Stop spending time on same-sex issues, move on to social justice issues. Please God, by 2019!
Weekends are now full-time working days, we don’t have a time to rest, as God did on the seventh day – other faiths are more committed to their sabbaths.
We do not yet live a sufficiently alternate life-style so that we can be any kind of example. By 2019 we should not have as many large church buildings as now.
To become good stewards of energy such as heat pumps and solar panels in churches. We are well involved in local initiatives in Christ’s name, but we don’t focus much on the millennial goals internationally. We focus on homelessness locally. We may be entering another significant change in Christian history as has happened before.
The church could be the agent that brings to people’s attention the need for justice rather than self-interest – rather than expecting that we will solve the problems the church become the symbol of that justice basic to solving the problems of economics and climate change.
Our thanks to the Primate for having put this program in place.
The comments with respect to justice sound good but to thank the Primate is definitely stretching the truth. The lack of any justice toward orthodox parishes and Anglicans can only be described as the work of Satan. The writer should carefully examine his statement that we should get past the same-sex issues. That issue is simply the tip of the iceberg and demonstrates a complete rejection of God’s word. So-called bishops, including the Primate, that are prepared to claim they can bless same-sex unions are not only deceiving themselves but are deceiving and misleading those involved. Each of us has a tendency to sin in one area or another and that includes being involved in homosexual activity or adultery. Rather than endorsing any sin we need to honestly repent and not be led down the garden path by political expediency. If the Primate were honestly interested in justice he would order that all actions against orthodox parishes cease and that apostate bishops resign their positions.
I find it disheartening that in an exercise that is intended for the building up of the kingdom of God, we continue to see our bishops characterized in such derisive terms. The primate (and our other bishops) are not “so-called” bishops, they are bishops in the Church of God. Similarly, to toss around a term like apostasy is very unhelpful. The elevation of abusive language in these debates is not at all edifying. In my experience, our Primate has never been anything but gracious. His invitation into this discussion and his willingness to listen to all voices has been most gracious. I hope that we as Canadian Anglicans would reciprocate with a similar graciousness that would be characterized in the tone of our language.
Faithfully,
Fr. Dan Graves
Thornhill, ON
I have noted the response of Fr. Dan Graves and would ask what he finds offensive in my remarks. Clearly the time has come to call a spade a spade. Bishops, clergy and laity that deny the authority of Scripture and attempt to make such authority subject to a majority vote are apostates – politely but mistakenly called liberals. The Primate might well be gracious under some circumstances but his lack of action to deal with apostasy cannot be and should not be overlooked. Certainly he has not been gracious to orthodox Anglicans. To be a true Anglican one must first be a Christian and when you have so-called bishops proclaiming that all religions lead to the same place, action is mandatory to have them repent or remove them from office.
You cannot build a church on sand but only on the Solid Rock. The Anglican Church of Canada is quickly losing its “right” to be called a church of God and needs to repent and turn back from the sin of political expediency.
[...] ACoC site. Since I appear to be persona non gratis and can’r leave comments, here are some recent entries: Frank Wirrell [...]
Although I never used the word “offensive” I do believe that I made very clear what I felt was unhelpful about your remarks. I am not aware that any of our bishops have been either tried for heresy or deposed. As much as I can determine, they are all in communion with the see of Canterbury (and even if they may be in a stated of impaired communion with some other bishops around the world, they are in full communion with brother & sister bishops of their own house). Thus, the bishops of our church are indeed true bishops in the Church of God, not “so-called” bishops or apostates. One is not simply an apostate because any given individual (or even group) declares it. Furthermore, being liberal (which you seem to imply is a sin of major proportion) does not automatically excommunicate one from the church. At a more nuanced level, orthodox and liberal have become charicatures used by those who wish to lampoon opponents with whom they do not agree. Most people have a much more nuanced theological landscape. Again, I believe polarizing language is not helpful. I will state it again: I believe this forum was created for the building up of the church, not for tearing it down. Does this involve critique and self-exmanination of where we are as a church? Certainly it does. However, simply criticizing, name calling (“so-called bishops” “apostates”), and starkly calling a “spade a spade” fails to offer an opportunity for authentic dialogue.
Frank, I can understand your frustration because I’ve been where you are. However, this whole debate, and in St. George’s, Lowville, it was heatedly debated, I’ve discovered that there’s a higher authority that Scripture, the written word. That is the Holy Spirit, the Living Word, and I believe He’s still in control, though things may look just the opposite. We must look at the world with eyes of faith, not just with our natural eyes. When I saw things differently through eyes of faith, I could no longer remain at St. George’s, Lowville, part of which parish has joined you in the Network, but have come back to worship in St. George’s, Guelph. My wife and I have many friends in the Network, but we shall never agree with you. When I ask myself, ‘What would Jesus do?’ I firmly believe he would be in the ACC, rather than the Network.
Blessings,
Michael
When you have clergy within the ACoC preaching that the resurrection is only a myth and not real and that all religions lead to the same place, how can you possibly believe the Holy Spirit is at work in the ACoC. Being true to the aurhority of Scripture, the 39 Articles and other orthodox teachings makes one a follower of Christ. We are not perfect – all of us are sinners – but you do not wash away sin at any level by proclaiming that you can “bless” it. The same-sex issue is only the tip of the iceberg from the standpoint of rejecting God’s word. I do pray that you will re-assess your position and if you decide to stay within the ACoC that you will fight for orthodoxy.