any anglicans out there?

[iOrlando]

there aren't too many anglicans here in the U.S. but i know there are in England, so i am wondering what are some opinions/commentary on the Catholic news from yesterday. I would appreciate input within this one thread only from those who this news impacts directly..so either Catholic or Anglican.

[Queso]

You can't launch a thread on a public forum and then limit comment ;)

From a non-religious perspective this comes across as just an organisation attempting to win customers from a rival. In a way it's similar to if Microsoft attempted to poach Mac users by offering trade-in deals. Obviously there's the evangelical aspect to it, as there always is when faith and the "word of god" is involved, but essentially this is a very familiar story being played out in commerce the world over.

[iOrlando]

You can't launch a thread on a public forum and then limit comment ;)

From a non-religious perspective this comes across as just an organisation attempting to win customers from a rival. In a way it's similar to if Microsoft attempted to poach Mac users by offering trade-in deals. Obviously there's the evangelical aspect to it, as there always is when faith and the "word of god" is involved, but essentially this is a very familiar story being played out in commerce the world over.

i'm not limiting comment, i am just politely asking people who this doesn't impact to quell their urge to comment on it since I actually want to hear from people that this impacts. If i wanted to hear comments from people who dont give a damn about it but just hate religion in general or conservative values, I would go and post on CNN.com. But i guess that proposition is too hard for this forum too.

[brad.c]

i'm not limiting comment, i am just politely asking people who this doesn't impact to quell their urge to comment on it since I actually want to hear from people that this impacts. If i wanted to hear comments from people who dont give a damn about it but just hate religion in general or conservative values, I would go and post on CNN.com. But i guess that proposition is too hard for this forum too.

Then ask your question in a relevant forum.

[Zombie Acorn]

i'm not limiting comment, i am just politely asking people who this doesn't impact to quell their urge to comment on it since I actually want to hear from people that this impacts. If i wanted to hear comments from people who dont give a damn about it but just hate religion in general or conservative values, I would go and post on CNN.com. But i guess that proposition is too hard for this forum too.

Inflammatory statements such as secluding "conservative values" to only those involved in religion probably aren't going to help you much.

I will omit my further opinion from the thread though.

[Rt&Dzine]

Then ask your question in a relevant forum.

How about this? . . .

Has the Anglican Church's growing acceptance of gay and women clergy and same-sex marriage p***ed anyone off enough to become Catholic?

[Queso]

i'm not limiting comment, i am just politely asking people who this doesn't impact to quell their urge to comment on it since I actually want to hear from people that this impacts. If i wanted to hear comments from people who dont give a damn about it but just hate religion in general or conservative values, I would go and post on CNN.com. But i guess that proposition is too hard for this forum too.
Once again, it's a public forum. To avoid multiple threads appearing on the same subject it is better if we all post in the same one, regardless of our own religious or non-religious backgrounds.

There is no deliberate attempt at trolling here, however you wish to paint it. I've simply given a valid opinion on the subject from another perspective. Reject it if you wish, but you cannot expect an organisation the size of the Church not to attract comment from people outside of their congregation.

Has the Anglican Church's growing acceptance of gay and women clergy and same-sex marriage p***ed anyone off enough to become Catholic?
Surely not when there's the Free Presbyterian Church to cover all the bases on that front :)

[brad.c]

He can ask whatever question he wants, forum rules permitting. If he wants to limit discussion to a select few participants, then he should look elsewhere. ;)

[Rt&Dzine]

He can ask whatever question he wants, forum rules permitting. If he wants to limit discussion to a select few participants, then he should look elsewhere. ;)

Oops. I thought you meant 'form' instead of 'forum.'

[brad.c]

Oops. I thought you meant 'form' instead of 'forum.'

:) I did like your question better.

[iOrlando]

How about this? . . .

Has the Anglican Church's growing acceptance of gay and women clergy and same-sex marriage p***ed anyone off enough to become Catholic?

well although i dont completely agree with how that question is worded..that would be an acceptable question..but i know the responses I would get would add 0 value to the discussion...that is the problem on this thread/forum page.

i guess i need to go to a catholic/anglican website forum wherever that may be

[Teh Don Ditty]

How about this? . . .

