Strong nostalgia for a familiar liturgy characterizes many people who have drifted away from conservative churches due to unresolved issues such as women in the priesthood or married priests, says Rev. James Twyman, who at the moment is leading Episcopal-Anglican congregations in Ajijic and Guadalajara.
Twyman, originally from Portland, Oregon, explains that he understands this nostalgia. He grew up a Roman Catholic, left home at 18 to study to be a Roman Catholic Franciscan, but cut those studies short. Yet he feels that the Roman Catholic Church remains his foundation, even though his later career has included some dazzling highlights that might not have happened if he hadn’t changed paths: 23 books including a New York Times bestseller, visiting conflict-ridden areas as a musical “peace troubadour,” and founding an “interfaith contemplative community” at Lakeside.
Twyman became a Franciscan friar in the Anglican Community of Francis and Clare. And he was ordained an Anglican priest two years ago.
“Most Episcopalians-Anglicans don’t realize that many of the same orders of Roman Catholicism are there in Anglicanism too.” And Episcopalianism-Anglicanism retains many other similarities with Roman Catholicism.
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