Bishop-elect Anna Greenwood-Lee unhappy that a political party quotes Scripture.

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The Anglican Church of Canada wastes most its rapidly dwindling influence peddling leftist political propaganda, so it hardly seems fair for a bishop to complain when a political party reciprocates and does what bishops should be doing: quote the Bible.

Here is what seems to me to be a perfectly innocuous Christmas greeting from the United Conservative party of Alberta:

According to Greenwood-Lee, the UCP is telling us that there is “some sort of close relationship between them and the Son of God.” I have to admit that this is something that no one would ever accuse the ACoC of.

Not only that, since it is a quote from the Old Testament, it is anti-Semitic, a bizarre claim from a bishop of an alleged church that periodically introduces anti-Israel motions in its synods.

Read more here:

Bishop-elect Anna-Lee Greenwood said it was “wholly inappropriate” to present a passage of the Bible as divine support for their party.

“As a Priest and Bishop-Elect, I’d ask that the UCP send Christmas greetings without the wholly inappropriate inference of divine sanction for their government. There are so many things wrong with their use of these words from the Prophet Isaiah it’s hard to know where to start,” Greenwood-Lee tweeted Saturday.

The tweet from the UCP’s official account showed an image of Mary and Joseph watching baby Jesus as he lay in a manger. It contained the words: “For unto us a child is born: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

For the Anglican bishop-elect, this was anti-Semitic.

“First, it’s supersessionism (a form of anti-Semitism) whenever Christians use the Hebrew Scriptures and say it was just foreshadowing Jesus (this passage is likely about King Hezekiah from the 8th Century BCE),” Greenwood-Lee continued.

For a church to be fully inclusive you need urinals in the ladies

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An Oakville church has defined the new normal (do you hate that phrase yet? I do) for inclusion. Male and female are anathema; they have been cast into outer darkness. No more mothers and fathers at baptisms, no more gender labels on the lavatories, no more brothers and sisters.

The bible has been rewritten to expunge any mention of gender – it’s called having “scripture policies” in case you were wondering – and we are all encouraged to marry anything of our choosing. I’m going to marry one of my guitars.

The only personal experience I’ve had of St. Paul’s United Church was a number of years ago. I was one of the organisers of a local March for Jesus. We needed a few friendly places along the way where marchers could relieve themselves if they felt the need. St. Paul’s response was an adamant “no”. I can only assume that their gender-neutral signs weren’t ready, so full inclusion hadn’t kicked in yet.

From here:

Initially, the congregation’s reaction was, ‘Why?’

“Why are we doing this, we are already welcoming, what is the big deal?”, recalled Judy DeMone, co-chair of a committee that has worked over the past two years towards an Affirming status for St. Paul’s United Church.

“Being welcoming suggests that those on the inside have the power to choose who to accept on the outside. This makes it sound like an act of charity to welcome those who are different,” said DeMone. “We have always been a welcoming, friendly church, but being affirming goes deeper and we want to be public, intentional and explicit in our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

DeMone’s co-chair, 17-year-old Thea Sheridan-Jonah, said she didn’t understand in the beginning that her church was not ready to call itself affirming.

“I go back and notice the little things – the baptism script that laid out one part for a mom and one part for a dad, the gendered washroom signs all across our building, the songs that referred to people as just “sister and brother”, and so many other little actions that we did not understand to be exclusive,” said Sheridan-Jonah.

To become an affirming congregation there is an educational process and several steps to be completed, supported by Affirm United.

“It was an understanding that saying we are welcoming is not enough, putting up a flag or plaque is not enough. We need to do the real work of allyship and learning, so that every member of our community understands that every person must not only be welcomed, but affirmed and involved fully,” said Sheridan-Jonah.

Today, the Rebecca Street church has gender inclusive bathrooms, and scripture, policies and a website that have been adjusted to omit gendered wording.

Merry Christmas!

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Jesus was born                                                    David Jenkins
Jesus was born in a stable so poor: there was no room at the inn.
Wise men and shepherds travelled to bring
Gifts to the heavenly King.
Chorus
Jesus was born in our hearts when we swore
love and devotion to him.
we’re making the room for him to bloom;
Showing his rivals the door.

Jesus was living a life full of giving: healing the broken and poor.
Until your sin and mine killed the Divine
On Calvary’s hill so forlorn.

Jesus was rising, a thing so surprising that no-one believed it at all.
Back from the dead, he appeared to his friends,
Functioning body and all.

Jesus is with us, not just at Christmas:
Filling the world with his love.
Calling our name, taking our shame,
Saving all those who will come.
© 2010 David Jenkins

Facile Anglican Recognition Theology

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Or FART for short.

The Anglican church loves nothing better than recognising something as if, by doing so, it has in some magical way diminished the mounting catalogue of human misery accumulating a safe distance from its vicars’ rectories. Other than making clerics feel, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that they have a purpose in life, it is all gaseous futility.

Here is an example:

Are bishops housing migrants in their palaces? Treating them to a nightly glass of Bristol Cream, perhaps? Erecting hospitality tents in their empty cathedrals? Take a wild guess.

Diocese of Niagara closes churches for Christmas

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That’s one way to celebrate Christmas.

