Conservatives in illegal ordination shocker

Ekklesia is reporting that conservative-evangelical anglicans in London have organised a service to ordain three men as deacons, outside the CofE’s structure. Because they object to many bishops’ positions on the question of homosexuality, they arranged for a bishop in the ‘Church of England in South Africa’, which is not part of the Anglican Church, to come and preside at the service. And this was despite the fact that the Bishop of Southwark, who has responsibility for this area, had expressly opposed the ordination.

This has two bizarre aspects, it seems to me. First, it is obvious that this is less about getting these three men ordained deacons than it is about making political points. And using solemn, sacred services like this as political ammunition is not appropriate. Second, and more important, is the question of what on Earth they think they’re doing. If they are members of the Church of England, they choose (by virtue of that membership) to obey certain structures and doctrines. One of those structures is the primacy of the bishop within his diocese. In other words, for a member of the Church of England, there can be no valid service in a diocese if the bishop opposes it. Similarly, there can be no valid ordination without the bishop’s agreement – not in his own power but by virtue of the fact that, in the CofE, the bishop represents the Church. If they put their ideological positions above the position of the Church (which their actions clearly show that they do) then they are declaring very loudly and clearly that they do not share the Anglican understanding of the church. They are declaring that they do not recognise the authority of the bishop.

Now, whether or not we agree with their position on homosexuality, and whether or not we believe that the church should have a heirarchy like the CofE’s, it is surely clear that these men simply do not belong in the CofE. They are declaring that they disregard the authorities that they claim to hold, and that they disregard the agreed positions of the church they claim to be members of. How can someone stay within the CofE when they are so clear that they don’t belong there?

pax et bonum

Article posted at 1:12pm on 04 November 2005
Category: Faith, Struggling

This has been happening in the US for some time now, and I’m sorry to see that this kind of Donatism has reached your shores. I would be curious which South Africa bishop has agreed to perform these ordination because the CPSA is considered to be quite liberal by African standards. At any rate, I don’t think this will go over well with ++Njongonkulu of Capetown.

Karen () (URL)
5:17pm on 04 November 2005

I don’t know why these people bother. They don’t love the Church of England. They’re not Anglicans. Why don’t they just bugger off out of it?

tony () (URL)
7:07pm on 05 November 2005

Karen,
The question is, who are the Donatists here?

John,
Great perspective. I agree that these men are out of line to try to score points in such a fashion.

Hammertime () (URL)
10:15pm on 08 November 2005

Karen,

The South African bishop in question is apparently not from the CPSA, but the bizarrely named ‘Church of England in South Africa’ which despite the name is not part of the Church of England or, indeed, the Anglican Communion at all. Bizarre.

Daniel Walters (URL)
09:14am on 10 November 2005