Anglo-Catholic view of deliberately childless marriage?

Of course- it is one of the Three Purposes of Marriage to have children; without it or the other two Purposes, there can’t be a valid Holy Matrimony in the Church

 

Yes, I’m Roman in fact, but there are a number of morsels in the Catechism I have trouble digesting. If I had been better informed when I was baptized (as an adult) I’d probably have become Episcopalian. There’s usually not a day goes past I don’t think I ought to have; I remain Roman through inertia and a stubborn tendency to stick with my decisions.

vasectomy for the purpose of never having children ever is a different matter than having one because you already have kids and your wife doesn’t want any more, and isn’t willing to try NFP (natural family planning). Maybe the celibates in Rome don’t see any distinction, but then how could they?

 

As a former RC myself, I found that becoming Anglican was incredibly simple. I simply started regularly attending an Anglican parish. And I had a conversation with the rector. Easy-peasy.

Before long I felt led to volunteer in a couple of areas. When the bishop came to perform confirmations, the rector asked if I'd like the bishop to lay hands on me and I said okay. Not that it mattered hugely to me (what matters to me is following Jesus Christ), but it was sort of nice. Everyone was treating me as a member of the church long before the bishop came.

You've been baptized and you're a Christian. If you want to be in an Episcopal church or an Anglican church, just find one and start showing up. The liturgy is so similar, you'll probably feel right at home in no time.

 

There is a really great Episcopal church nearby. I started going last year, and did meet with the rector to have a talk about coming over. My son, who goes to the local Catholic kindergarten, wants to go to the Catholic Church because it’s what he does at school. He’s also a little shy, and I think the folks at the Episcopal church sort of frightened him a little with their gregariousness.

It’s more important to me that he want to go to church. If I drag him to another one (with no kids attending it) just because I prefer it, then I run a risk of alienating him from churchgoing and that doesn’t sit well with me.

 

I agree some people make the most horrendous parents.

I respect your God-given free will but wouldn't advocate it. It's foolish to place your soul in jeopardy. The Church is there to guide and teach us.

 

This is something you should have done at the time.

That's the way the Faith is. We can't pick the bits we like and ignore the ones we don't. That's not what being faithful to God is about.

 

XD XD XD

True, but does that include sinful Catholic priests and their sinful misconduct,? What kind of teaching is that?

 

It is not a teaching, at all. Can you show where the Roman Catholic Church teaches its priests to be sinful? I'm afraid that's not really a good argument.

The Roman Catholic Church, like all churches, is full of sinners. Some of them are priests. The Roman Catholic Church does not teach that they should behave in this way. Their behaviour is in contradiction to the Roman Catholic Church's teaching. Those sinful priests will be, like all of us, judged by God.

 

Agreed. But as a believer for 43 years I have never gave a church or a pastor any authority over me, or my family . I give and serve, but always "trust but verify" with God's word

 

Then perhaps you should join a denomination where you are free to be the arbiter of God's Word. Then hope you get it right because the consequences of getting it wrong are serious and eternal.

 

I'm not a lone wolf. Every church I've served in I was under the authority of my pastor and elders. I was on staff àt one church until it closed. I don't arbitrate G0ds truth on my own, 43 years of study and discipleship by many mature Christian men have formed my character as a man of d. I'm offended by your frivolous comments

 

Please consider that your two posts appear to contradict one another, and that PDL may have been led to think something you did not intend by the way your earlier post was phrased. I too am confused and wondering what you really meant.

 

Who are you to tell me to leave the Anglican Church ? Who are you to judge my character?

 

One thing I have stopped believing is that when we die we are escorted into an exam hall for a 200 question theology test.

We have to make our religious decisions based on our own limited experience, intellectual abilities, and maybe even natural temperament. It’s really all that can be asked, because it’s at the limit of what anyone can reasonably give.

 

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Thank you all for allowing me to contribute to this site. Farewell and God bless you all

 

Wow. That was weird.

 

The historic church has always taught for us to be under the spiritual authority of others

 

That definitely does not happen. God knows the state of our souls the moment we die and sends us to heaven or hell accordingly.

No, we cannot rely solely on our own judgement and opinions. The Church is there to guide us.

 

Which church? You have to choose one, whether to join one or whether to stay in one. If we all just did as we are told there’d never have been a Reformation.

 

IIRC, I think the Anglican Church's view of the correct order of importance is:
1. Scripture
2. reason
3. tradition (that which is passed on from previous generations of the Church, wisdom inherited from Christians who went before us; not a distant 3rd, but almost on a par with #2)

So if we use that order of importance, I think @PDL is suggesting that the Church's guidance (tradition) enlightens Scripture and helps our reasoning. Scripture, reason, and tradition balance each other.

Of course, the RCC's order is Tradition first and by far foremost, followed by Scripture, with not much room for reason. Yes, if people had all just done as they were told there'd have been no Reformation, however that is not where the Anglican Church is at.

Some Protestant groups view the proper order as Scripture first, followed by reason, with almost no credence for tradition. It might be likened to forgetting how to make the wheel and having to reinvent it in each generation.