Anglican Journal Since 1875 anglicanjournal.com @anglicanjournal vol. 146 no. 1 january 2020

g SPECIAL REPORT Gone by 2040? Statistics report a ‘wake-up call’ to church, says primate

Tali Folkins staff writer Recently released data suggesting the church’s rate of decline has not slowed over the past decade and a half— while not surprising—should serve as a useful reality check for Canadian Anglicans, says Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. shutterstock /

plant “I don’t think they’re a surprise to anybody,” Nicholls said

of the statistics in an interview with the Anglican Journal. charles “Anybody who’s been in the church in the pews, or as a priest, by or as a deacon or a bishop has known that this decline has been photo happening. We see it every Sunday, we see it in lots of ways. from “I think it is a wake-up call…. If people are not coming to the church and finding a place of hope and good news, then we have to adapted

, ask, ‘How are we presenting that hope and good news to this current generation and time? And what might need to be tried?’” townsend matthew

: See STATISTICS, p. 6 image

g A LETTER FROM CUBA g THE ROAD AHEAD g GREEN SHOOTS g THE PHILOSOPHER g I’LL BE THERE 3 10 12 14 19

Balancing institution, What will Sunday Community outreach Churches may shrink 20-40 on 2040: Young mission: Lessons from morning look like, in fuels thriving but will survive in our Anglican thinkers on a changing church the years to come? congregations secular age: Taylor the church’s future

Episcopal bishop of Cuba Buildings are closing and Following discussion of Why are so many While the church faces offers reflections on the congregations merging, or church statistics, the House congregations in Western significant questions about church’s role in the world. even meeting in houses. of Bishops and Council of countries shrinking? In its future, there are young General Synod were asked an exclusive interview, the Anglicans who plan on to consider some “green Anglican Journal spoke seeing that future, whatever shoots” in the church. with Charles Taylor, one of its shape. The Anglican In that spirit, the Anglican Canada’s most recognizable Journal asked some of the Journal spoke to five philosophers, on what church’s younger theological thriving churches, some the future might hold for thinkers to share their PM# 40069670 of which were even facing established churches—and reflections on church closure before managing to why people are drawn to decline and what they turn things around. faith in the first place. anticipate ahead. 2 anglican journal • january 2020

COUNCIL OF CoGS roundup: Decrease in contributions prompts GENERAL SYNOD4 vote on 2021 contingency provision By Anglican Journal Staff

Diocesan contributions, which account for 87% of General Synod’s net revenue, have decreased by around 20% over the past 25 years, Council of General Synod (CoGS) heard Nov. 9 during a budget presentation by General Synod treasurer Hanna Goschy. Following the presentation, CoGS voted to approve the 2020 budget and a contingency provision for the 2021 budget that would see $250,000 made available from the church’s Ministry Investment Fund to balance that year’s budget, if required. During General Synod in July, then- [Racism] bishop of the diocese of Athabasca 5 Anglican that has not met its commitment in three Fraser Lawton, a member of the financial Next Sacred Circle planned is certainly at Council of consecutive previous years and a $60,000 for June 2020 “ management committee, reported that Indigenous undesignated contingency. Goschy noted the heart, in proportional gifts, the money forwarded by Peoples members in her presentation that the total budgeted The next gathering of Sacred Circle—a our country, the dioceses to the national church every lead the Council proportional gifting in 2020 is $862,000 meeting of Indigenous Anglicans from across Canada—will be held June 14-19 in of some of the year, declined by $519,000 in 2018. This of General Synod lower than the actual figures from 2016. Orillia, Ont., CoGS heard Nov. 8. drop represented the largest single-year in a hymn Friday, The motion to make an additional challenges Sacred Circle—the largest gathering decrease in proportional gifts the church Nov. 8. (l-r): $250,000 available from the Ministry of our had suffered since 1994, Lawton told of the Indigenous Anglican church—is Judith Moses, Investment Fund, if required, to balance relationship General Synod at the time. normally held every three years. It met Canon (lay) the 2021 budget was passed after an In her presentation to CoGS, Goschy most recently in August 2018, so the next with Donna Bomberry, amendment from the floor reiterated that noted that because proportional giving meeting will come a year earlier than Indigenous Archbishop Mark this would be a one-time measure. makes up such a large portion of General “It is a one-time request given that usual. But organizers felt that after the MacDonald, Shilo peoples, for Synod revenue, “that’s pretty critical, to proportional gifts have decreased quite passing of a number of resolutions at Clark, Canon racism in its understand where that’s coming from and substantially on very short notice for 2019, General Synod last July formalizing the Murray Still, systemic forms the direction that it’s going.” and forecast in the 2020 budget,” said Goschy. creation of a self-determining Indigenous Canon Ginny is embedded in Goschy also said that it was important In total, CoGS approved four resolutions church within the Anglican Church of for the council to “understand exactly where Doctor. related to the budget: to approve the Canada, they wanted to move as quickly the laws and most of our revenue is coming from,” and photo: matt gardner 2020 operating budget (with a surplus of as possible on “putting some meat on in the ways in provided a chart detailing contributions $34,934); to approve the 2020 capital budget the bones of what a self-determining which we have from each diocese over a number of years. (with expenditures of $55,900); to approve Indigenous church will look like,” Canon lived together. Goschy noted on a line graph how this four grants totalling $250,000 for 2020 by Murray Still, co-chair of the Anglican giving has declined since 1995, with a much the Ministry Investment Fund; and to make Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP), —Archbishop Linda steeper decline beginning in 2017. an additional $250,000 available in order to told CoGS. Nicholls, primate “In 1995, proportional giving was ensure a balanced 2021 budget. The agenda, he said, will include topics about $9.4 million. It’s $7.6 million in the such as finances and stewardship, with the 2020 budget. So, that’s a decrease of $1.8 Primate hopes to make racial short-term objective of setting up some million over 25 years, or about 20%.” Its justice a focus for the church benefits for currently non-stipendiary level remained relatively stable at around Indigenous Anglican clergy, he said. $8.4 million in the period of 2008 to 2017, In her first address as primate to CoGS, Goschy added. Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Jubilee Commission presents She noted that, as CoGS had heard Anglican Church of Canada, said one of early work on path to the previous evening, Anglican church the tasks she wanted the church to focus on in coming years was fighting racism. ‘equitable funding base’ for membership and attendance have declined Indigenous church sharply in recent years. “The decrease in “I believe that it is at the heart of many The Jubilee Commission has started the proportional giving actually is not as steep areas of difficulty for us,” she said. “It is work needed to propose a “just, sustainable as those statistics indicated, and mostly certainly at the heart, in our country, of and equitable funding base for the self- that’s because there are fewer donors, but some of the challenges of our relationship determining Indigenous Anglican church,” they are giving more,” Goschy said, adding with Indigenous peoples, for racism in its CoGS heard Nov. 7. that “despite decreases in attendance of systemic forms is embedded in the laws Judith Moses, chair of the commission, the church, proportional giving hasn’t and in the ways in which we have lived told CoGS that the group had convened decreased as much. However, I think the together,” the primate told CoGS Nov. 7. three video-based teleconferences, had story’s going to change very soon.” But the primate said she had also seen developed a new logo and now had a Proportional giving is based on a target racism within the church. website where information could be percentage of 26% of diocesan revenue, “I’ve seen the pain amongst clergy of gathered. though not all dioceses commit to giving colour who are very clear when I ask them, Moses said the commission has that figure. Annually, dioceses indicate ‘Have you been a victim of racism in our been given a number of tasks, including their planned giving for the fiscal year church?’ and every one of them nods.” examination of historic and current funds around May. In the current fiscal year, She said she had seen clergy be turned made available to Indigenous ministry; Goschy told CoGS, a number of dioceses down for positions in parishes for no assessment of funds that are designated advised in September that they will not be other reason that she could see than “an to Indigenous programming; and able to meet their current commitment. unacknowledged and hidden stream of consideration of questions of property and Goschy noted that the financial racism that lives in each of us.” divestment on financing the future of the management committee is mandated She hoped, Nicholls said, the church Indigenous church. to present a balanced budget. “It’s been would soon start work to deepen the “We were also given a list of suggested possible to do that for a couple of years now commitment of the whole church to the topics to look into it,” she said. “For because we’re monitoring expenses really Charter for Racial Justice in the Anglican example, we have been asked to look at the carefully, and as staff positions become Church of Canada. salary levels of Indigenous clergy.” vacant through resignation or retirement, The primate’s remarks addressed a Moses summarized her comments by many of them have not been replaced. number of other topics, including the theme saying the group sees “a vibrant Indigenous So up until the current time, there have chosen for this triennium of CoGS by the church as really integral, central to the been no program cuts or staff cuts due to General Synod’s planning and agenda team. strategic goals of the larger church. This decreases in proportional giving.” “We fairly quickly settled on… ‘A isn’t about parallel churches. This isn’t The 2020 budget totals $7.6 million in changing church. A searching world. A about overlapping activities. This is about proportional giving, including a $240,000 faithful God,’” she said. “For that theme Indigenous goals being at the core of who contingency meant to cover a diocese sums up both the challenges and the possibilities that we will be encountering.” we are as a church.” g anglican journal • january 2020 3

ANGLICAN VOICES4 Balancing institution and mission Lessons from change in the Cuban church

In the wake of political change, “congregations collapsed; a handful of women and some men remained in each. But those who stayed did not permit the faith to be snuffed out, the doors to be closed, or the light of the gospel and the sacred teachings to be lost.”

Maria Griselda Delgado del Carpio bishop of the episcopal church of cuba

O MY BROTHERS and sisters in the Anglican Church of Canada: TThe story of a church caught amidst photo: asher imtiaz/the living church worldly change is one familiar to Cuban two dimensions of the church worked and men, lay and clergy, youth and adults Episcopalians. While the Canadian and With God’s together—not always in balance—and a put all their ideas, reflections, doubts, hopes Cuban contexts have many differences, guidance, large part of this history was owed to the and goals on the table. From there we began Canadian Anglicans may have some “ surrounding social and political factors. to organize our missional route within the everything we interest in the experience of the Cuban What we can affirm is that in their hearts, Great Commission, which Jesus Christ church—an experience with which some are called to Episcopalians always strove to serve others frames when he says “Go, make disciples, will be very familiar. In the essay below, do—to fulfill, through the faith that inspired them. baptize them and teach them.” I humbly offer some details on how the to dream, The sociopolitical disruptions that Some questions arose in this process Cuban church has faced change, as well to serve, to followed the Cuban Revolution—and as we asked, for example: How might we as some reflections on the challenges the configuration of an atheistic state in carry out this commission concretely in Christians face across the globe, and a few examine error, public education—must be recognized our time and context? How had this been observations based on my experience with to transform, as the beginning of a critical challenge done previously, what worked and what Canadian Anglicans. I hope this offering is to love—gains to Episcopalians in Cuba. Congregations must change? What are our challenges, of some use to the Canadian church. meaning, collapsed; a handful of women and some necessities and goals? I begin by acknowledging that the consummation, men remained in each. But those who This communal project, which set out Cuban church, like the Canadian church, is stayed did not permit the faith to be a vision and mission for our church for an historic church—a denomination whose joy and light. snuffed out, the doors to be closed, or the three years, turned out to be difficult and origins and life, in the Cuban case, go back light of the gospel and the sacred teachings complex. Many came with little disposition to the end of the 19th century. Thus, the to be lost. Rather, these people remained for change. But we didn’t lose courage. The church is an institution that has been and firm and loyal to the cause of Christ. three-year plans that followed were made still is a bulwark—a church that attempts The very deep loyalty of that generation more comprehensible to all, welcoming to guide a human group, however small, in is one of the roots that nourished a new greater participation of individual the midst of a larger society. generation of Christians, even to this day. congregations. We recognize that there is From its inception, two dimensions In these years the church (institutional still a lot to do, all with the goal of drawing of the church emerged: the church as and missional) lived underground, our mission together. We are currently an institution that signaled guidelines invisible to the eyes of society. If lay leaders working toward our fourth three-year and norms, and, on the other hand, the and clergy, with their small congregations, period. missional, sacramental and living church. had closed their doors and abandoned the *** The missional quality of the church can church, today we would not be sharing The project’s initial call to all the diocese be seen at the beginning—history tells us this story—or sharing the Good News—let was to build a diocesan family, what we of the young priest Edward Kenny, Bishop alone cultivating hope in the midst of the call a “community-family.” This would Henry Whipple from Minnesota, and unending challenges of our present. Today, have to be our frame of reference from Canadian bishops arriving in Havana to our missional and sacramental identity which common good could arise for one do works of mission and of service among tasks us with expressing a lively faith in and all—and from which we could share society’s most vulnerable and fragile groups Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. This that goodness with those joining this at the end of the 19th century. That century missional dimension gives meaning to the family. Each person, respective to his or had not ended when Cubans familiar with church as an institution. her background and gifts, would have the Episcopal Church in the United States— In this past decade, and within this to realize with greater clarity our shared some of them already ordained—returned frame of reference, the Cuban church call to a single vocation, to a sure faith— to Cuba and began a vigorously patriotic, has gained new perspectives. A revival definitively toward following Jesus Christ, pastoral effort in the midst of a society began to happen through renewed focus our God and Lord! oppressed by the Spanish government. on leadership. The diocesan bishop, in Nourished by the letter of St. Paul to These priests founded congregations and her responsibility of guiding the diocese, the Ephesians (2:17-22), we want to carry social works, always for the benefit of the centred her attention on building an out the promises of the gospel in today’s most economically, racially and socially inspiring movement around the person Cuban dynamics. But this isn’t the work vulnerable groups. This incarnate faith and life of Jesus of Nazareth, with a of a day or a year. It requires time, energy, among the people has been and remains an clear dimension of outward service. We generosity, simplicity of heart, patience important quality of the church. recognize this central axis: the sacraments and mutual understanding. It is an effort in In the beginning of the 20th century, which give us new life and mission come which all of our community-family must the institution emerges: the first bishop is from God, who guides us toward the be involved, walking side-by-side—and consecrated, the first cathedral is built and construction of his kingdom and his with clear assurance that both direction and solid bases are laid for the institutional justice. With God’s guidance, everything guidelines, which permit us to be united and life of the church. This permitted the we are called to do—to fulfill, to dream, to advance toward the horizon, do in fact exist. consolidation of congregations, formation serve, to examine error, to transform, to But what, in such times as these, should of clergy and education through local love—gains meaning, consummation, joy our guidelines look like? And to what schools. Ministries characterized by service and light. horizon do we look? were born. In 2011, the people of the church came In my view, old guidelines of being Throughout the last century, these together in a great collective project: women See ‘SALT AND LIGHT’, p. 9 4 anglican journal • january 2020

EDITORIAL LETTER4 This far by faith deposed, as outlined above. The way we talk Perhaps more concerning to me is the about church decline use of the conditional. Yes, everyone in the Anglican Church of Canada, from may shape its the farthest-flung pew to the office of the primate, will need to take action related future—and our belief to the church’s decline. (Arguably, nearly all Anglicans are already engaged in By Matthew Townsend facing decline—average donations have editor risen faster than inflation within the church for a long time.) The problem S EDITORIAL SUPERVISOR of with placing too much emphasis on our the Anglican Journal, there’s little actions and too little on God’s will is, I I can add to our overall think, that it exposes us to the promises discussionA of the state of the church: the of false prophets: those who offer us newly released statistics, the decline, the a “solution” to the church’s decline, questions that loom. And, really, it’s not wrapped up with a bow. my job. For example, some might argue that My job, as I understand it, is to help the the church has failed to attract people church understand itself and its narratives: because it has clung to that pesky, made- to present the facts—even when they’re up God thing. Instead, it’s social justice uncomfortable—and to bring voices and and community that people need. I do views from around the church to our believe these are real, true needs—but I readership. The Journal’s staff has spent also believe we still need God. months planning this January issue, pondering how to help Anglicans wrap You might recall that time in the their minds and spirits around the church’s church when Moses was running slightly present situation, crucial for considering late from an appointment with God, and culturally annihilate is better than the one the tasks that lie ahead. 5 “The problem the Israelites decided it was time to take that scooped up children and took them to What I can offer of value, I think, with placing too matters into their own hands. “Come, far-away places, sometimes never to return. is a brief commentary on the church’s much emphasis make gods for us, who shall go before us,” Thank God we are this new church. Many stories of decline and change. I’ve worked on our actions the Israelites implored Aaron (Exodus horrors are in our rear-view mirror—but, in various arms of Canadian and U.S. and too little 32:1). We’re all tempted to build golden as always, they are closer to us than they churches for around a dozen years, and on God’s will is, calves, especially when we’re desperate appear. The church’s transformation is in that time I’ve observed two ways of I think, that it and the future seems uncertain. But as recent, fragile and ongoing. talking about church decline that, I think, exposes us to the Albert Goodson wrote, we have come deserve some consideration. promises of false This transformation doesn’t mean the this far by faith, leaning on the Lord— The first category of conversation prophets: those end of the church, and it doesn’t mean the trusting in God’s holy word. I have seen centres around the overall decline of who offer us a world is going to bring us down. I have with my own eyes the unshakeable faith Christendom—secularization, the rise ‘solution’ to the travelled parts of the world in which the of people facing circumstances far graver of other faiths, the emergence of those church’s decline, church will never return to the halls of than the church’s drop in membership, who are “spiritual but not religious,” and wrapped up with power—but where the dedicated, however and I have seen God answer their prayers other sundry factors for the recession of a bow.” few, engage in the work of the church: with abundant loving-kindness. Surely, lighting the candles, saying the prayers, the Christian church into the annals of photo: jorisvo/ we can apply the same standard to the history. There’s nothing I can say to dispute shutterstockv breaking the bread and testifying to the church—and reject the notion that we these facts, and nor would I argue that the ways in which our God is a God of great should abandon our faith, abandon our de-institutionalization of the church— wonders and innumerable mercies. principles or abandon our God. God has the conversion of the church from an The second category isn’t so much a never abandoned us. instrument of powers and principalities kind of narrative as a way of speaking: A final note on narratives: we into an impoverished collection of the future tense. “The church is going to sometimes hear talk of the early Christian spiritually desperate people like me who experience an incredible decline.” “We church—the first centuries of the church’s are keen on weak percolated coffee and will have to make tough decisions.” “The life, before it became bamboozled and a soundtrack set by Herbert Howells—is church will change.” corrupted by power. Doubtless, this bad for the church or the faithful. As Often, these imaginings of the “future” period can teach us much; my concern General Secretary Michael Thompson are grouped with conditional statements— centres around a way of talking about the recently suggested at a meeting of the conditions we must meet. “If we don’t do church that puts us toward the end of a Council of General Synod, a church with something, then churches will have to close.” story, among the closing chapters. smaller confirmation classes and larger I caution us all on these kinds of Dear friends in Christ, what if we are heart for the poor, the mourners, the meek statements for a few reasons. First, the the early Christian church, with the lives and those starving for righteousness isn’t church’s decline is well-rooted in the past of countless saints to be born after us? a church that’s worse for the wear. And and is deeply present among us. It isn’t The church of those saints, whatever its from where I stand, a church that actively just something that is going to happen; shape, may be difficult for us to imagine. trains clergy and parishioners about sexual it has already happened. In addition, But we do know one thing: Every time misconduct is better than one that sweeps speaking of decline only as a future two or three are gathered in the name of abuse under the carpet. A church that seeks eventuality discounts the positive changes Jesus Christ, the true king, the church lives. reconciliation with the peoples it tried to we have earned from the church’s being Everything else is just statistics. g