Has the Anglican Church's growing acceptance of gay and women clergy and same-sex marriage p***ed anyone off enough to become Catholic?

Exactly. Nothing more than a ploy from the Pope et al.

[Rt&Dzine]

i guess i need to go to a catholic/anglican website forum wherever that may be

If it helps you, Episcopalians are the U.S. equivalent.

[iOrlando]

If it helps you, Episcopalians are the U.S. equivalent.

yeah but I dont think the recent developments apply to them given the differences that exist from them breaking off from its england roots way back when.

[Rt&Dzine]

yeah but I dont think the recent developments apply to them given the differences that exist from them breaking off from its england roots way back when.

The election of the gay Episcopal Bishop in the U.S. a few years ago added to the international tension.

[VideoFreek]

I guess i need to go to a catholic/anglican website forum wherever that may beI think so too; I doubt you'll get much informed commentary here. A good place to start is this excellent article (http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/why-the-vatican-wants-anglicans/) over at the NY Times. Read the 4 perspectives, and then check out the reader comments which are quite good as well.

I'd summarize the overall take on this as follows: while many see this as a positive, ecumenical move by the Vatican, others point out that it has some dark sides. One is that the defecting Anglicans appear to be attracted to the Catholic Church mostly for what it opposes (women and gay priests) rather than for the many positive things that it affirms. Related to this is the impression that the Church is far more "creative" with the rules when it comes to accommodating conservatives than they are when dealing with liberals. As one commentator points out, this trend--pulling in conservatives who are defined mainly by what they oppose--runs the risk of reinforcing the image of the Catholic Church as the "Church of No." Not an encouraging development for those of us who wish for faster progress in liberalizing Church doctrine. Another interesting point concerns how this could come back to bite the Vatican, if the Anglican Church were to offer a similar streamlined conversion process for disaffected liberal Catholics who are drawn to its more progressive doctrines. Hmmm...where do I sign up? :D

Have fun, and hope this helps.

[iOrlando]

I think so too; I doubt you'll get much informed commentary here. A good place to start is this excellent article (http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/why-the-vatican-wants-anglicans/) over at the NY Times. Read the 4 perspectives, and then check out the reader comments which are quite good as well.

I'd summarize the overall take on this as follows: while many see this as a positive, ecumenical move by the Vatican, others point out that it has some dark sides. One is that the defecting Anglicans appear to be attracted to the Catholic Church mostly for what it opposes (women and gay priests) rather than for the many positive things that it affirms. Related to this is the impression that the Church is far more "creative" with the rules when it comes to accommodating conservatives than they are when dealing with liberals. As one commentator points out, this trend--pulling in conservatives who are defined mainly by what they oppose--runs the risk of reinforcing the image of the Catholic Church as the "Church of No." Not an encouraging development for those of us who wish for faster progress in liberalizing Church doctrine. Another interesting point concerns how this could come back to bite the Vatican, if the Anglican Church were to offer a similar streamlined conversion process for disaffected liberal Catholics who are drawn to its more progressive doctrines. Hmmm...where do I sign up? :D

Have fun, and hope this helps.

thanks for the post. by far the most informative of the bunch.

well the Catholic church is already pretty divided even before this anglican news. The difference between catholics in the U.S. and Europe is striking. U.S. catholics are classic supermarket shoppers. We tend to pick and choose aspects of the religion that we like. In my opinion, I think that is a way of copping out of the hard practice of following a religion. Its like a muslim picking and choosing when or where he wants to eat/pray etc. Such a thing is unheard of outside the U.S, but is actually somewhat common in the U.S. I tend to associate such behavior in the U.S. to the ultra-liberalism in terms of social issues and how well off we are in terms of money/quality of life..etc.

Meanwhile the catholic church is growing by leaps and bounds in central/south america/africa/asia as those people just try to survive and raise healthy families. Its not hard to make the connection that materialism and self-egotism doesn't tend to go well with "religion."

Look at CA. Same-sex marriage was turned down in droves by basically many of the legal immigrant families including the growing ranks of catholic latinos. Conservatism is alive and doing well in the world including the U.S. (as seen in most of the Southern states where a majority of the population still attend church on a weekly basis), its just hard to find it in the non-south.