Category Archives: Anglican Church of Canada

Adam’s gender is ‘more poetic than clear cut’

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Thus blazes an Anglican Journal headline for an article about the Anglican Church of Canada’s new trial liturgies for gender transition.

Apparently, the mistake we’ve been making for the last 6,000 years or so is to fall into the trap of thinking that men and women actually exist. They don’t. There is only humanity. Now we’ve finally realised that we have taken “an amazing step forward into full inclusion.” Or, depending on your perspective, confirmed Sophocles’ warning: “those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad”.

Read all about it here:

“Although [Christianity] has followed cultural norms about gender wherever it’s been lived and expressed, there is in its theology and its foundation documents in the New Testament a considerable focus on our humanity and not on our gender,” Beardsley said. This focus on humanity rather than gender find reflection in one of the liturgies CoGS commended for trial use, “A Blessing Over the Process of Gender Transition”. This blessing states that according to Scripture, the “first human’s gender is more poetic than clear cut—this first human embodiment included maleness, femaleness, and more than these—all of this was affirmed as very good.” The Rev. Theo Robinson, a transgender priest at Interlake Regional Shared Ministry and consultative body member, called approval of the liturgies for trial use “an amazing step forward into full inclusion.”

Mammon ambivalence in the Anglican Church of Canada

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The Anglican Church of Canada is more of a crypto-Marxism cabal than it is a Christian denomination, so it isn’t surprising to find a bishop writing this in the Anglican Journal:

The intimate connection of individual lifestyle and global economic and political practices has been revealed in forceful detail. Yes, there are big actors that enflame this crisis—governments and corporations—but it is very clear that the tolerance that lets such deadly misbehaviour continue arises from our personal captivity to comfort, luxury, and wealth. And this tolerance is not just for what is overwhelming our planet. We have also accepted, with no major protest that I can see, the hideous damage that our present greed-related practices have inflicted on the poor, Indigenous peoples, and on the creatures that share Creation with us.

[…….]

Jesus showed us how to make this world and its relations sacred through the ceremony he gave us. This ceremony looks and acts towards his coming again, a time when God “will be all in all.” (1 Cor 15:28) What humanity has done through the global culture of money is the opposite, with the poor bearing the consequence. To make no choice in regard to these realities is an act of violent moral consequences. We must engage in a spiritual revolution, based in Eucharistic discipleship, and move in concert with and activate public policies and practices that will change these things. We must, in a hallowing of the Name of God, choose life.

A few pages further on in the paper we learn that clergy are rejoicing in how much profit (sorry, budget surplus) the church raked in in 2021:

Archdeacon Alan Perry, general secretary of General Synod, said the church was running a surplus for the year, to date, of more than $600,000. “That’s really extraordinarily good news,”

This is peanuts in the overall picture, though: The Anglican Church of Canada has around $1.2 billion invested in church pension funds, diocesan investments and trust funds. Shameless Capitalism.

Presumably, these considerable sums are somehow cleansed of the global culture of money and greed-related practices by virtue of Eucharistic discipleship. Whatever that is. To put it more simply, the ACoC is a major player in ecclesiastical money laundering.

Further on in the paper, we find the new ACoC treasure intoning these words that were clearly inspired by Squealer’s speech in Animal Farm:

“We don’t look at the work we do [as] bringing money for profit,” she says.
“We’re bringing money to help others. This is not the organization’s money, to be honest with you. We look at it as God’s money, and God gave it to us so we can utilize it to the best interests of everyone and to the benefit of everybody.”

Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee rejoices over conversion therapy ban

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After the passing of our liberal government’s motion to ban conversion therapy, Anna Greenwood-Lee, bishop of the Diocese of B.C. tweeted her approval:

I find this very confusing because the Anglican Church of Canada has just published a liturgy to bless “gender transition”, surely the ultimate in conversion therapy. Since our clerical tweeter has lent her support to November 20th’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, she must approve of this conversion therapy.

The animated GIF says “You’re amazing just the way you are”, an odd statement from a Christian, let alone a bishop since, according to the articles of her own church, “just the way we are” is along the lines of:

“man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation.”

Perhaps bishops should just stay off twitter. Come to think of it, maybe they should stay away from churches, too.

And God said, Let us make female, male, intersex, transgender, cisgender and non-binary in our image

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The Anglican Church of Canada has developed a trial liturgy for “Journeys of Gender Affirmation and Transition”, to be used to bless the “gender transition process”.

Here is a sample to whet your appetite should you wish to transition after suddenly realising that your inner lady is not at peace with your beard and testicles:

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, and the plants, the trees, and the creatures of the land, sea, and air, God created a human being in their image and called them very good. What Scripture tells us about this first human’s gender is more poetic than clear cut – this first human embodiment included maleness,
femaleness, and more than these – all of this was affirmed as very good.

