The Canadian Anglican bishops have made a "
Pastoral Statement" to General Synod.
Let me first add that I am an Anglican and I believe in the Episcopacy. I will always support my Bishop and if I find that I am at fundamental odds with my pastoral leader I will privately ask to be permitted to look elsewhere. I continue to be amazed at the lack of
Episcopal support in this diocese and I am scandalized by the many occasions of disrespect I have seen clergy give to their Bishop; but that's for another blog! I would never criticize my own diocesan publicly for I have respect for my spiritual leader and always will even if heresy arises (heresy... does that word still exist? ;-).
What I am about to say then is directed at the Pastoral letter and not at the bishops
per se, but what I am saying, is I am disappointed; and here are the reasons why....
The pastoral response seems to me to be a response to the possible defeat of the motions regarding same sex blessings and seem aimed at the gay and lesbian community. It's in many ways a directive for how to include the homosexual community (though I have some reservations it's direction is not unreasonable). Unfortunately I see little "pastoral" care for those of our brother and sisters who are traditional, or if you like "conservative", on this issue. If the motions pass then there is no longer a comfort zone within the Anglican Church of Canada; at least that is the way this statement comes across.
This pastoral statement reads like a declaration and in no way like a thoughtful "caring" letter to the church... and I might add, to The Church! "This is what we will do if we fail" is the tenor of this declamatory statement.
It is sad that we have not a letter of comfort and love for
ALL involved and struggling with love for neighbor, regardless of sin or orientation (notice that sexual orientation is no longer mentioned at the same time as "sin"; why do we need more discussion? Because many in the pews don't even realize that The Fall and Original Sin is theologically off the table in many theological seminaries) and yet also believe that we as a church need to remain consistent with the rest of the Church; for some even if just for a bit more time.
The battle lines have been drawn by both extremes in the church and this year's General Synod will be a turning point in the history of our Communion. I personally fear the extreme right and left of this argument. Again I reiterate that discussion and long term theological time needs to be put in place to digest all that has gone on in our church, maybe even in the past 60+ years. I do not believe that many in the pew, and some in the pulpit, understand why we ordain women and why we remarry divorced couples. What we need is a 20 year discussion on Biblical interpretation and the understanding of differing views on such matters. I encounter many times the idea that the Bible was written in Latin... or by King James. Few know the subtleties of translation and of cultural context of ancient language. There are many even in our own Canadian church who do not have translated bibles in their own language! For many General Synods we spent much time "including" our native brothers and sisters, yet on this issue, when they ask, some might say plead, for more time to digest all this, they get little more than lip service.
We will split apart due to haste and social pressures, something no one really wishes, even the extremes. Yet extreme voices are the ones being heard and moderate, cautious, voices are not. There are a whole bunch of priests who find themselves in the middle, not willing to go along with a church that moves in the direction of same-sex blessings, now possibly even marriage, yet do not want to find themselves, nor their episcopal oversight, coming from extreme conservative, puritanical, views.
I strongly believe my diocese may be one of the ones to split from the Canadian Church, yet will I feel comfortable if we depart from the
BAS or our Catholic, Eucharistic understanding? Am I going to be accepted for using the Revised Common
Lectionary? Inadequacies begin to arise as I contemplate, am I Book of Common Prayer enough? or Protestant enough? or Anglo-Catholic enough? Am I "Essentials" enough? Are my thoughts on Infant baptism enough? or on the reception of all the baptized at the Table enough? Am I too liberal?
I think I know I'm not liberal enough for some. Just because I'm a priest doesn't mean that I am the only one asking these questions. I maintain many in the pew are worried that the church is going to far one way or the other. Many many people are afraid or the outcome at General Synod, yet many more might be more worried about what might happen to their diocese and parishes in the wake of it. Many are asking if they are "enough" one way or the other to be an Anglican any longer.
There is much pain and suffering with this issue from all "camps" and to minimize the more traditional one is sad (your bad, my beloved Bishop's in Christ); again I am in no way a far-right conservative (whatever that really means), but to just cut them off is just as bad as cutting off our gay and lesbian, or so-called "liberal", brothers and sisters. In my humble opinion a pastoral letter is just that, loving and inclusive, gathering people together reminding us of our common purpose and of the one we serve: Jesus Christ; whose ministry was
restoration, who died for our
sins and rose for us so that we had the
assurance of eternal life. He, and He alone, will come to judge. I pray that we are not loading stumbling blocks to faith to all around, for we will be judged and our haste might just be that final block.
So again a pastoral letter is one that builds up faith, that proclaims Good News, that includes and does not throw aside. On this divisive issue one side is included, one side is having their faith restored(?), while many more are having their faith left in tatters, hearing nothing but bad news and feeling as if left aside: that's just not the Church.
But there also is a word of caution I have for all who remain in traditional doctrine and biblical exegesis mode, our Lord Jesus often judged the Pharisees and Scribes for being too literal and sticking to rules more than love. That aspect needs to be examined in all this as well.
It's been a long rant I know, blogging does that. Continue to think and pray about this issue, and for God's sake continue to have Faith in Christ Jesus and His Holy Catholic Church.
