Catholic-Anglican ties strained, cardinal warns Lambeth
London, Jul. 31, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Dramatic changes within the Anglican communion have seriously damaged their relations with the Catholic Church, Cardinal Walter Kasper (bio - news) warned in a blunt address to the Anglican prelates gathered for the Lambeth Conference.
Cardinal Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, gave a candid appraisal of Catholic-Anglican relations in his speech to the Lambeth Conference, which was published (in an Italian translation) in the Vatican daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. The cardinal said that the doctrinal disputes that have divided the worldwide Anglican communion-- on issues such as the ordination of women and homosexuals-- have also caused a setback in Catholic-Anglican dialogue.
Despite 40 years of cordial and often productive talks between Rome and Canterbury, Cardinal Kasper said, "full visible communion as the aim of our dialogue has receded further." In a speech that contained several strong warnings, he told the Anglican bishops that he still hoped, despite setbacks, "we will be able to continue in serious dialogue," as a common witness to the Christian search for full unity.
Cardinal Kasper opened his lengthy remarks by thanking the Anglican leadership for inviting him to offer a Vatican viewpoint on the crisis being discussed at the Lambeth Conference. "It is a strength of Anglicanism," he said, "that even in the midst of difficult circumstances, you have sought the views and perspectives of your ecumenical partners, even when you have not always particularly rejoiced in what we have said."
However, the cardinal revealed that he had been taken aback when he was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to offer some reflections on "what kind of Anglicanism do you [the Vatican] want."
"What a question!" Cardinal Kasper remarked.
The key goal for the Anglican communion, as for any Christian body, is to be faithful to Jesus Christ, the cardinal said. He emphasized that the contentious issues facing the Lambeth Conference should be judged in terms of "faithfulness to the apostolic tradition and apostolic succession." Ultimately, he said, "What we are talking about is nothing other than faithfulness to Christ Himself." He ended his speech by calling upon Anglican leaders to have "a fresh recourse to the Apostolic Tradition" as the solution to their current disputes.
The Catholic Church, Cardinal Kasper continued, is bound to uphold the moral teachings of the Gospel and the unbroken Christian tradition. On the issues that have torn the worldwide Anglican communion, he observed, the Catholic Church continues to teach that "homosexuality activity is disordered" and that the all-male priesthood is "not only a disciplinary position but an expression of our faithfulness to Jesus Christ. " With pointed emphasis the cardinal added: "The Catholic Church finds herself bound by the will of Jesus Christ and does not feel free to establish a new tradition alien to the tradition of the Church of all ages."
In breaking with the apostolic tradition on these issues, the cardinal pointed out, the Anglican communion is moving away from not only the Catholic Church but also the Orthodox churches. More and more, he said, the Anglican stance appears to resemble that of the Protestant churches born of the Reformation, rather than a branch of the older Christian tradition.
The ordination of women to the Anglican priesthood caused a clear break with that tradition, Cardinal Kasper said. And now the ordination of women as bishops "effectively and definitively blocks a possible recognition of Anglican Orders by the Catholic Church." Until recently, he said, the ordination of female priests in a few countries left open the possibility that the worldwide Anglican communion would stop short of that decisive break. But now, he observed, "the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate is not only a matter of isolated provinces, but that this is increasingly the stance of the Communion."
Cardinal Kasper said that he has been "all the more saddened" to see these setbacks in Anglican-Catholic relations because he, himself, has been an enthusiastic participant in many ecumenical leaders. But now, he said, such ecumenical dialogue is further complicated by the sharp divisions among Anglicans themselves. In parts of the Anglican world, he said, "bishops are not in communion with other bishops; in some instances, Anglican provinces are no longer in full communion with each other."
Cardinal Kasper acknowledged that some Anglican leaders are worried by reports that the Vatican has been engaged in talks with traditionalist Anglicans who might wish to enter the Catholic Church. The cardinal defended those talks, explaining that the Catholic Church will naturally speak with anyone who shares the essentials of the Catholic faith.
Moreover, the cardinal reminded the Lambeth Conference, the Vatican must also consider the prospects for future talks with the Anglican communion, and ask: "What shape might the Anglican Communion of tomorrow take, and who will our dialogue partner be?"
