Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck, an Anglican priest from the Diocese of Saskatoon, calls himself a ‘ChristoPagan’. He practices magic, is a Druid, a Pagan and an Animist.
He doesn’t have a conventional congregation on which to inflict his bizarre and, probably demonically inspired antics, but he does talk to and pray with the “people” inhabiting what the less fanciful among us would regard as inanimate objects.
When he isn’t praying with trees, chatting with the Lady of the Lake or communing with the person embodied in the beef he is masticating, he teaches other Anglican priests to do so in the University of Saskatchewan. This is the future of the Anglican Church of Canada – if it had one.
It goes without saying that Beck supports same-sex marriage.
Ironically, his bishop, David Irving, doesn’t seem particularly bothered by all this: the Anglican Church of Canada is tolerant enough to employ Druids but fires orthodox Christians.
You can listen to an interview with Beck here:
And read a CBC article here:
I am a ‘ChristoPagan’ … I practice magic, study the runes, and talk to trees and fairies; …and I am a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.
AND I’m an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. For 15 years I’ve preached and pastored churches in my diocese. I’m a regional dean, and I train other priests, deacons, and lay ministers.
…But it has been a very interesting journey for me, almost thirty years of intense reflection and “internal inter-faith dialogue”, culminating finally in a fully blended path.
Am I alone in this? Are there others out there who are living bi-spiritual lives?
[…..]
“I do identify myself as primarily Christian – heavily influenced and really spiritually transformed by neo-paganism. Specifically it’s about bringing in the feminine face of the divine. Bringing in the pagan valuing of nature as sacred. And the pagan sense of the world as alive and magical.”
He believes both can work together.
“It’s about recognizing that that tree that I’ve been praying beside, is actually alive and conscious and praying with me. It’s about recognizing that if I’m having beef for supper I know who I’m eating, not what I’m eating.” he says. “I’m what you call a Christian animist…and the basic premise of animism is that the world is filled with a myriad of neighbours…After you do that for a few years, for me anyway, something crystallizes about where I find my place in the universe.”
Words almost fail, but this will do ..
https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/44405350/you-cant-make-this-stuff-up.jpg
But how does he know that the tree *wants* to be praying with him? I suppose a “congregation” that can’t run away is about all he can find?
The robbers make merry … until the cash runs out.
Will they know each other in hell and I don’t mean the trees
Considering the apostates within the ACoC one cannot be surprised at this revelation. The fact that he has not had his ordination revoked clearly shows the so-called bishop of the diocese is not doing his job — or he is following in the steps of the apostates including the primate all of which have abandoned any genuine belief and follow the doctrine of political expediency.
I wrote to Irving on Sunday asking if he knew of Beck’s views, and if he approved of them. So far, no response. We had similar instances in the Episcopal Church — a druid priest in Pennsylvania, a Muslim-Anglican in Seattle, and a Buddhist-Episcopalian in Michigan — in the last twenty years. In those cases the liberal establishment booted out the syncretist — it was the bridge they would not cross. It will be interesting to see if Saskatoon now leads the way on this issue
Syncretism is to Christianity what will make our Jesus claims worth considering for their wisdom, for the unity which can be seen & celebrated as we discern where the Spirit blows as it will, and creates humility & openness, as we approach each other’s tradition, Scripture, & convictions with the Reason we can choose to employ…AND which could make the world a more just & peace-filled place!
Jesus’ claims about himself weren’t sufficient? The cross is just one path, just one option? Give yourself a head-bonk.
Eventually, an ACoC Priest will be claiming to be a demon, working solely to further a monarchy of His Most Dishonourable Lowliness, satan, while drawing a salary and benefits from the church. And why not? There would be no conflicted interests.
The Anglican Church of Canada could do/ has offered much worse theology than this, which I appreciate & celebrate as a life-long Anglican. Nothing to fear in what Sean, in his thoughtfulness & faithfulness offers us consider!
All I can say is, church-wise, you are where you belong.
It is clearly evident that Sean takes the general view of society – belief in a “god” but refusing to acknowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Until he and the ACoC are prepared to acknowledge this fact it will continue to fall into the pit of apostasy. Truth is found in THE WORD – not the worship of demons or other gods that the mind might create. There is NO faithfulness when an alleged Christian worships other gods.
Had you thought about learning to think?
It is so absurd and bizarre; it is such a sad, clownish distortion of what the church is meant to be, that it is monstrous that anyone purporting to be a bishop could allow this to pass muster without squirming from the pricks of conscience.
I think it is safe to conclude that this system has ceased to be even remotely Christian. This is the detritus of faith – the residual snail trail that lets us know that something with substance once was there and once passed through – but not the expression of a living faith any more.
This nonsense is what is left when true belief in the Most High God is forsaken, his word ignored, and his people fleeced.
Dare I offer an alternative opinion?
The man is a loon.
And I do not mean the avian variety.
JJM. Now that’s a thought. We could replace the present image on the Loonie and put his there. Just a thought.