Lutherans warn Vatican--Do not create a "Lutheran Ordinariate"

The creation of the Anglican Ordinariate by the now, former Pope of Rome, Benedict XVI allowed the Roman Church to extend an olive branch to conservative Anglo-Catholics in England and beyond who were discontent with the hierarchy’s loosening standards on women’s ordination, ordination of homosexuals, homosexual weddings, etc.  Those Anglicans who were received into this ordinariate were allowed to retain their liturgical customs and praxis.  I’m not sure if they were forced/invited to recognize the headship of the Pope in spiritual matters, but there were definitely those who took the offer and didn’t look back.

Now there are rumours that the Vatican may attempt to entice conservative Lutherans in the same way, by creating an ordinariate for them.  This prompted a slew of accusations and polemic from primarily liberal Lutheran groups (mainly in Europe) who said that such a move would “send wrong signals” (whatever that means) and would be a damaging blow to ecumenical relations.  You can read more of the reaction here.

First of all, I think the liberal Lutherans should calm down.  Conservative Lutherans are those who adhere to a quia subscription of the Confessions which means they would never enter into any kind of arrangement which would  require them to acknowledge the headship of the pope.  Any Lutherans who would do that are probably more Catholic than Lutheran anyway and would probably convert and swim the Tiber entirely rather than just take a dip in the kiddy pool version.

Secondly, what does this say about ecumenism?  I’ve been long of the opinion that ecumenism, as it exists now, simply seeks to unify churches administratively without regard for what the true faith is.  They call it diversity and that strengthens the church rather than hinders it (I’m sure that the confessors of the faith who died for the orthodox doctrine would disagree, but I digress).  True and good ecumenism is not about uniting the churches, but having these disparate confessions unified to the Una Sancta which already exists.  There’s no harm in talking to people, but you must wonder why we continue to talk to people who have so consistently and unapologetically discarded the traditions of the faith.  And you must also wonder why we continue to talk with them who insist that diametrically opposed points of doctrine are somehow both valid.

This reaction by this group of Lutherans simply betrays that the ecumenism practiced today by the mainline Protestants is NOT about a true unity of the faith, but a unity of agreeing to disagree so let’s all commune at the same altar.  And the Church has never tolerated heresy and schism in its midst for a great long time before it was able to throw it out.  At the same time, their reaction underscores that, even for liberal Lutherans, beliefs do matter, even if they officially continue to taut their preference for “diversity of beliefs” within a church.

The liberal Lutherans want so much for their perverted doctrines to be recognized, particularly by Rome.  But Rome won’t budge. That’s what they mean by this action being a damage to ecumenical relations: Rome insists that the Lutherans are deficient in many doctrines and practices and will insist on its faith as the norm and standard from which unity is born.  How dare they continue to be Catholics!  Of course, if the situation were reversed and the Lutherans announced a “Catholic Ordinariate” (not going to happen), there would be no hypocrisy on their part.

Ecumenism, as it is practiced now, is dangerous for precisely this reason.  The Orthodox are best to withdraw themselves from these frivolous dialogues and wastes of time.