are in this TOGETHER. We must all prayerfully consider our future and sensitively listen to everybody’s hopes and fears. One thing is certain, we have time to ponder, and that can only be a good thing. Nothing will happen in a hurry!

So let me clearly state: for as long as they need me I am their priest and will remain so. However, a genuine opportunity for exodus now lies before us. God’s vicar on earth has reached out to us and we must surely respond accordingly.

Thus in my sermon tomorrow I will call on the congregation of S. Barnabas to enter a period of prayer and fasting. Vigils will be held. Opportunity for discussion will be made. We will move slowly and sensibly and we will wait for the Holy Spirit to lead. Much remains obscured for now. Much is yet to be revealed. But we cannot pretend that what happened this week does not have far reaching consequences for each and every one of us. If synod cannot deliver, and having broken promises how can we ever trust their word even if they DO offer something, then we must consider all the other possibilities that lie before us.

Some claim my mind is made up. It is! Not to stay or go, mind you, merely to take this consideration as seriously as possible and to err on the side of those who uphold orthodox faith and do not undermine it.
If God really IS calling us to an exodus moment, we must be ready to respond.

Yesterday I attended the first day of the Forward in Faith assembly in London. There was a very healthy number in attendance and, perhaps unsurprisingly, attention was focussed on the impact and consequence of the Pope’s wonderful gesture of love which is intended to provide faithful Anglo-Catholics with a true spiritual home. You may listen to all that was said here courtesy of the FIF website.

In some ways I was surprised by the muted response and manner in which fear not joy was the over-riding emotion. But I think this is due to the fact that we are all shell-shocked, so surprising was the news from the Vatican!! Furthermore there is an understanding that we enter new waters, whatever happens life will never be the same, and this is understandably unsettling. Do listen to the devotional address by +Lindsay, it was superb.

The most amusing moment yesterday came courtesy of +John, who was in fine form, when he warned us to be careful in our considerations and responses. We must not, he said, delight in Vaticana’s flirting simply because we hope it will gain us more attention from our old love Synodica! Nor must we dance off into the night with Vaticana and ignore our duty to Synodica! We must ensure that we deal with both Vaticana and Synodica from a place of genuine integrity. And that is why this is very much a time of prayer and deep thinking. A time of watching, waiting and discerning. I was grateful to Fr. Sam Philpot for reminding us all, that above anything else we must listen to the Holy Spirit. We must ask where is God guiding us as we seek to be faithful to his call in the 21st Century.

Tomorrow (Friday) afternoon the Pre-school are holding a special fete as part of their fund-raising initiative. I am extremely grateful to the mums and staff who have worked so hard to get this event organised. Little wonder then that I am hoping it proves a great success! So get yourself over to the playground/hall from 3pm until 4.30pm and spend as much money as you can!

It should prove great fun and will show support for a delightful provision we opened last year to benefit the community and cater to the children in our care. Because many of our local families struggle financially we keep the fees as low as possible, a commitment which brings with it great challenges, it is for this reason that fundraising takes on an even greater significance than normal. So bring your friends as well!

What a fantastic journey it has been for the ‘Barna-bus’ pre-school. It continues to go from strength to strength and the latest exciting development is the possibility of a link with Rosehill school. This is a proposition very much in its infancy but one which is progressing in a most encouraging direction. Please pray for our staff and children and for the long term future of our church preschool.

Those wanting to learn more about our preschool might want to read this post from earlier in the year or even this one here!