This is from Canada.com.
I tried to excerpt it, but I couldn’t decide what to leave out, so here is the whole thing for your reading pleasure.
Breaking up hard to do
By Walker Morrow, The CitizenMarch 6, 2009
The Anglican Church of Canada has reached the point where its bureaucracy has outlived its compassion. There. I said it. And I can speak with at least some small authority, considering that I was once an Anglican myself, although my observations led to enough disillusionment to see my departure from the Anglican Church. Generally I don’t like to disparage people for their religion (except Scientologists), but recent developments at the Anglican parish of St. Matthias in Victoria have tipped my hand.
The Anglican Church of Canada is in a state of unrest, for a variety of reasons mainly to do with biblical interpretation. In a nutshell, two completely separate theologies are competing for the same religious title: one rather conservative theology, which believes that the Bible carries great literal authority, and one rather liberal theology, which does not believe that the Bible carries great literal authority — although it still acknowledges the Bible as an important document. As you can see, the two just won’t mix, they won’t get along, it’s like asking a six year old boy to hold hands with a girl, it just ain’t gonna happen, no dice, no way, no how. But naturally, the higher-ups in the Anglican administration are trying to keep the two halves together, to ensure that the schism within the Anglican Church does not develop into a full-blown separation.
Except that the methods the administration has used so far have been kind of questionable. Some of the more conservative church congregations have tried to leave the Anglican Church of Canada, only to find their church finances and buildings frozen and locked away from them at a moment’s notice, and their priests disbarred without any notice at all. Last year at St. Mary’s of the Incarnation in Metchosin, one such congregation found their church buildings’ locks changed without notification, and they only found out about it before their next Sunday service by good fortune. The bishop of this diocese (the collection of churches on Vancouver Island), James Cowan, even issued an effective gag order on “schismatic” speech. He said, in a letter sent out last year to every church in his jurisdiction, that any official discussion by a church congregation about leaving the Anglican Church of Canada is to be shut down immediately, or else anybody in any position of Anglican authority involved will find themselves out of a job. That’s the legendary Anglican dialogue for you.
But apparently even those threats didn’t work, because the discussion of whether to leave was the exact one that St. Matthias in Victoria was going to have. They’re a huge congregation, one of the biggest and wealthiest in this diocese, and when it came to the attention of the bishop’s right hand man, the Venerable Bruce Bryant-Scott, that St. Matthias was considering this vote to leave, the alarm bells went off. On the diocese’s website, Bryant-Scott writes that he firmly told the pastors associated with the church that the discussion was to be shut down. All four pastors subsequently resigned as clergy from the Anglican Church of Canada and decided to allow the discussion as their last act anyway. And so Bruce, not content with simply letting them leave, fired all four of them, effective immediately, including one fellow who had been pastor at that parish for 15 years. So when the bullied congregation does decide to leave, as I’m sure they will during the meeting the Victoria Times Colonist reports they’ll be having next Sunday, it’ll probably be in a library or a community hall somewhere, and not in their own church. That’s the legendary Anglican hospitality for you, too.
I was involved enough in the Anglican process to know that the church is having some serious problems in getting people and families into its organization — or at least young people and families. There are worries that the church isn’t being welcoming or inclusive enough, but I would think that the bishop’s functionary pushing around congregations when they don’t toe the line might be cause enough for one to consider the Baptist church down the lane over the Anglican one.
As far as I know, almost every advancement in Christianity has come about because of schismatic action, from the split between the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches, to the split between the Catholics and Protestants, to the vast amount of denominations that are available today. History supports the idea of different theologies going their own way, and the Anglican Church of Canada’s attempt to force two vastly different theologies into the same religious organization is an effort doomed to fail no matter the methods used, which are themselves ham-handed and foolhardy.
The Anglican Church of Canada had a nice go, but until it’s no longer run by bureaucrats like Bruce Bryant-Scott and James Cowan, I’m afraid the death spiral is inevitable..
“Some of the more conservative church congregations have tried to leave the Anglican Church of Canada, only to find their church finances and buildings frozen and locked away from them at a moment’s notice, and their priests disbarred without any notice at all.”
Oh, the inclusiveness – Oh, the hospitality – Oh, the gracious restraint.
