The Genesis of Anglicanorum Coetibus is the title of a paper which was presented by Dr. William Tighe at the 2011 Anglican Use Conference, which took place recently at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Arlington, Texas. It contains some detailed information about its origins, with particular reference to (a) The Traditional Anglican Communion, (b) Forward in Faith/UK and (c) Other Church of England bishops.
The third of these may well be the most interesting. In connection with it, he refers to two other documents:
Well, well, the truth will out! For too long Andrew Burnham & Keith Newton were painted as the bad guys – popping off to Rome for cosy chats and leaving poor Rowan in the dark. Now the real story is emerging – they had little involvement with Rome and Rowan knew about it. It was other Anglican bishops doing the cloak and dagger stuff behind the archiepiscopal back. And not just diocesans either. If Tighe is correct, and I suspect he is very correct, Martyn Jarrett, (that nice loyal anglican in the North who has kept his distance from Burnham,… Read more »
Is this (Genesis link) the first known use of the phrase “a pseudogamously partnered man”, and should this be reported to the OED as a novelty?
Cloak and dagger perhaps…but lets face it, it hasnt come to much…nor will it.
Fascinating as it is, this account of the machinations of various bodies and individuals leading up to the establishment of the ‘Ordinariate’ is deeply unpleasant. Firstly because it seems to indicate extensive duplicity by priests and bishops who, while drawing their stipends from the Church, were at the same time preparing both to denounce it and to leave it. Andrew Burnham intended all along to leave the Church of England, taking his ‘See of Ebbsfleet’ with him because he has now said so. Others seem to have the same intention but have been even less open. Secondly the language of… Read more »
I was always suspicious that Rome would not respond to a rag tag bob operation like the Traditional Anglican Communion…this explanation makes sense.
Apparently Fort Worth diocese wanted to jump ship, but the billionaire financing Iker’s legal case threatened to withdraw if he took the diocese to Rome.
Another development, apparently there will be a legal case if the Ordinariate tries to use bits of the BCP in the Ordinariate liturgy and bastardises Cranmer’s original!
“the language of the piece is just nasty…He seems to have a nasty smell under his nose, as if he is dealing with something rather distasteful which he is really too refined to touch”
We’re surprised, Richard A?
This whole enterprise has NOTHING to do w/ “orthodoxy” (however defined) and *everything* to do w/ malevolent misogyny (inc. homophobia).
Probably the nastiest thing in it — and it’s quite a contest to make that determination, I must say — is its characterization of “the distinctive beliefs of Affirming Catholics, [as] ‘girls on the altar, boys in bed and “Mother” on the Throne of God.'”
“Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
Actually JCF, your description of “malevolent misogyny” isn’t far from the mark. In my mid-western USA city, the issue of female ordinations was mostly settled, except for one small and well-endowed Anglo-Catholic parish that latter became a part of something called the Anglican Church of North America. But homophobia-? It has a good small mostly paid choir, singing to the twenty or so congregants, mostly not-so-closeted gay men playing around the altar. In the music circles around town it’s known informally as “Our Lady of Raging Queens”, and sadly has become the sole representation of truly elegant high church liturgy… Read more »
This unpleasant article is full of nastiness about women and at least one gay man, but the Ordinariate group tends to tread lightly around gays, at least the ones in their midst. Their purported outrage about a gay bishop didn’t send them to Rome when it happened in 2003. Many are the kind of anglo-catholics who want a pure male-only priesthood for their self-evident reasons.
When I read articles like this I can’t help but wonder if the Romans really know what they are giving birth to or what they’re getting into. If they don’t, they will have to deal with this kind of bigotry where being Catholic is a kind of selfish, snooty hobby. If they do, they should be ashamed of what they are supporting.
“Apparently there will be a legal case….” What is the basis of this statement?
What a bunch of vipers masquerading as commenters.
At least you know where you stand with a viper… unfortunately all the double speak from Rome..about a proud patrimony, disguisng the fact that the proud patrimony is subject to revision is rather distressing.
JCF – indeed, I should have written ‘orthodox’.
What does pseudogamous mean?
Dear Nick-The whole point of making comments is to say what needs to be said in a forthright way. The original artcile is full of viperishness. Most of these comments simply repeat these comments and point out how hypocritical and mean they are. Giving Mr. Tighe and others a free pass would be dishonest and irresponsible. Hypocrisy and misogyny wrapped up in a false intellectualism and dubious theology is not tolerable.
