{"id":1534,"date":"2009-11-21T11:35:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-21T11:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2009\/11\/obstacles-to-unity\/"},"modified":"2009-11-21T11:35:00","modified_gmt":"2009-11-21T11:35:00","slug":"obstacles-to-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2009\/11\/obstacles-to-unity.html","title":{"rendered":"Obstacles to Unity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

When challenged that women\u2019s ordination and homosexual \u00a0marriage were grave obstacles to unity between Catholics and Anglicans, an Anglican priest countered by saying, \u201cLet\u2019s not forget the obstacles to unity of the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

At first this seems a reasonable response for the Catholic Church does indeed demand assent to these two doctrines which many Protestants either deny completely or wish were mere pious opinions. But can we really compare the issues of homosexual marriage and women\u2019s ordination with the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility? I think not, but before I discuss them in particular it is worth thinking for a moment about what we mean by \u2018church unity.\u2019<\/p>\n

Catholics do not mean by \u2018church unity\u2019 simply the reconciliation of two estranged groups. Neither do we mean the kind of \u2018shared communion\u2019 and \u2018recognition of ministries\u2019 that has been achieved between Anglicans and Lutherans. We mean something more than that.<\/p>\n

When we say \u2018unity\u2019 we mean formal, visible unity between previously estranged \u00a0individuals and groups, but we believe that unity is not found through concordats, treaties and carefully negotiated settlements. Instead we are united together in the same faith. We are united in the fullness of the historic Christian faith. We are united together in the apostolic faith<\/a>. We are united together in the fullness of the same faith once delivered to the apostles. It is the sharing in the fullness of this same faith that provides our unity. We do not just desire unity of form while tolerating diversity of doctrine. We believe true unity is unity of form and<\/b> doctrine.<\/p>\n

This is very different than the mutual tolerance of different opinions that the Anglicans speak of when they think of unity. It surprises me, therefore that theologian with the breadth of learning and intelligence of the present Archbishop of Canterbury should attempt to recommend this rather shallow understanding of church unity to Catholics. The Catholic understanding of Church unity is far more profound and organic than a mere confederation of contradictions\u2013which is the Anglican muddle<\/span>\u00a0model.<\/p>\n

This brings me to these two particular doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility. Catholics understand these two doctrines to be central to the fullness of the Christian gospel, and see them clearly set out in the gospel itself. That they were defined later is only evidence that it was only in later days that the doctrines were doubted, and therefore needed to be defended and defined.<\/p>\n

The Immaculate Conception is there in the realization that the Blessed Virgin was \u2018full of grace.\u2019 If sin is the lack of God\u2019s glory, (\u201call have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God\u201d) and grace is the gift of God\u2019s glory, then Mary who was full of grace was also empty of sin. It only remains to ask when that sinlessness began and we conclude that it began when her life began. Thus, even if one disagrees with this interpretation, it is at least arguable that the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is folded not only into the gospels itself, but into a coherent and complete understanding of the doctrine of the Incarnation. It is, if you like, part of the original deposit of the faith.<\/p>\n

Can this be said or even argued about the issue of homosexual marriage? No. This is a radical departure from every strain of Christian and Hebrew moral teaching at all times and in all places. It is impossible to argue that homosexual marriage is even a permissible part of universal and primitive Christian teaching.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Papal Infallibility is folded neatly into Christ\u2019s commission to Peter: \u201cYou are Peter and on this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.\u201d It is arguable, and part of ancient and continuous Christian tradition that this verse not only establishes the Petrine Primacy, but also it\u2019s implicit infallibility: \u201cThe gates of hell will not prevail against it.\u201d Again, while one may disagree with this interpretation, it is impossible to disagree with the historical fact that this \u00a0is an interpretation held by most Christians at most times in most places down through the ages. Therefore, like the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, it is a stepping stone to a profound unity in the church \u2013not just a handshake with neighbors, but a way in to a deep sharing in the fullness of the faith.<\/p>\n

We need to contrast this, like the contrast with homosexual marriage, with women\u2019s ordination. This too, is a radical break from the whole Hebrew-Christian tradition. It is not part of the core of the gospel, it is not part of the ancient tradition. It is not part of the continued tradition, and any interpretations of the Scriptures or theological justifications for this innovation are novelties.<\/p>\n

We can see \u00a0therefore that the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility take us deeper into the core of the gospel and the ancient tradition whereas homosexual marriage and women\u2019s ordination are a radical rupture with the same.<\/p>\n

Consequently, while it may appear that the four issues are obstacles, in fact the first two are actually stepping stones to unity. The second two are stumbling blocks.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When challenged that women\u2019s ordination and homosexual \u00a0marriage were grave obstacles to unity between Catholics and Anglicans, an Anglican priest countered by saying, \u201cLet\u2019s not forget the obstacles to unity of the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Papal Infallibility.\u201d At first this seems a reasonable response for the Catholic Church does indeed demand assent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nObstacles to Unity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When challenged that women's ordination and homosexual  marriage were grave obstacles to unity between Catholics and Anglicans, an Anglican priest\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2009\/11\/obstacles-to-unity.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Obstacles to Unity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When challenged that women's ordination and homosexual  marriage were grave obstacles to unity between Catholics and Anglicans, an Anglican priest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2009\/11\/obstacles-to-unity.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fr. 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