Hiltz: boycott "anything but exemplary"
The Archbishop of the Church of Canada, Fred Hiltz, lets us in on some of what the primates meeting in Dublin next week will be about.
The Anglican Journal:
In an interview prior to his departure for the Jan. 25-30 meeting, Archbishop Hiltz explained that the meeting will discuss the nature of the Anglican Communion and the role of its primates, both as a body as well as in their individual provinces. And for the first time since this meeting was established in 1978, discussions will be guided by a facilitator. ... The [primates attending] will be asked to share their thoughts on two questions: What do you think is the most pressing challenge or issue facing the Anglican Communion at this time? What do you think is the most pressing challenge or issue facing your own province? ... Archbishop Hiltz has consulted with the metropolitans [senior bishops] and other officials of General Synod--the Anglican Church of Canada’s governing body--to formulate the Canadian church’s response to the questions. Three of the four metropolitans were available for consultation and “not one of them raised sexuality or the [Anglican] Covenant” as real challenges facing the Anglican Communion, said Archbishop Hiltz. The “real issues,” they agreed, are combating disease, access to clean water, security, peace, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples.About the intention of several primates to boycott the meeting, Hiltz said, “To simply say, ‘I refuse to come’ is anything but exemplary of the office and ministry to which we are called.”
Archbishop Hiltz asks for prayer for the Primates' Meeting, Hiltz adds:
On the subject of primacy, each of us received a number of documents, ancient and modern, Anglican and ecumenical addressing the role, function and authority of this ministry within the Province and within the Communion as a whole. There is a real need for clarity with respect to the place and influence of the Primates' Meetings and the nature of their service as one of the Instruments of Communion.
Addendum. Thinking Anglicans has Another Anglican Covenant roundup.
So none of the challenges facing Anglicanism have anything to do with spirituality, faith, etc.? Only physical,secular needs? Reconciliation with indigenous peoples would be a problem in Canada, but is that really THE major challenge there? What are the challenges in his own Church? People can help with the problems listed by donating to any of the many secular organizations working on them. Is that really all the church is about? This list points mostly to developing nations, which is where Christianity is still spreading, but what about the problems of Christian faith dying in the Western world?
Chris Harwood
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January 20, 2011 11:40 AM
Good googly-moogly, Chris H, I was just talking about you.
No, not you specifically, but the mindset you just expressed.
Out there in the secular world, where Christianity is LOATHED w/ a fiery passion---even been there, Chris?---I was participating in a discussion of how "Christians blather re 'Love', when they HATE everybody who's different from themselves!"
I tried to explain how MY Christian church, TEC, recently tried to anchor what it means by "love", CONCRETELY, via the UN's Millenium Development Goals: "...but when we do, some Christianist comes along to say 'What about saving souls for Christ?! You sound just like a secular social service organization!'"
You illustrate my point so well.
{Sigh}
JC Fisher
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January 20, 2011 5:33 PM
And out in that mean old world I get lots of "Why go to church when I can help others without listening to that God stuff? I volunteer and donate to the food bank and I can sleep in Sunday."
I must admit a bit of prejudice. My family left the church I was baptized in when the new rector told us it didn't matter what we believed as long as we were "good people" and "helped the poor". He couldn't give a decent answer to the question above, so this sounds just like him. Every church has to balance the "faith vs. works" dynamic. Obviously we differ on where each sees the balance on that spectrum.
I'd still like to know what the biggest challenges are to the Church of Canada and what answer TEC is going to make to these questions.
Chris Harwood
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January 20, 2011 10:38 PM
I get lots of "Why go to church when I can help others without listening to that God stuff? I volunteer and donate to the food bank and I can sleep in Sunday."
IF that's really the beginning of the conversation (i.e., you haven't told them they OUGHT to go to church, first? Be honest, Chris), then why not say why YOU go to church?
Seriously, the "mean old world" you're encountering, Chris, doesn't sound as vituperatively anti-Christian as the one I'm encountering. I'm talking about the world where---with GOOD reason---as a follower of Jesus you're Presumed Guilty (homophobic, sexist, anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-diversity, anti-choice, anti-gun-control, etc etc etc). How do you have a conversation w/ persons w/ those attitudes? Where do you begin?
JC Fisher
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January 21, 2011 3:02 PM