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SINGING Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus WITH JOY4 By Linda Nicholls or hear in us good news for their lives. comfort and plenty we once knew into They do not believe we are a community of discovering a new resiliency. N THE FALL, the Council of General hope for what they face daily. The church We will need to be willing to take Synod and the House of Bishops heard has become irrelevant to many. There are risks and wrong turns. We will need to the Rev. Neil Elliot’s statistical report. many possible causes for that shift in trust be flexible and responsive. We will need IThe stark decline seen in that report was in the church, and we could be distracted perseverance and patience. We will need sobering but hardly a surprise to anyone in to look with new, open eyes at our world, by a desire to understand them all first. the church. We know that we have fewer to be curious about its needs and be However, we who follow Jesus know the people in the pews, aging congregations, neighbours to all. Our temptation will be power of the gospel to offer hope and give fewer young people and church buildings to succumb to fear or retreat and resist any meaning and joy in our lives as we live the that are closing. There is a profound sense changes. Our challenge will be increasing way of our Creator. That is our starting of grief for many people at the changes and our capacity to both be and tell good news, place. losses in the church in their lifetime. in the particular communities in which Through most of the years of my It would be easy to despair! However, 5“As we we have been placed, in ways that may be ministry I have experienced this rapid the numbers are simply a description—a celebrate the heard and that are filled with the hope and snapshot in time of the life of the church decline in numbers. It has been deeply courage of the gospel. revelation of discouraging, leading to painful self- and a possible future—if nothing changes. Jesus to magi, At the heart of all we do to face the They are a mirror of our condition and a examination and fear for the future. It challenge, we will need to keep our eyes prophets and wake-up call if we are listening. was at times paralyzing, as no program fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of fishermen we The statistics, however, do not tell the to fix the decline could be found. Over our faith. As we celebrate the revelation of whole story. Our primary purpose is not to are called to see these years I came to realize that I needed Jesus to magi, we are called—like prophets fill the pews of every church. Our call is to Jesus afresh and to reframe the whole situation. There is and fishermen before us—to see Jesus tell the Good News in word and action and ask how we will no simple or single “fix.” We are simply afresh and ask how we will point the way invite others to join us in the adventure of point the way challenged to set out on a journey with to him for those who have not met him. faith in the God of all creation. Our call to him for those God to explore sharing the faith in the That is our most important challenge! g is to live the Five Marks of Mission daily who have not new ways. Like the Israelites in the exodus, in our generation. The statistics are the met him.” we are being sent out not knowing our Archbishop Linda Nicholls is the primate of mirror that tells us that others do not see image: solomnikov destination. We are being sent out of the the Anglican Church of Canada.

WALKING The challenges and opportunities before us TOGETHER4 By Mark MacDonald birth rates and the diminishment of the gods of this age to God, the Ruler of the middle class—this is a people crisis; 4) the Universe. This is the rediscovery of a T IS VERY clear that the future for structures that we developed to be church, discipleship, so much more important and our church is challenging. But it is in terms of building, staff and program, are consequential than the most efficient of very important that we accurately very hard to sustain, economically—this administrative regimes. identifyI what the challenge actually is. In is a crisis that presents itself as a resource many minds, institutional survival is crisis, when its true nature is a crisis of Our third turn is to the peoples of our our challenge. This is a dangerous idea, imagination and faith. wider society, especially the poor and the as survival, as a goal, tends to generate a Because of our enchantment marginalized. Churches that find room morality and procedure ensuring death. A by the mirage of efficiency and for the other usually find, at the very least, community’s core values and ideals are competence that the businesses of vitality and, quite often, growth. Our lost. When that happens, survival is our broader culture present, the horizon can never be limited to finding impossible. The task is presented as the response to our challenge can appear people like ourselves. management of decline. The real task is the image: dodomo/ to be found in effective administration shutterstock Our fourth turn is to imagine a form of rediscovery of hope. and planning. Though these techniques Eucharistic community that is replicable, I see four major components to our are helpful tools, overreliance on them sustainable and transformational. By present challenge: 1) the authority of the can hide many of the real dimensions of a church in the wider society is all but gone, positive future. making our core values and commitments as the era of Christendom ends—this is an Our first turn is to the heart of our living and real in the life of our community, identity crisis; 2) critically, we have been faith, Jesus. His presence and identity are we will become a church that the poor can deeply influenced (I would say, subverted) the heartbeat, power and glory of our afford and a people whose glory is Jesus. g by the values, habits and desires of this gatherings. There is no step forward that present age—this is a crisis of commitment; does not focus on Jesus. It is here that we Archbishop Mark MacDonald is national 3) the ethnocultural group that dominated find our identity. Indigenous archbishop of the Anglican our church has been decimated by low Our second turn is away from the Church of Canada. Cherry-picking God’s advice LETTERS4 In the December 2013 edition of the Anglican I, for one, look forward to enjoying Hockey Journal, a front-page profile titled “The Night in Canada without this shock jock raising my irreverent, reverent Don Cherry” prompted blood pressure. The Anglican me to write a letter to the editor, which was Judith Butler Journal welcomes subsequently published in February 2014. In it, Toronto letters to the editor. I decried the paper’s decision to give credence Since not all letters to a man who regularly offends multiple groups As a role model, Cherry is the pits can be published, of our population and is given a pass because he Some time ago, there was a fawning appreciation preference is attends a parish in Mississauga and can, among of Don Cherry as an Anglican published in the given to short other things, recite passages from the Book of Journal. correspondence (300 Common Prayer. In the article, Cherry says he words or less). All He never was a good role model in his starched turns to God for all his important decisions. I letters are subject to collar and off-putting manner, but this last round editing. shook my head at some of the advice his God has is enough. given him. Could I request that he no longer be held up as Now, six years after that article was a “moral example?” In his public persona, he goes published—years during which Cherry against everything that the church claims to value. continued to glibly besmirch numerous He may “play well” with a subset of Anglicans, individuals and groups and to which viewers, but he is more likely to drive people away from the Anglicans included, shrugged their collective church than he is to attract them, now that times shoulders and said, “That’s just Grapes, get have changed. over it”—he has finally been called out and his John Whitmore December 2013 issue of the Anglican Journal platform ripped out from under him. Hillsborough, N.B. 6 anglican journal • january 2020

STATE OF THE CHURCH4 ‘We could get stuck in the weeds looking for the causes, because everybody likes to think if we knew the causes, we could fix it. The reality is that there are multiple and complex causes...’ —Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate

Statistics serve as mirror for church: Nicholls Continued from p. 1 Anglican members on parish rolls and complex causes—some of which may belong to us, but a lot is also part of the The data were gathered in 2018 from from 1961 to 2017 the dioceses by the Rev. Neil Elliot, a priest general zeitgeist [spirit of the time] around in the diocese of Kootenay with a PhD in 1,358,459 us, in terms of philosophy, in terms of social sociology seconded as part-time statistician conditions, in terms of people’s mistrust of by the national church. Elliot presented institutions generally,” she said. “These are them in reports to the House of Bishops and all factors—there’s no one factor that you can look at and say, ‘Gee, if we could fix Council of General Synod (CoGS) this fall. 641,845 The data consist of statistics in a range that, we could fix everything.’ And there isn’t a quick fix.” of areas, including number of clergy and 282,412 other employees; church membership and What the church needs to be asking now, attendance, as measured in several ways; in every community in which it finds itself, and performance of the pastoral offices she said, is “Where do we see Jesus at work here, and how can we be part of that? And of baptism, confirmation, marriage and 1961 2001 2017 funerals. The data are, according to Elliot’s how can we be, frankly, open and generous report, the first “complete and mostly in our expression of the Good News?” reliable” set of statistics collected by the the There will be no one-size-fits-all answer church since around 2001. 5 Statistics “It is valuable in telling us what is,” to this, she added, because it will always The data show the church running out show a relatively she said. “And sometimes we’re slow to depend on the context. of members in little more than two decades linear decline in recognize what is, because it’s not what “It’s rooted in the communities in which if it continues to decline at its current rate, the church since we want it to be. We look through rose- our parishes…live, and their needs and Elliot said in a Nov. 8 presentation to CoGS. 1961, the Rev. coloured glasses sometimes.” concerns,” Nicholls said. “We’ve got simple projections from Neil Elliot says. One thing that needs to be recognized, The church also needs to know better she said, is the role of grief caused by the where it is growing—and that’s one area our data that suggest that there will chart: saskia rowley be no members, attenders or givers church’s decline in membership over the where detailed, continued statistics-taking in the Anglican Church of Canada by decades and the necessity of church closures can help, she said. “It is important that we approximately 2040,” he said. that has come with it. collect them, and I hope we can encourage The projection should be taken especially “I’ve had this said [to me] in small dioceses and parishes to do that to help us seriously by Canadian Anglicans, Elliot parishes that are clearly dying—people say, all.” said, because it is suggested by five different ‘No, no, no, I just want it to hang on until Elliot’s data suggest that the church’s sets of church data, all collected in different I’m buried from it.’ And that’s a tremendous rate of decline has been roughly consistent ways: older data from 1961 to 2001; Anglican sadness, because you understand the deep since 1961—a situation likely to feel worse, Journal subscriber data from 1991 to 2015; pain there is for people who’ve lived in for those involved in it, than it may sound. and three sets of data from his own survey that community their whole life…. They A consistent rate of decline means that, of the dioceses as of 2017: the number of intuitively know that this isn’t going to although roughly the same number of people on parish rolls, average Sunday continue forever but just hang on ’til ‘I get to people leave every year, a greater proportion attendance and regular identifiable givers. the end.’ So there’s a lot of pain in this, a lot leaves every year, and as time goes by it “For five different methodologies to of pain, and grief and loss.” takes less time for the same proportion of give the same result is a very, very powerful A reluctance to face this loss, Nicholls people to leave. Think of it this way: if a statistical confirmation which we really, said, sometimes results in parishes avoiding church that starts at 100 people loses 10 really have to take seriously and we can’t taking action. each year, that first year won’t feel so bad. dismiss lightly,” said Elliot. “One of the responses to grief can be Ninety people in the pews feels a lot like Two other findings, he added, suggest denial. Because denial means then that ‘I 100, and the church will operate much different outcomes. Data collection on the don’t have to change anything, I can just as before. But each year brings greater pastoral offices of baptism, confirmation, pretend that this didn’t happen, it’s not concentrations of responsibility and loss— marriage and funerals show an even faster happening and I don’t have to take personal especially as the congregation reduces to 30, rate of decline. However, a demographic responsibility for what might need to be 20, and finally 10. study of a small number of parishes in the done differently.’ This phenomenon bears out in the diocese of Kootenay, he said, suggested “It comes out in parishes clinging to statistics. By the number of Anglicans on that—because of the age ranges that patterns of the way they do things that are parish rolls, membership declined by 50%— Anglicans fall into—the church could lose not necessarily helpful any longer.” from 1,358,459 to 641,845—in the 40 years only 50% of its members by 2040. In fact, however, the current situation between 1961 and 2001. But it declined by But Nicholls said she believes Anglicans is calling for initiative from everyone—not almost the same proportion—44%—in the should be careful about jumping to just church leaders, she said. “It’s asking of mere 16 years between 2001 and 2017. conclusions about what will happen to us a lot more creativity, at every level of the All of this decline, Elliot’s report notes, the church in the future based purely on church, and a lot less waiting for somebody occurred during a time when the overall statistics of past decline. Clearly, she said, else to fix it—the creativity needs to come population of Canada was growing. As there are Anglicans today who still intend to right from the grassroots, from people in a result, Anglican church members have be going to church in 2040, and the church the pews.” come to make up an ever-smaller sliver will not close by that date. Nicholls said she also hoped concerned of the Canadian population: 7% in 1961, “We all know that it’s not actually going Anglicans would focus on trying to discern 2% in 2001, and just 1% in 2017. Think to happen, because not everybody’s going the will of God for the church rather about our example church—shrunk to to disappear,” she said. Elliot made a similar than the causes of the church’s decline in 10 members—and now imagine it in statement in his report to the House of membership. downtown Toronto, surrounded by new Bishops. “We could get stuck in the weeds looking high-rise condominiums. Nicholls said she believed the true value for the causes, because everybody likes In a response to a question at CoGS on of statistics-gathering lies not in prediction, to think if we knew the causes, we could how other Canadian churches were faring, but in holding a mirror up to the church. fix it. The reality is that there are multiple Elliot said data collected by the United anglican journal • january 2020 7

‘I remain hopeful, and I absolutely, absolutely reject the thought that we’re gone in 2040…. I know the lay people and the clergy that I work with are still deeply passionate and deeply committed to their faith and their church, and that gives me reason to be hopeful.’ —Geoff Peddle, bishop of the diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador

Church of Canada also showed 2040 as we need to look beyond our boundaries,” a “zero-member date.” The Presbyterian MacDonald said. “I don’t think decline Church in Canada, while declining, seems in and of itself is bad. I think there are to be losing members somewhat more many ways to be faithful to God that don’t slowly, he said. For the U.S.-based Episcopal Percentage of Anglicans necessarily involve growing. But I do think Church, he added, the projected zero- in the Canadian population that we need to have a larger horizon.” member date was around 2050. Asked how the church is doing among Archdeacon Michael Thompson, general Indigenous Canadians, MacDonald said secretary of General Synod, told CoGS that that while church attendance is not doing senior staff of the Evangelical Lutheran well, confirmations and baptisms are Church in Canada had given him a similar “booming.” impression about membership decline in The statistics show membership falling that church. across the country from 2001 to 2017, at “Though I can’t quote the numbers, the % least as measured by one key indicator: lines look quite similar,” he said. 7% 1 average Sunday attendance. At least one At the time this article was written, diocese seems to have bucked the trend, official publication of the statistics on however. Elliot’s data show that average anglican.ca was slated for late December. 1961 2017 Sunday attendance in the diocese of the However, a version of Elliot’s report had Arctic increased by 264% from 2001 to been leaked before his presentation to 2017. CoGS. In October, a link to it appeared in David Parsons, bishop of the diocese involved makes it extremely difficult to the Anglican Samizdat independent blog, 5 The church’s of the Arctic, said he’s seen some growth predict the church’s future membership, he after which it began to spread through membership in membership in the church. In some says. social media. On Nov 4., Broadview, the has shrunk—as communities in the diocese, he says, the “I don’t think we can necessarily predict former United Church Observer, published a Canada’s overall problem is not that not enough people are what’s going to happen over the next 20 or story on the report. population going to church, but that existing churches 40 years any better than we could predict in In her opening remarks to CoGS, and has grown. can’t hold everyone who shows up. the ’60s what was going to happen,” he says. again after Elliot’s presentation, Nicholls This means There are likely a number of causes for Peddle says the statistics that the church assured members it had not been the Anglicans make the increase in membership, he says. One of has made it a practice to gather thus far, intention of church leaders that they should up a smaller these is the relatively fast rate of population such as average Sunday attendance and hear about the statistics before they were proportion of the growth in the north. Another, he says, is the number of people on parish rolls, leave presented to CoGS. She also noted the population. the uniquely spiritual culture of the north’s out “amazing things that happen between report had generated little interest outside chart: saskia rowley Indigenous people. Sundays,” and many people—those helped the church after it was leaked. “Most Indigenous people are very much by its ministry, or those who volunteer for Nicholls said she hoped that instead of aware of the spiritual world—many others it and partner with it—who are part of the trying to figure out why the church was have been taught to just rely upon their in numerical decline, or get drawn into a church’s life. intellect and their emotions,” he says. “That’s “vortex of negativity” about it, Canadian “I think we are having profound, not enough—we’re spiritual beings.” Anglicans would instead focus on the life-giving conversations today across the With this, he says, comes a different church’s calling. church, with all kinds of partners.” attitude toward the church in the north— “I think we’re being tested about Some people have returned to the church and in many Arctic communities, the perseverance, endurance, creativity in in his diocese, he says, after its synod agreed Anglican church is the only church. the coming years,” she said. “At the end of to allow same-sex marriages in September. “In the Arctic, everybody looks to the the day, when we stand before the great Peddle says he believes the church’s church, even if they’re not attending. If you judgement seat and have to answer for how membership in Newfoundland—hit have a town of say 400 people, all of them we lived our lives as Christians, I think the particularly hard in the ’90s by outmigration may not be going to church, but all of them question that will be asked is, ‘Were you from the province—is now leveling off. In will be looking to the church, and they see faithful with what you were given?’” his diocese, the number of confirmations the value of the church being there,” he says. Nicholls also said she was hopeful to see jumped from 180 in 2017 to 328 in 2018. “That may not be the case in the south.” “green shoots” of growth in various areas In a sermon at CoGs on Nov. 9, National The Arctic church could also be around the country—some in the church’s Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Mark attracting more people because its intense traditional ways of being and some in its MacDonald said, with reference to the trust in Scripture as a source of meaning that new ways of expressing itself. church’s falling membership, that its task gives people the hope they need, he says. The primate is not alone in cautioning should be not to manage decline, but to “We’re Bible-believing Christians,” he Canadian Anglicans not to conclude from rediscover hope. In an interview with the says. “The basic questions of human beings the past rate of decline that there will be no Journal, MacDonald said he also believed around the world—Who am I? Where did I Anglicans left in the country by 2040. Geoff that part of the church’s numerical decline come from? What’s my purpose? Why am I Peddle, bishop of the diocese of Eastern was due to its focus in the past on a now- here?—the Bible answers those questions…. Newfoundland and Labrador, examined shrinking segment of Canadian society— The church has a message of hope.” membership trends in the Anglican church middle- and upper-middle class people of Parsons says he also believes the church in Newfoundland, and the possible reasons British background. is called to grow in numbers, citing the for them, in a 2011 PhD dissertation. He “We have been very focused on a parable of the talents, in which a master says he has no doubt there will still be an particular ethnic and socio-economic praises two of his servants for investing the Anglican church in Canada in two decades. constituency,” he said. “That constituency is money entrusted to them at a profit. “I remain hopeful, and I absolutely, in decline, and we, because we have been so Introducing Elliot’s presentation absolutely reject the thought that we’re gone much involved with that constituency alone, to CoGS, Thompson said he believed in 2040,” Peddle says. “I know the lay people are in decline as well.” Canadian Anglicans should look at and the clergy that I work with are still It’s time for the church to look outside the numerical decline of their church’s deeply passionate and deeply committed to this demographic, he said. membership in the context of other changes their faith and their church, and that gives “There are other Canadians as well who for the better. me reason to be hopeful.” I assume would be happy to be a part of our The London, Ont., church in which he The great complexity of the factors group, and so for me, the decline means that See GROUP OF BISHOPS, p. 8 8 anglican journal • january 2020

