If I were living in England I would say that the Church of England is the natural church of the English people.

#1: You don’t follow football (“soccer”) then?

And looking beyond the reformation #1?
It is hard to justify the notion of England’s people naturally creating the C of E when Henry VIII looted, pillaged and murdered. The C of E came out of years of bloodshed and violence and our culture has been on the decline ever since. It is worth noting that the many churches that make up our landscape and our Cathedrals et al were built by Catholic hands with Catholic vision and fidelity.

Whoa, guest (#3)!

The CofE is the continuation of the medieval catholic church in England and Wales,  reformed in the light of scriptural Reformation principles. The Roman church in England and Wales is not the continuation of the church which built our mediaeval churches and cathedrals, but a post-Tridentine and foreign introduction.

One doesn’t get anywhere by arguing that the other side ‘looted, pillaged and murdered’. The scores on both sides there cancel each other out - though interestingly Mary’s attempts to impose the Roman obedience by these methods failed.

‘Our culture has been on the decline ever since’? I’m not sure how one could establish that the cultural achievements of pre-reformation England were superior to the post-reformation centuries . . . Shakespeare, Milton & Newton don’t look like the products of a culture in terminal decline, whatever has happened post-Enlightenment.

Shakespeare was catholic!

Yes there were awful atrocities on both sides but I do not see protestant priestholes in English houses, I do bit see laws existing to this day which legislate against Catholics and nor do I see any reasonable way one can explain what the crown did to the monasteries and claim there was ‘continuation’ of any kind.

Let us be honest- the reformation in Europe was largely based on doctrine and reform. In England a greedy/power hungry monarch spotted an opportunity and stole the church for the state pinching Rome’s treasure on the way. The move was more political than theological- Henry had no strong protestant zeal.

And when we recall that when peacefully objecting to the sacking of Walsingham it’s dean and two supporters were hung, drawn and then quartered with their body pieces scattered across the landscape we get a sense of the choice that everyday people were giveN

I should add that my intention is not to diss Anglicanism, which has achieved many good things and produced some fine Christians, but to reject the notion of ‘continuation’. The foundations were murky and it was a hostile takeover, regardless of any catholic backlash, and in many ways it was Elizabeth I who quickly discovered some theological principles. Aemonn Duffy’s ‘stripping of the altars’ is a good read…

“Because I’m a gainfully employed homosexual cleric, and when I advocate for the progressive political agenda from the pulpit, many will unthinkingly worship my false idols.”

“I do not believe all that the Catholic Church teaches as de fide to be true and revealed by God”
(not true of myself, but it’s the only principled reason I could think of to remain outside her.  I’ll take my thousand pounds now.)

Reeking of desperation.

The most amusing question to ask is whether the Trust will accept essays from people about why they will remain Anglican and believe they shall remain so . . . from Anglicans not in the Anglican Communion.  ; > )

Kinda turns the whole thing on its side and reveals the obvious propagandistic desire of the Trust.  Because of course, the answer is “no”—what the Trust appears to really want is essays about “why people will remain within the COE, never leaving, despite that church not offering any protections to AngloCatholics, and despite selecting scads of known revisionists as bishops.”

But phrasing it that way sort of reveals the game.

I agree Sarah.

In my former English diocese we used to refer to the Roman Church in England as “the Italian mission.” Too true, except that in England it’s mostly made up of Irish, with a few old-school English aristos thrown in.

Thank you, #11, that mixture of delicately hinted racism, classism and superbitas is the reason I could never see any prospect of Anglican/Catholic reunion.