Benedict's Bold Move

So what does it mean, this move by the Pope to cast a lifeline to conservative Anglican's? Well, I'm no authority on all of the idiosyncrasies of the Roman Catholic doctrine to be applied here, just one man trying to fathom Christ's plan for it all. Just one middle-aged (yes, middle!) Episcopalian who asks questions and often wonders, like many Episcopalians these days, if I'm where God wants me to be in His Church. So with that, and with a day's reflection on the announcement, I'll offer these modest opinions:

1. It was a very timely move by the Pope to cast his net. Was it in his mind, and within the Vatican's finest theological minds, more prayerful or more pragmatic to move now? I would judge it to be the latter. A sense that this was the perfect time for a not-so-new idea, for there are restless souls out there.

2. A blow to the Anglican Church for sure. 90% of the Church's growth in the last decade is coming from the conservative side of it's communion. A side that has been most displeased with the "progressive" ideas from the more liberal branches of the communion, and an Archbishop who has spent the last decade doing nothing but waffling on the most divisive issues.

3. Another hit to the issue of harmony within the many Roman Catholic clergy who may look with much envy upon the "benefits" that Anglican clergy get to keep when they join. Harmony is hard to maintain when the rules aren't applied equally.

4. At some level, it was a bit of an insult to the Anglican Church. Almost as if the Pope is saying that after 450 years, it's still not a legitimate Church until it's comes back to the fold.

5. It definitely leapfrogs some of the ecumenical groundwork that both Churches were laying over the last several years, and certainly will make some aspects tougher and some moot.

Lastly, I've concluded fairly easily that this does nothing for me personally. I'm an ex-Roman and have no interest in returning. It may yet mean something to me, depending on it's long term effects on TEC. So therefore, despite all of the excitement, I am still left wondering what will happen to the orthodox Episcopalians like myself, who are beginning to feel marginalized. There are many of us wondering, and some wandering. More to pray on...always.