Forward in Faith

Forward in Faith (FiF) is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate[1] and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican views of homosexuality.

History

FiF was formed in 1992 as a coalition of some previous Catholic societies in the Church of England and elsewhere opposed to the ordination of women. It also tends to take a more traditionalist line on matters of liturgy, ecclesiology, Christology and the authority of scripture. As of 2005 there are more than 800 member parishes around the world.

Organisation

The common description of Forward in Faith as an organisation made up of Anglo-Catholics can be misleading. Because of the nature of FiF and the nature of Catholic theology regarding the ordination of women there is a significant overlap of the two. The membership base of FiF, however, is not exclusively Anglo-Catholic and there are many members in the United States, in England and elsewhere who would not consider themselves to be Anglo-Catholics.

In the brochure entitled "What is Forward in Faith North America", the organisation defines itself as:

a fellowship of Bishops, Clergy, Laity, Parishes and Religious Orders, who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who uphold the Evangelical Faith and Catholic Order which is the inheritance of the Anglican Way, and who work, pray and give for the reform and renewal of the Church with 'no compromise of truth and no limitation of love' FiF/NA members include faithful Anglicans both within and outside ECUSA.

Relations with the Roman Catholic Church

In 2009, there were reports that Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vienna, had been meeting with the Forward in Faith chairman, John Broadhurst, Anglican Bishop of Fulham, at the suggestion of the Pope.[2]

On 20 October 2009, in a document called "Anglicanorum Coetibus", the Holy See announced that its intention to create personal ordinariates for groups of former Anglicans within the Roman Catholic Church similar to the existing military ordinariates in that their jurisdiction is exercised on a personal basis rather than a territorial basis, as is the case with normal dioceses.

In October 2010, John Broadhurst announced his intention to join the Roman Catholic Church, although he said that he would not at that point resign as Chairman of Forward in Faith, saying "it is not a Church of England organisation".[3] He resigned from the position in November 2010 before being received into the Roman Catholic Church.[4]

Chairmen

See also

References

  1. ↑ Forward in Faith About Us
  2. ↑ Forward in Faith 'in talks with Vatican'
  3. ↑ Synod fight to go on, though FiF wooed by Rome
  4. ↑ Information of resignation from Forward in Faith.

External links

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