Sure. But there are limits.
There is a bit of a brew ha ha in Ireland right now. It seems that a Catholic priest celebrated the mass with a Protestant minister. Protestants and Catholics concelebrating the mass? Yeah, this will make some people uncomfortable to say the least. In Richmond, I knew some Catholic priests who had a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. They don't ask. You don't tell them that you are not Catholic. You are more then welcome to come to the altar. I have worked with Catholic priests in the hospital who have an even more bold approach. All are welcome. There is a certain ternch mentality. I imagine that the same mentality exists in places in Ireland where Catholics and Protestants kill one another.
In other news, some people are getting in trouble for not playing well with others. If anyone wants to know, if the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is involved, the Southern Baptist Convention will not be. This is likely a mutual stance, though the CBF has yet to bow out before the SBC has. This is the opposite of the above trench mentality. This is more like the Western Front of WWI. Trenches? Sure. You stay in your trenches. I'll stay in mine. Wow.
Posted by tripp at April 24, 2006 01:10 PMIn the first case I understand the historical reason why they wanted to do it. Many early Irish nationalist leaders were Protestants! (In fact the Roman Catholic hierarchy were often cold to the movement at first.) But the Mass is not a patriotic rally. This was obviously an abuse. Essentially you had a daffy Anglican priest concelebrating with daft RC ones and all involved deserve to be hauled before their respective bishops for it.
As a Protestant you may see shared Communion as a means to the goal of unity.
Catholics don't see it that way, as you probably already knew.
Posted by: The young fogey at April 24, 2006 03:55 PMFrom reading the second article, it sounds like the IMB would get along just fine with the AAC/ACN.
I wonder if Mr. Rankin & Ms. Norvelle have ever thought about calling Bps Duncan and Iker?
Posted by: Reverend Ref at April 24, 2006 06:30 PMI worked on mission in Northern Irelsand and at grassroots level the Christians are grttting on well and ecouraging one anothers communities to do the same. Don't ask don't tell ...why should we have to ask
As faR as the second article goes;
HOW SAD....HOW SAD...
Jesus must weep over his church, he prayed for our unity, he said that people would be drawn to him because of our love one for another...
HOW SAD
Perhaps, Reverend Ref, in the same sense as St Athanasius. Standing in the historic Catholic mainstream as +Fort Worth is trying to do isn't real 'isolation and exclusion'.
'Lo! what a cloud of witnesses encompass us around!'
Posted by: The young fogey at April 25, 2006 05:56 AM