The Diocese of Niagara is distributing a letter entitled, “Passion for Justice” in which it is appealing for $750,000:
A few observations about the letter:
This “Passion for Justice” appears to be little more than a ploy to raise money to pursue further litigation against ANiC parishes; it is being directed at those who believe so-called “justice” will be served by blessing same-sex marriages and, presumably, suing those who don’t agree. The flavour of the letter is similar to that of the appeals one sees on PBS or TVO, interrupting episodes of Inspector Morse: the lines are open; we only need a few more donors to hit the $750,000 mark – call now.
Of the $750,000 in “unbudgeted costs” the “significant legal costs” for the diocese after the last costs settlements were around $211,000, supposedly leaving $539,000 in “lost revenue from the four parishes…. [and] costs to provide spiritual, pastoral and operating support, loss of investment income”. In fact, the actual final legal costs for the diocese will be much higher than $211,000 since the costs that can be recovered in the courts are always significantly less than actual legal costs.
There has been lost revenue from the four ANiC parishes, but this is hardly a cost as the letter states and a diocese with four fewer parishes should cost less to run.
The remaining cause of diocesan impecuniousness is put down to a “loss of investment income”. Perhaps the diocese should find a new investment advisor.
Both the lost revenue and investment losses pale beside the amount the diocese has paid and will have to pay to continue their legal assault on the four ANiC parishes.
I presume the small group of extremists are the parishioners in the four ANiC parishes. “Extremist” seems an odd way to describe parishioners who simply wish to hold true to the Gospel as it has been understood by Christians for the last 2000 years; particularly since the activities of the ANiC parishes have not impeded any ministry of the diocese. It is the diocese that feels compelled to evict ANiC parishioners from their buildings and kill their ministries, not vice-versa. The diocese has pursued the ANiC parishes in the courts with animosity and vindictiveness. When a case cannot be made based on rational arguments, the last resort is often what we see here: name calling.
Much is made of this: “Niagara is a Diocese which includes all the baptised” (unless you happen to be a God-fearing bible believing Anglican, in which case you must be sued) as if lesser dioceses do not. I can’t imagine any Christian church excluding anyone, baptised or not; I can imagine a Christian church that includes everyone and encourages them to try and follow God’s standards as revealed in the bible – I attend one.
In summary, it seems clear that the main purpose of this letter is to raise money for the diocesan legal fund to enable them to continue litigation against ANiC parishes, not to “pursue excellence” or promote justice.
What a laughable letter to ask people for money to support an unjust action against ANiC parishes!
What a joke! The idea in the head of bsp bird that the “extremist” factions will turn back to the acoc. What a joke!
I am sure though that there will be 750 parishioners within the dicese of niagara that are so social-justice and anti Biblical that they will cough up the much needed money. My only question is this: What will bsp bird and his cohorts use as excuses or reasons in future years to support begging for funds?
And the blind continue to follow the blind…..
My heart warms as I hear their passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Wow! I’m not in Niagra, but I think I will give! NOT!
Interesting that they (mis)quote Micah 6:8 to justify their wickedness. We’ve just started preaching through Micah. Perhaps they should read Micah 2 – especially vv1-2,
“Woe to those who plan iniquity…They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellow-man of his inheritance.”
I’m sure Micah would have added – “They defraud a people of their church property” – if he was living in the Dioceses of Westminster or Niagara.
Oh, and by the way, what a terrible (and revealing) mission statement, “Passionately following Christ” – that bit would be great, if it were true – “we pursue excellence”??? The first thing that they chose to say after passionately following Christ is the pursuit of excellence – not humility, not love of God and neighbour, not seek doing good to all…but pursue excellence. Hmmm…that’s surely a key sign of the rot that affects the Diocese! Perhaps, in light of their crusade against faithful parishes, they ought to change it to, “Passionately ignoring Christ we pursue parishes passionately following Christ, do injustice, and split the Diocese apart”.
As I have stated previously when you reject the authority of Scripture and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ you end up following your own devices. In this case it is evident that they are prepared to follow Satan and continue to lead – in some cases blind parishioners – away from the Gospel. The Church is supposed to be a witness to the world, not a follower of political correctness or whatever other term you want to call it. We are supposed to lead sinners into repentance – not claim to “bless” them in their sinful activity. Apostates like Michael Bird and Michael Ingham should do the honourable thing and resign.
As a member of one of the parishes that left the diocese of Niagara, I think that the lost revenue from the 4 parishes that left is likely less then 15% of the 750K target. My speculation is that the cost of running the ACoC versions of three of these parishes is consuming probably twice as much as what is lost from the departing parishes. The cost of 3 priests, plus operating costs, with a very few congregants to draw on requires substantial subsidization by the diocese. Of course the rest is for past and future legal bills, and general shortfall from waning support in the other parishes
Kelvin – you mention operating costs – they have paid nothing to date towards the costs of the churches they have forced themselves upon – the only cost they have had is the clergy.
