Orthodoxy and Anglican Orders

There has always been, for the past, ever since the English Reformation, a relationship between the Orthodox Church and the Anglican Church... and in particular, that relationship became extremely warm about a hundred years ago in the person of Saint Tikhon, the Russian missionary bishop.. and he had a vision, a vision of unity. And that unity, that vision of unity, resulted at the time in the proclamation by about half of the local Orthodox Churches of the validation of Anglican Orders.

-Metropolitan Jonah

In recent news reports on the ensuing OCA-Anglican dialogue, mention is made of the historic and provisional recognition of the validity of Anglican Orders by the Orthodox Churches...

It didn't take long for controversy to spread about the photograph taken after the consecration rites in 1900 for a new bishop in Wisconsin.

Low-church Episcopalians called it the "Fond du Lac Circus" because of all the ornate vestments. Not only was Bishop Charles Chapman Grafton, who presided, wearing a cope and miter, but so were the other bishops. Then there was the exotic visitor on the edge of the photograph -- Bishop Tikhon of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Imagine the outrage if Tikhon had, as discussed beforehand, decided to take part in the laying on of hands at the moment of consecration.

St. Tikhon had "a vision, a vision of unity," said Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America, during recent events marking the birth of an alternative, conservative Anglican province in America.

Early in the 20th century, some Orthodox leaders were willing to accept the "validity of Anglican orders," meaning they believed that Anglican clergy were truly priests and bishops in the ancient, traditional meanings of those words.

But what about the “good news” in this speech? You see, there is history at work there, as well, history in which the roots of Orthodox in North American were — briefly — intertwined with those of Anglo-Catholics. There was a moment in time when Orthodoxy came very close to recognizing the validity of Anglican orders, in a manner similar to state that currently exists between Rome and the East. These ancient churches recognize each other’s orders, even while living in a tragic state of broken Communion. That’s a complicated matter and Metropolitan Jonah’s speech provided a short sketch of the history.