So, we know that all bodies are made in God’s image whether we recognize ourselves as female, male, or intersex; whether we are transgender, cisgender, or do not recognize ourselves in any of these labels. We are called by God both to care for and to be co-creators of all of
creation and that includes our bodies. Taking steps physically or spiritually to manifest our gender identity more fully is to participate in God’s commandment to tend and love all that God has made.

You can peruse the entire liturgy here.

Anglican devotions against gender-based violence

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If you look up “gender-based violence” in Wikipedia (not the most reliable source admittedly, but it will do for now), you will find that it means:

Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are violent acts primarily or exclusively committed against women or girls. Such violence is often considered a form of hate crime, committed against women or girls specifically because they are female, and can take many forms.

The Anglican Church of Canada has a definition that is a little more…. modern. Along with some other denominations, it has published a small volume of “16 devotions inspired by the annual 16 days of activism against gender-based violence”,  all based on the Magnificat. Sort of.

I suspect you are unaware of the fact that if you naïvely refer to members of your Christian fellowship as “brothers and sisters”, you will have committed an act of violence against non-binary individuals. Consider yourself warned. I myself am analogue through and through, so I suppose I fall into that category and am entitled to feel suitably aggrieved. “Same-sex marriage” is also a no-no. I knew it wouldn’t last:

In our efforts to “preserve unity” or “maintain relationships”, we commit an act of violence against the communities who are most vulnerable, who are most trying to find a place of belonging in a system that invalidates their very identities and existence. When we welcome our “brothers and sisters”, we erase nonbinary people such as myself. When we refer to “same-sex marriage”, we ignore the diversity of the queer3 and trans community. When we turn a blind eye to the direct, indirect, and systemic forms of queerphobia and transphobia, we commit violence against God’s beloved children. We are directly responsible for the fact that trans and queer individuals do not consider churches to be a place where they can belong.

And let’s not forget that every-growing alphabetic menagerie, 2SLGBTQQIA:

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls heard the testimonies of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people that oppression against them is primarily based on colonialism, racism, and gender, with other factors, such as education, income, and ability, sometimes coming into play. In particular, families and survivors consistently referred to four general ways that maintain colonial violence.

We are informed by Rev. Susan C. Johnson that 2SLGBTQQIA1 stands for: two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual. She is a bishop no less, so this information must be reliable, although I would suggest she add another “S” for people like me who are Skeptical.

 

How to endorse a political party while maintaining plausible deniability

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The old cliché “The Anglican Church is the Conservative Party at prayer” has devolved into “The Anglican Church is the Communist Party at a smudging session”.

The Anglican Church of Canada doesn’t want to appear to endorse any particular party in the forthcoming election since it doesn’t want to be exposed for what it is: an impotent purveyor of socialist agitprop.

Thus, the inevitable “letter from Anglican, Lutheran leaders about the 2021 federal election” doesn’t mention any political party by name. Instead, it provides links to sites promoting causes beloved by the outer fringes of the lunatic left.

So as a faithful Anglican, the ACoC won’t tell you who to vote for, but you’ll know anyway. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Read it all here:

A letter from Anglican, Lutheran leaders about the 2021 federal election

BY GENERAL SYNOD COMMUNICATIONS ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

On September 20, Canadians will vote in a federal election, electing Members of Parliament who will help shape the life of our country for the next four years. We give thanks for each candidate and their willingness to offer their vision, gifts and service for consideration for leadership in public life.

Over the last two years, many events have pushed for deeper reflection on the kind of Canada we desire.

Finding the remains of more than 1,300 Indigenous children who were buried in unmarked graves at the sites of several former residential schools is traumatic, heart-wrenching and profound. Many more sites have yet to be investigated. The call for healing, reconciliation and renewed relationships among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples is a fundamental element of work for social and ecological justice in the Canadian context today.

The murder of George Floyd in particular, along with many other incidents in Canada and beyond, have called attention to anti-Black racism and other expressions of systemic racism. In March 2020, the Anglican Church of Canada’s Council of General Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s National Church Council participated together in a session of anti-racism training. This was one step on a multi-faceted journey of working to dismantle racism and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of life.

The recent report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  highlights the need to address the climate crisis. This election takes place during the Season of Creation, when we are invited to reflect on our relationships with Creation and our impact on our shared home. Indigenous wisdom and relationships with the land need to inform individual, community and societal choices for healthy relationship with the Earth.

Bishop Lincoln Mckoen defrocked

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Lincoln Mckoen is no longer an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Canada. After admitting to sending “inappropriate sexualized electronic communications”, he was inhibited by Archbishop Lynne McNaughton. He is no longer a bishop or priest in the Anglican Church of Canada.

McNaughton stated that: “The possibility is that there might be other allegations come forward”.

It’s astonishing that at a time when the church encourages and declares holy a culture of MSM amongst its clergy, not to mention devotion to Pride Month, a celebration of almost every sexual perversion known to man, a bishop can be fired for broadcasting naughty pictures of himself. Perhaps he let the ecclesiastical side down by advertising his masculine inadequacy.

