Remember when pastoral meant, well, pastoral? I received this via email. My comments are in italics.
March 12, 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
From Myanmar I greet you in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
It seems to me from my vantage point half way around the world, that Archdeacon Bryant-Scott and
the Officers of Synod are doing an excellent job in the midst of the trauma being caused in the Diocese
by the Network.
Being caused by whom? Never mind, we have been over this territory before, and I am sure I am preaching to the choir by this time.
Bruce has been in regular contact with me during this trying time.
I feel the dreadful hurt being experienced by so many of you in the Diocese. Those leaving us, and
those urging people to leave us, are our friends, our colleagues, and people we have loved and
respected. To be torn between loyalties to Christ and His Church and those whom we have called
“friend” is intensely painful.
Indeed it is. Indeed it is.
I have been reflecting on and praying Psalm 51, and while this reflection
and prayer has not removed my feelings of hurt and betrayal it has helped to put it in perspective.
Perhaps similar reflection and prayer can be of help to you at this time. I do not, however, endorse
the sentiments of verse 16; instead, I pray that all those who are acting in this way will repent and be
restored to a place of peace somewhere in the greater Body of Christ on earth.
Verse 16 reads:
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
I am really not sure what the bishop means by that. As far as that last sentence goes, is the bishop implying that he thinks that the members of ANiC churches are no longer even Christian? It is because we wanted to remain authentically Anglican and be free to be authentically Christian that we took the steps we did.
Part of the hurt is that people who now are part of the Network gave us assurances over the years and
in recent months that they would never do what they have just done.
Really? I find that very hard to believe.
Compounding this is the
deliberate misinformation and selective presentation of facts which has allowed them to lead others to
leave the Diocese. I am shocked by this and see, under the guise of lofty intent and purity of motive,
instead the subversion of the mission of the Church and the Good News of God in Jesus Christ.
ANiC does not recruit parishes to leave the ACoC. Parishes ask to join ANiC, and there is a discernment process involved.
But, we do have the Great Commission. Sisters and Brothers, let us continue to be focused on the care
and nurture of the Church committed to our charge, and to the proclamation of the Good News of
God in Jesus Christ.
If this letter is an example of the care and nurture that the bishop wants to encourage, I am not particularly impressed by it.
The kind of strife we are experiencing is not new in the 150-year history of our
Diocesan life, but when the founders and benefactors of the Diocese encountered these things they
continued to pray, worship, and to live out the Gospel message. They kept in mind St. Paul’s
admonition in Philippians 4:4 – 9, and in contemplation of these things continued steadfast.
Let these beginning months of our next 150 years be ones in which the Word of Life continues to be
nurtured among us and continues to nurture us in order that the Reign of God might be strengthened
and extended amongst us.
May God continue to bless and encourage you in all you do so faithfully in His Holy Name.
In His Name,
+James
The Right Reverend James A. J. Cowan
Bishop of British Columbia
You know, I can’t help but think that if the bishop was really interested in preaching the Good News his reaction to ANiC would be something to the effect of “I am saddened that we have to part ways, but go with God, and God bless your ministry.”
Presumably the bishop began reading Psalm 51 at verse 6?
— and thus avoided the “repentance” part? I bet he did! This bishop is such a deceiver and villain that he must be among the reprobate.
Perhaps I am reading between the lines, but for what it’s worth here’s my two cents worth.
“…midst of the trauma being caused in the Diocese by the Network”
Parhaps Mr. Cowan (I can’t bring myself to call this person a Bishop) really feels this way as he is witnessing the diminishment of his fiefdom (couldn’t help but be a little sarcastic), and being unable to accept the blame for this himself and his errant ways instead deflects the blame to what he perceives as the most likely cause. Unfortunately for Mr. Cowan he has inadvertently put the cart in front of the horse. ANiC is not the cause of the problem, and neither is it the problem itself. ANiC is the reaction to the problem that Mr. Cowan himself created.
“…the Network gave us assurances over the years and in recent months that they would never do what they have just done.”
It never ceases to amaze me how often the pot calls the kettle black.
“Compounding this is the deliberate misinformation and selective presentation of facts which has allowed them to lead others to leave the Diocese. I am shocked by this and see, under the guise of lofty intent and purity of motive, instead the subversion of the mission of the Church and the Good News of God in Jesus Christ.”
Someone once said to me that a person can be quick to accuse others of the bad things that they themselves do. This is because such a person who does bad things finds it easier to think that others do these bad things also. There may be more to this statement. It may be a deliberate attempt at continued deception and misinformation.
Praise God there is strife. At least there is a faithful remnant that is prepared to stand on the Gospel and adhere to the faith once delivered.
I am absolutely apoplectic reading this drivel about the Network’s “subversion of the mission of the church. Is this man so far gone that he has no sense of how far from Christianity he has strayed? WOW!
I can only pray that the blood of the lamb will wash him clean and restore his faith.
Peace,
Jim
The media spin coming out of the ACoC hierarchy is that it is not in the least concerned by the Network and the insignificant number of radical “fundamentalists” it represents. But Mr. Cowan’s “pastoral” letter tells us otherwise.
Folks, the revisionists are becoming worried – they’re starting to sweat.
And so they should. God will not be mocked.
This “bishop” simply proves the apostates are excellent at deception and have no interest or desire to uphold their vows. Like deceptive politicans they seem to believe “if you spread it thick enough, people will believe”. My prayer is that the sleeping members of the Diocese will wake up and see they are being deceived.
I didn’t quite pick up on the “subversion … of the Good News of God in Jesus Christ.” To subvert the Gospel seems to me to mean to obstruct the truth in such a way that it is impossible that anyone could be saved by believing the “new Gospel.” This sounds like Bsp. Cowan’s cup of tea! Surely this “pastoral letter” is merely the raging of the heathen against the LORD and against his Anointed?
Perhaps the Bishop is not being told the whole truth for example did anyone send him the Sermon that was preached that Sunday and did he read that letter that Archdeacon wrote on his behalf ????
I wonder
Both the Bishop and the Archdeacon should be ashamed of themselves.
Another Wolf in Sheep”s clothing
What I particularly like is the deliberate use of the term “the Network” in all of the statements emanating from the Diocese of British Columbia office. Doesn’t “the Network” just conjure up an image of a group of sleazy guys meeting in some warehouse, plotting to expand their empire?
Is everyone familiar with the cartoon Pinky and The Brain?
Pinky: What are we going to do tonight boss?
Brain: Same thing we do every night, Pinky – try to take over the world.
“Part of the hurt is that people who now are part of the Network gave us assurances over the years and
in recent months that they would never do what they have just done.”
Because goodness knows the revisionist Anglicans aren’t doing anything that they formerly said they wouldn’t do.
/sarc