@Richard Ashby, You write: “…this orthodoxy hardly seems to chime in with most Christians these days.” and, “…what is the point of trying to buck evolution if that way leads to extinction?” To the first observation, I am curious as to what scriptural authority you would cite to suggest that questions of orthodoxy are matters of democratic process. To your question, I would suggest that the answer can be found by contemplation of the words of our Lord that “many are called but few are chosen” as well as of the words of the Letter to the Hebrews—”Jesus Christ, the… Read more »
A senior Roman Catholic told me at Chris Morgan’s funeral in June 2008 most of the details that became this special ordinariate. Though at that time he was predicting secret negotiations with the Orthodox would lead to their not complain at the presence of married bishops. Well, that was not quite so – though to all intents and purposes their ordinary looks and sounds like a duck. A friend who sleeps in high places in Rome confirmed the proposed scam. I posted here on TA about it (though I can’t find where!), and contacted Gregory Cameron then at the ACO… Read more »
Tighe was once a pretty regular commentator at Stand Firm, though I don’t recall having seen him over there for quite a long time. He is aggressively and – to his mind and apparently to that of his 43 Facebook followers – wittily Anti-Anglican. Long-time (25 years) teacher at a small Pennsylvania private college, with what his online vita indicates is a thin record of publication (still an associate prof). That someone so strongly bigoted towards the Anglican Church was invited to give a “keynote” speech at the Anglican Use Conference, raises questions about the nature of the North American… Read more »
‘It’s not “vipers” it’s pronounced thzzzzsnakes”. Hittttthhhhhhsssss!!!!!! “Sahhhhlyyyytharin!!!(Tongue flipping out of mouth)
“Commenters”, Nick? Is that what we’re calling the Ordinariate now? [I’m done, I’m done! Mea culpa]
Tighe was once a pretty regular commentator at Stand Firm
Posted by: Lapinbizarre on Tuesday, 19 July 2011 at 5:01pm BST
I believe Dr Tighe’s posting priveledges were withdrawn and not only from SF ……
Lapin…I think you are a bit unfair on Doctor Tighe. he is a veritable encylopedia on Anglicanism and one of the few Americans who actually understands its nuances.
I will grant you the benefit of the doubt on your being unfamiliar with Dr Tighe’s Stand Firm posts, RIW. I imagined that that was what had probably happened, Martin, but did not know it. I do know that his attacks on Anglicanism were frequently so strong as to offend SF regulars, who tend, as a breed, to have pretty strong stomachs where that sort of thing is concerned.
“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Except that what we think is unchanging is very different from the actual days of Christ…..
I know, it’s so FUN to be apart of an oppressed minority, even when you’re not! It’s like that treehouse many of us had in that back yard…girls keep out! This is a CLUB for the CHOSEN ONES (The ones choosing themselves!)
Martin Reynolds:
Dr Tighe, who is himself a Uniate Roman Catholic (he attends St Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bethlehem, Pa.) has been banned from posting on a number of Anglican websites because he insists on using the words “priestess” and “bishopess” to refer to ordained women. For some background, see http://idrathernotsay123.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/banned/
Yes, Dr. Tighe was banned from Stand Firm for being rude and obnoxious.
Let that sink in for a moment.
http://anglicancontinuum.blogspot.com/2007/12/stand-wobbly.html
@Erica and Mark: A newly invented word surely, but though no-linguist, I would guess that it is incorrectly taken from monogamous – having only one sexual mate in a life-time (in the animal world) or in human terms literally having only one spouse (ie not divorcing or remarrying after his/her death) but more often used to mean having only one spouse at a time. Gene Robinson was not married at the time he was elected and consecrated bishop, although now he and his partner are married (not pseudo- since marriage is ‘also’ a civil contract which the state has the… Read more »
“‘It’s not “vipers” it’s pronounced thzzzzsnakes”. Hittttthhhhhhsssss!!!!!! “Sahhhhlyyyytharin!!!(Tongue flipping out of mouth)”
In Parseltongue, it’s more like
“sssaa-ha-sheh”
– at least, according to the Parseltongue translator at the HP films website. Of course, I don’t speak Parseltongue. Speaking in the tongue of snakes is a mark of Dark Wizards, certain Archbishops of Canterbury and most conservative “christians.”
Tighe quotes a Vatican document: In 1976, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its declaration Inter insigniores, stating that the Church does not consider herself authorized to ordain women, not on account of socio-cultural reasons, but rather because of the “unbroken tradition throughout the history of the Church, universal in the East and in the West”, which must be “considered to conform to God’s plan for his Church.” He doesn’t pause to consider the claims of this document, and that’s the crux of the whole issue, not whether certain bishops scuttled off in private to make arrangement,… Read more »
Doctor Tighe is a gentleman and a scholar… I think the reason for his banning is certainly nothing to do with his manner. Often the truth hurts and pricks consciences.
He is an encylopedia of knowledge on Anglicanism.
“There are lots of ways in which we can discern what is ‘considered to conform to God’s plan for his church’, but just doing the same thing over and over over again, without any other justification, isn’t one of them.” One is reminded of the statement of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. in his famous 1897 article “The Path of the Law” about courts’ blindly and thoughtless following the precedent of previous court decisions — “It is revolting to have no better reason for a rule of law than that so it was laid down in the time of Henry IV.… Read more »
We have, for OED, an new usage for the word “nuanced”.
@RIW: His language is neither gentlemanly nor scholarly however, at least in my definition of those terms.
Please will commenters avoid making personal remarks about Dr Tighe and concentrate on the content of his article. Thanks.