Kelvin (#8), the less than symbol is used for HTML tags; thus the source of your problem.
Such problems they have! Why how much of their troubles they could solve by seeking a reasonable settlement with the departing parishes. Let us pray that this occurs to them.
“Please send us money so we can sue people! In the name of justice, of course. . .”
Will the bishop be out there strong-arming the little old ladies for their retirement funds again as in the Strive and Thrive money grab? They got really burned by the “Expert Money Raising Team” for that one. They creamed off the top and left the diocese with the dregs. What kind of a bunch of realists decided to raise money that way? Bugs Bunny had the right name. Maroons!
Anyway seeing that no “Expert Money Raising Team” has climbed on board here one would think the “experts” must know that the well is rather dry by now and are not going to waste their time “helping”. Very telling.
Good luck getting the suckers to anti up Niagara!
Moving on from maroons:
http://www.nakedpastor.com/archives/3906
Thanks Warren, I might use that.
1 John 3:19-20 (New International Version)
19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
If and I repeat IF the bishop and his band of defrauders would only read the above scripture AND search their hearts AND see the truth of what they are doing, then their hearts would reveal to them just how terrible their direction is.
“God’s will done in God’s way will receive God’s supply.”
That was either Hudson Taylor or the German fellow who ran orphanages in England and never did any fundraising, only prayed. I can’t remember his name…
#16 – His name: George Meuller
Thank you! I hate it when I get brain cramps like that.
How is this letter being distributed? Parish bulletins? Anglican Pravda? Or is it only to people on a certain list? Just wondering because I haven’t seen one yet.
Ellie,
Only to the Niagara Elect as far as I know.
How does one “do” justice? Justice isn’t a verb.
So does this mean you have a mole in their ranks, David??
My lips are sealed.
#21 Kate, check your dictionary and your KJV Bible, Gen 18:19, etc.
do justice, (idiom)
a. to act or treat justly or fairly.
b. to appreciate properly: We must see this play again to do it justice.
c. to acquit in accordance with one’s abilities or potentialities: He finally got a role in which he could do himself justice as an actor.
Hummmmm. Don’t think they are following that a. definnition, at least not in their relations with ANiC parishes.
I think “do justice” grates on the sensibilities for a number of reasons:
First, because it is a usage that is grammatically suspect. Fowler’s Modern English Usage has a couple of pages on the correct use of “do” and here it seems to be used incorrectly as a substitute. “we do not do a dissolution, a commission etc…. These sentences, in which do is a transitive verb meaning perform, are not genuine examples of the substitute do; but the mistakes in them are due to that idiom.” (FMEU). So we would not “do justice” although we might perform an act of justice.
Second, the dictionary references are things like “The diners did the food and wine justice” and “This photograph does not do her justice”; the object of the justice is mentioned. To simply say “do justice” is rather unusual outside Christian-speak. It is used in the KJV and ESV etc. but translations which try to render the text in understandable modern English say things like “The LORD is more pleased when we do what is right and just” instead, which fits better with modern usage.
Third, when used by most denominations today, the meaning of “do justice” is slippery. Biblically it meant to perform acts of justice and treat others justly by acting fairly, kindly and without prejudice. Today it usually means picking up a placard and parading in front of a government office demanding poverty be halved in 5 years: nothing to do with acting justly oneself. I imagine we will be encouraged to “do ecology” in much the same way before too long.
Fourth, because in this particular case “do justice” is code for “do exactly what we feel like doing and sue those who won’t play along”.
David (#26), maybe we can do lunch sometime.
As much as I like Fowler’s Modern English Usage, it is almost 85 years old and the word “modern” is starting to become a little suspect.
Warren,
Yes, time flies doesn’t it. The 2nd edition is only 44 years old and does, I believe, have some additions and changes to the original. I almost find it too modern.
I have a passion for ju-jubes
I do the hokey-pokey
As for justice – it is a weak echo in the canyon depths of The Word.
Stuck (#29), ability to do the hokey pokey is one thing, but the important question is do you do the funky chicken?
#28 and 29 – *groan*
I think the reason I find “do justice” so annoying is because in modern usage it has no meaning. It can mean whatever the writer wants it to mean.
Both sides would do well to give up their church buildings and start from their grass roots….the Bible…let both sides remember Mat.5:40. I do not think that good stewartship refers to buildings and posessions, any more that Jesus lasts words to Peter ‘feed my sheep’ is about good animal husbandry. Good stewardship is surely about souls….let both sides take heed lest they fall into the trap of striving for posessions that will pass away. Yes we need plases to meet and workship but if they are not freely released then we need to search the scriptures for what to do. The loosers in this are yourselves, what are you going to say to Jesus on that great day when you see him face to face and he asks ‘Did you feed my sheep’. Are we going to say ‘Sorry but we were too busy striving for posessions, too busy spending money on our projects that we had no time left for hospitality, generosity and your word’ .