Can’t you just feel the love?
“There are worries that the church isn’t being welcoming or inclusive enough, but I would think that the bishop’s functionary pushing around congregations when they don’t toe the line might be cause enough for one to consider the Baptist church down the lane over the Anglican one.”
This statement is right on the money. If it were only the Diocese of B.C. acting this way, but sadly, bullying heretical bishops are micromanaging many parts of the ACC into oblivion. I am not sure what would make a person want to join ACNA / ANiC more – the hope of being out from under the pagan religious ethos of the ACC, or the hope of working with Christian leaders of integrity who lead without using threats to keep the minions (both clerical and lay) in check.
“Pagan religious ethos”? Can you explain what you mean by that?
I can give a few examples of the kind of thing going on in Canadian Anglicanism that might give you a clue to what I mean.
Have a look at this conference from VST in 2006, and note the various “pagan” contributers (it is common knowledge that VST has “pagan” spiritual input in courses from time to time):
http://www.vst.edu/pdfs/WomenSpirit06.pdf
Have a look at + Michael Ingham’s book “Mansions of the Spirit”, and a review:
http://www.forwardmovement.org/showbook.cfm?prodid=1447
http://www.brow.on.ca/Articles/InghamReview.html
Have a look at this:
http://www.anglicannetwork.ca/pdf/anic_report_on_acoc_0209.pdf
…and this:
http://www.anglicannetwork.ca/pdf/aac_report_on_tec_0209.pdf
Have a look at the link below. Most does not apply to Canada per se, but I think many leaders (bishops and clergy) and lay people in the ACC would not have a problem with much that appears in the list.
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/13902/
I could go on and explain more, but I have to go for dinner.
–This comment was held for moderation because of the number of links it contains. –Admin.
#3 Andrew
Good question. I went to the website of the most liberal Anglican Church of Canada parish that I could think of, Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto, which has been pushing the gay-inclusive agenda for years. Checked out the most recent worship bulletin posted there for evidence of pagan ethos. Judge for yourself:
http://holytrinitytoronto.org/liturgy/last_bulletin.txt
[4] Noli
Did I miss the Confession and Absolution?
Peace,
Jim
Noli: Your entry in #4 reminds me of those tried to trick Jesus by bringing to him for stoning the woman caught in adultery. Holy Trinity, Toronto, does have a long-standing tradition of fringe theology, and yes, is largely homosexual in make-up. But this is how I see it: if they are now preaching and teaching the true gospel, I would call them beloved brethren, homosexual or not.
If, on the other hand, this service sheet is mis-representative of what they are teaching, then I would say they aren’t the only ones who are now trying to make their published material look ‘traditional, bona fide’ Anglican in order to mask before the courts their rejection of basic Christian (and true Anglican) doctrine.
Ever confident in the transformative and redemptive power of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that the first scenario is what we’re seeing.
There was also the “Great Pumpkin” hymn in the Diocese of Ottawa.
I must admit I am getting to the point where I am beginning to be ashamed of being a Anglican
I agree with everything that Walker Morrow said and I am also glad he had the Courage to write it
#4 Don’t Panic
I wonder how representative those examples are, or were they cherry picked? I suspect that, on the ground in actual practice from week to week and from parish to parish, the “pagan ethos” in ACoC is less common than ANiC assumes.
Another random example: Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver, which is Bishop Ingham’s seat.
Recent worship bulletins:
http://www.cathedral.vancouver.bc.ca/news_info/bulletins.htm
Recent sermon outlines:
http://www.cathedral.vancouver.bc.ca/news_info/sermon_outlines.htm
Not all of it’s theologically correct, I’m sure, but the “ethos” is hardly pagan.
[10] Noli
Of course you are right. Most of the disagreement, in practice, is about nuance.
(In my post [5] I was pointing at small changes in the Order of Service that may have significant theological implications when there is a wholesale move away from the BCP. But nobody took the bait.)
Peace,
Jim
Cherry picked or not, Noli, the point is that these pagan things did happen. I’m sure you can find many examples of worship that is orthodox in form in the ACoC, and that isn’t really the point. The very fact that Don’t Panic was able to find any examples at all of a pagan ethos in the ACoC that weren’t disciplined – is a huge cause for concern.
