Why we still need Anglicans

Here’s more from the wonderful article by Will Hutton in the Observer this weekend. I have long since given up reading the Church press - my faith is not strong enough – but I do enjoy reading what others have to say about us. Very often they can see things that we on the inside have missed or forgotten. Hutton goes right to the heart of the tragedy of the present conflicts in Anglicanism, and explains why our inclusive liberal approach is essential, not necessarily for the Church, but for the nation and the world. Look at this:
“The genius of the Church of England is that because it is the official church it has to include the universe of all the English - Christian, agnostic and atheist of whatever sexual orientation. It represents the cultural heartbeat of the country, and as the country has become more progressive so has it. This is not just a precious institution at individual moments of crisis. Anglican priests are bulwarks for a cluster of values - tolerance, mutual respect, kindness, altruism, redemption - wherever they go in the communities they serve. I've never met one I did not respect enormously. In some social housing estates they are the only decent non-official figures people encounter. And even if God is only a hypothesis, it is crucially important that the country's leading religious institution is liberal.

(Rowan) Williams … has a greater responsibility to the genius of Anglicanism - its capacity to reconcile Christian faith with the lived lives of the English and in so doing transmute religion into a powerful liberal, rather than reactionary, force.

… The Anglican church moved with the sexual times in the 16th century, founded to free English kings from papal bans on whom they married, loved and divorced. It is moving with the sexual times in the 21st century by preparing to ordain gay priests and women bishops.

… And the liberal English, whatever divine hypothesis they favour, should not allow Williams to fight alone. If we don't want bigots running our liberal church, we'd better show it more support. One step might be to turn up for the odd service.”
Terrific! Thanks Will.