William Cardinal Levada

"The Prospect of Corporate Unity"

Lambeth comment from Fr Warren Tanghe

The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC) is an international Continuing Church with a substantial presence in Australia, Southern Africa, North and South America, and India.  Last October, its bishops signed both a copy of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and a petition asking that a way to be found for Anglicans to be received into full communion with the Holy See and yet maintain their Anglican identity.  These two documents were then delivered by three of their number to a delegation from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in Rome.

Over the succeeding months rumours have abounded, with some claiming that this was a substantial initiative, and others claiming it would go nowhere.

Archbishop John Hepworth

On July 5th, the Prefect of the CDF, William Cardinal Levada, sent a letter to the Primate of the TAC, Archbishop John Hepworth, in which he assured the TAC "of the serious attention which the Congregation gives to the prospect of corporate unity raised in that letter", and assuring it that "as soon as the Congregation is in a position to respond more definitively concerning the proposals you have sent, we will inform you".

The simple fact that such a letter was sent might be thought significant.  Rome rarely acts quickly, but it does not seem that it often proffers such an interim assurance.  The fact that it did so in this case, would itself seem to confirms the CDF's statement that it takes the TAC initiative seriously.

The reason the Cardinal gave for the Congregation's delay seems peculiar: "the situation within the Anglican Communion in general has become markedly more complex during the same period".  Despite its close relationship with Forward in Faith and with bishops in the Communion who have not compromised the historic faith, the TAC is completely outside the Anglican Communion.  Why, then, should the situation within the Communion affect the Congregation's handling of the TAC petition?  That it has done so might seem to confirm the statements of several TAC bishops that their initiative is not simply about the TAC, but about opening a gateway for any and all Anglicans, within or outside the Communion, who may wish to live out their Anglican identity in communion with the Holy See.  This would mean that the response must be set within the larger context of Rome's ongoing relationships with the Anglican Communion.

The letter confirms that the TAC's petition, or at least "the prospect of corporate unity" which it raised, has the "serious attention" of the Congregation.  But a senior Roman Catholic source cautions against reading too much into the letter: it may really mean no more than, `we're onto it, please be patient'.

And in the end, what the Vatican will decide will be known only when the Vatican announces it.

The Lambeth Conference 1998 called for discussions to seek the reconciliation with the Communion of those bodies which are Anglican in heritage, but outside the Communion's boundaries.

The official list of ecumenical participants at Lambeth 2008 as of July 8th, however, does not name anyone representing the Traditional Anglican Communion or any other of these separated Anglican communities.