DATA GATHERING4 Statistician sees ParishOS as future of church’s data collection Tali Folkins staff writer The Anglican Church of Canada’s statistician says he hopes a new electronic tool for gathering parish data will allow the church to see itself with greater clarity. ParishOS is an application developed for the church by Luke Johnson, a Canadian Anglican web developer, on the basis of work by the Rev. Brian Ford of St. John’s Cathedral in Winnipeg and with suggestions from the Rev. Neil Elliot. Essentially, it’s an electronic vestry book. Since 2016, ParishOS has been adopted by three dioceses, and interest in it is growing, Elliot says. One advantage of ParishOS, Elliot says, is that putting data into electronic form allows users to easily see trends, which the software can represent graphically. compared to others; and whether there propose gathering new kinds of data. “If your parish data is stuck in a book, 5 A vestry book you can’t do anything with it,” he says. are seasonal fluctuations in attendance. It But ParishOS, he says, already holds the entry in ParishOS “You need it to be in electronic format can also function as a ministry scheduler, potential for understanding church data web app at first of all, so that you can then start helping church leaders organize in new ways, by identifying trends that codigo.ca/work/ to look at it and it can start to tell you volunteer participation and other aspects have so far gone unnoticed. things about what’s going on in your parishos of church life. “We might…find new ways of looking parish that you may or may not have photo: codigo.ca ParishOS could also greatly help at existing data, because existing data noticed.” dioceses, Elliot says, because the data will might be able to tell us things that we’re The software can identify all sorts of be fed directly to them, so that they don’t not asking it to tell us at the moment,” he patterns, he says—for example, whether a have to manually process information says. congregation is growing or declining and from the forms that come to them from ParishOS is being offered to the at what rate, and how that rate compares parishes. dioceses for free by the national church. to other parishes in the diocese; how Elliot says he understands that a Parishes interested in accessing it should levels of participation in Messy Church working group of bishops, which formed contact the executive officers of their or other types of service have been doing this fall to look into data collection, may dioceses, Elliot says. g Group of bishops to explore numbers ‘we should be counting’

Continued from p. 7 started worshipping in 1968, Thompson said, “while not filled to the point of discomfort, was full.” On the other hand, ‘I never once heard anybody tell me about the residential schools. I never he added, “in all of the years that I attended heard anything about the responsibility of the people of God to respect the that church…in all of the years I had dignity of every human being. It’s not that people didn’t care about those attended church before then, and in all of things, but those things were not tip-of-the-tongue discourse in the life of the years that I attended church until I was the church in which I was formed. Things are quite different now.’ in my 20s, I never once heard a sermon that made reference to God’s justice.” —Archdeacon Michael Thompson, general secretary He continued, “I never once heard anybody tell me about the residential schools. I never heard anything about thing that’s true of it.” becoming apostate at 55, for the church to dioceses in numerical decline know that the responsibility of the people of God to In table group discussions after Elliot’s run out of members.” But he himself, the they’re not alone. respect the dignity of every human being. presentation, members of CoGS were spokesperson added, was amazed to learn Asked by the Anglican Journal how It’s not that people didn’t care about those asked to ponder four questions: whether the church hadn’t lost more than Elliot’s she thought Canadian Anglicans should things, but those things were not tip-of-the- the data was true to their own experience; report stated. pray for the church, Nicholls replied, tongue discourse in the life of the church what surprised or stood out for them in the Some groups spoke to hope that the “Pray for the Spirit to blow through the in which I was formed. Things are quite report; what they believed God was telling report would spur the church to change. hearts and minds of everyone, and open different now.” the church through the data; and where the “Our group talked about the great hope, our eyes to see where Jesus is calling us to Elliot also told the group about Good News was in it. and good news, in the idea of taking more be at work. It’s not that God isn’t there in ongoing efforts to expand and diversify Some table spokespeople said the risks,” one said. “We see good news in the the community already. And it isn’t that data collection using a new computer data matched the experience of those at fact that several of us were noticing that God isn’t calling us—sometimes we’re application, ParishOS [see sidebar]. He said their table; some reported that at least lots of newcomers to the congregation just expecting God to be in a different he hoped the church would be better able to one member of their group came from were new Canadians as well…. Now place, and so we don’t see God where God monitor how specific aspects of its life, some a growing or stable parish. Some groups we’re in this time of change, we can start actually is. of which may hold particular potential— expressed doubt that the church would run addressing these kind of trends.” And the “Pray for us to be flexible and open in home churches, Fresh Expressions, Messy out of members by 2040. emptying of rural congregations might how we express the gospel. And pray for Church and Book of Common Prayer “We actually don’t think there’s ever mean more opportunities for ecumenical that deepening of discipleship in us that services, for example—are doing. going to be a zero person,” one table shared ministries, the spokesperson said. will lead us there.” Meanwhile, a working group of bishops, spokesperson said. “I think what we will be Some groups were curious about She added, “At the end of the day, if we to be headed by Mary Irwin-Gibson, offering to God in 2040 will be a different whether data could be collected in other have prayed with open hearts and minds to bishop of the diocese of Montreal, has church, and a much smaller church, but it areas—such as how church buildings are see where God is calling us to be and work, been formed, Thompson said, “to say what will still be a church.” being used. At least one group spoke to if we have sought to follow that to the best are the things we should be counting… Another reported of his group, “Between hope that the collection of the data, and of our ability, that is all we can do…. I that will help us understand that, while the range of us there were some who found possibly more data in the future, would think we need to have courage and simply the church we offer to God is smaller than it hard to understand how everybody not only help the church identify areas of be faithful. it has been in the past, that’s not the only that they knew would either be dying or growth; it would also help parishes and “God will have a church.” g anglican journal • january 2020 9

ANGLICAN VOICES4 ‘Salt and light’ strategy leads to church vitality Continued from p. 3 and youth; the race against time to rebuild the Cuban church and its bishops had church that no longer work are those all over the diocese—old buildings where to confront much solitude and many which have tended to relativize and dilute the communities can celebrate and serve, limitations, needing to carry out mission the gospel of Jesus. A tendency has arisen, as well as the creation and consecration of with very few resources and little hope following decades of growing secularization sacred buildings for new faith communities; of finding solutions. The unconditional and postmodernism, to “tune” the gospel and a greater opening to the opportunities help of the Anglican Church of Canada, message to the day’s fashions. for cooperation with other churches in our through its primates, was fundamental for Whether this tuning has conformed to environs. To the last point, we have found the Cuban church throughout these years. ideological overtones or lines of superficial partnerships with the Anglican Church Canadians offered spiritual and pastoral thinking, it has given rise to a tremendous of Canada, the Episcopal Church and support through the constant presence of Across lack of values among young generations. groups like the Primate’s World Relief and primates and their teams in the life and Development Fund and Episcopal Relief & ministries of Cuban Episcopalians; support the world, Across the world, cultures—not only the Cuban one—are dominated by a Development, along with the Commission in matters of faith and order; and support cultures—not“ secularization that proposes and promotes of Theological Education for Latin America with economic resources that sustained the only the Cuban godless ways of life. This dilutes the gospel, and the Caribbean and Trinity Wall Street. work of the church across a wide spectrum one—are and everything becomes relative: the Son *** of needs. The church and its leaders knew dominated by a of God, his life, his miracles, his promise of In the face of many challenges, the Cuban how to value these resources and advance secularization abundant life, his suffering and death and church has found vibrance in a few places every pastoral effort toward all corners of worth noting. the diocese. that proposes his resurrection, which overcomes death and gives life in full to each human being—all The vitality of the Cuban church in I have seen, in those companionships and promotes of this lacks meaning. Jesus has turned into this last decade—in both institutional and in mission, notable traits in our Canadian godless ways of nothing more than a good man, liberator, missional dimensions—can be explained brothers and sisters: their own sources life. This dilutes friend of the poor and an enemy of power. by an emphasis on its witness of being of vitality. Canadian Anglicans are a the gospel, This transformation threatens the very “salt and light” for its people. We began people of profound respect regarding and everything foundation of our being, starving us of to combine aid with development from other cultures, especially the Cuban- within church. Its people, grouped in Caribbean idiosyncrasy, as well as their becomes the spiritual sustenance that every human being needs. Under such conditions, congregations, aren’t seen as entities own multicultural society. They value relative: the Son there’s nothing solid to cling to, no clear waiting for the help of external forces the other person and wish to learn about of God, his life, horizon to advance toward. This lack of that will solve their problems—but as their culture. They have minds open to his miracles, faith has created loneliness, alienation and persons who, when properly formed, can accepting what is different. They clearly his promise of fragmentation. This dearth of prayer and change their spiritual, socioeconomic understand the meaning of colonialism abundant life, gratitude creates selfishness and arrogance; and environmental circumstances. In and its consequences—from this vantage this framework, as we indicated earlier, point, they relate to others, especially with his suffering only power, money and status have value, a value derived from crushing others. Since evangelization and mission take on greater the Cuban church. Their field of action is and death and “life is short,” momentary pleasure is easily meaning for everyone. Communities clearly focused on just causes. On the other his resurrection, justified. Anything goes. Canadian of faith are filled with life, and their hand, they have the sincerity to recognize which The creation of new guidelines would Anglicans experience spreads. their failings and to channel them without overcomes turn the church toward vision, effort, life “are a people In general, the Cuban church is arrogance. They have an attentive ear and also blessed by the historic roots of the responsible manner, key to maintaining death and gives and mission; toward our origins, toward of profound Cuban people. Spirituality has been a key relations with others. And in their leaders life in full to Jesus—his gospel, his innate transformative respect power in each person, his Way toward characteristic of the nationality for more we have observed a deep spirituality with each human accomplishing his kingdom. Such new regarding than 500 years. This historic antecedent gave which they advance both pastoral and being—all guidelines would point to a person’s other cultures, the Cuban nation a lively, creative, happy, missional work, inside their church and of this lacks encounter with Jesus, in the midst of daily especially tenacious and optimistic social fabric, toward the Anglican Communion. meaning. Jesus ups and downs, and the community’s the Cuban- thanks to which wars, political instability We have also recognized that this very and scarcity could be faced—along with, vision of respect has distanced, perhaps, has turned into encounter with Jesus—allowing Caribbean in the last 60 years, the complexity derived Canadian Anglicans from a livelier, more nothing more communities to share and develop new life idiosyncrasy, purposes in their surroundings. from the construction of a different society. passionate faith. The shadow of secularism than a good New guidelines would also ask as well as Cuban spirituality has always been an seems partly cast upon their lives and their man, liberator, communities to discern a coherent and true their own alternative to crises. And in the case of spirituality. They may likewise struggle friend of the testimony to the gospel—and to be able to multicultural Episcopal identity, its vitality comes from with a societal indifference to the faith, poor and an offer their lives in loving service. Such a society. They our practice of faith that is incarnate in the to the person of Jesus Christ and to his day-to-day reality of the Cuban people. promises of transformation—owing, I enemy of power. call requires ongoing and deep formation, value the other In the 1960s, the church found itself respectfully believe, to a strong current allowing people to be disciples of Jesus—that person and wish is, living witnesses in all times and places. trapped between the tensions of the of dominant secularism in Canada’s In Cuba, such reflections have outlined to learn about Cold War. Because Cuba and the United technology-driven society. a life-giving project, “Renewing Spaces,” their culture. States had broken all diplomatic links, *** in which both congregations and people They have no dialogue was possible. The Episcopal It is in the hands of each believer to work with no connection to the church are minds open to Church, then known as the Episcopal with his or her community, be it small Church in the United States of America or large, to strengthen their witness of involved. In its essence, “Renewing Spaces” accepting what (ECUSA), lost communication with the the faith; to teach, to form and to share attempted to renew, refresh, reinvent is different. and remake lost or invisible spaces in Cuban church to an unexpected degree, from a very early age, and especially to people and communities. It allowed the which moved ECUSA’s House of Bishops youth; to focus pastoral labour on the renovation of mental spaces, spiritual to concede to the Cuban church autonomy construction of a vast family of faith; to spaces, spaces in the heart, physical without any process in place. The Cuban be constant in prayer; to not be afraid, spaces—and also renewal of fallow spaces church ended up isolated abroad—and pessimistic and uncaring, but active and in fields and gardens to plant food, to at home, in the middle of a difficult passionate about sharing the message nourish and preserve the creation of God sociopolitical context that was hostile to of love and service; to not dilute the using new ecological systems. Above all, religious expression. gospel but to return to its origin—to be it aimed to renew the space for meeting Faced with these challenges, the disciples and authentic followers of Jesus with Jesus Christ and his gospel, and the generation that had to confront this of Nazareth; to work with passion so as to possibilities for following his path. situation accepted—in the midst of many discover the depth of life that the gospel The combination and interaction of limitations and on the basis of a great offers to each person; and to see the certain factors has produced qualitative fidelity to God—a deep faith and a search horizon that opens ahead. changes in the Episcopal Church of Cuba. for new ways to continue passing along Canadian Anglicans have great Among them are the remodeling of the the faith. Historians affirm that “they took possibilities of deepening faith in the lives role of the church in its community; into their hands the legacy and the living of many, precisely because of the sense the formation of church leaders and a traditions, the glorious history, and they of loving service they offer to others with clear process toward pastoral vocations; set themselves to creatively construct an such solidarity. May the Spirit of God the development of biblical-theological autonomous church and to increase self- guide them and bless them always. formation, together with training sufficiency little by little.” This is what I willingly share from my in community service projects; the Our vitality, of course, has also come heart. g involvement of clergy and lay people in from our relationships. In the six decades images: the process of change, especially women that followed that break in communication, Translation: Iris Salcedo, Matthew Townsend top vector studios 10 anglican journal • january 2020

THE ROAD AHEAD4 The changing face of church Across the Anglican Church of Canada, buildings are closing and congregations merging, or even meeting in houses. What will Sunday morning look like in the years to come?

