Church Times—Bishop walks fine line as traditionalists test parishes’ mood over Ordinariate

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Three Church of England bishops went to Rome last week to meet Vatican officials. One of them, the Bishop of Richborough, the Rt Revd Keith Newton, is said to have been asking Anglican priests to join him in an Ordinariate in the RC Church.

The Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Revd John Broadhurst, and two Provincial Episcopal Visitors, the Bishop of Richborough, the Rt Revd Keith Newton, and the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Revd Andrew Burnham, met members of the Con­gregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome last week.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that the Bishops had told senior Vatican officals that they were “keen to defect to Rome”. Bishop Newton said on Tuesday that the visit had been a “fact-finding” mission to “ex­plore issues”, and that it had been “over-hyped” in the press.

He offered “No comment” when he was asked whether Dr Williams had warned him that he would have to resign if he sought to “actively recruit”. On Wednesday, Lambeth Palace had not responded to a request to confirm or deny whether this warning had been given.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • CoE Bishops • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • Pope Benedict XVI

5 Comments
Posted May 7, 2010 at 6:15 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. rugbyplayingpriest wrote:

Well someone is made to look rather shoddy in this article and it is NOT the bishop of Richborough. Honestly who can blame traditionalists for exploring this offer? Why shouldn’t he when all we will be offered is a VOLUNTARY Code of Practice (ie no help at all) and when his own job is being phased out.

People are big grown ups. Let them weigh up what the C of E is becoming. Let them weigh up the offer from Rome. And then let each decide where their future lies. Threatening to sack him if he encourages people is silly when the reason for all of this is not an act of rebellion on his part but an act of betrayal on the part of synod

May 7, 6:31 am | [comment link]
2. Albany+ wrote:

It seems that the ABC can both act quickly and employ “consequences” when he wants to. Incrementalism and soft promises don’t cut it anymore. I do not like what Rome is doing, but it is clear where the greater blame should be placed.

May 7, 7:26 am | [comment link]
3. austin wrote:

The FiF members who are trembling at the brink look pusillanimous.  Do they really imagine they will have any kind of future in the CoE with their leadership and strongest parishes gone or decimated?  They would clearly rather fade away in situ than take the risk that could give them a new lease on life.

May 7, 10:00 am | [comment link]
4. rugbyplayingpriest wrote:

Agree #3 and furthermore the claim to be catholic wil sound hollow and lack integrity having rejected Rome for life in a body that us clearly moving to a liberal and protestant conclusion. If you stay then embrace what you opt for and accept the authority and decisions Ray entails. That said the move requires huge courage and we must be gentle with those who plan to come but in a second wave

May 7, 10:49 am | [comment link]
5. dwstroudmd wrote:

Is this the Rowan Williams impersonation of Kate Schori show?  When do the sackings and deprivations begin?  Not to mention that Tower of London bit!

Really, RW is accused of actually saying something so direct as to be understandable? 

Apparently, RW feels some obligation to some fiduciary responsibility of some sort and its driving his .... action?!

No!  Never!

May 7, 7:23 pm | [comment link]
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