The word “pseudogamy” is being used to describe an action that mimics marriage; its application need not be limited to what homosexuals do. The very issue in question is whether marriage is inherent to our having been created male and female — as Jesus taught; see His strictures against divorce — or whether it is merely a social construct, a kind of ratification of friendship-plus. Dr. Tighe argues that a man can no more marry another man than he can marry a bedpost or a parabola or Queen Margaret of Scotland or any other thing that is not a living… Read more »
So well put Tony..
Catholicism ( and by that I mean being in full ecclesial communion with the successor of St Peter) is not a speculative religion..but a hierarchical religion with God endowed authority and infallibility ( albeit in a limited sense)…
I became a Catholic because I believe its claims to be true , whereas evangelicalism and liberalism are intrinsically subjective. If there is a God , there must be a definitive religion.
Tony, it is possible for a person to speak on such matters without being willfully offensive. I understand that the Roman Catholic Bishop of Edmonton (Alberta), for example, never refers to his Anglican counterpart as a “purported” bishop or “pseudo” bishop.
That is because he has manners.
Great post, MF.
The distinction between content and writer is a good one but sometimes style is content. So an important point of the content here is: ‘I hate and despise liberal Anglicans’.
I cant help feeling that the visit of the “other C of E bishops” in early 2008 may have fanned the fantasies of the Vatican regarding the likely numbers who would defect to the Ordinariate.I do wonder if the Roman authorities really have much of a grasp of the state of Anglo-Catholicism in the Church of England…or indeed the sociology of English religion generally. Yes “no popery” has subsided, but I would judge most members of the C of E ( even those of a moderately high-ish persuasion, still view Roman Catholicism as something “other”.
“Catholicism ( and by that I mean being in full ecclesial communion with the successor of St Peter) is not a speculative religion..but a hierarchical religion with God endowed authority and infallibility ( albeit in a limited sense). I became a Catholic because I believe its claims to be true , whereas evangelicalism and liberalism are intrinsically subjective. If there is a God, there must be a definitive religion.” –RIW Of course, if there is no God, then a definitive religion is very useful, as it removes the need to deal directly with the supposed deity. Whatever the Pope says!… Read more »
“Catholicism…is…a religion with…infallibility” – Robert Ian Williams
Try telling that to the Taoiseach, Dáil or Irish Catholic laity…
Perry Butler’s remarks are very apposite: clearly someone has given Rome a vastly inflated estimate of what the Ordinariate might become and achieve.
Perhaps some of these people were the same ones who were lining up Anglican funds to cushion the ‘cost of conscience’ for those of this particular ‘integrity’.
“I became a Catholic because I believe its claims to be true, whereas evangelicalism and liberalism are intrinsically subjective. If there is a God, there must be a definitive religion.”
ALL of the above is your *subjective* claim, RIW. [And no disrespect for that!]
There’s not a thought in my head—a firing of synapses, a bubbling beaker of brain chemistry—which is not subjective. Nor in yours. God made us that way: embrace it! 🙂
According to this weeks Church Times, Mgr Newton says the Ordinariate will need £1 million pounds a year to keep going. Something of a challenge for a group of 900 laity and clergy…the CBS “grant” has apparently offered “a breathing space”.I cant see this admission likely to stimulate further clergy who would need financial support to make the move. Mgr Newton also said he had hoped Ordinariate groups would meet in Anglican buildings, but so far it had “not been possible”. Nor I imagine will it ever be likely, nor do the RC bishops wish it…not a very auspicious start… Read more »
“I dont get the sense of much interest at all ….” – Tighe’s account of the Traditional Anglican Communion’s place in this makes absolutely no mention of Archbishop Hepworth’s angry withdrawal from TAC’s negotiations with Rome. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=14361
I didn’t mention Archbishop Hepworth’s “withdrawal,” because within a week the contretemps was settled, and Archbishop Collins’ “misunderstanding” was set to right; and so the “withdrawal” is better to be characterized as an “interlude.”
Apropos of Perry Butler’s comment:
So these people have been led astray (OK, in some cases have led themselves astray). One feels sorry in a way. Something, after all, to be said for the Grand Old Duke of York – into which category most FiF leaders and followers increasingly obviously come.
Thank you for posting this illuminating link, Lapinbizzarre,to the situation affecting the TAC in general. But is it surprising? The oddness, idiosyncracy, poor training and ambiguous matrimonial situations of many TAC clergymen and their people are bound to raise questions with Rome once their files are examined. Strong measures were needed to impose order on a hopeless situation. Frankly, it would be better if those without canonical impediments submitted to Rome on an individual basis and forgot any tenuous ‘continuing Anglicanism’. Conscientiously few will be able to return to formal Anglicanism for the reasons so clearly set out by Dr… Read more »
None of the Bishops in the 2008 meeting named by Dr Tighe have denied their participation in this meeting. It would be interesting to hear from them what actually was said…it certainly seems a curious thing…did the Archbishop know it was taking place? It has been said that +Chichester might convert after retirement, but it is difficult to imagine any of the others doing so.
I wonder if the creation of the Ordinariate has, in fact, helped the Woman Bishops legislation.The numbers voting in favour of the legislation has certainly exceeded what many anticipated, I think.