Tag Archives: #metoo

Bishop elect Susan Bell and #MeToo

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Noel Edison is the choir director at the Diocese of Niagara’s St. John the Evangelist church in Elora:

Under Noel Edison, its conductor for the past twenty years, the choir leads the congregation in Choral Mattins twice monthly, in the occasional Evensong and in the Choral Eucharist on other Sundays.

I should have said “was the choir director”, because Edison was relieved of his position after allegations of sexual misconduct came to light. St. John’s website still has him listed in the position, but a local paper has this to say:

ELORA — One of the few professional church choirs in the country is facing a pressing question — what happens now that their star conductor is gone?

That’s the dilemma facing the parish choir at St. John the Evangelist Church in Elora, after the departure of longtime music director Noel Edison amid sexual misconduct allegations.

[…..]

Edison has also voluntarily stepped down from his role as the music director at St. John’s, a role he’s had since the 1980s.

There is more here, here, here, and here.

As often seems to be the case with this type of allegation, there are claims that Edison’s sexual indiscretions were not a particularly well kept secret: everyone knew but no one said anything:

I find a lot of the comments from choristers and TMC/EFS disingenuous. EVERYONE knows that, at best, he has been ethically and sexually inappropriate for years. At worst, criminal. His house parties are famous. Comparing notes about “inappropriate Noel moments” is something many southwestern/GTA singers do. He is a likeable man and a great conductor, but that doesn’t make him a saint.

Interestingly, the newly elected bishop in the Diocese of Niagara, Rev, Susan Bell,  sang in the Elora choir during the period that Edison was philandering. Did she know and not tell? After all, the #MeToo movement was not the cultural hit it is today and the diocese, keenly sensitive to the caprice of the zeitgeist, might have been blissfully indifferent to Edison’s sexual antics; why should its paid choristers be any different?

The Reverend Canon Susan Jennifer Anne Bell:
In addition to academic work, another area of interest is in vocal performance. After studying for two years in England – in London and then Oxford, on my return I was a professional member of the parish choir at St. John’s Elora for 2 and a half years from 1992-94 before proceeding to theological college in Toronto.

Fred Hiltz: Me Too

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#MeToo is an internet placard wielded by those who wish to advertise their disapproval of sexual harassment.

It was on conspicuous display at last night’s Oscars, which is ironic since Hollywood, in its persistent profiting from sexual exploitation, bears an uncanny resemblance to a whorehouse. The Oscars are a yearly self-congratulatory saturnalia of the brothel owners and their accomplices. The producers and directors are the pimps, the actresses – and actors, these days – the prostitutes, and the rest of us the johns, eager to salivate over the latest display of, not Jennifer Lawrence’s talent or intellect since they don’t exist, but the rest of her.

The Anglican Church of Canada in the form of its leader, Fred Hiltz, is embarrassingly eager to demonstrate its relevance by jumping on the latest bandwagon. And, in this case, perhaps it is fitting since the main preoccupation of the church has become sex: homoerotic sex.

Unhappily, #MeToo when brandished by Anglicans has a more poignant ring to it: that of a societal runt, ignored and unchosen, whimpering “me too” as it is left behind, chasing impotently after the cultural fads it can never compete with and for which it is supposed to be a corrective.

From here:

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, identified two ways that the church can respond to #MeToo and help combat sexual misconduct.

Firstly, the church must express its solidarity with those who are coming forward and sharing their experiences.

“I think we need to especially support the front-liners who are breaking the silence and instilling in others the courage to come forward and tell their stories,” the Primate said. Noting the “overwhelming” prevalence of predatory behavior on the part of many men, he added, “I think the church needs to be solidly standing beside women who are coming forward to tell their stories and to demand justice and to look for healing.”