Tuesday, March 3, 2009

"Pastoral Visitors" - why "process" is a sham

That is a harsh headline. But one of today's morning lessons shows Jesus going harsh. There's a time and a place.

"Pastoral Visitors" are a group of Anglican representatives, intended "to assist in healing and reconciliation given the current tensions in the Anglican Communion." You can read a detailed account at Episcopal Life Online.

I have been involved in "reconciliation process" in the church. It was used to undermine my leadership of a mission by keeping Christian values out of the discussion and empowering some people who could put extra money in diocesan coffers. "Process" keeps problems strung out until one side achieves its goals, which might not even be stated ("more money for the diocese" was not a stated goal in the process that was waged on me). "Process" is presented as an open approach in which all enter as equals, but there is always, always an agenda and a desired outcome.

Many Episcopal bishops have read Leadership Without Easy Answers by Harvard Professor Ronald Heifetz. Heifetz has been a "facilitator" at House of Bishops meetings, and at least one Bishop in my former diocese was strongly influenced by the book.

It is an excellent book - if you are a leader with a desired outcome to achieve. It is a manual for keeping some people at the negotiating table even when your intention is to overthrow their position. It is an interesting read for political leadership in a pluralistic world, but in a church where "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" is the standard, the effort to keep divergent "lords", faiths and even understandings of baptism at the same table seems manifestly counterproductive. Unless, of course, the intent is to methodically overthrow the one Lord, faith and baptism.

I am sure that the appointed Pastoral Visitors are capable people and some of their biographies show them to be exemplary Christians. But make no mistake - there is an agenda, and the Visitors themselves might not even be aware of it. The fact that the problem is not even stated - "current tensions"? - is a tip off that a values-free process is being laid on the church. At this table, a functional atheist is equal to a believer and, depending upon who drives the process, might actually have a stronger position.

In the print version of this month's Episcopal Life, there's a letter from Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles. He writes, "We all can be reconciled while holding our own individual positions and yet living in the same community."

That sounds decent, right? Except that the full text of the letter reveals his meaning - he is justifying millions of dollars spent to sue other Christians who have attempted to leave the denomination over changes forced on them by "process." Reconciliation = coercion. Community = court order.

By the way, the Episcopal Church is spent 4.75 million dollars of money donated by God's people in order to sue other Christians and to impose Church sanctions on dissenting clergy over the last two years. Another 1.8 million is budget for the next couple of years. You can see it in their own numbers here. (Scroll down to page 3, line 57). This, while having "Pastoral Visitors" to engage in a "reconciliation process."

Still think "sham" is too harsh a word?

5 comments:

Bob Ellis said...

Amen!

I grieve over the division going on inside the Anglican Church and many other respectable Christian denominations.

But I applaud and give thanks for your dedication to truth over pap, your devotion to what is right over compromise, and your determination to fight for what is right rather than surrender to "process" or a faux peace created out of acquiescence to evil.

TLF+ said...

Thanks, Bob. By disposition, I am exactly the wrong person to exhibit dedication, devotion and determination. But I must boast in my weakness, for when I am weak, Christ can be the one to make me strong.

cp said...

I have been involved in "reconciliation process" in the church. It was used to undermine my leadership of a mission by keeping Christian values out of the discussion and empowering some people who could put extra money in diocesan coffers.

These are serious charges. Can you offer any more detail?

TLF+ said...

And wind up in litigation? No thanks. Lesson learned, water under the bridge and all that.

Didn't happen here in SD, though. We've had some rough disagreements but the folks here have treated me pretty well overall. I will be making some effort to be a more congenial sort, but can't go into detail just now.

cp said...

I will be making some effort to be a more congenial sort, but can't go into detail just now.

Glad to hear that. In these times we need everyone's gifts.

Hope to see you at the consecration of the new Bishop!