During General Convention I read a lot of blogs, including Father Thorpus' reports at Whitehall. At one point, he discussed his distaste for the Official Youth Presence's calls to revise the Book of Common Prayer to appease the young people. I commented that if there were to be a new youth-driven Prayer Book, I really would like to restore the Commination Against Sinners. Wannabe Anglican then suggested I could join the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC). I recall Bugs Bunny, "He don't know me very well, do he?"
But I did briefly turn over the idea in my head. First, I thought of past experience with the REC. Their principal seminary was not far from where I grew up. There was an REC church on the route between home and school. But I never really heard anything about them doing anything. I knew enough church history to know who they were and why they split, thanks to a c. 1985 issue of Anglican and Episcopal History on schisms, which I think might be helpful reading for these times. The local Episcopal church in that neighborhood recently was closed. I didn't see any signs that the REC parish was doing any better.
Second, I investigated nearby REC churches. There really aren't many in the whole of Ionia. The nearest is on the other side of Colossae, where the next General Convention will be held. As someone who doesn't possess a car, that is a tad impractical.
But I think it was this web site that pretty much settled my future affiliation with the REC in a much more serious and fundamental fashion. I am a High Churchman, after all, and contrary to popular belief, I neither adore Buddha, nor the Ever-blessed Virgin Mary. Hyperdoulia, on the other hand... And considering my discussion of the church catholic last post, I probably disagree with the REC on most matters if this web site is any indication of typical belief in the pews. ++PJA has signed an agreement with the REC. He probably should invest in more muted episcopal costume in the future, maybe something that ++William White would wear. He wouldn't want his purple to look too Papist.
(Hat tip to Google Ads at Questioning Christian)
2 comments:
As someone fascinated with the continuum, I never quite got the whole merger with the APA and REC.
It does seem that it is working on a practical level though. I have often felt that if these churches could quit having episcopal pissing contests that they could actually form an alternative to the TEC for traditionalists, and may even be taken more seriously by Canterbury et al.
Yeah, it's clear to me that there's a groundswell of new people (like Wannabe Anglican) in both jurisdictions who might be able to revitalize them. And who knows? In a couple of decades or so, my attitude toward the Continuum might be completely different.
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