Catholic Authority in the Anglican Church

As an Anglo-Catholic, I was interested in the canonisation of John Henry Newman, the famous Anglican convert to Catholicism, on October 13. Bishop Robert Barron of Word on Fire asks us to read Newman on his own terms, without looking for conservatism or progressivism, Right or Left, and predicts Newman will be a Doctor of the Church one day. Barron calls the immensely learned Newman a fulcrum figure between Catholicism and Anglicanism. The change Newman would inspire, after his death, is gradually beginning to unfold, and with it comes the inevitable drama and uncertainty of change.

In September 2019 New College hosted a series of conversations between the two Archbishops of Sydney, Anglican Glenn Davies and Catholic Anthony Fisher, recorded by the ABC. Over three evenings, they shared their thoughts on Faith, Hope and Love. The series was a most encouraging first step in the New Evangelisation, inspired by Vatican II, with its focus on mission to cultural Christians who’ve left…