Evening star., 1933-01-01
TIME SEEN AS RIPE
FOR Church UNION
Manifesto of English Clergy
Regarded as Step Toward
Return to Rome.
BY ANTHONY LANE.
BY Gable to The Star.

BY Gable to The Star.
ROME, December adjudication in
the Osservatore Romano, official organ
of the Vatican, of manifesto signed by
SO prominent Church of England clergy
men, urging the return of the Anglican
Church to Roman catholicism. brings
once more to the fore the oft-discussed
question of Christian unity.
The so English church dignitaries
take much the same line that j. II. New
man took 100 years ago. They object
to the liberalism that has invaded
the Church Of England and demand
return to strict authority.
1t was in 1882 that Newman began tc
have doubts of the soundneSs OF the
Church Of England doctrine as a
golden means" between Roman1sm ano
liberal Professionalism, although 1t was
mot until 13 years later that he definitely
ioined the Roman church. Several
hundred members of the Church OF
England clergy followed him into the
Roman Catholic Church.
Conditions Seen Favorable.
1t is pointed out in Vatican circles
that conditions today for a reconc1lla-
tion between the two churches are much
more favorable than they were CEN
tury ago. For one thing, tendency
that had been noted in Newman's time
has become more marked. That Is the
tendency for England, and consequently
the established church, to be governed
more and more by dissenters.
Despite the so-called enabling act OF
1919, Parliament retains the flnal rlghI
of legislation in church matters, and as
Parliament today is composed IN ma
jority of non-members of the established
church, there is constant friction. Inc
adoption two years ago of a new prayer
book, with important changes In cnurcn
doctrine, caused much resentment
among the conservative clergy.
Disestablishment has been urgeo II
England as a remedy, but does not an
swer the objections of those who com
Main of the lack of authority and dis
cipline. The so signatories OF the mani
festo published in the OsserVatore
proclaim their conviction that the only
satisfactory solution is return TO tht
authority of the Pope.
II is revealed here also that in the
course of many negotiations between
Vatican and Anglican representatives
in recent years the question mas arisen
of the creation of number OF Engilsr
cardinals. At present there IS only ont
English cardinal, the Archbishop o.
Westminster.
American Church Problem.
Vatican spokesmen believe there
would be no difficulty on this score
They point out that Newman was mace
a cardinal from simple priest. Should
the Anglican and Roman churches re-
unite, it is thought likely that the Col
lege of Cardinals might be increased
from 10 to Is members, to make room
for five new British cardinals.
There is. however, another problem
that might not be SO easily solved
namely, the question OF the Episcopal
church in the United States. Thai
church, doctrinally, is identical with the
Anglican church, but with fewer au-
thoritarian traditions. In certain re-
gions of the United States. notably ir
the South, the feeling against Rome !:
strong, and it appears certain thai
whatever decision the Anglican churcf
might reach, the American Episcopa
church would not follow it to Rome.
Considerations Of this sort, 1t IS ad-
mitted, may weigh heavily with British
chu1chmen. They might fear a les
sening of their influence in America
which at present is great, If they re-
turned to the Roman obedience.
(Copyrisht, 1880