The Thumb on the Scale
ALLOW ME to share an observation with you. It has been kicking around my noggin for a while, but recent events have prompted me to put it to paper. The observation is this. While I see no marked difference between conservatives and liberals when it comes to wickedness – that is, it is common to us both to break rules when we are acting selfishly. We lie and cheat and steal towards wicked ends equally. However, there is a tendency peculiar to the liberal, to break rules when they believe they are advancing a just cause.
I don’t want to dwell for too long on the political scandal which is dominating Canada at the time of printing. It is not my place as a priest or as your editor to take political positions, so please read no particular endorsement into this meagre offering. But it is an instructive situation. Much has been made of the historic connection of SNC-Lavalin to the Liberal Party of Canada, but I tend to give the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt and suggest that if these allegations are proven correct, then they have been done without self-interest on the part of the person or party of the PMO. I could be wrong (and you are reading this three weeks after I am putting these words to paper so please be gentle if I am). The narrative from my limited perspective, and in the broadest of strokes, is that the PMO was acting in the best interest of the country. It would seem that the Quebec economy, the Canadian economy and the lives of tens of thousands of Canadians would in fact benefit if SNC-Lavalin were let off the hook, provided they have done a decent job of cleaning up their house – which is reportedly the case. So should the allegations prove true, I would assume that it was a genuine attempt to gently intervene for the good of Canadians. Was it right or justified? No, of course not.
Much was made prior to Trudeau’s election as Prime Minister of his admiration for China and their ability to get progressive policies implemented quickly. At the time I credited this as an ill-thought-out remark and regarded the fuss as largely politicking. Now I am not so sure.
Turning to our context of Anglicanism in Canada, and the issue which has dominated and divided the church for the last 25 years, this pattern has played out repeatedly. Arguably this started in 1995 when then-Archbishop Michael Peers abused his role as chair of General Synod to step down and speak in favour of same-sex relationships within the Anglican Church of Canada. Since then the line has been pushed forward again and again by progressives abusing the trust of their Anglican brothers and sisters and dispensing with the rules. Certainly this occurred seven years later in the Diocese of New Westminster when they went ahead with same-sex blessings prior to a change in doctrine in the Anglican Church of Canada. This doctrinal change has yet to take place and yet many dioceses across the country have followed suit, resulting in a collective shrug at GS 2010.
Similarly at General Synod 2016, following the confusing vote on changing the Marriage Canon, we saw again this progressive impulse to dispense with the rules in pursuit of their version of justice when they thought they had ‘lost the vote.’ Various diocesan bishops, in a coordinated effort and using common language, announced that the mind of the Church expressed through synod was wrong and justice demanded they change the doctrine of marriage, [ab]using their personal authority. While the vote was overturned the next day, allowing the change to be put forward at GS 2019, still they went ahead citing pastoral need. At this same synod the Chancellor signalled that their would be no calling this lawlessness to account, by declaring same-sex marriage to be consistent with the canons of the church – leaving many to wonder why then has this been a debate for the last 30 years. It is not clear why no serious challenge to this interpretation has taken place to date. It reminds me of that old song about playing poker with the devil.
Finally we have to mention the recent same-sex wedding of Bishop Kevin Robertson to his long-time partner, a marriage that was solemnised by Bishop Susan Bell in Christmastide. Here we see a particular kind of hubris. Set aside the canons for a moment and even the particular guidelines for same-sex marriage which had been established by the Diocese of Toronto (both of which have been contravened), these spiritual leaders of the church felt no pastoral obligation to wait for six months for the church to settle the matter or observe the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to limit their freedom for the sake of the weaker brethren – especially the ones under their pastoral care and authority.
It is not at all clear what to make of this. I have traced this tendency through the same-sex marriage debate. But it is not limited to it. This sort of abuse of process by progressives has taken place in various other forums as conservatives throughout the country have seen again and again. On one hand there is certainly an impulse to say, if that is how the game is played, then let’s play dirty as well. But surely that is not the solution. There is also an impulse to say Jesus is Lord and it is his church. And yes that is true, but that same Lord warned his disciples that they were being sent forth as sheep in the midst of wolves and instructed them to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. How do we do this? I would say at least four things to conservative Anglicans approaching General Synod 2019. 1. Recognise in advance that progressives in the church will put a thumb on the scale when they believe it advances their version of justice. Don’t be naive about this. 2. If you choose to continue to play with people who deal from the bottom of the deck, know that you are going to lose. Even if the Resolution is somehow defeated, they will simply continue, insisting that this innovation does not require the approval of General Synod. 3. Your only recourse (in this world) is to appeal to principles of justice. Cry long and loud about this sort of cheating and confront it in every instance. While scripture has lost any meaningful authority within the Church, appealing to the principles of natural justice can sometimes gain traction. 4. Finally, God is in control and despite the degradation of the Anglican Church of Canada, He will be glorified. TAP