Hello Kate (12)
You make a good point in that even just one incident of pagan ethos is cause for concern. Allow me to add my two cents worth:
If you lie only once, you are a liar.
If you steal only once, you are a thief.
If you murder only once, you are a murderer.
If you sin only once, you are a sinner.
Etc.
That being said, thanks be to God, for what a friend we have in Jesus (reminded myself of that wonderful hymn). We have a means of repentance and so we can be cleaned of the stain of our sins.
You know, I really don’t like that hymn. The reason is that I sang alto in a choir for years, and the alto line for that hymn is on two notes (or maybe 3). Lovely words, but boring to sing, and I messed it up all the time because I would stop paying attention and forget the one note change I was supposed to do!
#5 Noli Aemulari
I’ve looked at that bulletin for Holy Trinity and I’m not sure where you see the problem.
[15] Cathy,
It was probably my comment and not Noli’s that you are citing found “problems” with Holy Trinity’s Order of Service.
For interest sake, have a careful read of the communion service in the BCP and contrast it with the Order of Service from Holy Trinity.
Peace,
Jim
#10 Noli, you may not have noticed from the bulletin that the Dean of the Cathedral is himself a practicing homosexual. This in itself is a major indication of the “pagan ethos”. It is hardly debatable that when the “people of God” have introduced the strange fire of pagan deities, practices and the like into their life and worship it always follows that sexual purity (the Biblically mandated one man one woman within the context of marriage only) becomes skewed to say the least. The very fact that a practicing (and I mean practicing) homosexual could become the dean of a cathedral or a priest or otherwise only serves to buttress my point.
May I recommend an author who’s work could shed way more light on my comment than staring at church bulletins. His name is Peter Jones. Have a look:
http://www.truthxchange.com/store/spirit-wars-pagan-revival-in-christian-america/
http://www.truthxchange.com/store/the-god-of-sex-how-spirituality-determines-sexuality/
#17 Don’t Panic
“It is hardly debatable that when the “people of God” have introduced the strange fire of pagan deities, practices and the like into their life and worship it always follows that sexual purity…”
Good grief! As if we typically gather every Sunday morning in ACoC parishes to ingest hallucinogenic potions and copulate in the aisles while singing praise to the goddess before going outside to offer human sacrifice to the tree spirits!
In truth, there are flakey syncretic spiritual practices tolerated in some Anglican parishes and I’m deeply disturbed by the new age dreck that passes for preaching in certain pulpits. But the vast majority of Canadian Anglicans worship according to forms found in the BCP or BAS. While I have quibbles with the latter, its ethos is decidedly non-pagan. As for preaching, the chief fault in most ACoC sermons is that they tend to be conventional, dry, and pedestrian, rather than heretical.
ACoC has many deep-seated problems. Creeping neo-paganism is one of them, but from what I’ve seen in my travels, it’s not nearly so extreme or widespread as you suggest.
Point taken. If I made it sound as if I believed the entire ACoC was under a neopagan spell, then my apologies. I would agree that the majority of parishes are moderate to conservative, worshipping according to the BAS and BCP (which means little about the actual worldview of the leaders or worshippers in these churches), and are certainly not copulating in the isles singing to Sophia. When I said “pagan religious ethos”, I was of course using hyperbole. Back on earth, I think you and I may have similar concerns in some areas.
You do need to know that I am neither a parishioner of an ANiC church, nor one of her priests. Rather, I am a Rector overseeing four parishes in the ACoC, serving where I believe God has called me to serve. But there is coming a day when folks like me may not be able to stay, simply because our consciences are bound by the Word of God. In the mean time, I believe that there is a remnant within the ACoC who are hoping for a miraculous renewal and change of direction, and who are working hard to bring the many folks who have been going through the authorized rites of the church into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Sadly, many Anglicans I serve are very religious (something Scripture indicts from time to time), but have had very little in the way of teaching/discipleship, or if they have, have not had ears to hear or eyes to see, and when pressed can barely explain and very often do not agree with a standard interpretation of things like the creeds or the 39 Articles of Religion, capstones of the received tradition of the Anglican Church of Canada, and part of their weekly religious routines. More often their theology resembles Ophrahisms not Orthodoxy, and this is particularly true of a swath of ACoC leaders. If one considers how this situation came to be, I suspect it has trickled down through the years from places where there are rapidly flowing rivers – like New Westminster, Ottawa, Niagra, BC, etc. ad nauseum.
