SIR,—You will agree that the cause of Christian reunion is
best served by an honest recognition of the true natures of the bodies which propose to unite, and is hindered by the perpetuation of unsound or even mis- leading ideas about them. The word " Protestant." as used in your " News of the Week " commentary on the Holy Year, implies that Anglicans come under that description (in one very limited sense they do), and this common mistake confuses both Protestants (bona fide) and Roman Catholics vis-a-vis reunion.
If the faith, worship and order of the Anglican Church are compared with that of Protestants and Roman Catholics, it will be seen how on the vital, fundamental issues Anglicans are more closely in line with Roman Catholics. It is doing both Anglicans and the cause of reunion a dis- service to lump, explicitly or implicitly, Anglicans with Protestants. It is significant that nowhere in the Book of Common Prayer is the word " Protestant " to be found. The Anglican Church has always claimed to he Catholic. The failure to recognise the true nature of Anglicanism is the source of the constant disappointments in reunion talks with Protestant Nonconformists.—I remain, dear Sir, yours truly, A. EDWARD KEENE. St. Nicholas Vicarage. Parrett Road. Plan:stead, S.E.18.
[What other word is to be used to denote collectively Christians who are not Roman Catholics ?—ED., Spectator.]
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