Finally both sides remeber if you fight with a skunk you will smell like a skunk, strive not to be self righteous skunks and so turn us all away, guard your words and your toung carefully.
#29 Stuck in Toronto wrote:
“As for justice – it is a weak echo in the canyon depths of The Word.”
I just did a quick online concordance check of the word “justice” in the Bible. It produced over 100 instances distributed across every biblical genre from Genesis to Revelation. Weak echo? Jesus himself upholds its importance:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Mt 23:23/24)
Yes, Noli, but in this modern usage, “do justice” is devoid of meaning. Just try to pin down any of the dio. of Niagara as to what they specifically mean by it, I bet you woudn’t get a straight answer.
Jenny, there are ministries that St. Hilda’s does that would simply vanish if they lost access to their building (specifically a ministry to local high school students, which is location specific). They are fighting for their building in order to continue to do ministry with it. What do you think the dio of Niagara would do with that building? They have no real congragation there (there were four cars in the parking lot for the diocesan service last Sunday – the first time there had been anybody at all there since the beginning of last June). I predict it would be sold at the earliest opportunity.
30 Warren – depends on my dance partner
Hello Noli – a difficult subject I grant you. However these two facts remain. Of the 100 you mentioned only 15 by my translation are in the new testament.
The one you chose to quote “But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” is our Lord’s admonition to those under the Law.
It is my opinion that if we pursue justice in this world we are weakening our “first estate” that is to say our reconciliation by Christ in Love, so that we might Love in completeness.
P.S. all 15 references in the New Testament, save one refers to God’s pursuit of Justice. Not man’s.
I look forward to you comments however in context with my statement “a weak echo” could you comment on Luke 18:7-9; And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
“Do justice” is a trendy phrase. As such it indicates, 90% of the time, that the user’s concept of social justice is a left-wing one. It is a quick and easy symbol that enables these people to recognize one another.
Has anybody seen a copy of the “tri-fold pamphlet” that was enclosed with this letter? I’d be very interested in seeing it.
#36 Stuck wrote:
“It is my opinion that if we pursue justice in this world we are weakening our “first estate” that is to say our reconciliation by Christ in Love, so that we might Love in completeness.”
I wonder how many others on this blog agree with you. Probably not the police officers, military personnel, lawyers, public servants etc who believe they’re doing God-pleasing work by promoting justice in civil society. Withdrawing from the world to pray while awaiting Christ’s return is always an option (I’ve seriously considered it, as a matter of fact), but the Anglican tradition has generally promoted civil engagement as a positive thing – not just individually, but as an important part of the whole church’s mission.
Anglican parishes, for example, were historically responsible for poor relief and adminstering work houses for the “indigent.” Many Anglican congregations and agencies continue that tradition today by operating soup kitchens and other ministries that help needy people in their communities. I don’t know about you, but I’m proud of the Anglican Church’s role in the abolition of slavery, and while I disagree with some of Archbishop Tutu’s opinions, I’m proud of his role in the abolition of apartheid.
Regarding Luke 18:7-9, Jesus’ promise of perfect justice in God’s kingdom to come shouldn’t discourage us from working towards justice in this world. Yes, we’re no longer “under the Law” and aren’t obliged to follow Jewish ritual rules. Justice, however, isn’t an empty ritual but an eternal attribute of God which the Bible positively encourages us to promote in our lives, in our families, in our churches, in our business dealings, and in our communities.
In one sense, the whole history of salvation, as laid out from Genesis to Revelation, is all about justice. In the end, all wrongs will be righted and perfect justice will be meted out to everyone. Thankfully, for those who are redeemed, Christ has perfectly borne the penalty they so rightly deserve (penal substitutionary atonement). I don’t think this is the sort of justice that the Diocese of Niagara has in mind, however.
The word Trinity isn’t found anywhere in Scripture, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a central and vital concept.
#34 Kate wrote
“Yes, Noli, but in this modern usage, “do justice” is devoid of meaning. Just try to pin down any of the dio. of Niagara as to what they specifically mean by it, I bet you woudn’t get a straight answer.”
I agree, Kate. But sniping at them is all too easy. What about us? Where do orthodox Anglicans stand on justice issues? From what I’ve read here from certain posters, I’m worried there’s some reactionary danger of throwing the baby of genuine Biblical teaching out with the social gospel bathwater.
