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Hi Sean,
To someone not familiar with interfaith dialogue, this may seem confusing.
There are many Anglicans that have rejected the [Anglican | Episcopal | Church of England] faith.
In fact, they have been flooding into our Church in extremely large numbers including whole Anglican congregations.
Because the main stream media is anti-religious and anti-faith, you just don't hear about this.
In fact, for those Anglicans interested in joining the Church, She has set up a specific rite that would allow them to keep most of their liturgical traditions though they would still obviously have to believe everything we believe as Catholics.
At the same time, there are other Anglicans who still reject Catholic teachings and the sacrificial nature of the priesthood. Anglicans don't have a valid priesthood because Thomas Cranmer changed the form used for a valid priesthood back in the 1500's. For this reason all but a few of their sacraments are invalid including Holy Orders. This is the sacrament that makes a man a Catholic priest.
The Anglicans that have come into the Church through the Anglican Use privilege believe in all seven sacraments, while those that still hold on to gay unions and gay clergy, don't.
The bishop was correct that even these Protestant Anglicans are our brothers because they practice a valid Trinitarian Baptism which makes us part of the Body of Christ.
You said:
His response was this:
"One is not required to support Anglican teachings in same-sex unions. ."
I would rather say: One cannot support Anglican teachings on same-sex unions and be a faithful Catholic.
He said:
"One can disagree, and come our Judgment Day, judgment is between you and God. You are not judged on what your church believed since the individual is judged."
- Do you have any thoughts on all of this?
This can be misleading. I would rather say:
You are not judged on what your church believed.
You will be judged your obedience [in words and actions] of what your church believed.
Yes, we will all have our particular judgment (a one on one with Jesus) and we are all individually judged but the Catholic Church is the moral vehicle throughout time that we can turn to find out: What Would Jesus Do?
So we can't blow away what the Church teaches and believes because Her presence is needed for all Christians throughout every generation.
The Church's teachings are own compass to salvation.
Mike
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