• The Bishop of Monmouth's Sermon
SIR,—The sharp eye of Janus overlooked another point stressed in the ill-timed sermon by the Bishop of Monmouth. Why pretend that the Anglican Church was not Roman Catholic before the Reformation ? Every schoolboy is taught that the Church of England was founded by St. Augustine and how Theodore of Tarsus bludgeoned the ancient Celtic Church into organised submission. Who sent these men and thousands more if it was not the Pope ? And who built the ancient cathedrals and parish churches if they did not ? And whence did the Bishop receive his Apostolic Succession if it was not via Rome ? It was very much a Roman Catholic Church.
Moreover, if we must boggle at the use of the word " Protestant " there is nothing for it but to invent a synonym for it, since the Refor- mation was not only very much of a protest; it was a national protest. Had it been otherwise, even Henry VIII would not have had his way. Not many were prepared to stand beside the saintly Sir Thomas More when he died for that in which he believed.
And when the Bishop speaks with such lofty condescenlon of Protestants is it not a case of the pot calling the kettle black ? In the eyes of Rome he is no Bishop at all. Some years ago when the Pope kindly received me in audience, the high official responsible for the arrangements gave me some special instructions: "Will you please wear the collar as directed, and not a clerical collar, because His Hilliness does not recognise the sect to which you belong." I belong to the same " sect " as the Bishop of Monmouth.
Many of us are getting tired of -this unreality. It is deplorable to pray about "our unhappy divisions" when Bishops do their utmost to perpetuate these. Nevertheless, whenever we look overseas the prayer is being answered in the great and rising tide of Christian reunion; it is as spontaneous as it is irresistible. Even the Roman Catholic waters are rippling here and there. Against this even in 'episcopal hands Dame Partington's broom will be of no avail.—Yours
No. 2, Old Coastguard Cottages, Barton-on-Sea, Hants.
Previous page
