The Anglican Experiment is Over

The Telegraph reports that the Right Reverend John Hind, the (Anglican) Bishop of Chichester, has said that he would be "happy" to be reordained in the Roman Catholic Church.  And The Rt Rev John Broadhurst, the (Anglican) Bishop of Fulham, has gone so far as to say that "the Anglican experiment is over".

Here in the United States, the disintegration of the Episcopal Church proceeds apace.  Yesterday the (Episcopal) Diocese of South Carolina voted to "distance itself but not completely split from the national Episcopal Church . . . ."  Whether this is but a step on the path to association with the break-away Anglican Church in North America remains to be seen.

It is tempting to say that the troubles of Anglicanism stem from the abiding Protestant sin of pride.  Since Luther and Calvin -- and Cranmer -- took it upon themselves to redefine Christian doctrine so as to conform more closely to their own thoughts and purposes, it has always been so.  Every man free and entitled to follow his own "conscience," to define his own orthodoxy, to found his own church -- unless, of course, he is so unfortunate as to find himself at odds with Calvin -- or Cranmer -- and to fall into their conciencious hands, in which case the pyre may be lit.  While it clangs on our modern ears, schooled by The World's Church of What's Happenin' Now, where individual conscience replaces submission, atomism follows.

But that, we think, is not the problem.  While it is the mechanism by which Anglicanism will continue to tear itself to shreds, it is not the cause.  The cause is faithless shepherds, wolves in the fold.  From the dithering Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to the worldly "progressive" Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the flock is led away from eternal life and into The World.  A Christian not at war with the world is not doing it right.  Rejected by those they had thought to be faithful shepherds, individual Anglicans mill about, rightly frightened, longing for the protection of the Good Shepherd.  But infected by the deadly virus of Luther and Calvin -- and Cranmer -- they take refuge amongst a remnant of their own, huddle together, conduct a vote (how progressive!) and appoint one of their own as shepherd.

It is a scandal.

Mass en Masse for Anglicans?

[FINAL UPDATE] For commentary and analysis above our pay grade, tune in to The Anchoress at First Things.

[UPDATED BELOW]

At 5:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, there is a press conference going on at the Vatican regarding the relations of "Anglicans" to the Holy See. At the same time, there is a press conference going on in London featuring the Archbishop of Canterbury (chief prelate of the Church of England) and the Archbishop of Westminster (de facto spokesman for the Catholic Church in England and Wales).  More HERE and HERE.

[UPDATE - 5:30] AP reports:

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has has created a new church structure for Anglicans who want to join the Roman Catholic Church.

Cardinal Joseph Levada, the Vatican's chief doctrinal official, said Tuesday the new legal entity will allow Anglicans to join the Catholic Church while maintaining their Anglican identity and many of their liturgical traditions.

Levada said the new structure is a response to the many requests that have come to the Vatican over the years from Anglicans who want to join. Many Anglicans have become disillusioned by the ordination of women, the election of openly gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions in the 77-million strong Anglican Communion.

[UPDATE - 6:06 A.M.] Reuters now reports:

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict has approved a document that would make it easier for Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church.

The move comes after years of discontent in the 70 million-strong worldwide Anglican community about the liberal attitudes of some parts of the church toward women priests and homosexual bishops.

The Vatican said on Tuesday that the document, known as an "apostolic constitution," would provide a structure for Anglicans who want to join Catholicism, either individually or in groups, while maintaining some of their own traditions.

The move was announced at simultaneous news conferences in Rome and London.

The Vatican said the pope decided to prepare the document to respond "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."

More from The Guardian, and the never-reliable CBC.

[UPDATE - 7:00 a.m. EST]: Here is the official Vatican announcement.

[UPDATE - 7:10 a.m. EST] Finally, we hear from Canterbury:

The announcement of this Apostolic Constitution brings to an end a period of uncertainty for such groups who have nurtured hopes of new ways of embracing unity with the Catholic Church. It will now be up to those who have made requests to the Holy See to respond to the Apostolic Constitution.

The Apostolic Constitution is further recognition of the substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition. Without the dialogues of the past forty years, this recognition would not have been possible, nor would hopes for full visible unity have been nurtured. In this sense, this Apostolic Constitution is one consequence of ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.

So Benedict XVI gives much, while the Archbishop of Canterbury has nothing left to give. Dare we say, "More mush from the wimp?" Or would that be too unkind, if accurate?