Heya Well...Not quite sure how to start this off! I'm Fennec, and I'm a twenty one year old student from the U.K. I'm currently on the last year of a B.A in Classics and Religious Studies, much of the latter being directed towards the history, apologetic and doctrine of the Catholic Church and ironically enough that is what led me here really. It feels awkward to explain even anonymously online, but in the past couple of years I have had to seriously consider and contemplate what exactly it is I believe in. While the actions of individuals are a poor standard to judge an entire organization by (and hence I try and not bring it's rather less glamorous moments of history into consideration), there are several aspects of faith that the Catholic Church teaches as absolute, unchanging Dogma that I increasingly find difficult to rationalize as logical, non-hypocritical or in some cases even moral. It's not for want of trying in attempting to "correct" my view; I probably own more apologetic books off the Ignatius Press than most Seminarians but even still, I find myself at something of a loss. I've begun to read more into other denominations; Orthodoxy, Methodism, Quakerism to name a couple I've skimmed the surface on so far, Anglicanism included but there's so many questions that pop up in my mind, and there's only so many a book can answer for me. I'm hoping that by joining here, I might get to learn more about how non-Catholics see and practice Christianity, or reconcile new features like women ordination with it. Well, that's all I have to say for now. Hoping to get to know some of you a bit better!
Welcome Fennec! My advice is to keep reading and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you. I was a member of the Orthodox Church before I became Anglican, and I know what you are going through.
Heya Peteprint! Thanks for the welcome Moving from the Orthodox Church to an Anglican one must have been a pretty major culture shock, if you don't mind me asking what led you to make the decision to convert? I know the vast majority in my Catholic Parish hold similar gripes to myself on a variety of issues (contraception, infallibility ect) but the thought of conversion never seems to cross their minds. I'd imagine the same must be true of some of the laity in the Orthodox Churches.
Hi Fennec, Welcome aboard... Take it from someone who began life in the Anglican Church (High Church) and found I didn't fit in or found it difficult to believe some of what I was being taught and moved, and moved, and moved from a 18 year old (now in my 60's). I finally returned to the fold a few years ago and now I am comfortable with the paradox and mystery of my relationship with God. What bought me back to the Church of my birth was the realization that change cannot happen by moving on it can only happen by remaining in the fold and being the Christian you feel the Holy Spirit is leading you to be. The Roman Catholic Church, the High Church Anglicans and the Orthodox Church have very deep seeded tradition that is at odds with our brothers and sisters in the Reformed Church denominations and I believe there is room for everyone of them in that rich tapestry we call life. blessings, Gordon tssf