Ecumenical Glasses

Rowan WIlliams the Archbishop of the Anglican Communion is in Rome and was quoted in the NYT as saying “The ecumenical glass is genuinely half full.” One could argue that the Pope's recent invitation to dissident Anglicans came in part because the Rev. Williams and the leadership of the American Anglicans have been busy draining the glass as fast as they can.

The Episcopal tradition includes something called discernment - that allows change but is inclusive of a variety of points of view. But the denomination has been less willing to think in this truly ecumenical way for quite a long time. A good deal of doctrine has been made up by majority rule and a good portion of Anglicans are chafing under that new regime.

The Anglicans, after a long discussion, decided that it was appropriate to ordain women to the priesthood. For most American Anglicans that was a reasonable decision. But then the leaders of the denomination moved toward the ordination of homosexuals and sanctioning gay marriage. I suspect that had the American communion had some patience with their fellow parishioners who were opposed that they could have thought the issues out through the process of discernment. But the majority wanted to push the issue through.

Now the denomination is trying to repair the breech by demanding that all churches affirm that the ECUSA (national church) owns their facilities. The same thing is happening in other protestant denominations. Ultimately, that will not be good for congregation building.