This week the third stage of the Anglican-Roman
Catholic International Commission begins its work at the ecumenical
Monastery of Bose in Italy.
Its focus will be on 'Church as Communion —
Local and Universal'. Both sides of this now uncertain conversation have
important things to say and to hear.
In particular they will certainly be aware of the recent enforced
retirement of Roman Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba, Bill Morris, which
raises sharply the question of how any central authority in the life of
the Church should be exercised, particularly in relation to the office
of bishop.
One important area of conversation, firmly evoked in one aspect of
Bill Morris' case and less regarded in another, is the clear place in
Catholic tradition of local ecclesial responsibility, particularly for
episcopal ministry.
The historian Eusebius recounts that when the Roman Christians needed
a bishop in about the year 250, they had some possibly miraculous
assistance:
They relate that suddenly a dove flying
down lighted on [Fabian's] head, resembling the descent of the Holy
Spirit on the Saviour in the form of a dove. Thereupon all the people,
as if moved by one Divine Spirit, with all eagerness and unanimity cried
out that he was worthy, and without delay they took him and placed him
upon the episcopal seat.
The principle that bishops were elected by local clergy and people
was established in ancient times, even where interventionist pigeons
were not involved.
Ambrose of Milan was famously acclaimed while still a
catechumen; Cyprian of Carthage is adamant about the principle of
popular election.
While other bishops, especially the Bishop of Rome, could be
involved in episcopal elections and depositions, and choices were later
made by Cathedral chapters rather than by larger assemblies, there is no
obvious trajectory from this picture of local responsibility to one of a
central authority with no constraints for its exercise other than
personal fiat.
Reactions to Morris' removal have been varied, but conservative
cheers and more circumspect reflections tended to reflect on law, and
consideration of the Pope's actions in the light of secular models and
practices, rather than on Christian tradition itself.
Morris' own
response includes a striking quote from the Pope's own statement to him:
Canon Law does not make provision for a
process regarding bishops, whom the Successor of Peter nominates and may
remove from Office.
Although the ancient stories of Fabian, Ambrose and others concern
the arrival of bishops rather than their departure, this present legal
vacuum sits uneasily with the general practice of the Church that
established the Canon of scripture and the Creeds.
While Canon Law may currently provide for nothing more than papal
discretion, to regard this as a universal and obvious truth reflecting
tradition would be strange.
Canon law is eminently changeable.
How it
seems to have changed, and could yet be changed, requires some
reflection.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference made no reference
to the legal state of affairs or secular points of comparison, but in
saying that they had in their meeting 'reflected upon the unique role of
the Pope as head of the College of Bishops' they signalled that there
was a collegial dimension to primacy that was hard to discern in these
recent actions, while also acknowledging 'Pope Benedict's faithfulness
to the Petrine ministry, even when it involves very difficult
decisions'.
Bishops of the Church of England are not appointed more
democratically or transparently than Roman Catholic bishops (although
there are better-known processes and lines of accountability — and they
would have better legal redress should anyone try to get rid of them).
Elsewhere in the Anglican Communion however there are expressions of
that more ancient practice, where clergy and people have active
responsibility for their bishops' appointments.
The Anglican Communion has been shaken by events and issues, from lay
presidency in Sydney to openly gay and lesbian bishops in the USA, that
reveal not only deep division but a lack of means for central
intervention.
There have also been recent cases in the Anglican Church
of Australia, notably Ballarat and The Murray in South Australia, where
the lack of a mechanism to remove an elected bishop from a dysfunctional
situation has been damaging.
No one system of ecclesial leadership is ideal, to be sure.
The
fruits of ecumenical dialogue should include deeper understanding of
characteristic problems in each system, but also the prospect of calling
one another to faithful exercise of the Church's tradition.
'Catholicity' refers not merely to present Vatican practice, but to a
tradition that extends across time as well as space.
Anglicans, who also lay claim to this tradition, should listen to the
possibilities as well as pitfalls of a Petrine ministry as exercised in
the Roman Catholic Church.
They may also be able to share the strengths
and weaknesses of their custodianship of a tradition just as ancient as
Peter's, wherein the local church itself is the place where the
authenticity of a bishop's ministry must be judged, at the beginning and
at the end.
Associate Professor Andrew McGowan is Warden of Trinity College, The University of Melbourne. He blogs at Andrew's Version and Royal Parade Diary.