Anglican Re-Union with Rome?

Connie Marshner

The Times of London reports today that senior bishops of both Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches are considering reuniting their churches under the leadership of the Rome.

A 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches is being considered both by the Vatican and by the archbishops of the Anglican Communion who are meeting in Dar es Salaam in a last-ditch effort to avoid schism.

One wonders who leaked it and why today.

Here's my cynical take on it: this is the equivalent of an "October Surprise" in a presidential campaign.

Since the fear of Rome is the ultimate bogeyman to even some Anglicans, having the possibility of union with Rome on the table now  gives the liberals something to wave around to try to break up the conservative/orthodox coalitions that have brought the Anglicans to Dar es Salaam. 

I'll probably never know, but today, if I were there, I'd be on the lookout for a flurry of seeming "concessions" to be offered by liberals, in a last-ditch effort to patch together a "unity" platform, to prevent the walkout of orthodox believers from the Anglican Communion. 

The "concessions" will be cosmetic, and they probably won't be worth the paper they're printed on, but the offering of them may introduce factionalism to such an extent that the result is official  indecision.

How is it going to end up?

Not knowing the players, and hence not able to predict the effects of human politicking, I have no idea. 

However, I do know that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.  The whole drama of reunification -- of any church with the true Church -- will come out however the Holy Spirit wants it to come out.