And so, I stand by my original comment, however it may have been heard.
Here you go: Winter Solstice Celebrations at St. Clare-in-the-Cove, North Vancouver. Paganism is not at the creeping stage here. It has settled in comfortably for a couple of years now: http://www.stclareinthecove.org/StClareInTheCove/Solstice.html
I’ll post a link to a relevant North Shore News article by the rector, Carla McGhie, if anyone is interested.
I’m interested Irena.
Here you go, Sam:
http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/pulse/story.html?id=b489353c-8ea7-4d1e-be8d-8a50584694db
We are not talking about form. We are talking about substance. It is perfectly possible to adhere to the form of the BCP or the BAS and still have a pagan ethos.
Checked for neo-pagan SUBSTANCE in the Dean of Vancouver’s sermon. Hard to find. Key passages:
“…When we see Jesus, we see God—this is the essence of Christian believing. It is so very obvious in the story of the transfiguration. This story, in Mark’s gospel is right at the very centre point, in the very middle of the narrative there is Jesus transfigured, bathed in light, transformed, both human and divine. He stands with Moses representing the Torah, and Elijah representing the prophets: this is a vision of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the one who stood in the tragic gap between reality and possibility: the one in whom we are incorporated by virtue of our baptisms, the one who is among us even now as we share his life in the Holy Eucharist. Mark puts this story in the centre of his narrative as if to remind us that it’s at the centre of our faith—that when we see Jesus we see God…
“…As we began with Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians, let’s end with them too: “For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Has anyone noticed the slowly increasing number of churches/retreat houses who sport a labyrinth?
I believe the whole point of this discussion can be summed up in Jesus’ words here,
“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” (Rev 2:19-20)
It’s not that this paganism/false teaching is preached weekly throughout the ACoC, but it is tolerated within the organization, and that is enough to bring Jesus’ condemnation.
Exactly John. That is my point, and I think Noli realizes it and is ignoring it.
I find the Pagan Ethos in the Diocese of Niagara is quite evident. I attended the Synod at the end of 2007 and was appalled by the Pagan content. On Thursday night I had the privilege of attending the Bishops charge. I left that evening with a strong impression that the service was very schizophrenic. It was a combination of solid Christian content including the Lords’ Prayer and the creed, mixed together with a collection of strange Mother Earth and pagan inspired content. The first reading was a poem, instead of scripture. The Prayers of the people was a prayer for the “days of eternal creation”. It was a sequence of prayers for elements of creation like the deer, the satellites, the lichen, and amoeba. It was so strange I could not respond with the rest of the congregation. It was essentially a prayer for Mother Earth. I have since discovered that the concept of “eternal creation” is favoured by pagan philosophers, and was opposed by the church in the second century.
There was also some interesting symbology in the program leaflet, including a labyrinth, and a yin yang in a circle with a tree in one half and its roots in the other
Among other thing the labyrinth is a traditional symbol for Mother Earth , the pagan concept of God.
The second symbol a combination of the pagan Yin yang (The symbol of duality) and the pagan tree of life. Searching “yin yang, tree” on Google images, I quickly found the symbol. The very first site that I visited was a Wicca website of spells, with the focal point being this symbol. The tree of life is a pagan symbol interpreted as the roots reaching down to Mother Earth, and the branches to Father Sky. On another website, the same symbol was the key icon for traversing a new-age spiritualization/meditation site. When I discussed these findings with other delegates at Synod they were not at all surprised. They have been aware of these trends for a while.
There is no doubt that there is a pagan Ethos in the Diocese of Niagara. I have heard that there are similar problems in many other dioceses across the ACC.
Edited to make links clickable. –admin.
“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” (Rev 2:19-20)
#26 John K and #27 Kate
Sorry, Kate. Didn’t mean to ignore you but have been mulling over your point regarding tolerance while attending to family and work commitments. If you’re looking for a snappy riposte, I will certainly disappoint, but here are some disjointed ruminations (for what they’re worth).
