Pope Francis has pretty big ecumenical ambitions. Though speaking to the Orthodox on his recent visit to Turkey, he manages to mention Protestants!
I think he is onto something in the citations I include below (from the whole speech which is here.) Christian unity flows from our unity in Christ. A divided world desperately needs a united church witnessing to the genuine peace which comes from God. Young people see beyond divisions (fostered by us older folk?).
I love the scriptural simplicity of Pope Francis' message which works the theme of unity from the gospel narrative of encounter with Jesus. No time is wasted on theological nuances in the Nicene Creed which cause separation. Rather he draws his hearers directly to Jesus through the human encounter of Andrew and Peter with the Divine Master.
Christian unity comes from personal encounter with Jesus, and with each other:
"Meeting each other, seeing each other face to face, exchanging the embrace of peace, and praying for each other, are all essential aspects of our journey towards the restoration of full communion. All of this precedes and always accompanies that other essential aspect of this journey, namely, theological dialogue. An authentic dialogue is, in every case, an encounter between persons with a name, a face, a past, and not merely a meeting of ideas.
This is especially true for us Christians, because for us the truth is the person of Jesus Christ. The example of Saint Andrew, who with another disciple accepted the invitation of the Divine Master, “Come and see”, and “stayed with him that day” (Jn 1:39), shows us plainly that the Christian life is a personal experience, a transforming encounter with the One who loves us and who wants to save us. In addition, the Christian message is spread thanks to men and women who are in love with Christ, and cannot help but pass on the joy of being loved and saved. Here again, the example of the apostle Andrew is instructive. After following Jesus to his home and spending time with him, Andrew “first found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (Jn1:40-42). It is clear, therefore, that not even dialogue among Christians can prescind from this logic of personal encounter."The urgency of Christian unity in a war torn world:
"Taking away the peace of a people, committing every act of violence – or consenting to such acts – especially when directed against the weakest and defenceless, is a profoundly grave sin against God, since it means showing contempt for the image of God which is in man. The cry of the victims of conflict urges us to move with haste along the path of reconciliation and communion between Catholics and Orthodox. Indeed, how can we credibly proclaim the Gospel of peace which comes from Christ, if there continues to be rivalry and disagreement between us"Hope for unity lies with the young people who have a vision:
"It is precisely the young who today implore us to make progress towards full communion. I think for example of the many Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant youth who come together at meetings organized by the Taizé community. They do this not because they ignore the differences which still separate us, but because they are able to see beyond them; they are able to see beyond them, to embrace what is essential and what already unites us which is much holiness."
Could we yet save ourselves in ACANZP from splintering over differences in theology of sexuality by meeting together in the presence of Jesus and sharing stories of how the "Christian message is spread thanks to men and women who are in love with Christ, and cannot help but pass on the joy of being loved and saved"?
10 comments:
“Could we yet save ourselves in ACANZP from splintering over differences in theology of sexuality by meeting together in the presence of Jesus and sharing stories of how the ‘Christian message is spread thanks to men and women who are in love with Christ, and cannot help but pass on the joy of being loved and saved’”?—Fr. Carrell
Sounds good to me, Peter. This attitude is both Catholic and Evangelical.
Yet I’m afraid I’m much more skeptical about Rome than some other Anglo Catholics are. Until the Vatican withdraws “Apostolicae Curae,” I won’t take them seriously. For me, this is non-negotiable.
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
Great comment:
"He brought him to Jesus” (Jn1:40-42). It is clear, therefore, that not even dialogue among Christians can prescind from this logic of personal encounter."
It reminds me in part of the biblical verse of returning to our first love.
Similary to Francis my experience with younger christians, and albeit not really that young (say under 50), in NZ is that their primary identification is as being Christian due to a relationship with Jesus; denomination and theological differences are acknowledged but come second.
Kind Regards
Jean
Peter, although I appreciate Kurt's irritation with apostolicae curae, I thought Anglicanism recognised two sacraments (baptism and the eucharist) as opposed to the seven that Rome and Greece recognise (including holy orders). Consequently, if Article 25 of the 39 is still current Anglican teaching, Kurt seems to be annoyed that Rome does not recognise a sacrament itself not recognised by Canterbury.
Nick
" They do this not because they ignore the differences which still separate us, but because they are able to see beyond them; they are able to see beyond them, to embrace what is essential and what already unites us which is much holiness." - Dr. Peter Carrell -
In your last statement after the comma, Peter, I agree wholeheartedly - that this should be the premise based, not on our holiness, but on the holiness of the Christ who calls us to be one. Like Saint Paul our 'righteousness' compared to that of Christ, is as 'filthy rags'.
Heh, Ron, "your last statement" is the Pope's not mine!! But flattery will get you a long way when I rule the world :)
Very droll, Nick. Too cute?
Kurt's point is about recognition of ministry. Sure one can refuse to recognise a claimed 'ordination' by continuing to say it fails to be a sacrament but is it not in Rome's power to recognise a sacrament where Anglican's persist in saying that none exists?
And, isn't the more significant element of the 'null and void' declaration a disbelief that true apostolic 'succession' is involved in Anglican ordinations through the centuries since the Reformation?
Peter; I accept that I might appear tricky, but I think the Pope is looking upwards. From a Catholic point of view (catholic catechism para 818) all who have been justified by faith in baptism are incorporated into Christ and are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church. The context is non-Catholics. Hence from an Anglican point of view, when many reject the sacrificial component of Catholic sacerdotalism,
why is apostolicae curae a
problem? In any case, Old Catholics (with whom you are in full communion and whose holy orders are recognised by Rome) have been co-consecrating C of E bishops for decades.
Nick
Albeit there are reasons for the Apostolicae Curae, the fact of ordination being a sacrament in the Catholic church and a practical decision (e.g. the Anglican ordination rite does not contain what we think it needs to therefore if an Anglican ordinate wishes to preach in the Catholic church needs be we ordain them again and one shouldn't do this so lets make their initial ordination null and void).
In Christ we are no longer bound by the laws of men - and every church has them for practical and theological reasons. The real question is that which we ask of ourselves, is who do I follow?
I have doubts whether Jesus will condemn us for man made rites and rituals and undertakings, however, he may have something stronger to say about condemning our brothers and sisters in Christ when He is the one who justifies.
Whether Kurt it is not extending grace to another part of the body of Christ because of a rule that was put in place a long time ago, and is now in many cases no longer accepted by many Catholics.
Or whether Nick it is not welcoming leaders in Christ's body who do not see the need to adhere to the sacrificifal compoonent of 'Catholic sacerdotalism'.
Blessings
Jean
P.S. Nick what is an Old Catholic my mind is boggling?
I just clicked on your sidebar's
"Convictional Anglican | thoughts of a priest who is Anglican by conviction."
and read
"is no longer available"
Enough said.
Peter,
In answer to Jean's question about Old Catholics, Rev Bosco Peters explains who they are on Liturgy under 7 November 2014. In fact, I see that you made a comment.
Nick
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