The ‘maverick’ Church of England lost some 600 members yesterday – leading one wit to comment that they had given up church for Lent. They left for many reasons but it would appear that the Anglicans’ decision to ordain women as bishops was the final straw for them.

Whether they are right or wrong is not for me to say but under proposals drawn up by Pope Benedict, they will join a brand new branch of the Roman Catholic Church in England – namely the Ordinariate. While they left the C of E yesterday, however, they will not join the Catholic Church until Easter, leaving them 40 days – dare I say it – in limbo.

Two questions: First, when I (under compulsion) studied Early Church history, or patristics, as an undergraduate I was taught the Latin phrase ‘extra ecclessiam nulla salus’ – ‘outside of the church there is no salvation’; I wonder how this key Catholic doctrine is dealt with in this circumstance?

Second, now that they find themselves between two churches, do they still consider themselves to still be a part of the body of Christ? And if so how would they reconcile this situation with needing to be a part of any ecclesiastical tradition?

Any thoughts?