For Episcopalians is being "inclusive" a real doctrine for them?

You (and Lowly Layman) could well put that question to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury a propos his decision not to invite break away groups to the Lambeth Conference.

 

Seems to me like the good Archbishop is operating on our principles of including or excluding based on an objective standard.

Seems to me that if you want to be honest about your principles, you should lobby the CoE to include highchuchman's group, so as to include everybody.

 

(i) And what "objective standard" would that be? And who are "our"; and what are your principles, allegedly shared by our Archbishop?

(ii) Highchurchman and his colleagues are welcome to return to the fold. As are you. We are a broad church, after all.

 

Regarding inviting the English
ACC, in to the C.of E., an attempt was made in about 1996, I can't remember the exact day, we sat in a room near the old BBC. Four or more from the C.of E. one a well known canon, and four from the ACC..If we were interested there was a place for us and there would be no problems. After the discussion, in which I simply listened to the proposals, I was asked what I thought and what contribution would I like to make?
My reply was that I didn't leave the C.of E., because of W/O, I left it because it simply didn't teach the ancient faith as taught throughout history and if the other two priests succumbed to the blandishments of the offending party , I would not go with them. Whatever people say or think about the Anglican Catholic Communion, I have found them honest and truthful ,educated and seekers after the truth. I consider it one of the best days work I've done!

 

Seagull the objective standard we share with the archbishop is the connection to Canterbury. While I'd have wished for high-c to be included, I respect the standard which determines the official Membership in the Communion (and I already fulfill it, no thanks to the snide little stab on your part). The standard is simple: If you fulfill the criteria, you're included, and if you don't you're excluded. It's the same with Christianity at large- if you submit to God you're included as a Christian, and if you don't you're excluded.

You however preach the heterodox gospel of Inclusivism where you strive to break down the walls between inclusion and exclusion to make all people included. Thus, to be honest to your principles you ought to welcome highchurchman as your brother, and petition the Archbishop to weaken the Membership criteria in order to include him and his group.

 

It seems that H Churchman doesn't wish to return home, but I imagine that petitions have been sent to the AofC. But I am not sure what you mean by "the membership criteria". Acceptance of the Lambeth-Chicago Quadrilateral?

As for membership, I told you about the member of our congregation who does not take communion because she "does not believe enough" (her words). She is baptised but not confirmed. Yet she is on the Electoral Roll.

I imagine that in your case, and that of the (other) "breakaways" here (sorry if that's not the right word), you are still entitled to receive communion in a mainstream Anglican church, and quite possibly do so. That also applies to the tiny flock who left for the "Ordinariate", but I doubt they do.

 

As long as the Chicago Quadrilateral is read through the lens of the Seven Councils, I should not bother about it, in fact I didn't until you brought it up. Howandever! I must repeat the Anglican Communion no longer seems to teach the faith, I have visions of some enormous room with millions of pigeon holes stuffed with parchmont all ignored and covered in dust. Not wanted on pilgrimage?

 

So who does "keep the faith"? The ACC?

 

Yes that's the criterion. Regardless of H churchman's opinions you ought to welcome him, and even prior to him joining, treat and include him as your brother.

Thanks as a full member of the Anglican Communion I don't need any permission from you.

 

H Churchman is welcome to rejoin us. Even if he doesn't, I doubt if any Anglican cleric would turn him away from the communion table.

It's not up to me to give permission, but since you are a member of a mainstream Anglican church, that doesn't apply in any event.

 

Well they try! They state publicly that they hold to Christ ,scripture and Seven Ecumenical Councils. What more could be done? In my opinion the Traditional Anglicans are simply a Western Orthodox Church!

 

He doesn't need to. That's so exclusivist of you. You're adopting our way of thinking, which you previously had disdained.

To be honest to your principles you need to treat him as included already, as well as fighting the structures that exclude him currently.

 

Of course he doesn't need to, any more than the people who have moved to Rome need to, via the "Ordinariate" or otherwise. He has a good home church to return to if he wants. But I'm not sure what you mean by "fighting the structures that exclude him". He's moved to a splinter church. Why should you or I fight to include it?

 

Again, your slip is showing! The ACC, isn't a splinter church, it is a Catholic Communion made up of Anglicans and teaching the faith as expounded for two thousand years. She holds to the fullness of the faith, the Apostolic Succession in both orders and teaching! Not many can say that!

 

I think we are talking semantics. Would "break away" suit you? Am I right in saying that your church has broken away from the mainstream Anglican Communion?

 

Because you view being exclusive as a vice. Because you strive to be inclusive.

 

So you mean that I should write to Archbishop Welby urging him to invite the bishop(s) of the ACC and other break away churches to the Lambeth Conference? Are you doing that yourself?

A point that I made before, which led to me being banned for a week, is that for better or for worse, by breaking away such groups exclude themselves from the mainstream Anglican Communion.

 

Yes.

No, because I am not inclusive.

 

In fact I won't be writing to Dr Welby. Members of these breakaway churches surely remain Anglican and are welcome to our services and communion. As far as I know they don't have to be readmitted.

 

Because we believed that the Catholic Faith was not being taught! What else could we do?