Tolerance was held up as an Anglican virtue in my family, so in the conservative evangelical parish where I was raised, we were taught to pity the misguided incense-breathing Anglo-Catholics on the other side of town, and look down our noses at the suburban charismatics who were really just closet Pentecostals. But we were also taught to tolerate them all in the same spirit that we were taught to humour our retarded cousin and include him in our games. Many years later, we continue to benefit from Joshua’s ongoing family participation in ways that we never imagined back when we squabbled over matchbox cars.
Later on, they taught me about the Elizabethan Settlement where the queen said she couldn’t make windows into men’s souls but required outward conformity only. They said this was a good thing because it avoided one hundred years of warfare in England compared to the continent, and that the failed puritan experiment under Cromwell just proved the wisdom of Good Queen Bess’s moderate religious policies.
At university, they taught me about Sir Isaac Newton and how Anglican tolerance enabled Newton and others like him to advance scientific thinking despite their heretical deism (later on, I visited Westminster Abbey where I found Newton entombed in Anglican honour).
Wing-nut Anglican bishops have been denying Christ’s resurrection, divinity, and uniqueness so long as I can remember (mid-late 1960s cognitive development). I still don’t understand why an openly gay bishop who believes in God should cause a schismatic emergency when atheist bishops have been the butt of jokes on Yes Prime Minister for decades. Somebody please explain.
The Great Pumpkin hymn from Ottawa is grossly stupid and heretical. This is the sort of cack that makes me want to withhold our temple tax (likewise the Niagara Synod nonsense cited by Kelvin at #28).
Labyrinths have pagan antecedents, but they’ve been employed for Christian devotional purposes since ancient times including the famous 13th century maze at Chartres, a 19th century Anglican labyrinth at Ely, and a basilica dating to the 4th century in modern-day Algeria. Not my devotional cuppa tea, but not inherently heterodox, either. I prefer coffee.
Same for the winter solstice celebration at St. Clare’s, North Van, based upon the information provided. Which came first: Christmas? Solstice? The chicken? Mary’s egg? Or the Word of God?
Sorry for the rambling nature of this post. It’s been a long week and it’s late at night here, but my boys (now young men) are both in their bedrooms tonight for once so I feel strangely free to post outrageous comments online because I know they’re both home safe and sound.
“So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”
(1 Cor 8:4-9)
Actually, it was the atheist bishops that started this mess. Gene Robinson was more like the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I am the last person to be looking for a snappy riposte (unless I pick up my epee…..)
More on the Pagan Ethos in the ACoC from the rector of St. Clare-in-the-Cove (Diocese of New Westminster website):
‘St Clare-in-the-cove offered the winter Solstice Event because of our commitment to honoring diversity and inviting inclusivity… .
Our goal is to connect with people who wish to be spiritual, even if they don’t consider themselves religious, to offer opportunities where we can explore and foster our spiritual journeys together
“What is so wonderful about the solstice is that it allows so many people — of different faiths and beliefs to welcome the coming of light and to celebrate the Sacred Presence.” ‘
And just in case we are not sure what pagan means, here is a definition:
“one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.” (Dictionary.com)
Instead of offering my own argument on this subject, I will leave it to Chesterton, who said it best:
“The essence of all pantheism, evolutionism, and modern cosmic religion is really in this proposition: that Nature is our mother. Unfortunately, if you regard Nature as a mother, you discover that she is a step-mother. The main point of Christianity was this: that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister. We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father; but she has no authority over us; we have to admire, but not to imitate. This gives to the typically Christian pleasure in this earth a strange touch of lightness that is almost frivolity. Nature was a solemn mother to the worshippers of Isis and Cybele. Nature was a solemn mother to Wordsworth or to Emerson. But Nature is not solemn to Francis of Assisi or to George Herbert. To St. Francis, Nature is a sister, and even a younger sister: a little, dancing sister, to be laughed at as well as loved.”
We are stewards of the Earth, not devotees. Nature worship is not Christian, period.
“Good grief! As if we typically gather every Sunday morning in ACoC parishes to ingest hallucinogenic potions and copulate in the aisles while singing praise to the goddess before going outside to offer human sacrifice to the tree spirits!”