The gold Joelle Kidd be important trends in the years to come, standard staff writer says the Rev. Judy Paulsen, professor of “ On October 2, 2019, the congregants and evangelism at Wycliffe College and former for me as a friends of St. John the Evangelist Anglican parish priest in Oshawa. professor of Church in Fruitvale, B.C., took a last look “I think we’re almost at that point [where] evangelism is, at the building that had served them well we can’t afford to care for these grand in this age, are over the years. They fell in line behind buildings,” says Paulsen, whose doctoral Lynne McNaughton, bishop of the diocese work involved studying Fresh Expressions, we baptizing the U.K.-based initiative that launches new of Kootenay; dressed in her cope and forms of church aimed at welcoming people adults? Are mitre, crosier in hand, McNaughton led who are not yet a member of any church we offering a the procession out of the church, and into a congregation. “We’re realizing that we may reaffirmation of motorhome that was waiting outside. actually have to revisit what church is and “It was the symbolism that we were on the faith to adults? how we do it. So I think the rise of the house move, and had a home worshipping,” says church is one of those really interesting —The Rev. Judy the Rev. Elizabeth Lewis, St. John’s deacon. phenomena.” Paulsen, professor of “There’s a lovely picture of her sitting in the evangelism at Wycliffe While the Anglican Church of Canada driver’s seat,” she adds. College, University of has very few home churches, Paulsen The October service was a deconsecration Toronto says that it is a growing category in other of the building that had housed the church Christian denominations, along with church until July of this year, after the United Church plants and new monastic-style intentional of Canada congregation that co-owned communities—or a hybrid of all three, like the building decided to close their church the communities of the MoveIn Movement. and wanted to sell the property, Lewis says. She even notes a case of a Baptist church in Without full ownership of the building, St. 5When Bishop The Rev. Douglas Lewis, Elizabeth’s husband the state of Washington planting an Anglican John’s had to sell. Lynne McNaughton and the locally trained priest that pastors the church inside an Anglican building. Since then, however, the congregation has deconsecrated congregation, has, on the days he presides, “[Church planters] are actually really continued to meet, first in public parks and St. John the moved from a sermon to a more interactive interested in some things that Anglicans have gardens throughout the summer months, Evangelist style of discussion. He has also experimented to offer,” she says. “They don’t really need and now in one of four parishioners’ houses Anglican Church in with different services, drawing from the our buildings, but what they like is…our (the location rotates weekly). Fruitvale, B.C., she ecumenical Iona Community, Lutheran broad orthodoxy. They like that we’re creedal, Some say that house churches may liturgies and the Book of Common Prayer. they like that we are part of a worldwide become an increasingly common solution led a procession of parishioners Since they lost their building, the community communion. They like that we have a deep to the problems of aging buildings, rising has actually grown by one parishioner. historical rootedness.” costs and diminishing finances that many of to a motorhome. “It was the Still, though, the congregation hopes The challenge, in Paulsen’s view, is that today’s shrinking congregations face. In 2017, to one day have some kind of regular symbolism that we Anglican churches need to work on being then-bishop of the diocese of Huron Linda accommodation to worship in, says Douglas. were on the move, apostolic. She notes that according to a 2017 Nicholls told the Huron Church News that “We had 15 groups that used the facility, and and had a home Angus Reid poll, 30% of Canadians have no “God may be calling us back to being house we had to evict them all because it had to worshipping,” connection to a church but are “privately churches in some areas.” close. So we regret all of that. And the people faithful,” and most of these would like their says the Rev. Today, Archbishop Nicholls, from her that used the facility certainly have found it children to be taught by a faith community. Elizabeth Lewis, vantage point as primate of the Anglican difficult to find anywhere else to meet.” “The gold standard for me as a professor Church of Canada, still sees home churches deacon. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Girl of evangelism is, in this age, are we baptizing as a viable alternative for congregations image: adapted from Guides, a food pantry—even a local blues adults? Are we offering a reaffirmation of visual generation unable to maintain their buildings. “I think band that needed practice space—all used to faith to adults?” she asks. “Because if we’re our preoccupation with buildings has been to rent space in the church. In a village with few not, then it means…we’re basically not taking our detriment,” she said in an interview with community centres—the only other available the message out.” the Anglican Journal. “I’m not saying we don’t space is a large hall with no small meeting While Paulsen says she believes in the need buildings—absolutely, we need some, rooms—the church building’s loss is being importance of neighbourhood church but do we need as many as we have?” felt, Lewis says. She also notes that the church buildings, she also says the building should There is spiritual meaning in creating is less able, with no building of its own, to put be secondary to the work of the church. “beautiful spaces that are set apart and… on the community dinners and events it used Paulsen says that the future of the Anglican filled with prayer,” she acknowledges. “You to host (including an annual, popular Robbie Church of Canada will involve “figuring out feel the prayer that’s been soaked into the Burns bash). how to do church without buildings.” walls of a cathedral or church that’s been Still, Douglas says, the loss of the building “When you start to study change theory, there for a hundred years. That’s not to be presents an opportunity to “find new ways” it’s always from the margins…. If you have discarded lightly, but it is to say, if it is getting to do outreach. some kind of organism that is exposed to in the way of the ministry and mission to When asked if congregation members a change of environment, it’s always the which you are called, then we have to ask that would recommend becoming a house church organisms on the edge, on the margins, that question.” to other congregations in similar situations, sort of begin to be able to adapt, and I think Nicholls notes that the early church met Douglas replied, “It depends on people you see signs of this in organizational life as in homes. “There’s no reason we couldn’t and circumstances. We’re lucky; we’ve got a well…things that are brand new that nobody have people gathering in homes. We already couple of good lay readers, we’ve got myself thought of. And then suddenly those are the do that for Bible study—nothing to say that and my wife, who are ordained…. If you things that thrive when everything else is we can’t do that in groups of 15 or 20 for don’t have some kind of leadership, it’s not kind of going belly-up.” worship…. It’s one possibility.” The gospel going to work.” “doesn’t say anything about buildings,” she The Lewises also note that theirs is an Joining together says. “It just says…‘whenever two or three are aging congregation. The 12-15 members that A far more common practice for gathered.’” attend range in age from their 60s to their congregations struggling with mounting 80s. (The priest for their parish of Kootenay financial obligations, aging buildings, or From house to house Summits, the Rev. Neil Elliot, is the General dipping attendance numbers is the church Since they began meeting in houses, Lewis Synod statistician who released a report to merger. In recent years, many Anglican says, church members seem happy. “We the Council of General Synod this fall; the churches around the country have joined still have a community spirit, and we’re still Lewises’ church is one of the congregations congregations with others nearby, or even known in the community here.” that collected demographic data mentioned with local Lutheran churches. In the diocese The house church format has provided the in Elliot’s report.) of Qu’Appelle, a merger has been proposed opportunity to expand the way they worship. Such new ways of doing church could that would see seven churches in the Regina anglican journal • january 2020 11

area possibly amalgamated into a single 5 “There’s the experience has been positive. presbyteries, and each presbytery paid some congregation. no reason we “The dynamics are different” when to its conference. Now, communities of faith In August of this year, the parish of St. couldn’t have attending a church with 50-60 congregants, pay a single bill, which is collected by the Martin’s in Chester Basin, N.S., merged its people gathering rather than 15-30, MacKinnon says. “The national office and distributed by way of a four congregations into a single church: in homes,” psalm, the prayer, the going for Eucharist and grant back to the regions. Administrative and Grace Anglican Church. Archbishop Linda seeing so many people partaking.... There’s governance costs for the national church— According to church wardens Doug Nicholls says. “We a joy of being together. We’ve had, already which used to come out of Mission and Ridgewell and Donna MacKinnon, the already do that [since August], three major fundraisers. Service donations (donations made directly merging process began years ago when the for Bible study— Instead of just a small group, you have a to the service work of the church)—are now parish began holding Reimagining Church larger group all pulling together and working taken out before this redistribution. nothing to say that discussions, workshops intended to get together, and they’ve been very successful, The idea was to keep governance we can’t do that in congregations thinking creatively about and there’s been a joy around it. Those who costs “tied to the size of the church,” says mission. What they found were churches that groups of 15 or 20 work together get along extremely well. And Sanders. “For example, if there were… were increasingly using their resources to for worship…. It’s it’s been a coming together and getting to fewer congregations that were paying an maintain century-old church buildings—and one possibility.” know one another more.” assessment, then our national and regional heavily relying on the volunteering abilities of image: adapted from structures should probably be smaller, too…. boyko pictures their mostly senior congregations. Strategizing for the future It kind of forces us to respect the size of the Between four different church councils Reorganization, of course, is an option not church in how we think of the size of our (one for each church) and a parish council, only at the local level. Another Canadian governance and administration.” Ridgewell says, they were struggling to fill mainline denomination, the United Church Financial concerns are raising questions 60 positions in a parish that had about 83 of Canada, recently underwent a massive about structure in the Anglican Church of You can’t congregants. restructuring process in the face of its own Canada also. Diocesan proportional gifts— rush it. You Transportation was another factor. declining membership. portions of diocesan revenue, in turn largely “ “[The churches] were built at a time As of 2019, the church has simplified its made up of parish apportionments, that must do your when…everybody in the community went governance structure, replacing two of its are sent to the national church—have been homework, and to church. That was their social centre, it former layers of governance—presbyteries falling increasingly steeply, accounting for a be informed. was their spiritual centre, it was everything. and conferences—with a new set of 16 significant drop in General Synod’s revenue But on the other They’d walk to church…And now, we’re regions. Accreditation, oversight and [See ‘CoGS roundup,’ page 2 of this issue]. such a mobile society and not as many When asked if there would ever come a hand, like I said, discipline issues now fall under a new people are going to church…. From one national Office of Vocation. time when it would be necessary to examine don’t prolong end of the parish to the other, it was only Nora Sanders, general secretary of the whether Anglicans need a national church, it—you’re going a 15-minute drive by car. So you can see United Church of Canada, says the process Nicholls told the Journal that part of the to have to put the situation where it didn’t make sense of restructuring began with a proposal first strategic planning process the church to have four churches, given our financial is embarking on would involve “asking your faith in brought to the table in 2012, at General and human resources,” says MacKinnon. Council, the church’s national meeting questions about, ‘What is the role of the God and move “It makes emotional sense for people to held every three years. The comprehensive national church in relationship to the forward. keep their churches. But it does not make review task group appointed at that meeting ecclesiastical provinces and the dioceses?’” practical sense.” consulted widely over the following three However, she responded that she believed —Donna MacKinnon, Discussions about merging the churches the national church to be important as a warden, Grace years. After proposed changes were approved began in 2016. While the process was a link to the wider Anglican Communion. Anglican Church at General Council in 2015, the restructuring smooth one, and was well-supported by the plan was voted on by the church’s She also noted the important work being diocese and its parish vitality coordinator, the congregations and presbyteries, and enacted done on the national level, including the Rev. Lisa Vaughn, Ridgewell and MacKinnon at General Council in 2018. work of the reconciliation animator, Global say the process took too long. “We took far The ultimate purpose, Sanders says, was Relations, the department of Faith, Worship too much time to do it,” says Ridgewell. “It to simplify the church’s structure, “so that we and Ministry, the Primate’s World Relief took us four years; it could have easily been weren’t spending a greater proportion of our and Development Fund and the Anglican done in two.” resources on governance all the time.” With Foundation of Canada. In hindsight, MacKinnon agrees— both financial resources and volunteer base Nicholls said strategic planning would though she adds, “We took our time to do it diminishing, she says, it was important to help the Anglican Church of Canada correctly…. You can’t rush it. You must do find a way to keep those resources from being assess, “based on the resources that we will your homework, and be informed. But on “swallowed up by governance processes.” have available, what can we best do at the the other hand, like I said, don’t prolong it— Re-evaluating customary ways of doing national level…and what things do we let you’re going to have to put your faith in God things—the “things that were just habit”— go of, because we can’t do them any longer? and move forward.” Sanders says, can spark interesting questions What things do we share in other ways with The most difficult part of the process, they about what it really means to be church. dioceses and individuals across the country?” say, was for the congregants to accept that Congregations were renamed “communities One of the things the national church their beloved church would close. As of press of faith,” Sanders says—a way of leaving the does best, she said, is tell the stories of what is time, one of the closed churches has been door open to a greater variety of expressions happening in the church across the country. sold, and another is in the midst of a sale. of worship outside of a traditional church “We need to be listening to one another Though no one left during the process, building. “I think that’s our future. Not that and finding the best practices, not simply the number of parishioners has diminished we’ll ever be without congregations—I sure taking something from here and plopping it by about 30% since the churches merged, hope not—but that there will be more…ways down over here, because that doesn’t work,” MacKinnon and Ridgewell say, a number of worshipping together.” she said. “You have to say, how does what consistent with what the diocese told them to In the previous structure, congregations they’re doing spark something in me that expect. But for those that continue to attend, paid a portion of their income to their would fit here?”g 12 anglican journal • january 2020

FINDING BEST PRACTICES4 ‘Green shoots’ Community outreach fuels thriving congregations Matt Gardner staff writer

Newly released statistics showing that the church’s membership which saw CoGS members gather in groups to discuss the has continued to fall since 2001 have drawn new attention healthy congregations in their areas, and identify the factors to the outliers of this trend—parishes and congregations they had in common. across the country that are thriving. At this fall’s meeting of The Anglican Journal spoke to five thriving churches, some the House of Bishops, after the bishops had received a report of which were even facing closure before managing to turn on the statistics, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the things around. While each had unique elements that have Anglican Church of Canada, asked them to ponder “the ‘green helped fuel their growth, a shared feature in all five parishes shoots’ that we need to nurture.” The call was taken up at the or congregations was ministry focused on outreach to the local November meeting of the Council of General Synod (CoGS), community.

Parish of Salisbury and Havelock, diocese of Fredericton New Brunswick

N THE RURAL parish of Salisbury and Havelock, three of four Anglican churches were noI longer in use at the time the Rev. Any church that’s Chris Hayes arrived as the parish’s new rector in 2012. The closed “willing to put on a dance churches included St. Paul’s in for the sake of the kids is Havelock, St. Peter’s in River Glade and St. Andrew in Petitcodiac, the a church I’d like to get my latter of which had closed down kids baptized in. earlier that year. After six months of low —A father who was picking his children up attendance at the only church from the dance one night that remained open, St. John’s in Salisbury, Hayes asked the vestry if it could re-open St. Andrew so that the parish had churches in the two the bank account.” photo: contributed largest villages within it (Petitcodiac A major initiative on this St. John’s Anglican Church in Salisbury, N.B. and Salisbury have populations front was the construction of a of 1,400 and 2,400, respectively). playground on the large piece of Though initially reluctant due to land in front of St. Andrew. The the high expense of running both parish received grants from the buildings, they soon acquiesced. diocese and the New Brunswick Immediately after the parish Children’s Foundation, a local re-opened St. Andrew, some people charity, to fund the project, which who had stopped attending church brought more local residents to the in the parish returned. The “novelty church. factor” of a new priest in the area A flurry of other outreach also brought more people out, Hayes programs have increased ties says. At the time of the re-opening, between the parish and the his wife Christine suggested starting community. These include visits a play group for parents and to seniors’ homes, vacation Bible caregivers of young children. school and a breakfast program “That was one of the first things for elementary schoolchildren. St. photo: contributed we did outside of worship services, Andrew itself hosts preschool and A school dance hosted by the Parish of Salisbury and Havelock and that was met with some great play groups for children, yoga, soap- response,” Hayes says. He calls this making classes, community craft period a “formative time” for the sales and other activities. parish, establishing its new focus on One of its most prominent Is your parish “reaching out to serve the needs of activities is hosting elementary growing? The the public rather than just try to get school dances. Anglican Journal the public to come to them. Hayes likes to tell the story of a may feature it “Since then, I’ve been trying to father who was picking his children in an upcoming teach this great emphasis on mission up from the dance one night and story. Contact for the kingdom as opposed to asked him why the church was Matthew mission for the empty pews,” Hayes hosting the dance. When Hayes Townsend, adds. “I think we’re getting it now. explained the parish’s efforts to editorial Most of…the things that came reach out to the community, the supervisor, at: across our collective desk are things parent responded, “Any church that’s 416-924-9192, around serving the needs of the willing to put on a dance for the sake ext. 207 or photo: contributed community, rather than trying to of the kids is a church I’d like to get mtownsend@ Children hear a Godly Play story during a summer event. simply boost attendance or increase my kids baptized in.” national. anglican.ca anglican journal • january 2020 13

St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, diocese of Saskatoon Saskatchewan T. STEPHEN’S ANGLICAN Church describes previously posed a potential tripping hazard for older being energized by just a different way of interpreting itself as seeking “to be a Christ-centred, Holy members of the congregation—and changed the format how things should be done,” Wood says. Spirit-led, outward focussed, caring community.” of vestry meetings to include Bible study. Outreach to the community, he says, has helped SThe church hosts a diverse range of groups, including “Instead of coming together and discussing the lead to growth for the parish. Wood estimates that a bridge club, English learning class, Alcoholics sometimes mundane business of vestry…we actually between 2016 and 2019, the number of families Anonymous, a cooking group, residents of local seniors’ have Bible study before we have the meeting,” rector’s attending worship in the parish rose from 100 to 120. homes and a youth group—the latter of which includes warden Chris Wood says. “If we have the meeting, great, “I think it’s being…a place that lets them know both young Anglicans and those with no connection to and if we don’t, we don’t. But it’s more about the Bible that the church is there, that the church is…a the parish. s tu d y.” presence to the neighbourhood, and just allowing the St. Stephen’s also recently started celebrating the Since then, the number of people wanting to be doors to be open and allowing groups to come in,” he Eucharist forward from the altar—the step of which on vestry has jumped from 8 to about 15. “People are says. St. Jax Montréal, diocese of Montreal Quebec T. JAX MONTRÉAL IS a church plant launched in 2016 at the site of the historic St. James the SApostle Church. Prior to the launch, St. James was faced with negative cash flow, expensive buildings, a lack of new members and no clear plan for growth, says the Rev. Graham Singh, the parish’s current incumbent. Singh first proposed the idea of a new church plant to the diocese of Montreal. What eventually evolved into St. Jax was based on the model of Singh’s own former congregation of Holy Trinity Brompton in London, England. The diocese dissolved the parish of St. James and took over direct control of the congregation. It provided a pastoral care plan for the 30-40 remaining members of the congregation that saw most transfer to two other churches, St. George’s or St. Matthias—though some chose to remain at the new St. Jax. During his tenure as incumbent, Singh says, St. Jax has seen a rise in attendance to the point where about 250 people now call it their church home. Singh describes St. Jax as “a multigenerational, multi-ethnic, multi- confessional congregation,” with many Chinese members as well as members from Iran, Lebanon, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It is also multi- lingual: clergy at St. Jax on Sundays offer greetings in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese. Singh says the growth of the church is based primarily around a “participative form of worship.” “To an outside traditional Anglican observer, it would look a heck of a lot like a community church,” he says. “It would look less like a traditional Anglican church. What that means is we focus on things like Alpha courses, photos: top: thilbault carron; second row: courtesy of st. jax marriage courses, informal worship. We Ministry at St. Jax has a strong focus on informal worship and small group discussions, along with activities such as don’t celebrate the Eucharist every week. craft-making, charity auctions and musical performances. We have time for small groups, and we try to make that as participative a form catechism is by no means assumed. So Meanwhile, many church buildings are Church of Canada must respond to of worship as we can.” we need to start with an environment sitting empty. declining membership by being open The Alpha course is a vital element where adults with a choice about their Sharing that space with non-profits to radical change. As executive director to ministry at St. Jax. Singh believes that faith can ask questions. To me, that is the and charities allows the church to of the Trinity Centres Foundation, catechism is a necessary foundation for key to church growth.” participate in the “sharing economy” which works to transform churches into church growth. He describes the Alpha St. Jax also has a thriving children’s in a way Singh compares to online community hubs, he seeks to help other course as one of the most widely used and youth program primarily led by lodging broker Airbnb, while also churches follow a model similar to St. catechisms around the world, highly university students. “The idea of starting enhancing ties between the church and Jax’s and find new sources of funding. regarded by multiple denominations and a new church tends to attract younger other organizations. St. Jax now pulls in “What we can do from the national teaching people the basics of Christian people,” Singh says. $200,000 in revenue each year by renting discussion [on church decline] is prepare belief over a 10-week period. A different area of growth for St. Jax out its space to more than 70 groups the ground to say, ‘Yes, indeed, we really “The church always…had catechism has been sharing its space with other or organizations, including non-profit do need these kind of radical solutions. in Sunday schools, at times when non-profits and charities in the area. circus company Le Monastère, refugee So let’s hear what they are,’” he says. “And Christendom meant that that’s how you Many such organizations are being charity Action Réfugiés Montréal and a then not be surprised when we say, ‘Boy, began your journey of faith,” Singh says. priced out of Canadian cities and cannot municipal concert series. that’s radical.’” In 2019, however, “an entry to afford to rent facilities, Singh says. Singh believes that the Anglican See CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER on p. 18 14 anglican journal • january 2020

THE INTERVIEW4 Churches may shrink but will survive in our secular age, says philosopher Charles Taylor

