It's the Pope Wot Done It!

Liam's link is interesting, first, because it indicates how soon things move from being voluntary to being compulsory in the church world.  In church politics (as in politics generally) the voluntary position is typically, a way to swing the centrists to what is often pitched as the most reasonable solution, thus alienating or driving out the `hardliners' and those `with an ax to grind.'  Then, of course,  the old centrists suddenly find that they have become the new extremists and -- well, whaddya know? -- they are suddenly in a minority. Who could possibly have anticipated that one coming round the corner? (hey - if you did not see it coming, give me a call -- I can do you a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge)

Second, and even more interesting, is the way the article hints at the typically uncritical reaction to those departures which are taking place.   Rather than the church's leadership engaging in critical self-reflection on how the C of E arrived at this grim scenario, of looking inward to see if maybe, just maybe, there is an internal problem here, it seems that Anglican anger is being directed against Rome and against those who, for the sake of their consciences, can no longer stay in the Anglican communion.   In other words, they think it is all the fault of the Pope, or of the nasty people who reject recent Anglican innovations on this point, and certainly nothing to do with those who have spent decades flirting with the cruel concubine of cultural relevance, always at least a day late and a bob or two short.   

To quote Euripides, Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad.