As a high church Anglican, I watch the American province of my church fall apart with horror. I grieve for it everyday. And yet, when I hear the mainline Protestant denominations mocking us, it hurts. When I hear my Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters using my church as a term of derision, it wounds to the core of my being.
I am writing this, not knowing it any of you will see it, to ask you to please stop chiding us, and start praying for us. How can we mend if you who have remained strong do not pray for us?
We want to be unified again. We want to be strong. We want to be one with you, but right now, we cannot. Are we to be blamed because we will not give up our church for lost? Adding schism to heresy helps no-one but the Enemy. We love our church, its history, ethos, and traditons; we want to bring these things to you as gifts, not as burdens to be disposed of. There is still so much good in the Anglican Communion as a whole: more good than bad, in fact.
We love the Sacraments, and it wounds us that we cannot share in them with you at this time; at the same time, we acknowledge that the differences between us are real, and not to be dismissed lightly in the name of superficial unity. We do, howeve,r have one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptist, one Sacrament of Body and Blood, one apostolic priesthood. We are your brothers, though we have been apart for so long. We are of the same Body.
Hang on to us in your prayers; do not forget us. We love deeply, hope greatly, and believe strongly; pray for us. Help us to keep believing, and to remain where God has put us as salt and light. Stop laughing at our troubles, and try to love us again.
Remember us always to God.