Tali Folkins 5 Taylor is one sometimes it’s in totally different religions, there’s the same kind of searching goal, staff writer of Canada’s most or totally non-religious—and that this right? They’re interested in talking to OR A PROFESSOR of political recognizable somehow is taking off at the expense of an each other, exchanging and learning from science and philosophy, Charles philosophers. earlier way of expressing one’s spirituality, each other and so on. It’s not necessarily which involves being members of national highly individual—simply my search, and Taylor was already unusually widely photo: mcgill Fknown by the turn of the millennium. university churches or in the case of a very diverse so on—though it can be that, if people Taylor had taught at his alma mater, country like Canada, at least a church don’t find like-minded other people who McGill University, from 1961 to 1997 and which you know is very big and solid in are on similar tracks. But if they do find written several books—on the German some parts of the country. people who are on similar tracks there’s idealist philosopher G.W.F Hegel (Hegel; It’s not that religion is disappearing, quite a willingness to meet together, Hegel and Modern Society); the modern or spirituality is disappearing; it’s taking exchange—they’re curious about each ideas of personality (Sources of the Self: different forms. If you put yourself in other, right? So a different kind of The Making of the Modern Identity) and of the mindset of people, in particular of sociability, if you like, is arising in this self-fulfillment (The Malaise of Modernity) younger people, who are concerned culture. and other topics. He had involved himself about the meaning of life, concerned in public affairs also, serving on the about becoming better people, more Is it that there’s a spiritual loving, more open, etc., and are seeking restlessness, and to people who Quebec government’s advisory council on It’s not the French language and as vice-president in some way some discipline—it could be are restless, the church seems to of the federal NDP. Taylor had even run that religion is meditation, it could be various things—if represent fixed answers? “ you put yourself in the mindset of these four times for a seat as an MP—once, in disappearing, Yes, that’s certainly true. One of the great people, when they go to the pews the 1965, against Pierre Trudeau. or spirituality is things that put me on to this idea was an least bad thing is that they don’t feel it’s In 2007, however, Taylor’s prominence, experience. You know what I mean by disappearing; very relevant! The worst thing is they especially among people concerned with Taizé, this community in eastern France? it’s taking feel that their whole way of approaching religion, increased with the publication One of my daughters was working there this is not really appreciated and it may of A Secular Age, a tome whose 874 pages different forms. for a while, and I was really deeply be seen as threatening the people in the attempt to explain how secularity arose in impressed with it, because they have pews. Now of course this is perhaps more the Western world, and what that might Bible study and things like that, but their the case—I’m a Catholic—in the case of mean for us today. The same year, Taylor approach to all these kids is, “What are the Catholic church [laughs], where you won the Templeton Prize, an award—worth you looking for? What are you struggling have these very backward-looking people $1.8 million at the time—granted by a U.S. with?” They listen. And the effect is who are screaming abuse at [Pope] foundation to recognize people who have tremendously positive. Of course, a lot Francis and so on [laughs]! contributed to “research or discoveries of these kids have a certain affinity for That’s the extreme case, where you about spiritual realities.” Other prestigious the Christian faith in order to go there, actually feel, “I’d better rush out of accolades have followed. This fall, Taylor but there’s a lot of people who are on the this place [laughs]! Or I’m going to be was named co-recipient (with Father Paul fringes of, “Do I really want to? How far badly treated.” But the least worrying Bere, a Biblical scholar from Burkina Faso) do I want to go?” And they’re not asked or problematic [for those outside the of the Vatican’s Ratzinger Prize, honouring to sign anything, they’re not asked to go church] is just that this is not a concern theological studies. Taylor’s writing “allows anywhere, they’re just given a response to that people [in the pews] recognize, this us to deal with Western secularization in their questions. searching concern. “Everything is all a way that is neither superficial nor given And there are other kinds of settled, and we’re all together in these to fatalistic discouragement,” Pope Francis sociabilities that are going on. What I pews affirming it.” said in presenting the award. belong to is the World Community for Now 88, Taylor is one of Canada’s most Christian Meditation. Do you know [Fr.] So there’s a feeling among people recognizable philosophers. The Anglican John Main? This is something he actually Journal spoke with him on why so many that churches don’t recognize this started in Montreal [laughs], which we congregations in Western countries are searching concern that comes out of all believe is the centre of the universe! shrinking, and what the future might hold their individuality? It was started by an Irish Benedictine. for the Anglican and other established “Coming out of individuality” is not the [Former Archbishop of Canterbury] churches. Taylor’s tone was jovial and the way I would put it. It is an individual Rowan Williams has very strongly conversation interspersed with laughter, search, but you can find yourself recommended this, and has talked to which has been noted in this piece. alongside many, many, many other our group several times. But it’s the same This interview has been edited for length. people who are on a search too, and what kind of thing—its core was Catholic, but is peculiar about this new culture, new there are a lot of non-Catholic Christians Why are fewer people going to religious/spiritual world of searchers, is in there, and there are even people in church? that they not only appreciate associating there who feel themselves to be searchers. It’s very hard to put your finger on this, with people on the same wavelength but And it’s a practice of meditation which but this is what I’m trying to work out: they’re actually interested in talking to comes from Christian traditions. So this that there’s another kind of spiritual life, people who are not. There’s a lot of inter- is another [instance] of where people who spiritual searching, going on to a great talk between people on these different are on a search are happy to be part of extent in our contemporary West— lines. If a Christian meets a Buddhist, this sociability—but not the other kind. anglican journal • january 2020 15

If I’m right about this, it would explain 5 Taylor points churches were established in a world “Mutation” strikes me as an why there’s a steady decline in standard out that Christ’s in which the cosmos had metaphysical interesting choice of word, with a church attendance and a tremendous capacity to truly meaning. If you go far back enough possible negative connotation. Do you growth in these other kinds of religious see the woman there were actually magic forces, etc., mean that something bad happened? or spiritual gatherings. in the world, and we have a world now at the well is No, no, no [laughs]—the theory of Because people prefer a type of one missing in which most people see as a big machine gathering where there can be free with very mysterious [laughs]—with no evolution tells us there are happy modern society, mutations! Musically, it’s like a change of range to express their— which seeks to necessarily obvious purpose. Their idea of our societies is not that they’re modeled key. That, but also where they feel that they’re categorize. on the order of the cosmos—it’s [that] getting enriched and helped on their photo: angelika kauffmann/wikimedia societies are set up in human history, It seems to me that in the Gospels, journey, you see. Many other people commons contingent on some revolution, etc.—so the individual through Jesus has in this meditation group think it’s not it’s a cold background compared to what what you could call a direct conduit incompatible to be a member of a given it used to be in any of the great religions. to absolute truth. So it sounds like a confession and to think of your religious Where the atheists are obviously wrong demand for authenticity could come life primarily as a journey. You know, is that there’s deep hunger in human almost inevitably from that. we have [St.] Gregory of Nyssa, [laughs] beings to find this kind of meaning, and St. Augustine, and a few other people Yes, I think that’s my reading of the New We have a even in some sense transcendence, and like that! But for people who don’t sense Testament. One of the extraordinary the idea that that’s going to disappear tremendous themselves firmly within a certain church things about this figure for people around “ tomorrow [laughs]—you’d have to be very feature of tradition, to walk in and just join the him was that he saw me. It’s told in a unobservant [laughs] about human life to modern people in the pews, hear the sermon, slightly different form, but this is what think that! But it doesn’t mean that these etc.—there can be a sense of, “They’re I get out of it. He’s in Samaria and he’s Western big changes in our understanding of our not really talking about me.” Or else even saying, “Give me a drink at the well,” culture position in the cosmos haven’t shaken a hostility. But even if there’s no hostility, and it turns out he knows all about the lot of people loose. which I call they feel that, so instead of going to the woman’s life. the ethic of Anglican service and so on, they may well [Austrian philosopher] Ivan Illich How do you mean they’d have to be authenticity— strike out on one of these other modes [says] that this capacity to really see very unobservant to think that? people is one of the things we’re most the idea that of meeting other people, where they feel, “I’m really being helped along.” Well, I mean, just look around you missing, particularly in a modern, everybody [laughs]—I may be in a particular bureaucratic, very large-scale society. has their own Where does this modern spiritual position because I taught university for We operate in large categories—you’re path, [wants] restlessness come from? a long time and I meet a lot of young a welfare recipient, or you’re an old age people, and it’s just evident. There’s a great pensioner or something of that kind, to seek their Well, I think there are two sources here, deal of searching going on among lots and and we have to set up rules, etc., to and I keep rethinking this [laughs]! But own path and lots and lots of them, but this [spiritual] deal with this. Big bureaucracies are I’m not sure of any of this, right? This is not simply searching is also among a very substantial inevitable [in] their great failing—that just my take on it. We have a tremendous proportion of them. One of the ways they don’t recognize how different people conform feature of modern Western culture that you can see that is that they get very are. And this is a very striking thing to to existing which I call the ethic of authenticity— turned off by people like [British atheist me. Maybe I’m speaking as a modern the idea that everybody has their own models. Richard] Dawkins. Even if they’re not who is very concerned with this over- path, [wants] to seek their own path themselves subscribing, they say, “This is bureaucratization in society. But I think and not simply conform to existing really somebody pounding away, because that the whole sense we get that we’re models. It’s something that starts with he has no ear for what is bothering missing something when we just operate the Romantic period—then it was really p e op l e .” with those categories comes from the very alive among, if you like, cultural gospel. creators. Interestingly, from the Romantic period on, you’re not considered to have Is it possible the “ethic of authenticity” you speak of could have Jesus sees people in all their made a great work of art unless it has individuality. originality, right? Whereas if you go arisen ultimately from Christianity back to [medieval icon painter] Andrei itself? Yes. Rublev—“Originality, what do you mean Oh, definitely, definitely. It’s a kind of [laughs]?!”—and then in the post-Second mutation of the idea that there are many Is it possible for Christians to see the World War it becomes something in the vocations, right? That’s something very will of God in this trend of declining general culture in the West—“Do your deeply into the whole Christian tradition, church attendance? own thing,” and that kind of slogan. It right back. There are these different Well, yes. I admit I’m not a theologian. encourages people to search for what their vocations, different life paths that make But I want to introduce the concept of an model of life really is. up the communion of saints, if you like, itinerary, of a way that people come to The second thing is that—this is where in the end. So it’s definitely a mutation of God. And there is an immense amount the standard atheists have a point, but that, but a mutation which started off in of different itineraries in our past— they haven’t understood the point very this not necessarily religious movement, well [laughs]—in a certain sense, our which is the Romantic period. See TAYLOR, p. 24 16 anglican journal • january 2020

SOCIETAL Demographic, cultural changes key to declining TRENDS4 church membership: Sociologist of religion Research also finds common threads in growing congregations

Matt Gardner staff writer HIFTING IMMIGRATION PATTERNS and in Canada. But while many Protestant denominations broader social changes are key factors in declining face similar challenges, growing congregations also exist membership within the Anglican Church of within these traditions that share a number of common SCanada, according to a sociologist who studies religion features.

OEL THIESSEN, a professor of theology at JAmbrose University, a Christian university in Calgary, has written four books that deal with the sociology of religion. As director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute, Thiessen has also studied thriving congregations in various Christian denominations. For Thiessen, recent statistics showing the Anglican Church of Canada’s continuing membership decline were not unexpected. He says they reflect a wider trend from the last half- century that continues to afflict many churches. “It’s a common reality across mainline Protestant traditions,” Thiessen says. “Your Anglicans and your Lutherans and your United Church and Presbyterians are confronting all of these similar realities, so [the Anglican statistics are] not surprising in the least.” Though he would not “necessarily” come to the same conclusion as Anglican Church of Canada statistician the Rev. Neil Elliot—who said in his report to the Council of General Synod (CoGS) that the current rate of decline would lead to zero Canadian Anglicans by 2040—Thiessen acknowledges that membership is falling across all mainline Protestant churches in Canada. “There’s no doubt that the trend is downward,” and all indications, he says, suggest that trend will continue. Thiessen cites the 2017 book Leaving Christianity by Brian Clarke and Stuart Macdonald, which documents how Canadians began moving away from organized religion in the 1960s and how that process has only accelerated in recent years. In the particular case of the Anglican Church of Canada, Thiessen believes that changing immigration flow has been the leading factor behind the drop in membership. Several decades ago, he says, the Anglican church benefitted greatly from mass immigration to Canada from Western Europe, particularly England. “Christianity remains the number-one religion among immigrants to Canada today, and that is declining and changing,” Thiessen says. “But I think specifically for the Anglican church in the mid-20th century, many of our immigrants came from Western Europe, England, Scotland, Factors thriving congregations Germany, etc.… The Church of England was tend to have in common directly feeding the Anglican Church of Canada via these high immigration patterns. 1. They emphasize leadership and “What we’ve seen since the 1970s or ’80s is this shift towards immigration from the global South intentionally develop the next and East, that are not dominated by the Anglican generation of leaders. church. They’re perhaps led by Pentecostalism, 2. They engage with the local Islam, the Catholic church—these are some of the community to improve people’s lives. big winners, if you will. So the Anglican church hasn’t benefitted in ways that it once did.” 3. They embrace discipleship—and The second demographic factor behind the helping disciples teach other disciples. decreasing number of Canadian Anglicans is the church’s aging membership, he says. The 4. They offer worship experiences that proportion of young people in the church shrank draw people in. over the last generation. “The Anglican church doesn’t have a strong track record of actually retaining their youth,” Thiessen says. “This mass decline we see in part is concept: driven by an aging denomination, and as people saskia rowley, adapted from shutterstock die, there isn’t a younger cohort that is actually anglican journal • january 2020 17

replacing [them].” decline among people aged 55 to 64, or older baby successful in retaining youth. 5 “The Anglican “One of the things we know is religious groups Declining birthrates across Canadian society, church doesn’t boomers, from 20% to 15%. He notes that Statistics compared to high post-war birthrates that Canada will conduct a new general social survey who have more conservative religious beliefs and have a strong track practices tend to take their faith more seriously, produced the baby boom generation, are another record of actually on social identity next year, likely to be released in factor, he says. 2021. and tend to take their transmission of faith to retaining their their children more seriously,” he says. “Therefore, Broader social trends have also contributed. youth,” says Joel “It is known that religious participation was Thiessen says the rise in people who identify as they’re actually more active within the home, Thiessen, a professor higher among previous generations, and those having no religion is partly a reaction to “the people were aged 65 and over in 2003,” Turcotte they’re more active in taking their children to of theology whose perception that religious groups are far too says. “We see that for these people, it’s pretty stable church, they’re more active in seeking out churches research focuses conservative.” Many Canadians, he says, identify over the period…. It will be interesting to see that have these youth programs and youth outlets, on the sociology of Christianity with conservative white evangelicals what happens with the new data when these baby those kinds of things.” religion in Canada. in the United States and lump all Christians boomers enter…the so-called senior group, [of] Increasing the number of young people in the “This mass decline together as having the same views. people aged 65 and over.” church, Thiessen says, “starts with having some we see in part is “As society in Canada has become more liberal Thiessen also cautions against painting with too younger demographics in your church to begin and progressive over time, what has happened driven by an aging broad a brush in looking at civic organizations in with who are having children and reproducing, is people have become more resistant to some denomination, and Canada, considering the wide diversity of groups and then actually taking faith socialization conservative elements within Christianity,” as people die, there and demographics who participate in them. seriously within the home. That’s your starting point.” Thiessen says. isn’t a younger “There are some very distinctive reasons that are Subsequent steps include having programs for “We do see, for example, some who have left cohort that is contributing to declining involvement in religious children in the form of Sunday school that are fun, the Anglican church and other churches over actually replacing groups,” he says. but also theologically significant in developing a some of [their] orthodox beliefs on various topics [them].” However, while researching a recent book on photo: contributed young person’s faith; offering youth programming and issues,” he says. “At the same time…there is millennials in Canada, Thiessen and his co-authors in later years that can provide enjoyment for a growing capacity within the Anglican church, did find a general trend from in-person to online teenagers while further socializing them into a not just in Canada but worldwide, to try to interaction. Christian tradition; and providing liturgy and provide a broader tent that accounts for a broader “We know, for example, that people might music that appeal to youth. theological spectrum from conservative to liberal.” talk a lot on social media about different causes “The style and form of music actually makes a Along with the widespread view of Christianity within society…that people have high levels really big difference for young people,” Thiessen as conservative, the decline in people who identify of talking online,” Thiessen says. “But levels of says. “The kind and style and quality of preaching as Christians since the 1960s may have been actual involvement with physical human beings and teaching that engages young people, that affected by perceived scandals and hypocrisies and organizations are fairly low. So I think one speaks to the current issues of the day, and can within the church, Thiessen says. of the things we see has shifted is that people are convey things in compelling ways that maybe Could declining church membership also be transferring some of their involvements to an draws on social media…. I think these are some of reflecting a more general drop in participation online atmosphere, and less face-to-face activity.” the things that we know from traditions that are… in civic and community organizations? In his The Flourishing Congregations Institute, retaining young people.” 2000 book Bowling Alone, U.S. sociologist Robert Thiessen says, has found a number of factors that The number-one reason a person joins a Putnam described a reduction across the United thriving congregations tend to have in common. faith community, he says, is that someone they States of in-person social interactions and civic While some Anglicans could feel discomfort know has personally invited them. When young engagement over several decades. around Thiessen’s findings, these factors may offer people who are part of a subculture invite their The most recent study by Statistics Canada a glimpse of how some churches have bucked the friends to participate in shared activities, such as on civic and political engagement, published in societal trends. a youth hangout at church on Friday night, their 2015, actually showed a rise in the percentage One is emphasizing leadership and enthusiasm can be contagious. of Canadians who are members of a group, intentionally developing the next generation of Thiessen says there remains much more to organization or association. While the study leaders by creating “meaningful opportunities for religious life today than might be suggested by covers only the period between 2003 and 2013, it young people to lead, to train and to mentor them.” statistics showing membership decline in some reports that nearly two-thirds of Canadians (65%) Congregations that do this, he says, are better able denominations. in 2013 were members of such groups, up from to retain young people while also building long- “There are massive amounts of people 61% in 2003. However, participation in religious- term organizational stability. worldwide, and still not an insignificant number affiliated groups decreased from 17% to 14%. Outreach is another common element in of Canadians, who find great resonance with Martin Turcotte, senior analyst at Statistics growing Christian churches. Engaging with the their churches’ teachings and with their religions’ Canada and author of the 2015 report, local community to improve people’s lives can teachings that are extremely impactful, that are a emphasizes that the study covers a broad range greatly strengthen congregations, Thiessen says. critical source of meaning for them to interpret of organizations, from trade unions to religious A third quality is discipleship—or what their day-to-day life and experience,” Thiessen groups to sports teams. He notes that Putnam’s Thiessen describes as “forming people’s spiritual says. book used only American data, and that it also lives and taking that as the core business of what He encourages the church to learn from other covered a much longer period of time. congregations exist to do…creating opportunities Christian traditions that are faring well in Canada, “We have to remember it’s only a 10-year- for people to meaningfully deepen their spiritual such as Pentecostalism, which, he says, offers to period, so we have to be careful about life,” and helping disciples teach other disciples. its members “a highly experiential expression of overinterpreting the trends over time,” Finally, successful churches offer worship religious life. Turcotte says. For participation in all kinds of experiences that draw people in, he says. They “It is helping individuals to connect their organizations, “we can’t deny that there’s a slight employ effective communicators to deliver beliefs and practices with their daily experiences, increase for participation overall. But it does vary sermons that are relevant to people’s lives, and is speaking to culturally relevant issues of the day, by [the type] of organization, and as you see for provide music that appeals to them. is creating spaces and places for involvement for the Anglican church, there was a slight decline The question of how to get more young leadership development for young people to get for participation in religious-affiliated groups for people involved in the church is one that often involved,” Thiessen adds. “All these kinds of things Canada as a whole.” preoccupies Christian denominations with aging would suggest that there still is a great opportunity The main trend Turcotte identifies in the memberships. Thiessen credits many conservative for different religious traditions to engage report for participation in religious groups is the Protestant congregations with being particularly individuals in meaningful ways.” g 18 anglican journal • january 2020

photo: church of the redeemer photo: church of the redeemer photo: thomas evers Kids learn about horticulture during a summer activity. Rainbow decorations for Toronto Pride Palm Sunday at Church of the Redeemer Church of the Redeemer, diocese of Toronto Ontario

Continued from p. 13 Frederick Buechner: “Vocation is the place where N TORONTO, extensive growth has been our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” He seen at the Church of the Redeemer—a believes that the broad ministry at Church of the change witnessed first-hand by incumbent Redeemer accounts for much of its growth. CanonI Steven Mackison, who first served there Its most recognizable outreach ministry, The 20 years ago as associate priest and priest-in- Common Table, serves 100 meals a day to the charge before returning in August 2019. homeless and working poor from Monday to During the 1970s, Church of the Redeemer Friday, as well as offering psychiatric care, medical suffered from falling attendance and financial care from a parish nurse, referrals and other difficulties. Then-Toronto bishop Lewis services. University of Toronto students staff and Garnsworthy wanted to close the building, but a group of 10 women in the congregation appealed volunteer the outreach program, while the church to him and led efforts to revitalize the church. attracts other students from two local Anglican Church lands were sold to developers, which colleges, Trinity and Wycliffe. allowed the congregation to regain control of Church of the Redeemer has sponsored its finances. The church engaged in a number of 11 refugees in the past four years through its building projects, including a facility for its outreach refugee resettlement program. It has working ministry to the homeless, The Common Table. groups devoted to Indigenous solidarity and The congregation’s overall trajectory has been the care of creation. And it is highly supportive one of success. On a typical Sunday, Church of the of the struggle for justice and acceptance Redeemer now sees 400 people attend over the by the LGBTQ+ community, participating course of four services, up from 300 two decades enthusiastically in the annual Pride parade. ago. These include three morning services and an “All these are sort of emblematic of what I think evening service that can take different forms—from traditional Anglican evensong to Bach vespers to is responsible for the church’s growth,” Mackison its monthly “rock Eucharist,” in which the church says. “And that…really is responding to the Holy photo: thomas evers weaves music from contemporary artists into the Spirit in our midst, leading us into deeper and Anglicans at Church of the Redeemer carry banners to mark liturgy. deeper truth in each generation by addressing what the Season of Creation. In explaining why Redeemer has thrived, the immediate needs of the community and the Mackison recalls a quote from Protestant theologian world are and responding to them as Christians.” St. Luke’s Anglican Church, diocese of Fredericton New Brunswick ESS THAN FIVE years ago, to whoever needs it. It provides free backgrounds, who moved to Saint St. Luke’s Anglican Church, haircuts once or twice a month and John and gravitated towards the in Saint John, N.B., was on the foot care provided by a local volunteer. congregation. About a dozen Indian brinkL of being shut down. The church Every Christmas, the church hosts a families now worship at St. Luke’s had fallen on hard times. An “urban Christmas dinner for 50 families. and their ranks include a warden and renewal” project by the city had led The turnaround for St. Luke’s, Barrett members of the vestry, he says. to the disappearance of much of the says, began with the appointment of a Today, 100 people attend St. Luke’s surrounding neighbourhood, leaving full-time priest-in-charge. The filling on Sundays. Barrett hopes to increase an economically depressed area in its of this previously vacant position, he that to 120 next year. Increased wake. suggests, provided some stability for attendance and fundraisers enabled the By 2015, only 45 people attended the parish and a sense among some church to pay off its five-year loan from services on a typical Sunday. Heating congregation members that the church the diocese in two years. expenses for the building—a massive would not be closing after all. Barrett points to outreach as a major structure, built in 1876, that seats up Another stabilizing factor was a factor in the church’s revitalization. to 800 people—totalled about $20,000 $60,000 grant from the diocese to Local residents, he said, “see what a each winter. “That’s a big hit when your install heat pumps, which significantly great benefit it is to the people of Saint Sunday income hovers around $2,500,” reduced the cost of heating and John, so people have really rallied

says interim priest-in-charge Canon photo: contributed further reassured people. The diocese behind that to keep it going and David Barrett, who began ministry As part of its outreach program, St. provided funds to hire a young, full- contribute to it, both with their time at St. Luke’s in 2016. A developer Luke’s offers two hot lunches and a time assistant curate, Cole Hartin [see and their financial resources.” expressed interest in buying the hot breakfast each week. Hartin’s reflection on p. 20 of this issue], The outreach program, he adds, has property and tearing down the church, who is active in the community and has drawn people “because they see we’re a though that deal fell through. breakfasts on Tuesdays, coordinating provided another boost for the church. church who’s doing something for the What kept the church going, Barrett with a local Baptist church that provides “People have really responded to him community. We’re not spending all of says, was its active outreach program. meals every weekday. An estimated being there,” Barrett says. our time wondering, ‘How are we going With the help of a part-time outreach 65-70 people come out to St. Luke’s for Finally, attendance at St. Luke’s has to keep our building open?’…. We’re not worker, the church provides hot lunches these meals. increased due to a number of families focusing on ourselves. I think that’s the on Mondays and Thursdays and hot St. Luke’s also offers free clothing from India, largely of Orthodox answer.” g anglican journal • january 2020 19

AN END IN SIGHT?4 20 - 40 vision 20- to 40-somethings in the Anglican Church of Canada offer their thoughts on the future Statistical projections suggest that the Anglican Anglican Journal reached out to some of the church’s Church of Canada might cease to exist by 2040 (see younger theological thinkers to ask for reflections on page 1). While the church faces significant questions church decline and what they anticipate in the years about its future, there are young Anglicans who ahead. Their responses follow.—Matthew Townsend, plan on seeing that future, whatever its shape. The editorial supervisor

The declining church formed me Canon Martha Tatarnic be there cannot be underestimated. People Hurkmans says, the only thing to do when rector, st. george’s anglican church, no longer come to church out of habit, to you’re in over your head is to get on your st. catharines, ont. be part of a club or because it is in any way knees. There simply is no option for setting GREW UP in a struggling rural expected of them. They are choosing to be budgets, offering programs, or opening the church. The Sunday school was small. there rather than choosing to be hundreds doors of our churches without resting in By the time I got to high school, I was of other places. The church may be the promise of the God who does do more Ione of only a couple of nominally involved declining, but so is the polite Anglicanism than we can ask or imagine. Every day in youth left. St. James’ Hanover was part of with which many of us grew up. Our ministry is an opportunity to wade into the a two-point parish for its whole existence, spiritual hunger is being laid bare. metaphorical waters of baptism again, to which means it was never big enough to IN CONNECTION: I was odd among my watch old ways die before our eyes and to sustain one priest’s whole salary on its high school friends for attending and being participate in the new thing being born. own. The stories of full-to-bursting Sunday involved in my church. But as an ordained IN GROWTH: The biggest surprise for schools reported to me by the bigger leader, I have had the opportunity to me in the declining church has been the churches in which I later served—stories 5 “I am still connect with countless people my age and experience of growth. I have gotten to of confirmation classes of hundreds— heartened to find younger who also want to step out of the be part of churches that have grown and these were so hard to believe that only the among people mainstream and embrace the weirdness of flourished in ways that I couldn’t have pictures of 400 smiling children assured in their teens, our church. If there has been a consistent imagined growing up in my struggling, me that this was not made up. twenties, thirties frustration in those years, it has been the rural church. I don’t believe that numerical I didn’t go into ordained ministry and forties those never-ending litany of older people of the growth is guaranteed into my future as a thinking that it would be a full-time, who, like me, church telling me “what young people church leader. But I also don’t believe it lifelong career. One of the reasons why find themselves want” in the church. It turns out, strangely, is impossible. Researcher Dave Haskell I struggled against that sense of call so able to follow that young people are just as diverse a offered a study several years ago on growing desperately was that I wanted to work Jesus because group as I remember in the halls of high mainline churches. In a phone conversation in a field that would be financially stable of the charisms school. While I no longer particularly with me after the study had wrapped up, and viable—and even 25 years ago when of our Anglican qualify as young in most circles, I am he noted that the common denominators I was just considering this horizon, the church.” still heartened to find among people in among these growing churches could be church didn’t look like it would tick those photo: contributed their teens, twenties, thirties and forties boiled down into this: growing churches particular boxes. When I reoriented my those who, like me, find themselves able expect God to act. There are a lot of path toward seminary—both compelled to follow Jesus because of the charisms ways that we need to define growth, and and reluctant—I was told at every juncture of our Anglican church: because of our those who get trapped into thinking that of discernment that, despite the large connection to the past and our reformed numerical growth is the most important amounts of time and money that I was insistence that God is still working on us; indicator will be in trouble in more ways pouring into my theological education, because of our poetry and symbols and than one (ironically, the so-called declining there was no guarantee of a job at the end. sacramentality, as well as the intellectual church still insists on measuring growth The decline of the church doesn’t freedom we encourage. almost exclusively by numbers). surprise me. It formed me. IN FAITHFULNESS: The church is not the The thing about expecting God to act That being said, my 15 years of ordained only seemingly staid institution of society is that we can rarely anticipate what God’s ministry in this declining church have that has been radically reimagined in the activity is going to look like. But what my been full of surprises. past decades. Those who work in music, formation in the declining church has IN PASSION: Although it is tempting to journalism and even the funeral home surely taught me is that Christ has built long for the “golden days” of the church, business (what could have seemed like this Anglican church for all of these years when a leader (always male then, so these more of a guaranteed industry than that?) because weird people like me are also imaginings only take me so far) could look have had to reinvent themselves, often valued disciples. It’s up to us to steward the out on congregations that seemed eternally at a pace much faster than the church. gift that is this church, in whatever form it full and generative, the joy of ministering The instability of our institutional life needs to take; it’s up to God to continue to in congregations that consist of people encourages a kind of radical faithfulness provide a way for people like us to seek and who have made a very distinct choice to that is its own gift. As my friend Rob serve Jesus. g 20 anglican journal • january 2020 ‘Anglicans in Canada are in exile’ The Rev. Cole Hartin has sent this difficulty on us, but perhaps do not have the cultural clout we once did. assistant curate, st. luke’s anglican he has. In any case I am confident he has We are divided amongst ourselves over church, saint john, n.b. allowed it. The God of infinite love and sexuality, tradition and how we read the goodness—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— Bible. We are in decline. HE ANGLICAN CHURCH of is allowing our churches to crumble. He The mercy in all of this is that this Canada is hollowing out. It’s in has not abandoned us, but our decay suffering has the potential to make us steep decline. Some might call this continues, the stats tell us. humble. Humility allows us to recognize This is deeply discouraging, certainly. our own strengths and weaknesses with a

