A: The Church of England is the Church of England.
In other words, it is not the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is not the Church IN England, It is not a branch of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is not a subset or a division or a reformed arm of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is what it is named: the Church of ENGLAND.
Ever since King Henry VIII made himself the head of the Church, the Church of England has been the religious arm of the English ruling establishment. That is what it meant when the king made himself the head of the church. The monarch, as most people know, is still the official head of the Church of England–not the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Pope in Rome, but King Charles III. Because it is the religious arm of the English ruling establishment, the Church of England will never stand up to the rulings of Parliament or the monarchy. The Church standing up to the tyranny of the ruling establishment in England died with St Thomas a Becket and St Thomas More. The Church of England bows to the King–and in this present age–bows to Parliament and bows to the demands of the mass media and the voices of the hungry hordes of unwashed English people.
This explains why the Church of England today (admittedly after much hand wringing and internal debate) decided to bless same sex marriages. This is why the Church of England are about to debate using gender neutral terminology for God. This is why the Church of England flies rainbow flags from her church towers and preaches the NuChurch religion of moralistic, therapeutic, Deism. All of this is simply because she is what she is: the Church of England. In other words, where England goes the Church of England follows. What England chooses, The Church of England is expected to bless.
It was ever so since the Church of England’s unrighteous foundation. During the reign of Elizabeth the Bloody England tried to be Protestant while allowing some Catholic trappings. The Church of England complied. During the reign of Charles I, England went to the Puritans. Charles lost his head for being too Catholic and too much of an old school monarch. The Church of England went all Puritanical. Then during the eighteenth century, when most of Europe fell to the Freemasons and free thinkers most Church of England bishops and clergy were freemasons. If you doubt me on this, visit Lambeth Palace sometime (the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury) there you will find the portraits of all the previous Archbishops of Canterbury. The ones from the eighteenth century–almost to a man–are proudly wearing their freemason apron underneath their clergy robes. In the nineteenth century the Church of England was the religious arm of British colonialism–embarking on worthy missionary efforts, but efforts (it must be said) which supported not only the conversion of the indigenous people, but also supported the export of British domination. In the twentieth century the Church of England was the religious arm of the growing English post-war welfare state. Now, as England capitulates to the tyranny of the woke ideology the Church of England once more is called to bless what England has decided it wants and likes best.
I was a vicar in the Church of England from 1983 – 1995. I well remember a debate in my own parish council over the issue of women’s ordination to the priesthood. I predicted then, “Today we are discussing women’s ordination. Twenty years from now you will be debating homosexual marriage.” My parishioners were shocked at my statement and protested loudly–“The two issues are not linked! That’s ridiculous!” I went on to explain that the feminists would also, eventually attack the concept of God as Father. Once again the disagreement was loud and unlovely. Almost immediately I began to notice how the liturgical prayers that were newly composed were devoid of language referring to God as Father. Instead it was just “Almighty God” or “God” or “Creator” or some other cleverly devised language that was deemed non-sexist. I was wrong in my timing. It is now nearly thirty years (not twenty) since I made those predictions, but now, sure enough, the Church of England is on the verge of endorsing same sex marriage and making formal their already existing practice of removing language about God as Father.
Why does this matter you might ask. “You’re a Catholic now Father. Get over it.”
It matters because many in our Catholic Church still look to the Anglican Church as in important ecumenical partner. Too many in our Catholic Church not only see no problem with the current decisions of the Church of England–they want to emulate those decisions. They think the decisions are a good thing.
We should all stop and see what the Church of England has become. She does not stand in opposition to the Kingdom of the World. She is the religious face of that Worldly Kingdom. The false version of Christianity rightly named Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is precisely the religion of the antiChrist–the antiChrist is the religion that the Kingdom of the World assumes when it wants to wear a spiritual and religious mask. This is the false religion which, in the end times will deceive many –even many, many of the elect. This is the false religion which will penetrate even to the heart of the Catholic Church and all who truly love the Kingdom of Heaven need to be alert and aware because this smiling face of Satan will eventually stop smiling and start to snarl.
Dear Fr. Longenecker, after following you from afar for many years, I became a contributor tonight so that I might comment. When I read the news about the Anglican Church this week, I immediately came to your site to see if you commented. You have not disappointed. Your explanation of the church is excellent. Much to my embarrassment, I’ve been a member of the Episcopal Church for a number of years. I no longer attend. You well-reasoned explanation here helps my heart feel better about pulling away. Thank you so much for your wise words.
Thank you for readin and for your comment. I do not enjoy writing so critically of the Anglican Church–of which I have fond memories, and from which I gained much. My prayers are for Anglicans as they go through yet another ordeal.
I didn’t see your comment as critical, but more as sadness or disappointment. I’m sad for the Anglican Communion as a whole. It was not to disparage the church when I said I was embarrassed; I simply feel lost. Thank you, again.
Have you considered joining an Ordinariate Community? In the Ordinariate you can be in full communion with the Catholic Churdh while still enjoying the riches of the Anglican patrimony.
I definitely encourage visiting the Ordinariate Community. Their Mass follows the Ordinary Form Liturgical cycle of readings, has extended prayers, and is celebrated ad orientum (especially during Eucharistic liturgy). It’s beautiful, and it seems to be what Sacrosanctum Concilium intended for the development of the Mass.
Had a generally good experience there.