MIND THE ACRONYM!

The newly formed Society of Saint Wilfrid and Saint Hilda self-describes as:

Anglican Catholics Rally to protect
and preserve Anglican tradition

New Society is announced
to refocus ministry and mission

Anglican Catholic bishops have announced that in addition to the provision of an Ordinariate offered recently by Pope Benedict there is to be a new Society [of St Wilfrid and St Hilda] for bishops, clergy, religious and laity in order to provide a place within the Church of England where catholics can worship and minister with integrity without accepting innovations that further distance the Church of England from the greater churches of the East and West.

At two upbeat gatherings this week of over 600 clergy and religious from the northern and southern provinces of the Church of England, there was unanimous condemnation of proposed legislation to allow the ordination of women as bishops that will soon go to the dioceses for discussion, debate and approval.

The unveiling of The Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda reflects a determination not to accept a Code of Practice as currently suggested by the General Synod but to work for and create a more realistic approach which allows the integrity of those who cannot accept this innovation to be preserved, to flourish and grow within the Church of England. This development represents a constructive initiative on the part of those who cannot accept the innovations proposed in legislation and who are hurt and frustrated by the General Synod's inability to provide for their theological position.

To define one's organization by what it stands against, rather than what it stands for, seems a rather inauspicious beginning. And an "upbeat gathering" for the purpose of condemnation seem something of a contradiction. The group wants not to be distant from the "greater" churches of the East and West, but they won't go so far as to join them. The members of the Society want to be Anglican, but only as part of proper Anglicanism, which would not include women in the episcopacy.

The Society claims to be a "constructive initiative" for those who are "hurt and frustrated" because things are not going their way in the Church of England, but the group does not plan to join the Roman Catholic ordinariates, once they are in place. Since the members of the Society won't accept the Code of Practice passed by General Synod if women bishops are allowed, it seems to me a stretch to label the members of the group as the loyal opposition. Then, what exactly are they?

The WATCH statement quoted at Thinking Anglicans says of choice to include St Hilda in the name of the Society:

How sad that the example given by St Hilda in her obedience to a decision concerning the ordering of her church is ignored by those using her name, who are themselves unwilling to accept the decision made by the Revision Committee and endorsed by the General Synod.

From the comments to the post at Thinking Anglicans on the WATCH statement:

I couldn't help noticing that SSWSH invites being pronounced "Swish" - how appropriate for all those red-buttoned and braided cassocks with watered-silk cinctures being flicked out of the way of the unholy regiment of women!

The acronym is not as bad as FoCA, but apparently the founders of the new Society didn't give much thought to possible humorous plays on the acronym.

Inspiration comes in strange ways. This entire post came about because of the comment at TA.

UPDATE: Church Mouse comments on the Swish SSWSH also.

A group of Anglo-Catholics, largely from Forward in Faith, have established a 'society' within the Church of England. For what purpose? We don't really know. What will this society do? We don't really know. Who will run the society? We don't really know.

The first action of the Society will be to immediately set about theological investigations of what it is for. Brilliant stuff.

See. Church Mouse is puzzled about the new Society, too, and he is English.

Thanks to Cathy for the link to Church Mouse.