20 - 40 Ta “free fall.” This shouldn’t be a surprise to most What can be done about this? clear head. It also enables us to recognize of us. We’re used to seeing almost vacant I think the first step is to grieve and to the blessings we can give and receive in sanctuaries built to house congregations lament. I for one, feel deeply grieved. I the wider body of Christ. It’s not so easy that no longer exist. We’re used to seeing grieve often. to scoff at the unrefined beginnings of glorious architecture fall decrepit, standing There has a been a real loss for many Pentecostalism when it is a dynamic force in the wider church—and when we are like remnants from a lost world. 5 “Prayer people here, seeing a church that was once a “given,” that has been there for trying to keep our heads above the water. What may be surprising are the does not feel generations, declining and closing doors. We are most apt to share in the pain of figures themselves. Seeing what was once as productive There is no happy ending in sight here. our sisters and brothers in the mainline a shadowy spectre in the background as starting new There is no hopeful glimmer on the and Roman Catholic churches when their counted and tallied makes its threat programs. But horizon. Not yet, at least. I think we trajectory looks very much like ours. These imminent and real. I really believe first must reckon with our loss as clergy, bonds can only be forged in the humility How do we make sense of all of this? this is the and with the loss experienced by our that is born out of our failure. We make sense of it by recognizing we way forward: parishioners. The projections tell us that there will as Anglicans in Canada are in exile. Grieving, deep Then, I think it’s time to pray. I admit not be church in 20 years. I don’t know We are a church in exile in a culture that grieving. And then prayer.” I’m not a great example. I tend to try to about that. we have helped to create. Like Israel, we are work my way out of difficult situations. Though we are suffering as a whole, I photo: contributed few in number, being driven and scattered Prayer does not feel as productive as see pockets of growth. Much of this is in by the Lord. Surely, this is the result of our starting new programs. But I really believe the North. But even here, where I serve in own sinfulness—and the sinfulness of our this is the way forward: Grieving, deep Saint John, St. Luke’s is a congregation that ancestors in the faith. We are seeing the grieving. And then prayer. was once in decline and is now growing. iniquity of our fathers being visited upon It’s not the time to abandon ship on The growth is slow, but it is steady. If I look us as children (though we also reap their traditional parochial ministry either. I’m at the trends in our congregation from the blessings). all for Fresh Expressions and innovative past five years, it should be thriving in the Yet we as a church are also Christ’s contexts for worship, but I don’t see these next 20. Dioceses are declining, but some body. Perhaps it is God’s will to crush us, as a viable way forward. Perhaps I am parishes are bucking the odds. the way he crushed the body of Job, or the naïve, but I think local congregations My family and I will be around in way he crushed the body of his Son. are the lifeblood of the church, and they 20 years, God willing. I may not have a This may seem pretty bleak. And it always will be, though thinned out and remunerative position as a priest, and is. But what is the alternative? That God scattered farther apart than they have been. I have thought about that and how it has somehow failed? That he is wishing One of the ways I see God at work in might look. This is discouraging, and not us to prosper and his purposes have been all of this is his purgative role. Any sense something that would be easy. But I will thwarted? of pride one may have felt as an Anglican continue to serve however I can, in the I am not necessarily saying that God a generation or two ago is vanishing. We capacity that I can. g Recapturing our lost virtues—mission and evangelism The Rev. Orvin Lao wherever the church exists, wherever community connections pastor, little Anglicans are present, beginning inside trinity, toronto our parishes. We must confront our sins, the sins of our society, and call people to HE RECENT STATISTICS on turn from evil and to turn to the gracious trending decline in the Anglican lordship of Jesus. Church of Canada came as God is summoning us to bear witness Tno surprise to me. I have only been a to his gospel: to be as John the Baptiser confirmed Anglican for almost five years and his ancestral prophets, to warn about 5 “The church’s and an ordained minister for a couple of divine judgement against evil and to life in Jesus is months. Before I pitched my tent in the announce pardon, grace, and new creation why I press on in church, I was well aware that mainline for all who turn to Jesus. The Anglican prayer, why I can churches were in cultural decline. But I church should be making more Christians, labour not in vain believe it is God’s calling in my life—as it inviting everyone in and around our parishes to become followers of Jesus and why I bring is for all those presently in the Anglican Christ. one foot forward Church of Canada—to remain, to work Jesus is Lord and God, or He is not. It We need to recapture and embody in hope.” and to pray for such a time as our decrepit 5 “As a and palliative moment in our church’s life church, we must is God’s merciful action to displace our our lost and forgotten Anglican virtue of photo: contributed here. It is only a moment in our ecclesial embrace again church from her improper place of cultural mission and evangelism. life culturally, but the life of the church our God-given power, societal clout, and generational Our church’s biblical convictions have is invincible, immortal, everlasting, identity as exiles wealth and ease. The church enjoyed the cooled, and most of our parishes are ever-moving—divine. And our divine and sojourners in long years of Solomonic plenty but has theologically confused, malnourished life is in our Lord Jesus Christ, who will this world.” since been weighed down by corpulence and erroneous, and have lost creedal confidence in the supernatural power of be returning soon to restore everything photo: chris l/ and sloth, miring ourselves in Solomonic shutterstock God’s Word, in God’s Holy Spirit, and in under His dominion. The church’s life in apostasy. We were never meant to enjoy the historic person of Jesus—his virgin Jesus is why I press on in prayer, why I can our pilgrim days in exile; we were meant to birth, his theanthropic life, death, bodily labour not in vain and why I bring one foot work, to witness and to wrestle in prayer. resurrection, bodily ascension, and bodily As a church, we must embrace again forward in hope. return. Our church does not need to be our God-given identity as exiles and I believe the cultural decline of the more culturally relevant or to be “with Anglican Church of Canada is the work sojourners in this world. We must never the times.” We need to “hear, read, mark, of God. It is the pruning work of the feel at home here, for our home has not learn, and inwardly digest” God’s Word. Master Vinedresser to discipline and returned from above. Until then, we must We need to take seriously and be especially refine us. He is removing the fence on prepare ourselves and the whole realm of convinced of Jesus’s death on the cross which many Anglicans have sat too long humanity to be tabernacles of God’s Holy as our only means of being reconciled to and comfortably. There can no longer be Spirit. This means we must labour for the God and to each other. We need to take a limping between two dominions: either conversion of people unto the Lord Christ See LAO, p. 22 anglican journal • january 2020 21 New wineskins for new wine The Rev. Alison Hari-Singh number of child sexual abuse cases. Sexual all know, is warming at alarming rates assistant curate, st. martin-in-the-fields, abuse has also plagued the Anglican because of human activity. The human toronto Church of Canada, especially in the Indian condition has reached a new Babel: “this residential schools that it administered. is only the beginning of what they will HE RECENT STATISTICS report Despite the church’s best efforts to apologize do; nothing that they propose to do will for the Anglican Church of Canada and provide redress, Anglicans have now be impossible for them” (Genesis begs unavoidable questions: What sustained a black eye from which we will 11:6). It is not only human potential for factors account for the ongoing decline long be recovering. Every new instance of global destruction but the evidence of 20 - 40 T of the Anglican Church of Canada? And clergy sexual misconduct is a setback to its actualization that have led many to where is God in all of this? that recovery and a deterrent to anyone question whether God is there to preserve While 20th century theological shifts considering entering any church building. us from self-annihilation. in ideas may provide some explanation, Trust has been lost. Is God there? Is God in the midst of the we cannot overestimate the effect of Developments in scientific knowledge church’s decline? We cannot answer these sociological developments and the 5 “What is the have also challenged the viability of our questions with a simplistic “Yes.” That’s growth of scientific knowledge. One such Christian ‘thing’ church. The content of our liturgy and because the realities named above compel development is the rise of global migration. all about? Our our hymnody—indeed, the scriptural us to reexamine not only tangential issues In the earlier part of the 20th century, confusion about metanarrative that undergirds the church’s of faith but core matters as well. Anglicans immigrants to Canada hailed, by and large, this question faith—is shot through with a cosmology are unclear about the horizon of our faith. from countries where Christianity was has stifled our that grates against modern discoveries What is the Christian “thing” all about? well established. But this was followed by movement in astronomy. We are learning that the Our confusion about this question has significant arrivals of people from various forward.” universe is immeasurably immense, stifled our movement forward. We are too countries where other religious traditions continually expanding, and perhaps even comfortable with the world to act with flourish. The upshot is that Anglicans are photo: contributed boundless. The idea of “heaven,” as its own confidence, as Jesus did, to bring good now living side-by-side with Muslims and transcendent space, no longer makes much news to the poor and to struggle against Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists. sense to the modern mind. How many of us principalities and powers. As these neighbours have established are committed to the intellectual gymnastics We must reimagine the entire edifice themselves, they have built their own required to confess with integrity that the of our faith, including what we mean by mosques, temples and other sites of religious Son of God “came down from heaven,” has “God” and divine attributes of sovereignty, devotion. Many of us have wondered how now “ascended,” but will “come again in providence and love that we so often the compelling integrity of their faith glory to judge the living and the dead?” instinctively depend on. In short, we practices makes sense in light of the church’s Other developments have shaken must embrace a radical theology of risk, claim that Jesus is the saviour of the world. Anglican confidence in the first of the unhindered by suspicion and fear of Moreover, our experiences of religious 39 Articles of Religion, which affirms the unknown. We cannot be afraid of diversity have fueled the secularism that that God “is the Maker, and Preserver what Peter Berger called “the heretical defines our age which, according to Charles of all things both visible and invisible.” imperative.” What will happen when we Taylor, is not necessarily antagonistic to With the production of nuclear undertake together this fundamental faith but rather regards faith as optional and weapons, reimagination? Our liturgies will become peripheral. This accounts in part for why humans now more creative. Our mission—our love interfaith marriages are now more common have the for the world—will be intensified. Our and accepted, and for why some of us have capacity to imitation of Jesus will be palpable. been less diligent to pass on the church’s detonate all of The decline of our church fills me with faith to our children. planet Earth anticipation, even hope. What will we do Another development—a major crisis— with just the with the new wine? Will we pour it into the is the exposed record of abuse in the church. push of a old wineskins and lose everything when It is not only Roman Catholic clergy and button. Earth’s those wineskins burst? Or will we find new climate, as we wineskins to pour the new wine into? g officials who are guilty of a staggering photo: bw folsom God truly works in mysterious ways Shilo Clark and sad prospect indeed. I am sad, because world changes, traditions can adapt and youth member, anglican council of I have seen the result of this back home, evolve with the times. indigenous peoples where even just paying rent for our church We can see adaptation. The passing of building has been a huge struggle for our legislation on the emerging self-determined BECAME PART of the church, at church, and we have since had to rent out Indigenous church was a huge deal for me. first, as more of an observer. In 2015 part of the building, just to help cover costs. It meant the traditions that were taken from my grandmother was invited to Sacred It’s sad to see mostly empty pews, whereas us Indigenous peoples are no longer seen ICircle, one of the largest gatherings of when I was a young child, the times I did as evil, and they have a place in worship. Anglican Indigenous peoples of its kind. attend church then, the pews would be This has given me the fuel to go forward At the age of 72, she had not been on an full—all the way to the back. and help educate my young peers—and in 5 “Today airplane before, so I volunteered to go with That being said, one cannot wallow in a world where Indigenous folks face racism individuals find her. Little did I know at that time Sacred those sombre feelings for too long, and I see in their lives, I hope the church can now feel themselves on Circle would change my life. where I stand in this—not only as a youth, like a safe place to belong to. such a wide I’m sure most people are aware of the but as an Indigenous youth. It is important Similarly, I think there ought to be many spectrum of decline in the church, but I personally that all of us who are saddened by this trend more initiatives directed towards youth, beliefs, culture was shocked by the actual of decline stand with each other in the giving them a glimpse of what the church and personal has to offer them in their lives. I think it numbers. According to pursuit of finding unique and innovative identity, and would be neat to have social initiatives the statistics report ways to bring those numbers back up. this must be that bring youth and elders together to released this fall, The church has provided faith and peace recognized by share intergenerational wisdom—to learn membership in for so many people, over so many years, the church if together, to pray together and to walk with the Anglican and I feel it is so important for the church we are to see God together. Church of to evolve with the changing times of this an upwards I don’t see this current decline in the Canada world. Today individuals find themselves trend in church could fall church as an ongoing problem for us. We on such a wide spectrum of beliefs, culture attendance.” to zero by are taking steps forward by discussing it and personal identity, and this must be photo contributed 2040 if its with each other, by educating and finding : recognized by the church if we are to see current ways to engage our youth and by embracing an upwards trend in church attendance. 4 Logo of the rate of this emerging Indigenous church. Together, The voting down of changes to Canon XXI ninth Sacred decline as one people, we are in the midst of a great [On Marriage in the Church] was, in my Circle, born by continues. time of change and evolution. Standing opinion, a step in the wrong direction for water and spirit I feel that this together will make us stronger, and we will raising attendance numbers. Tradition is a photo: acip is a frightening very big aspect of church, but I feel as the See CLARK, p. 22 22 anglican journal • january 2020

photo: ustas7777777/shutterstock

20 - 40 Living as footnotes to the story Canon Jeffrey Metcalfe sea due to the effects of climate change. place that the Great Storyteller has given canon theologian, diocese of quebec and By 2040, shifting rainfall patterns, ocean us—to care as much about our rivers as interim priest, st. michael’s, sillery, que. acidification and extreme weather events our rolls. are expected to lead to global food and Only God knows the contributions “To live in the church in North America is to water shortages, limiting the necessities of these footnotes might make. As John assume that our critique of the church is the life for a significant amount of the planet’s Henry Newman writes about St. Benedict’s most important, that our problems are the population, and the majority of the world’s ministry: most significant problems in the universal Anglicans. By 2040, nearly 50% of our church.”—Mary Jo Leddy fellow creatures will be extinct. Oh, right, He found the world, physical and I was supposed to be writing about the social, in ruins, and his mission was E NEED TO begin with Anglican Church of Canada’s survival in to restore it in the way, not of science, a perspective check. As 2040, wasn’t I? but of nature, not as if setting about Canadian theologian Mary In terms of statistically motivated to do it, not professing to do it by any set time or by any rare specific or by WJo Leddy argues, as Christians living in 5 “Our buildings survival stories, the Anglican Church of any series of strokes, but so quietly, North American, we inhabit an imperial might decay Canada’s is neither the most interesting, nor the most important. Whether and patiently, gradually, that often, till imagination. Simply put, the imperial beyond our how we tell the story of our church’s the work was done, it was not known imagination is a way of seeing the world capacity to repair institutional decline, the level of to be doing. It was a restoration, that begins with the assumption that “it’s them, our plans importance we give to it in our discourse rather than a visitation, correction, or all about us.” Whether you want to describe to redevelop can also be a product of the imperial conversion. The new world which he “us” as the story’s heroes or villains, we can the hall might imagination. helped to create was a growth rather assume that we are the most important and fall through, the Over the last year, I have been blessed to than a structure. Silent [women and] most interesting characters in the story, church mice share worship and fellowship with a group men were observed about the country, that our action or inaction is driving the might finally of about 20 or so Christians in a Quebec or discovered in the forest, digging, overthrow us, plot, and that whether the story turns out City parish. We often meet in a small, clearing, and building; and other subjecting us to right or not will also depend on us. beautiful and decaying neo-Gothic church silent [women and] men, not seen, their dominion. The imperial imagination is a problem building in an area of the city whose were sitting in the cold cloister, tiring because it runs against the grain of one These are gentrification has long since prevented their eyes, and keeping their attention of the most basic claims made by our realities we most of us from living nearby. Our church on the stretch, while they painfully faith: the story does not belong to us. We must deal with, hall is currently propped up by giant deciphered and copied and re-copied are neither its authors nor its principal but they do not cinder blocks. Hot water has long ceased the manuscripts which they had saved. characters. We are not responsible for overwhelm us, to flow through our bathroom faucets. We There was no one that “contended, or ensuring that the story comes out right. because we no longer use the word “church mice” as a cried out,” or drew attention to what Indeed, we make the audacious claim that know we don’t metaphor. was going on; but by degrees the woody the Great Storyteller has already revealed have to make the As a church community, we know swamp became a hermitage, a religious to us the story’s arc in the life of Israel and story come out our institutional existence is fragile. Our house, a farm, an abbey, a village, a the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. right.” buildings might decay beyond our capacity seminary, a school of learning, and a Our role then, rather than authorship, photo: matthew to repair them, our plans to redevelop the city. Roads and bridges connected it is attribution. We are to live our lives as townsend hall might fall through, the church mice with other abbeys and cities, which footnotes to that story. might finally overthrow us, subjecting us had similarly grown up; and what With that qualification in place, to their dominion. These are realities we the haughty Alaric or fierce Attila let’s turn to the catastrophic statistical must deal with, but they do not overwhelm had broken to pieces, these patient projections that concern us. By 2040, two us, because we know we don’t have to meditative [women and] men had of the church communities I have served make the story come out right. This frees brought together and made to live as a priest will have completely collapsed us to focus our energy on becoming more again. g because they are already falling into the faithful footnotes in the time and in the Lao: Make Jesus known—in our parishes and beyond

Continued from p. 20 I am hopeful that the Anglican Church sacramental conviction and participation— seriously and be especially convinced of Canada will persist 20 years from now. these are our Anglican conduits through of Jesus’s bodily resurrection as our God has granted us still the management which the Holy Spirit still chooses to work. only means towards cosmic justice and of enormous resources, assets, materials Let us therefore step up, stand up and live transformation. Clergy need to preach and and real estate. But those are not our most up to the historic, apostolic, and catholic teach these things in their homilies and treasured possessions. We have the creeds, richness of our Anglican heritage to declare sermons. Parents must teach these things our Bible, our common prayer, our history Christ crucified, to make Jesus known to their children who are baptised in the of missionary and theological enterprise, and glorified, to call all people to repent church. We are not God’s people if we our liturgical heritage, the beauty of biblical and believe His Holy Gospel, first in our are not people who believe and trust His language and sacred music, our global parishes and throughout the places that we Word. presence and ecumenical relationships, our are in. g Clark: We can come together as family

Continued from p. 21 which I was living, I failed to see him. As opportunity to come together as a family. be stronger still, as we will be guided by the time passed, and as I opened my mind and As a family we can fulfill what community love and grace of our God, our Creator. Not heart, I began to realize: he truly works truly means—we can lift each other up and embrace whatever may be on the horizon. I only do I not see our churches still open in mysterious ways. Instead of receiving magical, immediate strength when I prayed am always reminded of Mathew 18:20: “For in 20 years—I can see them beginning to for it, I was presented an opportunity to be where two or three are gathered together in flourish. stronger in mind, body and soul. my name, I am there in the midst of them.” Many times God has been with me, and As we consider the decline of the I think this is very important to remember due to the bleak nature of the times through church, I see God presenting us with the while looking ahead to the future. g anglican journal • january 2020 23 Looking toward God’s own pruning The Rev. Leigh Silcox, PhD capacity to manipulate and mislead? If this priest-in-charge, st. matthias’ anglican seems a harsh judgment, please read more church, toronto of the prophets and recognize our own figure in God’s condemnation. Scripture NE WEEK AGO, members of the is not a history book of past facts, but diocese of Toronto gathered for a living Word of judgment, mercy and synod. Of the many important reconciliation come to us in the Person of

20 - 40 Othings presented, the issue that actually Jesus Christ. stood out most to me was that of the What then are we to do, as Anglicans? Anglican Church of Canada’s statistical First of all, perhaps strangely, I am happy decline of 40% since 2001. This sort of for our decline. For too long, both Catholic rapid and large decline has, of course, and Protestant churches were filled with not gone unnoticed by anyone within the nominalist Christians for whom church Anglican church. Since I returned to the has been a mere social club to exercise Anglican church (from agnosticism) 14 power, influence and money, rather than years ago, this reality has been a topic of 5 “I am happy gathering and restoring them, and of this a school by which one is saved—that is, ever-present consideration for me as a for the decline repeated scenario occurring in the New reshaped and reformed by God. I am student, then priest and theologian. While because I see Testament where Jesus prays to make happy for the decline because I see this my own home parish, Trinity Anglican, in this as God’s his disciples one—one body, his body— as God’s own pruning: pruning not so as to exclude, but in chastening, in pressing Cambridge, Ont., was thriving, I quickly own pruning: and their straying from ways of life that into the humility of confession, of prayer, discovered that this was not the case for pruning not so as sustained that unity, and of this pattern of thanks, to open those who are called most congregations around the diocese of to exclude, but occurring yet again with the church’s Huron, and eventually, within the Anglican and willing to persevere in leadership, in chastening, divisions East and West, and finally the Church of Canada. in worship and in service, within the in pressing into Western church in the 16th century. And I can recall hearing many statistics particular temporal fragment of the body the humility of I wanted to know: did we Anglicans heed and suggested social and cultural reasons of Christ they are in. confession, of the warnings of those into whose lives for decline, as well as suggestions— What should be done? What did God prayer, of thanks, and circumstances we enter in Scripture? generally drawn from other places like do? He remained unto death, put to death to open those So the question I asked was this: as the England or the United States—about how Church of England had to grapple with upon the cross, took the very peculiar dioceses and parishes could prevent or who are called and particular life he took on, assumed, and willing to the consequences of the Western church’s reverse that decline. And while I found division—a contradiction to Jesus’s own was sent to live out, and remained to persevere in several responses interesting, as a relative prayer for concrete unity in life and witness just there. He did not leave for leadership, in newcomer, I also wondered why various witness—how could it go about discerning the newest or different or presumed true worship and in Anglican groups believed that their “late to the truth in faithful witness? group of worshippers. He remained with service, within the game” replication of forms of worship, What I discovered was that there was broken, often erroneous, poor, hungry, of music, of alternative forms or places of the particular most certainly a strong drive for unity, sad, rebellious, depressed, sick, abused, gathering, etc., would attract people. These temporal called comprehension in the 17th century. confused, and tormented people—those things were already being done by other fragment of the But why unity? Why not simply scour whom he’d been given simply because churches with more diverse demographics, body of Christ for the truth of Scripture as individuals of time and place. And so then should particularly that of young adults, with a they are in.” or congregations? Each of the mainline we. Though we shrink, the questions greater critical mass of people and more photo: mintr/ Church of England theologians whom I that arise from our shrinking are more shutterstock operational resources per worshipping looked at, following Erasmus and Hooker, pragmatic: should we continue with full- community. had a fairly straightforward underlying time priests, should we do house churches, I also worried that, in the midst of a premise: an individual’s ability to discern should we rent facilities rather than have culture that had grown up accustomed to the truth is obscured or obliterated by the huge overhead, should we increase or endless choice of churches from which to reality of the effects of sin. And the more decrease the size of dioceses, etc. But these shop, catering to that inclination would not one “goes off on one’s own direction,” questions are irrelevant if we do not first only fail to attract simply because we were particularly with logical or emotional commit to remain where we are, despite bringing weaker resources to a church- zeal, the more likely it is he or she will the heartbreak of decline. saturated market, so to speak, but that we be deceived in pursuing the truth. The We are in good company here. See were throwing away a niche gift that God only way to mitigate (while not entirely Jeremiah 29, or Job, or well, Jesus in the had permitted us to develop. To be sure, I removing) the effects of sin while trying garden and on the cross. In our particular was worried and continue to worry about to live faithfully in accordance with circumstances then, we will have to ask the decline of Anglicanism in the West for Scripture was to submit one’s actions to the what it looks like to remain in a kind of very practical reasons: salary, pension and discernment of the church (in this case, exile, where we have sold ourselves into a vocational future. But my greater worry is of England). A proliferation of division kind of slavery to the nations that do not actually our submission and habituation could—for these theologians—only yet know God. Let us live among them, to secular benchmarks of value, worth lead to habituation to one’s own sinful have and raise children, go about our and purpose that prevent us from humbly inclinations. work, ask if perhaps we should move our receiving grace that requires the obedient The decline of the church in general, congregation of 20 into someone’s house posture of penitence at this particular across North America, I would attribute so that we don’t have to worry about bills point in time and history. to the Western church’s division. What and can, instead, focus on learning the These were the questions that I took spiritual or moral truth could a divided, Scriptures more deeply; so that we can “go with me to seminary and ultimately, that warring, often violent and contradictory to the Greeks” and challenge and share and gave shape to my doctoral work. I found a confusion of beliefs that was once one speak, as presumed fools, of the wisdom of repetitive pattern in God’s condemnation body signify, except the inevitable human- God for which each person—since created of Israel’s division, and his promise of constructed tower of power, control and by him—is actually deeply longing. g

h a p p y n e w y e a r • b e s t w i s h e s Thank you to all our donors Donations from Canadian Anglicans to AFC made it possible to give over $1 million to support ministry in 2019. 24 anglican journal • january 2020

