THE P RTAL
September 2016 Page 13
“ I spent a year in prayer . I got on my knees , I didn ’ t go to church , and said ‘ Lord , Lord they both can ’ t be right . Your Holy Spirit only says one thing at one time to one person and at all times your ‘ yay is yay and your nay is nay ’; what ’ s going on ?’ After a year , the Lord gently showed me that probably it was those who had been persecuted for what they believed to be true who are speaking the truth . Those were the people who were standing up against the innovation .
“ So I looked around to see who I could join with , and Forward in Faith proclaimed they were for Anglo- Catholics and evangelicals so I rocked up . They said who shall represent Bristol ? I volunteered and stuck my hand up . I was on the Council , much to my surprise .
There were some good and godly people like Mother Theresa and then there were the characters , Geoffrey Kirk , Robbie Lowe and others who shall remain nameless , who gently took me to one side and explained to me how Anglo-Catholics thought and why they needed sacramental assurance . They opened my eyes to that way of thinking .
“ I was involved with GAFCON , the global family of authentic Anglicans standing together to retain and restore the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion . I was approached to be Treasurer . I said I would , under two conditions .
“ One of the conditions was that I was part of the leadership , the second condition was that Rome was invited to the meeting . So GAFCON happened and was hugely successful . It has provided a breathing space for the African provinces while they can decide what they are going to do .
“ I think I ’ ve learnt how to discern the difference between those who are one side or the other , as every person I ’ ve asked this question has come up with one of two answers . You say , “ If Jesus was born today and lived a life today , would he have twelve male apostles ?” If the answer comes back , “ No , he ’ d probably have six men and six women ”, what they are actually saying is a huge indication of their theology . Jesus is God and knew what to do , but would not do it or could not do it ; therefore he is not God .
“ It ’ s a huge misunderstanding of the nature of Jesus and what he did . Everyone who has accepted the orders of woman priest and woman bishop has always failed on that question .
“ The line is a line and yay is yay and nay is nay , so it has to be that way . That is why I joined the Ordinariate . I ’ m as pleased as Punch I did . But I think for those
Hugh Pratt
who haven ’ t yet crossed and are wondering why , there are two big things that you ’ ve got to accept ; the first is that the Roman Church is Biblically inerrant . The second thing is that when you become a Christian , that ’ s the last free choice you make because your life is for ever changed .
“ There are some things in Roman theology that are challenging , but for the greater good of all . I respect my brothers and sisters in the Roman Church who , over the centuries , have hammered out these issues , have come to common mind and accepted them as God ’ s mission .
“ For the future , I ’ m looking forward to 2020 when there will be a gathering of the Church for all those who believe they are born again , in a super ecumenical council which has been at work since 2008 .”
Jackie asked , “ Do you think the Ordinariate should always exist ?”
Hugh responded , “ The Ordinariate will always exist because that ’ s how it ’ s been set up . Whether it has one person or ten million , it ’ s a gift of Benedict to the people of God . Whether we have a lot more Anglicans coming across or new converts is quite irrelevant . If you look back through Church history there are seasons of this that and the other . Monastics come and go and all sorts of things , so I don ’ t know , but today it ’ s a home for you and me .”