London, Jul. 31, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Dramatic changes within the Anglican communion have seriously damaged their relations with the Catholic Church, Cardinal Walter Kasper (bio - news) warned in a blunt address to the Anglican prelates gathered for the Lambeth Conference.
Cardinal Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, gave a candid appraisal of Catholic-Anglican relations in his speech to the Lambeth Conference, which was published (in an Italian translation) in the Vatican daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. The cardinal said that the doctrinal disputes that have divided the worldwide Anglican communion-- on issues such as the ordination of women and homosexuals-- have also caused a setback in Catholic-Anglican dialogue.
Despite 40 years of cordial and often productive talks between Rome and Canterbury, Cardinal Kasper said, "full visible communion as the aim of our dialogue has receded further." In a speech that contained several strong warnings, he told the Anglican bishops that he still hoped, despite setbacks, "we will be able to continue in serious dialogue," as a common witness to the Christian search for full unity.
Cardinal Kasper opened his lengthy remarks by thanking the Anglican leadership for inviting him to offer a Vatican viewpoint on the crisis being discussed at the Lambeth Conference. "It is a strength of Anglicanism," he said, "that even in the midst of difficult circumstances, you have sought the views and perspectives of your ecumenical partners, even when you have not always particularly rejoiced in what we have said."
However, the cardinal revealed that he had been taken aback when he was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to offer some reflections on "what kind of Anglicanism do you [the Vatican] want."
"What a question!" Cardinal Kasper remarked.
The key goal for the Anglican communion, as for any Christian body, is to be faithful to Jesus Christ, the cardinal said. He emphasized that the contentious issues facing the Lambeth Conference should be judged in terms of "faithfulness to the apostolic tradition and apostolic succession." Ultimately, he said, "What we are talking about is nothing other than faithfulness to Christ Himself." He ended his speech by calling upon Anglican leaders to have "a fresh recourse to the Apostolic Tradition" as the solution to their current disputes.
The Catholic Church, Cardinal Kasper continued, is bound to uphold the moral teachings of the Gospel and the unbroken Christian tradition. On the issues that have torn the worldwide Anglican communion, he observed, the Catholic Church continues to teach that "homosexuality activity is disordered" and that the all-male priesthood is "not only a disciplinary position but an expression of our faithfulness to Jesus Christ. " With pointed emphasis the cardinal added: "The Catholic Church finds herself bound by the will of Jesus Christ and does not feel free to establish a new tradition alien to the tradition of the Church of all ages."
In breaking with the apostolic tradition on these issues, the cardinal pointed out, the Anglican communion is moving away from not only the Catholic Church but also the Orthodox churches. More and more, he said, the Anglican stance appears to resemble that of the Protestant churches born of the Reformation, rather than a branch of the older Christian tradition.
The ordination of women to the Anglican priesthood caused a clear break with that tradition, Cardinal Kasper said. And now the ordination of women as bishops "effectively and definitively blocks a possible recognition of Anglican Orders by the Catholic Church." Until recently, he said, the ordination of female priests in a few countries left open the possibility that the worldwide Anglican communion would stop short of that decisive break. But now, he observed, "the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate is not only a matter of isolated provinces, but that this is increasingly the stance of the Communion."
Cardinal Kasper said that he has been "all the more saddened" to see these setbacks in Anglican-Catholic relations because he, himself, has been an enthusiastic participant in many ecumenical leaders. But now, he said, such ecumenical dialogue is further complicated by the sharp divisions among Anglicans themselves. In parts of the Anglican world, he said, "bishops are not in communion with other bishops; in some instances, Anglican provinces are no longer in full communion with each other."
Cardinal Kasper acknowledged that some Anglican leaders are worried by reports that the Vatican has been engaged in talks with traditionalist Anglicans who might wish to enter the Catholic Church. The cardinal defended those talks, explaining that the Catholic Church will naturally speak with anyone who shares the essentials of the Catholic faith.
Moreover, the cardinal reminded the Lambeth Conference, the Vatican must also consider the prospects for future talks with the Anglican communion, and ask: "What shape might the Anglican Communion of tomorrow take, and who will our dialogue partner be?"
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