THE INTERVIEW4 Taylor: God wants humans to live out restlessness

There’s a Continued from p. 15 Are you saying that, in a way, when these very different starting points way in which I mean, all the different saints have God wants people to live out this find a route to the faith. Don’t feel that “ very different life courses, and there restlessness? there’s something totally clear here there’s a deep are very different things that trigger off [laughs]! I’m very much just struggling. communication their going ahead in the faith, and so Yes. between human on. And maybe the whole way in which Do you mean that if God wants people Is that because he wants people to beings even humanity is going to be, if you like, to be free, he wants them to find their penetrated with this relationship is if we experience freedom? own way to him? where there’s go on acting out new itineraries which Well, yes, I think certainly freedom is an no visible Yes. that’s certainly true. But it may also are necessarily new because the situation essential part of it, because coming to be true that there’s something like—okay, diffusion going changes, right, but it takes all of these God without freedom is not really coming I’m going to introduce another concept. on. together to bring about a fullness of to God. But I think there’s something It’s very vague, but the degree to which contact between God and humans. This about the whole sweep and development the spirit of God has penetrated the is maybe too short and too telegraphic of history, that in order for the spirit of interhuman milieu in general—that to be very clear! God really to penetrate very deeply into there is such a thing seems to me to be the human condition we have to have evident from our history. Take things more of these itineraries or tracks coming like the great axial changes, you know from a different way of being human to what I mean, that great epoch, I’m using the faith. That’s what ought to be going [German philosopher Karl] Jaspers’s on in missionary territories, right? I think concept—are you familiar with that, the supports international the genius of the early Jesuits was—with big changes—that somehow these occur [Italian Jesuit] Matteo Ricci in China— at roughly the same period? There’s a development and the that you find a route from this non- way in which, I believe—this of course united nations sustainable European culture to the faith, and it’s not is the greatest leap of faith, and scientific going to be the same as what it was like in minds just shriek in horror—there’s a way development goals Spain, or Italy or anywhere in Europe. in which there’s a deep communication Now, you could say the good of that between human beings even where there’s is just that you have more members. no visible diffusion going on, contact, No. I think the good of that is that the etc. And it’s that human milieu which is relationship between humanity as a whole and God is strengthened and deepened Continued on p. 25

MOTHERS’ UNION providesMOTHERS’ a Parenting UNION, on Workshop behalf of theProgram, Anglican free of charge, in 23 countries aroundChurch ofthe Canada, world. providesOver a periodunsolicited of six and weeks, caregivers share theunexpected joys and challenges $1,000 ​gifts of to bringing clergy families up children. who are named by Bishops of the Council of the North in The program rotation.is open toEvery those penny of alldonated faiths goes or none. to the Fund. canadianmothersunion.cacanadianmothersunion.ca From February 2– 8, Global Affairs Canada will celebrate the 30th annual International Development Week. The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund supports this uniquely Canadian tradition, whose goal is to engage Canadians on global issues and to lift up Canadian contributions to international development. With the support of Anglicans in Canada, PWRDF and its Need to sign up for, update or cancel many partners in Canada and around the world are working towards achieving the 17 SDGs listed above. Read our annual your subscription to the Journal? report at pwrdf.org/annualreport to learn how.

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So in a certain sense this culture of searchers “can help produce a new kind of ecumenicism, which is not simply the ecumenicism of, ‘Let’s not fight,’ or the ecumenicism of, ‘Let’s stop hurling insults,’ but an actual ecumenicism of friendship, openness and so on. And I can’t help feeling this is part of what the gospel is calling us to.

See RIDE, p. 2 that Christians would enter into contact the idea of them coming together is with Muslims and others who are also a chimera, it’s never going to happen, searching and find a lot in common, right? So in the end it’s such a kind of right? Find a lot that they could learn ineffectual generalization that it can’t from each other. And find a way of be anybody’s religious or spiritual living together. The interesting thing practice. So there are always going to that is also feeding me is the following be differences. The question is, what do observation: that almost all the great we do with them, how do we face them, religions are a little bit divided between how do we relate to people across them? people who are looking at their faith as a kind of journey and those who are What do you think might happen very fixated on certain rules. Think of to institutional religion in this Islam—the very tight, narrow Shariah atmosphere of searching? Do you interpretations on one hand, versus think the churches are likely to close various forms of Sufism on the other. in the coming decades? There’s obviously more to it, but there’s a Continued from p. 24 5 Taylor cites No, no, no, not at all. Because the kind of parallel to our own situation in something that gradually gets changed the approach practice of Christianity, when you what you could call Christendom now. and more and more penetrated by the of Italian Jesuit get really deeply into it, involves The interesting thing is that people who spirit of God. Matteo Ricci, congregations, it involves churches, are very much into those rules are just And one of the things that makes that who worked it involves sacraments and so on, that a lot of the time itching [laughs] to get penetration more powerful and profound to indigenize you can’t just reinvent or do on your at the other guys, and are either very is connections from very different starting Christianity in own. But you could have a situation in anti-Christian or anti-Muslim. And points that get made in places that didn’t which the number of people actually China. the people who are not—who are into have any connection before—so that there and practicing is relatively small photo: public domain the other kind—are really interested the whole penetration of the gospel into in the society, but the impact is great in listening, talking. So in a certain the human community has been greatly because it’s one of the broadcasting sense this culture of searchers can help changed by the fact that there are now centres through which people, with produce a new kind of ecumenicism, Christians in China, India, etc. That’s their antennae out to get some kind of which is not simply the ecumenicism of, something people can accept, if you direction and spiritual growth, could be “Let’s not fight,” or the ecumenicism of, put it geographically like that, but how attuned, and will be attuned. “Let’s stop hurling insults,” but an actual about putting it temporally—see, that Think of how, in our respective ecumenicism of friendship, openness you have here another civilization and churches, there are lots of people and so on. And I can’t help feeling this is another context which is growing up There are who are very much into this culture part of what the gospel is calling us to. for the reasons I mentioned earlier: the always of searching, but for whom the disappearance of the magic universe, and “ sacraments or whatever are important, going to be Why do you say that? the meaningful cosmos and so on. It’s like so they belong to a church. What’s Ricci going to China, okay? And when differences. Well, because this kind of openness to happening in our church, and I’m Ricci goes to China he doesn’t expect The question the other—trying to understand the sure this is happening in the Anglican they’re all going to say, ‘Oh yes!’ There has is, what do we other, trying to communicate with church—I’m not sure, but I guess— to be some back-and-forth in which you do with them, the other, not twisting their arms, not that some people find distressing, but can discover a way in which they could putting a priori, “You’ve gotta be—, I think inevitable—[is that] “affinity accede to the faith. how do we before we start talking,” seems to me to parishes” come into existence. So in St. I wrote something on this called A face them, how be central to the gospel. X, a lot of people are cursing [Pope] Catholic Modernity? in which I tried to do we relate to Francis—I’m talking about Catholics make the comparison between these people across And the idea is that if there’s a here—and saying, “Let’s have no Jesuit missions in the 16th century and greater interchange between these them? artificial contraception,” etc., etc., etc., moving into the modern epoch. Consider religions it wouldn’t just result in a and in church St. Y, something quite it as the faith arriving in a totally new kind of bland spiritual porridge, but different is going on—it’s more open, predicament. You have to help people find perhaps it could stimulate members it’s Taizé-like, but people are together a way from where they are to that, and it of each religion to more deeply around the sacraments, which is seems to me that this great widespread understand their own tradition? important. But this is the way the thing culture of searching is the route by which is going to work out. The problem is in Yes, absolutely. And the idea of there this can come about. our church—and I think probably in being a porridge here is impossible. your church too [laughs]—the problem That’s not what religious faith is like— So people are reaching God through is to stop the possible civil war between not just in our religion, but anywhere. an ever-greater variety of itineraries St. X and St. Y, you see. That is the big It’s a set of practices, it’s a set of very nowadays. conundrum. powerful images, it’s a set of attempts Yes. to achieve relationship with something very different. And so we recognize that Are you saying there will always be Could you perhaps say that because we’re not the same, we recognize we’re churches because there will always of this, the glory of God is being never going to be the same. The Dalai be people who are able to reconcile revealed in a new way? Lama has this wonderful expression, their need to be authentic and their need to be seekers, with belonging Yes. “You can’t put a sheep’s head on a yak’s body [laughs]!” The practices of being to an institution? But is all this searching actually a Christian are very different from Yes, because if you have some sense of going to lead to God? those of being a Muslim. There ought the importance of the sacraments, for to be some overlap, but it is something instance—if that’s part of your path— Some of it will. Yes. The nature of different and you can’t run ’em at the then there’s got to be a church for you. searching of this kind—some of it will same time, right? You’re going to be Not necessarily a building, but there’s got lead all over the place. But then we could one or the other or some third thing to be some kind of community where easily imagine—I see this happening— or fourth thing or fifth thing, right? So they say mass, or whatever the ritual is. g 26 anglican journal • january 2020

in this part of his church.” support he has received from her, from PEOPLE4 As bishop he says his vision the diocese and the other nominees. Athabasca elects new bishop includes bringing younger generations Greenwood has been a parish priest ‘Did that really happen?’” Joelle Kidd in to “join us in worship and working in the diocese of Athabasca since 2015. staff writer As a nominee, Greenwood says he for the Kingdom of God,” as well as He has been in the diocese since Canon David Greenwood was elected felt worried, seeing the role of a bishop clergy and parish care. “Our clergy are 1988, when he and his family moved to bishop of the diocese of Athabasca as a difficult one, with stresses coming quite spread out in dispersed parishes,” Fort McMurray. He worked for 30 years at an electoral synod at St. James from all directions. However, when the he says, adding that he looks forward at Syncrude Canada Ltd., as a computer Cathedral in Peace River, Alta., Nov. results came in, “I was quite surprised to finding ways to build relationship programmer, systems designer and photo: joy maccomb 16. He was elected on the third ballot. that the actual feeling I had was one with and nurture clergy and parishes. architect, reporting architect and Greenwood In an email interview with of humility,” Greenwood says. “I am Greenwood says he is excited for the supervisor. In 2004, he was ordained as succeeds Bishop the Journal, Greenwood said the very humbled that God appointed me adventure that he and wife Benita are a vocational deacon; in 2012 he sensed Fraser Lawton. experience was “quite surreal, as in, through the people of God electing me now on, and that he is thankful for the a call to the priesthood. g General Synod hires communications director Joelle Kidd communications, Vecsi manages a media outlets to execute the church’s according to an Anglican Church staff writer team of 12 employees, overseeing communications strategy. of Canada press release. He has had The national office of the Anglican the Anglican Journal and Anglican Vecsi has worked in experience overseeing print and online Church of Canada welcomed Video as well as the national church’s communications leadership across a publications, social and traditional Joseph (Joe) Vecsi as director of social media and websites. He will number of industries, including public media, government relations, strategy communications in October. also work with various committees, service, financial services, not-for- development and execution and crisis In his role as director of governance bodies, governments and profit associations and health care, communications. g

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Home Office: (226) 664-0350 tion contact: The Principal, Canterbury degrees (S.T.M., M.A., Ph.D.) offered TRADITIONAL OR tance education. Call for details and a through McGill. Located in downtown The Faculty also offers an eight-course email: [email protected] CONTEMPORARYSAVE $200pp*College, 2500 University Ave. West, course calendar. Information: The Montreal. Residence and apartments certificate in Anglican Studies. ORIGINAL DESIGNS Windsor, Ontario N9B 3Y1. Phone EXPERT RESTORATIONS Provost, Thorneloe University, Ramsey for students and visitors. For informa- Director: Prof. Kevin Flynn, 223 Main, AND REPAIRS 519-256-6442, fax 519-256-3382, Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6. tion, please contact : The Principal, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4 IS GOD CALLING YOU e-mail: [email protected] or visit our Email: [email protected] 1-866-846-7635 Fax: (705) 673- 4979. 3473 University St., Montreal, Quebec Phone: 613-236-1393, Ext. 2427 TO GO DEEPER? 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Founded in 1879 as Become part of a close knit academic 2Addresses008. For more ‘hard detailsto discuss’ go to:issues. • emailtraditional [email protected] TO GO- contemporary DEEPER? ties! How well is it addressed in your the first university in northwestern community while taking advantage of [email protected] or phone Ruth at • releading & restoration Visit www.morethanfriends.live church community? Take skill-building Canada, Emmanuel and St. Chad everything the University of Manitoba 1-780-842-2478 Join the• storm glazing June to Dec offers a challenging theological cur- for more information. Sisters of St. John workshops and gain confidence to has to offer. Our residence has single • custom woodworking riculum focused on Anglican found- theadvertising Divineenquiries (Anglican) invited contact: for a deal with conflict in creative and posi- ations, depth of Bible study, and solid rooms and 3 suites for a total of 100 life of love, prayer, and service. tive ways. Topics include understand- students, as well as excellent services, CANADIAN BANK NOTES contact:471 Newbold [email protected] Street, community formation for strong con- Church Windows London, Ont. N6E 1K4 ing conflict, spiritual practices and gregational leadership in a changing and the best food on campus. College Paying Top Dollar stained glass www.ssjd.ca Dominion and Bank of Canada (519) 649-7225 healing rituals for conflict resolution, world. Be part of the only ecumenical members are eligible for scholarships Fax: (519) 649-7226 mediation, racism, facilitation skills, theological school in Canada where and bursaries (over $60,000 awarded Buying, Auction or Consignment www.edwardsglass.net and theological perspectives. Take Anglicans and Lutherans study and annually). The Faculty of Theology, a THE COIN CABINET Proud Supporters of The Arthritis Society workshops for interest only or obtain a worship together on the same campus. contributing member of the Winnipeg Moncton, NB & Toronto, ON EstablishedLarry Gee1920 Certificate in Conflict Management for Degrees offered: B.Th., M.T.S., M.Div., Theological Cooperative, offers ARTISTS AND CRAFTSMEN Faith Communities. Clergy receive a S.T.M., some courses available on-line. accessible theological education at the Brian Bell IN STAINED GLASS ANGLICAN JOURNAL 10% discount. 519-885-0220 ext. 24254 Principal: Dr. Walter Deller, M.Div. level: a Diploma in Applied [email protected] (905) 669-4244 (226) 664-0350 [email protected] 114 Seminary Crescent, Saskatoon, SK Theology and an Advanced Certificate (506) 857-9403 Education Directory S7N 0X3; Phone: (306) 975-3753; UNIT #6, 8481 KEELE STREET [email protected] grebel.uwaterloo.ca/certificate in Priestly Ministry. (204) 474-8531. We travel throughout Canada CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 1Z7 ______Fax: (306) 934-2683; [email protected] TRINITY COLLEGE The oldest centre E-mail: [email protected]; ______Website: www.usask.ca/stu/emmanuel for theological studies in the Anglican TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL, ______Church of Canada, the Faculty of Port Hope, ON is one of the most HURON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE 2 ANGLICAN JOURNAL • March 2010 Divinity offers a wide variety of accred- well-established coeducational, inde- RENISON COLLEGE, University of London, Ontario Whether you're seek- ited programs, at master’s and doctor- pendent schools in Canada. Since Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario ing personal development, a critical al levels, in ecumenical collaboration 1865, TCS has built a reputation of Give your child the best in education graduate research environment, or within the Toronto School of Theology high academic standards, small class and resident life. Residences provide a ministry skills for ordination, Huron and in federation with the University of sizes, an international flavour, and a family atmosphere and build commu- can accommodate your needs. Toronto. Liberal and catholic in theol- devoted, caring faculty. TCS prides nity spirit. Rooms are spacious, com- Affiliated with The University of ogy, consciously reflective of the liturgy itself on maintaining a unique balance fortable, with modern conveniences, Western Ontario, the Faculty of and the spiritual life, encouraging between tradition and progressiveness. such as Internet hook-ups. General Theology is ATS accredited. Offering: excellence in the practice of ministry, From Latin classes and daily chapel and Honours BA programs in Arts and B.Th., M.Div., MTS, MA degrees; Lay Social Development. Honours engaged in current issues of society, services to wireless Internet and the Certificate; and spring or summer annual Mexican vs. Caribbean Islander Bachelor of Social Work. Asian Studies youth program, "Ask & Imagine." connected to church communities and hockey game, it’s a community that and ESL programs. For info: Dean of Theology, 1349 offering financial support in all pro- allows young people to find their pas- For further information contact Western Rd., London, ON, N6G 1H3. grams. For more information please sions and challenge the ordinary. 519.884.4404 ext. 610 for residence Email: [email protected] contact: Faculty of Divinity, Trinity Education is the most valuable invest- or ext. 633 for program. Phone: (519) 438-7224, X289. College, 6 Hoskin Avenue, Toronto ment and ultimately, TCS is the invest- www.renison.uwaterloo.ca Web: www.huronuc.ca ON M5S 1H8 (416) 978-2133 ment of a lifetime. To set up a visit or [email protected] obtain more information, please con- ______tact Admissions Office at 905-885- MONTREAL DIOCESAN SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY 3209 or Email: [email protected] THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE, affiliated Faculty of Theology CANTERBURY COLLEGE ______with McGILL UNIVERSITY and a ANGLICAN STUDIES PROGRAM RLM Windsor, Ontario (affiliated with the member of the ecumenical MONTREAL Academic and pastoral formation take University of Windsor) Ecumenical THORNELOE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY, is a commu- place in the unique setting of a Roman nity of scholars and ministers offering Doctorate of Ministry Programme for Sudbury, Ontario An innovative and Catholic University with a crosscultur- thriving Anglican College within programs designed to help students al, bilingual milieu. The program pre- active clergy and a Programme for the develop theological depth, grow in Laurentian University, our Fine Arts, pares candidates for both lay and Community of Deacons for lay training spiritual maturity and exercise pastoral Classics, Theatre Arts, Women’s ordained ministries in the Anglican Robert and enrichment. The College provides leadership. