Sir, Ruth Gledhill (Comment , Feb 14) presents a “solution” to the Anglican Church’s problem in the style of a typical militant leader — “Let’s divide the spoils and each go our own way”. This can never work because each unit, and each of its sub-units, is essentially inhomogeneous.

The only lasting solution would be one in which each group would be led to listen (prayerfully) to the others’ point of view and try to understand them.

Fortunately, that is our Archbishop’s way, and he has a better chance of bringing this solution than any militant.

REV DR D.E.N. KING
Felixstowe, Suffolk

Sir, Schisms are not like divorces by mutual consent: they occur when one party walks out on the other. The current struggle in the Anglican Church is not for unity but for domination.

Schism will occur only if one of the parties recognises that it has lost the battle, or has lost the will to fight, and secedes.

JAMES CRAWFORD
London SW15

Sir, Ruth Gledhill repeats the common error that the Church of England was founded on the divorce of a king.

Not so. The Church was originally founded in this country by the Celtic monks, and was reformed at the Synod of Whitby to accept Papal authority.

The next reformation in the 15th century set the Church free from Papal domination for several reasons, and was initiated by the king’s marital problems. It was reformed, not founded, at this time. The king himself neither sought nor obtained a divorce because there was no such thing in those days. What he wanted, and what he eventually got was an anulment, which is quite a different thing.

A. TOMLINSON
Congleton, Cheshire

Sir, I’m not sure that a “divorce” would solve anything.

First, each province would have to decide which side to align itself to — a recipe for further internecine strife at the level of every parish and diocese in every country.

Second, there could be splits within each province, with consequent disputes over property. Only the lawyers will gain.

Third, the “communion” could lose a lot of its energy as each side settles into the comfort zone of its own “kind”. Conflict can be creative and it can raise the energy and commitment of all.

But most of all, many, rather than align themselves with any splinter, will simply say “a plague on both your houses” and simply join the great unwashed of secular society who pursue their faith privately, if at all.

Either way, leadership will pass from Canterbury to America and Nigeria.

FRANK SCHNITTGER
Blessington, Co Wicklow

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