I’m not. Blog comments aren’t a representative sampling of the views of ACNA membership or leadership, after all. I have an English degree, misuse of the English language is a hot button of mine. It makes it impossible to communicate when words can change meaning on a whim. For instance, what does “welcome” mean? It seems to me that to the writers of this letter, it means that God welcomes you no matter what you believe or what you do, and the Gospel makes no demands upon you to change or grow. To me, it means that God welcomes me no matter what, but He does make demands upon me, and wants me to change and grow in godliness. It is the difference between being “nice” and being loving. Here’s short skit that illustrates what I mean by loving:
Noli # 39
“I wonder how many others on this blog agree with you.”
As Warren has pointed out (partially correct) I couldn’t care less, save were I am corrected by honest criticism.
“Probably not the police officers, military personnel, lawyers, public servants etc who believe they’re doing God-pleasing work by promoting justice in civil society.”
The nature of Christ’s “Rule of a rod of Iron” is that there is no need for enforcement, in fact if we understood the voluntary nature of complete acceptance of God’s love both inward and outward, as well as sufficient faith we would have no need of the above mentioned enforcers of justice. Whether or not they are PROMOTING justice is highly questionable in today’s non-christian culture.
“but the Anglican tradition has generally promoted civil engagement as a positive thing – not just individually, but as an important part of the whole church’s mission.”
HMMMM – Has this very thing not brought us to the un-godly place we find ourselves. By that I mean as a church we are in disarray, confused and weakened in our differences.
“Anglican parishes, for example, were historically responsible for poor relief and adminstering work houses for the “indigent.” Many Anglican congregations and agencies continue that tradition today by operating soup kitchens and other ministries that help needy people in their communities.”
This is not “pursuit (or passion) of justice”. This is Love plain and simple! Justice would be screaming at the Government to raise minimum wage or loosen the purse strings on welfare amounts,
Both ANiC and ACoC are pursuing justice, Niagara (above) admits to a passion for it. Is this God’s work? You failed to explain the obvious warning in the question in Luke 18:7-9 “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Try this one -”sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”
Or this one -”Live in the world but be not a part of it”
Thanks for the reference Kate we all (specially me) need that reinforcement and these guys are exquisitly up-to-date with the message.
#43 Regarding parish soup kitchens and other such ministries, Stuck wrote:
“This is not “pursuit (or passion) of justice”. This is Love plain and simple! Justice would be screaming at the Government to raise minimum wage or loosen the purse strings on welfare amounts…”
If that’s really what justice amounts to, then maybe that’s what we should be doing.
Keep in mind that the Bible repeatedly says in many different places that God “loves justice.” Also that God “is known by His justice,” that “righteousness and justice are the foundation” of God’s throne, that God “makes justice the measuring line,” that “the LORD is a God of justice” and so on. Justice isn’t something to be sneered at or dismissed on account of its perversion by certain misguided people.
On the contrary, the Bible says that we should “follow justice and justice alone,” “maintain justice and do what is right,” “not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice,” “seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow,” “hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts,” and yes, (in the KJV, anyway) “do justice.”
Stuck also wrote:
“You failed to explain the obvious warning in the question in Luke 18:7-9 “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?””
I agree that the passage explains itself regarding Jesus’ teaching on priorities. Good works are not the Church’s primary mission, but rather preaching the good news of salvation in Christ. That’s where ACoC has gone astray.
At the same time, though, churches should definitely do good works in response to Jesus’ positive command to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, etc. I’m happy to see that ANiC hasn’t lost sight of that mission as demonstrated by ongoing efforts to gain charitible status for ARDFC. What’s the hold up with Canada Revenue Agency recognition, I wonder?
I think we have the same heart and once again semantics has tripped us up. Justice and mercy are synonimous with Love. It is the “pursuit of justice” that has no place in the Body of Christ.
Your biblical quotes in #45 are relevant only to those “under the law”, Christians follow a very different WAY. “Doing good works” is not pursuing justice.
Your final question opens a whole new train, I hope. Here is my thought. Anic should recognise that by placing herself foursquare on the steps of Orthodoxy that she will be perceived by many as being in opposition to the government, society, and the culture. Witness the recent “boondoggles” of various Human Rights Commissions, In fact isn’t Trudeau’s Charter itself an anti-christian document? If this is the case than bureaucratic delay should not be surprising.
As far as “do justice” it is probable that the word we translate as “do” can also be translated as “make” or “create”. Making or creating justice feels different from doing justice. Making and creating imply transformation where doing implies movement or activity. Making something starts with raw materials and leads to a more finished product – to make justice is to take something less just and make it more just. Doing justice seems like busy work.
As well, justice in Scripture implies righteousness. Righteous is another word that has lost its proper meaning of being in a right relationship with God and is used as a criticism rather than a goal. Justice cannot be just without righteousness – therefore one cannot make justice apart from God and his Word.
As an aside, His yoke is easy and his burden is light, but a stiff neck in a yoke will be rubbed raw very quickly.
Good one, love!
(Bill in Ottawa is my husband…)