From here:

Bishop issues new lockdown ministry guidelines for the city’s parishes
POSTED DECEMBER 15, 2020

Effective December 15, Bishop Susan Bell has suspended all permissions to re-open for in-person worship previously granted to parishes within the City of Hamilton in accordance with the Amber Stage of the ecclesiastical province’s re-opening framework.

“While we have continued confidence in our pandemic protocols, this decision is being made as a sacrificial witness to the wider community that now is a time to stay at home for the love of our neighbours and in order to protect the most vulnerable in our communities,” wrote Archdeacon Bill Mous, diocesan executive officer, in an email message to clergy and lay leaders.

Considering that most Diocese of Niagara churches are half empty at the best of times, I doubt that the “wider community” will even notice this “sacrificial witness”.

Bishop Susan Bell has made another sacrifice: she sacrificed common sense, freedom of choice and freedom of religion on the altar of the god of the age by signing a petition to end gay conversion therapy. At least the diocese is consistent: it opposes converting anyone to anything, including Christianity.

Contrasting Advent tweets

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Here is the latest Advent tweet from Anglican Primate Linda Nicholls:

And here is one from Franklin Graham:

Can anyone spot the difference?

Let me help. Linda Nicholls’ tweet has nothing to do with Advent, Christmas, Jesus, salvation, God or hope for mankind. It is idolatrous twaddle.

Franklin Graham’s tweet has all the things Nicholls’ tweet lacks.

Yet Graham is despised by mainline clerics with a loathing one would expect to be reserved for Satan and his demon hordes. Why? Because Graham is not silent about his disagreement with same-sex “marriage”. And he doesn’t hate Donald Trump.

Jeremiah 17:9 applies even to Ravi Zacharias

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There’s not much I have to say about this. Other than, “it’s best not to have heroes.”

Read it all here:

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries needs to rebuild trust, rebrand and consider reparations for victims of the evangelist and apologist it is named after. A series of allegations about Zacharias has only grown since his death this year, involving his interactions with women employees at a spa company he invested in. Earlier cases involved sexting, with new information coming at the time of his death, and exaggerated credentials.

So writes Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a senior tutor with RZIM’s OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and a lecturer at Wycliffe Hall – a private hall of the University of Oxford – in a five-page letter in which he outlines a poor response to each of these scandals. The letter, which was first reported by blogger/journalist Julie Roys, details that:

RZIM had a slow response to the credential scandal which he investigated internally. Warren Throckmorton, Psychologist, Professor and blogger uncovered this issue of the inappropriate use of the title Doctor and claims to have lectured at Oxford University According to Baker-Hytch RZIM exhibited “slowness and reluctance to set the public record straight, which finally happened only after a great amount of external pressure was brought to bear on the issue.” He adds the the RZIM foot dragging on this issue was “a source of embarrassment for me as an academic.”.

On the sexting scandal, according to Roys, Baker-Hytch asserts that “RZIM President Michael Ramsden stated in a December 4, 2017, all-staff update that ‘no money had changed hands between Ravi and the Thompsons [the couple involved].’”

“But in September 2020, Baker-Hytch says he learned that Zacharias paid the Thompsons $250,000 as part of the 2017 settlement of the apologist’s lawsuit against the couple.” He recounts other gaps in the RZIM narratives of the issue.

Strike three for Baker-Hytch was the emergence of the ‘spa story’. Steve Baughman, a long time investigator of Zacharias, gave the story to Christianity Today, which did an intensive investigation showing sexual misconduct by Zacharias at the spa. (Eternity gave more details in our earlier story.) Baker-Hytch says that comments by RZIM leaders undermined the credibility of the witnesses including an allegation they had been coached.

The letter inches a plea for RZIM to offer a wholehearted apology to Zacharias’ spa victims should their testimony be confirmed. He calls for  “meaningful reparations” to these women. And says that RZIM should set up a support group that any further victims could come forward to.

King of Kings

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Another one of my Christmas songs.

King of Kings                                                David Jenkins
King of kings and Lord of lords,
Angels singing “Glory to God.”
Coming to us, a heavenly Babe.
Jesus, Name above all names.
Chorus
I choose to worship at the feet of him,
Give glory to the Babe within a stable poor,
God from heaven come down.

Born of the Spirit, this heavenly Babe,
Coming to earth, his people to save.
Good news for us: forgiveness of sin.
Jesus, now we welcome in.

Given to us, a gift so great:
A Child of love in a world full of hate.
Eternal life he came to give.
Jesus died that we might live.
© 2005 David Jenkins

The Anglican Church has lost the P

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All Anglicans are familiar with the letters LGBTQ2S+ even if we are hazy as to what they mean.

Clergy, anxious to include every variety of kink known to humanity, add to the letters with monotonous frequency.

In spite of that, the Anglican Church of Canada has, as is so often the case, fallen short on its efforts to be fully inclusive.

Today is Pansexual Pride Day and the ACoC is not celebrating it! Where is the P in LGBTQ2S+? Pansexuals must feel so excluded. I know what it’s like: I was once physically ejected from a Diocese of Niagara service just for pulling out my camera to photograph the miserably small attendance. I was so upset I had to go and find a safe space to curl up in. I cried for days.