Have relationships with Rome soured?
- Anglican Futures
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Archbishop of Canterbury went to Rome,"as a pilgrim", bearing gifts, including a jar of 'Lambeth Palace Honey', for Pope Leo XIV.
The Most Reverend Sarah Mullally spoke just as sweetly.
She took as her text, Ephesians 2:14 “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall…” From this she spoke of being called to "live and preach the Gospel with renewed clarity," though this appeared to be a call for the "human family... to live as sisters and brothers" and the need to build "bridges, never walls."
Those familiar with the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury will not be surprised to hear she referenced her time as a nurse and her "hope to be a shepherd who loves and cares for the Church, who encourages hospitality despite our differences, who speaks prophetically into our present reality, and who proclaims Christian hope with the confidence that the Gospel of Jesus Christ remains good news for our world today."
Mullally went on to assure the Pope that they were "united in prayer because we pray to the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord," and she would be praying as they "journey together towards that unity which is the will of our Lord."
"In all this," she said, "we are sustained by hope – a hope grounded in Christ himself, who calls us forward, even when the way is not yet fully clear. May we continue to walk together in that hope, trusting that the one who has begun this good work among us will bring it to completion."
It was an upbeat start to the meeting, but then the Pope spoke.
At first, he was warm and welcoming; greeting Mullally as "Your Grace" and speaking of the historic meeting between "Saint Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey sixty years ago." The Pope even said he was glad that the Archbishops of Canterbury and the Bishops of Rome have continued to "meet and pray together."
However, he was a little more realistic about the complexity of the ecumenical journey, saying, "While much progress has been made on some historically divisive issues, new problems have arisen in recent decades, rendering the pathway to full communion more difficult to discern.
It was not difficult to work out that the "divisive" issues were those of gender and sexuality but just to make sure everyone was clear, the Pope said they were questions that the Anglican Communion was also facing.
Despite all this, the Pope committed himself to continuing the dialogue, even if he held out little hope of a positive outcome. "For my part," he said, "I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear."
The Archbishop of Canterbury may be on an "ecumenical pilgrimage," but the honesty of Pope Leo just highlights the unwelcome relaity that the paths she, and others, have taken have caused greater division, within the Anglican Communion and beyond.
The Pope has made it clear that it will take more than sweet talk, and even sweet gifts, to repair the damage.
Why is this article written as if the Anglican church should come begging Rome for greater communion? The problem is entirely theirs, we recognise their orders and jurisdiction for what it's worth.
As an Anglican minister I could only countenance union with Rome if they, at the very least, dropped the unbibilical doctrines of Papal supremacy and infallibility, the perpetual virginity, assumption and sinlessness of Mary, purgatory, indulgences and Saint worship, transubstantiation and presenting sacrifice at the Eucharist. That's the bare minimum for viable union.
Given that this is never going to happen, I don't worry about the bishop of Rome and am quite happy with him not worrying about me.