My Dear Brothers and Sisters of Saint Matthew’s ‘Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life’ (Luke 19. 29). By now you will have heard of the very saddening and disappointing news from the [...]
In a true mystery, the more we understand, the more we know there is more to understand. Understanding something can lead to pride because now we think we know more than others, but if we really pay attention true understanding should lead to humility. To truly understand something is to “stand-under.” We place ourselves under [...]
Yesterday, Archbishop Bob Duncan and I wrote Bishop Victoria Matthews – formerly bishop of Edmonton and now bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand – assuring her of our prayer and support for the people of her diocese who have been devastated by a second – far more destructive – earthquake in less than six months. Reports [...]
The meeting of the Primates called by the Archbishop of Canterbury concluded in Dublin, Ireland on January 30 with a number of statements and letters – including statements on climate change, on the death of a Ugandan homosexual activist, and on Haiti, as well as letters to churches urging action on gender-based violence, and an [...]
Synod 2010 highlights For those of you who were able to stay current on the progress of ANiC’s synod by reading the AEC blog, the following will not be news. But for others, these highlights – condensing 2½ full and productive days – might be of interest. A more detailed account of each day of [...]
My Dear friends in Christ As you will see from the attached news release, the B.C Court of Appeal has dismissed our appeal of Mr. Justice Stephen Kelleher’s decision awarding ownership of our Church property to the Diocese of New Westminster. It is with great sadness and disappointment that I write to inform you of this news. The Diocese [...]
This is the final entry from my reading of Gary Haugen’s Good News about Injustice. Why are the poor disproportionately abused? One explanation is that in a fallen world, those with more power will abuse it. Therefore, there is a need for a “justice system” to hold violence and deception in check. Statistics highlight the [...]
Haugen identified seven categories of violence as follows. First, PETTY CRIMINAL VIOLENCE involves small groups or individuals who steal property for pleasure or to acquire goods. Drug addicts needing to fund their habit is an example of this kind of violent crime. Second, ORGNANIZED CRIME VIOLENCE involves groups like the Mafia or Hell’s Angels who [...]
God’s people are God’s plan to address injustice in the world. Micah tells us what is good in God’s eyes; do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). Isaiah beseeched, “Learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17, ESV). Furthermore, indifference [...]
What kind of faith do we need to be healed? Some Christians emphasize faith as passive surrender to the will of God; they condition their requests for healing with “if it be thy will”. Passive faith Christians place a lot of value on the sovereignty of God. Whether healing happens or not is completely dependent [...]
On October 19, Archbishop Duncan addressed attendees of Lausanne 2010 in Capetown, South Africa during a session devoted to global Anglicanism. October 18, 2010 Scattering the Proud and Lifting Up the Lowly Luke 1:46-55 By the Most Rev. Robert Duncan, archbishop and primate of the Anglican Church in North America Scattering the Proud In 1960 [...]
16th October, A.D. 2010 Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley, Martyrs at Oxford TO ALL THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America boldly proclaim that “the people of God are the chief agents of the mission [...]
‘Prayer is the discovery of Jesus within the fabric of our lives’ (Katherine Marie Dyckman and Patrick Carroll). For this reflection I would like us to think further about prayer as taking up the invitation to come home. ‘Coming home’ is a great theme in Christian spirituality and central to this is the call to stay at [...]
Evangelicals have often led the way in evangelism and relief and development initiatives. Evangelicals have not historically demonstrated the same vigour when it comes to social justice. There are at least five contributing factors for the lack of action among evangelicals. First, resistance to involvement in social justice projects is likely a backlash against the [...]
Human suffering normally comes in one or more of three forms: oppression, deprivation, or alienation. Oppression involves people with power abusing that power through violence/coercion and deception. Linking deprivation and alienation to abusive human action is not as straightforward. Deprivation, for example, might stem from sources other than human abuse such as poverty associated with [...]