Now, THAT’S funny! LOL
Well Said Ellie (#33). It is the worship of nature that is the issue here. At The Niagara synod that I mentioned earlier, the term Mother Earth was used as a name for God. Again Paganism is creaping in.
Nature is God’s Creation, not God.
Noli,
With respect, I’m not sure how the passage you quoted applies. I don’t think it can be used to justify staying in an organization that one knows is deliberately engaged in false teaching. In fact, I think the last verse…
“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”
…should be a convicting one. No matter how strong a Christian you may be, a weaker one, or a new one, might take your remaining in such a place as approval of such teaching, and be led astray.
Pagan: from paganus meaning rustic, peasant, also civilian (because the Christians reckoned themselves soldiers of Christ), from pagus, a district. [The Chambers Dictionary, New ed., 1993]
In the early church, Christians were mostly to be found in the cities, so anyone coming in ‘from out of town’ would be called ‘paganus/i’ and most likely be non-Christian – thus the name paganus, originally meaning ‘from the country’ came to mean a non-Christian.
Not sure how that is relevant to the discussion, Margo.
Yes Kate, you are right – it’s just that I find when I know (and some other folk too I have learned) the aetiology of a word, it makes it easier to understand the context (or lack of context) of what it is under discussion. Just what is paganism exactly? In this discussion?
Margo (#39), the Wikipedia entry works reasonably well for me. It makes mention of what you pulled out of The Chambers Dictionary, but goes far beyond it. I don’t think I’d ever heard of The Chambers Dictionary prior to your post (even though I enjoy Scrabble), so I’ve learned something new.
Have a look at this link from T19 today – very good, and relevant to this post.
http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/21110/
Did you know the ABC is a Druid?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2172918.stm
I really don’t think that it is a pagan ceremony, this time. Perhaps he shouldn’t have done it, but I don’t think it makes him a “real” druid. It’s a Welsh cultural thing, isn’t it, David?
Yes, the Gorsedd of Bards is more cultural than religious, although the bloke in charge does call himself the Archdruid and there is probably at least some dabbling in pagan symbolism.
I think Rowan’s participation in this is probably more a result of worldly naivety than a desire to be a Druid: he didn’t anticipate the fuss it would cause.
The 14th Women’s Spirituality Conference (2006) held at and co-sponsored by the Vancouver School of Theology and blessed by its President Rev. Dr. Wendy Fletcher shows how bad things are in the church out here in BC. http://www.vst.edu/pdfs/WomenSpirit06.pdf
Here is a partial list of speakers for the conference:
Barbara Bickel, a spiritual feminist witch
Janet Walsh, Reiki Master and practitioner
Medwyn McConachy, priestess in Reclaiming Tradition goddess spirituality
Sage Goode, healer, teacher, writer, psychic reader, ritualist and priestess in the Reclaiming (Wiccan) and Faery (Fery) traditions
Note that the Anglican Church of Canada has accredited VST for the education of their candidates for ordination. This is where the Diocese of New Westminster finds their local priests (and priestesses?).
For Noli #29
Tolerance is an overused word as a cover suggesting we should accept and even bless sinful action. Just to ensure you do not misconstrue my point, I assure you I am a sinner as we all are and need to confess and repent on a daily basis. Tolerance is a great servant but in so-called liberal camps it has become a taskmaster and a god worshipped by many. You would not tolerate a person stealing from you or abusing your spouse or children. What I am saying is tolerance is definitely used as an excuse to avoid repentance and seek, or might I say demand, acceptance of conduct that is clearly in violation to Scripture. Regardless of how many times a “bishop” or other clergy person may cross himself or burn incense, he cannot bless conduct that is contrary to Scripture. The problem in the ACoC is that many so-called bishops think thy are superior to God and that God’s word is subject to their approval.
re 41:
the USA today video of Wicca mentioned here truly is a reality on the west coast. I know people who practice wicca. I have friends who had to decide to not attend a Wiccan wedding due to the conflict with their Christian beliefs. Yes, this is something that is infiltrating the ACoC. Do you know how many Anglican women practice reiki? I can think of three, all attending different churches, just off the top of my head. This is not healing through Jesus. Reiki introduces ideas and spirituality that are not Christ centred. Pray for discernment of spirits. It is a necessary gifting in this age.