God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The Anglican Church of Canada so loves the world that its hierarchy is meeting in an air-conditioned Ottawa convention centre to press the Canadian government to squeeze more taxes from its citizens to subsidise affordable housing. And to try and prevent “resource extraction” companies from drilling for Canadian oil: the same oil that the ACoC’s hierarchy burned on their way to Canada’s capital; come to think of it, perhaps they prefer the more inclusive Saudi oil.
It’s a whole other world.
From here:
More than 800 Anglicans, Lutherans, and partners will gather at the Ottawa Convention Centre July 3 to 7, 2013, for a historic joint national meeting.
Inspired by the theme “Together for the love of the world,” members of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada will gather for worship and decision-making on areas of shared work, including mission and development.
Several key events will highlight the churches’ commitment to God’s mission in the world. Anglicans and Lutherans will be invited to make statements on two priority social justice issues: affordable housing and responsible resource extraction. On July 6, Anglican and Lutheran youth from Ottawa are to lead people at the assembly to Parliament Hill where they will participate in an act of public witness and worship.
It’s the first effect of not believing in God that you lose your common sense.
— G. K. Chesterton
I’m confused.
1. Two churches are trying to work together as one body of Christ (Rom 12:5).
2. They are trying to influence the government to take care of the poor (1 Tim 5:3) and to be good stewards of the earth that God has given us (Gen 1:31, Gen 2:15, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 and Colossians 1:15-16).
There are many other verses in the Bible that tell us to take care of the poor and of creation. So, what exactly is the problem with these two groups trying to do this? Is it is really because of the “air-conditioned” room or their transportation? If so, I would assume that you don’t drive or heat your house David?
I once had reason to become informed about an elite international group that meets to “discuss world hunger.” Many members were high-flying graduates of North America’s top universities. They were actually soliciting donations from a group I was involved in, so that they could all fly to a pricey European hub, once a year, to talk about hunger while staying at the best hotels and being served the best and most over-priced meals. I thought they were joking. They were not. They saw no discrepancy. Someone funded them. They talked about hunger, they enjoyed their ten days, and then they flew home again, first class. They were proud of their “contribution.”
I don’t think Matthew 6:3 means this kind of cognitive disconnect at all.
We aren’t called to influence the government to do it, we are called to do it ourselves (I do believe that our government has seriously dropped the ball on social issues, but another statement from the church isn’t going to change that.)
Re-reading the original post, it was actually David who said they they were “pressing the government.” The press release from the churches said that they were committed to them as priorities.
So putting the “government involvment” argument aside, my question still stands: What exactly is wrong with following God’s call to take care of the poor and his creation?
Nothing at all, I am all for the church doing that. I do think, though, that “eco-justice” has become an obsession that has displaced orthodox Christianity in much of the ACoC.
As for “pressing the government” to do what it itself should be doing, that’s exactly what is going on.
Lest you think I am completely heartless (well, I am really), I have nothing against affordable housing or our, as a society, trying to look after the weakest among us – in fact, I would like to see protection for the very weakest: unborn babies. Pigs will fly before the ACoC pressures the government on that, though.
Thanks for your reply David… and for not making sweeping comments about “all” of the ACoC. 🙂
If I understand your reponse, you are not against the fact that the two churches are making poverty and “creation care” priorities, you don’t like:
1. They are trying to use government to do this and
2. They are not promoting anti-abortion issues at the same time.
I find both of these surprising as well. First, if you do a search of “government” of your posts, you will find numerous examples of you making comments about government involvement (which appear to be mostly pro-Conservative and anti-Liberal, NDP or Obama).
Second, I understand (and agree) that Christians should be pro-life. (We certainly see Christians trying to influence government on this issue). But, I think that we can all agree that our faith is MUCH broader than this single issue. To criticize other Christians for making a stance on another issue seems very short-sighted.
Granted, I rattle on about politics from my conservative perspective, but I am not a church, nor am I speaking for one. I’m also interested in photography, music and provoking people into suing me – and post on those topics, too.
I think the problem with the church’s taking a political position – and the ACoC does tend to do this – is that it risks alienating people whose political views differ. Surely the church’s primary role is to make disciples, to preach the Gospel to a fallen world, through Christ to save people from hell and through all that to glorify God? A component of that is to help the poor, the sick, visit prisoners and so on, but I would contend that taking a political position on these matters is outside the church’s purview.
I admit, though, that I believe abortion to be such an important issue – the holocaust of our time – that I think the church should speak out against it.
The government issue is exactly the point though. They are going to ‘make statements’, and I am betting that those statements will have lots to do with what the government ought to be doing.
I just don’t think making statements accomplishes much for the homeless and hungry.
I would say that instead of taking care of our own and not casting the children’s bread to the dogs we are destroying our children’s future by this all inclusive madness.
Abortion is an important issue, more important than female priests and same-sex blessings.
Judging from a Canadian ACofC parish that I attended, abortion is never, ever, even alluded to. They could even preach about “the sanctity of life” without mentioning abortion, as if the concept did not exist. Our Bishop got really heated up about things like municipal bus strikes, though.
I find it a bit of an irony that this conference in July is dealing with questions of poverty, in league with trying to stop the future pipeline project. Jobs, anyone? With the many new pipeline project jobs, and the wealth created by this, we are much more likely to fight poverty than by discussing the topic at yet another conference. Why are the eco-warriors trying to stop poverty-fighting projects?