Bonding Over Prejudice?

"The Catholic Church is responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion.”  So stated the Vatican yesterday when it announced that it would allow members of the Anglican Church to be in communion with the Pope.  And in response, the archbishops of Canterbury (Anglican) and Westminster (Catholic) said that both groups have a "substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality and will continue to hold official dialogues.” 

What, exactly, is this overlap?  Many of these overlaps have existed for centuries.  So why the invitation from Rome now?  It’s actually quite simple: a gay bishop in New Hampshire was ordained as a bishop in the Episcopal Church (the Anglican Church in the England) a few years ago.  On top of this, the Episcopal Church had the audacity to sanction gay unions.

When will we learn that uniting behind a common bigotry is the flimsiest of reasons to come together?  Strong institutions last because the common beliefs and tenets aren’t against something.  They are for something.  And the fact that the issue of homosexuality in both the Anglican and Catholic Churches was not even mentioned in their statements makes the invitation not only disingenuous, but also misleading.  Or maybe the Catholic Church is a little embarrassed that it is extending a hand of friendship over a prejudice?


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