Category Archives: Primate Linda Nicholls

Primate Linda Nicholls’ statement for Pride Month

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You can read it all here:

In the hymn “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen, we hear the poignant longing for a church where the gospel promises will be lived so that all God’s children will be loved and safe and free. This has been the cry of the LGBTQ2S+ community in society and in the church for decades. Although there have been affirmations of LGBTQ2S+ people in our church through General Synod and its resolutions (for example, General Synod 1995, Act 57; General Synod 2004, Act 37), we have work to do in their realization in the hearts and minds of parishioners in every place.

She goes on to say:

Pride month is an opportunity to lift up recognition of that work—to affirm the God-given dignity of every human being—and to value the contributions and gifts that LGBTQ2S+ communities bring to our church and our world. Our life as a church is enriched by the diversity of God’s people!

And, of course, there is no time like Pride Month for illustrating the dignity of every human being. Here are some not untypical Pride Month examples of people exhibiting their God-given dignity. It doesn’t get any more dignified than this:

I suppose it could get more dignified: the gentleman in the cap could be wearing a bishop’s mitre. Maybe next year.

New primate intends to make changes

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When she was Bishop of Huron, Linda Nicholls closed and amalgamated many parishes that were not financially viable. No one cares much whether a parish is theologically viable, of course; if they did, there would be none left.

Now she is primate, Nicholls tells us there will be national changes. Painful changes. A clue to the nature of the changes is found in this snippet: “a significant decline in contributions from the dioceses to the national church”. Whatever euphemisms are thrown around to obfuscate the changes, it is easy to guess what they will be.

From here:

The Anglican Church of Canada’s new primate says her top priority will be a review of the church’s mission and ministry—a re-examination of its role that could result in “painful” change for some as the church adjusts to challenging times.

Linda Nicholls, bishop of the diocese of Huron, was elected the church’s 14th primate in Vancouver on July 13, partway through General Synod. She is the first woman in the history of the Anglican Church of Canada to hold the position.

In her first interview with the Anglican Journal as primate, two days after the installation, Nicholls said her first priority would be to get started on a strategic review of the national church’s ministry and mission. The review, mandated by General Synod after a vote July 14, is to be undertaken by the Council of General Synod (CoGS), which the primate chairs, and is to culminate in the presentation of a strategic plan to General Synod when it next meets in 2022.

The process, Nicholls said, is likely to bring improvements as well as change that some will find difficult.