Anglo-Catholic converts.

[modeller]

If all the Anglo-Catholic clerics left the Church of England to embrace Rome would this weaken or strengthen it either of the religions. ?

[Sandy-Wroe]

It would help make the C of E more liberal. Unfortunately, it would also make the Catholic Church more conservative.

[kestrelg]

I have always thought that women would be better suited to the the role of vicar/priest / bishop and I have always been uneasy about the Roman Catholic church's practice of men only. If the C of E have vicars that are opposed to women clergy/bishops then let them go and be catholics and good riddance. i think the C of E will be stronger for it.
I speak as a very heterosexual male.

[jake-the-peg]

Obviously it will weaken the CofE which is a good thing.

Perhaps then it can be de-established and unpicked from the countries constitution - 400 years is long enough

[andy-hughes]

Because of the bizarre system whereby as a Catholic priest you cannot marry, but as a married man you can be a Catholic priest, the increase of married priests could only be a good thing. A little reality and a rounded character will always win over a worshiped and deified single man who never hears the word 'No' and often behaves appallingly because of it.

[modeller]

They are interesting comments jake would you like to expand on them.?

[jake-the-peg]

Certainly

The Church of England "enjoys" a special place in our constitution which is now after 400 years totallly achronistic.

For example Bishops having seats in the house of Lords

This for example gave us the bizarre situation where a PM (Blair) who was commonly known to be as close to the Catholic church as it was possible to be was selecting CofE Bishops.

This in a country where about 3% of the population regularly attend church .

There are other ancient nonsenses around it like laws barring the monarch or air to the throne marrying Catholics.

Frankly it needs sweeping away but I don't think that will happen under this Queen. Charles already said he'd like to be "defender of the faiths" plural and was slapped down and much as I dislike the man's hippy anti-rationalist views he'd at least be open to change on this front

With the more conservative clergy going off to pray over the finger-bone relics of saints and play with holy smoke and water that will also ease the passage of disestablishment

[modeller]

Yes jake you have made some valid points especially concerning the unelected Bishops in the House of Lords but I don't think de-establishment itself would make so much difference, in America the constitution expressly separates Church and State and yet 97% claim relgious associations. No public servant stands a chance of getting elected there unless they prattle on about their faith.