From here:

A B.C. bishop who resigned over sexual misconduct allegations has been defrocked.

Archbishop Lynne McNaughton, who heads the Anglican Church in B.C. and Yukon, told CBC News that Lincoln Mckoen was no longer a bishop or priest and would not be able to work as an Anglican priest anywhere in Canada.

“It’s really important that we need to protect people from sexual misconduct,” said McNaughton.

[….]

She said the Anglican Church had made errors in the past by “moving priests or putting allegations aside, as part of the terrible, terrible legacy of things like residential schools.”

She said clergy are now being trained in the church’s zero tolerance policy for sexual misconduct with clear guidelines “to keep people safe.”

McNaughton said the alleged misconduct is not a criminal offence under the law.

Fergus priest drawing Renegade Rainbows

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The caption on the photo of Rev. Anne Turner, below, reads: “Rev. Ann Turner is the Rector at St. James Anglican Church in Fergus and begins each gathering with a land acknowledgement.”

It’s always puzzled me that those who are pressed by the weight of guilt into acknowledging that the land their building occupies really belongs to someone else never experience – or obey – the urge to give it back.

Still, Rev. Turner makes up for it by encouraging everyone to draw rainbows everywhere. Especially since it’s June. We’re all drawing rainbows. Even Jesus. Sorry, no, scratch that, the Rev. doesn’t mention Jesus at all.

Read it all here:

You might see her walking through the streets of Fergus wearing her clerical collar and talking to community members, running the service at St. James Anglican Church or working with community LGBTQ+ initiatives.

For years, Rev. Ann Turner has been an openly out priest with St. James Anglican Church in Fergus and has been a staple in the community while bridging the gap between marginalized communities and faith-based organizations.

[…..]

Turner said she was happy to help build community inclusivity through various initiatives, like Renegade Rainbows, an initiative that encouraged community members across Centre Wellington to draw chalk rainbows on their sidewalk.

“There were little kids out drawing rainbows, there were seniors drawing rainbows and everything in between,” Turner said. “That was something absolutely anybody could do and it made a statement to those folks who might feel like they are outside the community.”

The St. James Anglican Church also flies the pride flag during the month of June.
“We also have the rainbow on our sign and rainbows on everything that’s attached to us, and all our programmes to make sure folks know that there’s a spot and there’s a safe place that’s out there,” Turner said.

The decline and fall of Bishop Lincoln McKoen

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Bishop Lincoln Mckoen was inhibited on June 1st 2021 for unspecified reasons, although there were dark hints of sexual shenanigans.

Now he has resigned or, one presumes, had resignation thrust upon him, much as Jeffrey Epstein was suicided. McKoen has been sending naughty pictures to someone with whom he was in (more than) a “pastoral relationship”.

From here:

On June 10th Lincoln Mckoen, former Bishop of the Territory of the People, resigned and relinquished the exercise of episcopal ministry. Archbishop Lynne McNaughton wrote to the people of the diocese on June 11th:

Lincoln Mckoen has resigned from his diocesan episcopal ministry because of allegations received on May 27,2021 that on occasions when Lincoln Mckoen presented himself as a priest (padre), bishop-elect or bishop he, by text and by images sent inappropriate sexualized electronic communications to an adult person who is resident outside the Ecclesiastical Province and with whom Lincoln Mckoen was in a pastoral relationship.

Lincoln Mckoen acknowledges that the allegations are well founded.

Pastoral care is being offered to the diocese and all affected. An interim Steering Committee has been put in place. The diocese now enters a time of grieving and discernment about its future episcopal leadership. Please join them in prayer.

Inhibition of Bishop Lincoln McKoen redux

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Bishop Lincoln McKoen was fired for reasons unspecified, an action that invites all manner of lurid speculation since it is so difficult to be declared persona non grata in the Anglican Church of Canada. Other than for being too orthodox, of course.

Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee has not helped by announcing that McKoen was inhibited for “sexual misconduct”. Now the ACoC is renowned for its tolerance – admiration even – of every possible sexual gratification known to man or beast; the ecclesiastical enthusiasm for the LGBT2QIA+ alphabet soup concoction is undiminished by its ever-increasing diversity or scope-creep as we like to say in the business world. McKoen could not, for example, be fired for having sex with a goat. That would be covered by the “+”. Or is it the “A”; I’m not sure but it must be covered somewhere.

Surely it would be best for everyone if the ACoC boldly announced what arcane province of sexual gratification McKoen explored to satisfy his appetites. That way we could at least add another letter to the acronymic community of LGBT… well, you know the rest. And avoid future embarrassment.

From here:

On Tuesday, June 3, 2021 I received notice that Archbishop Lynne McNaughton has, pursuant to canon law, formally inhibited Bishop Lincoln Mckoen from performing any of the duties of his office as bishop of the Territory of the People while allegations of sexual misconduct are being investigated. There is due process in the church, and he will have the support he needs to answer these charges. There are no criminal charges in this case.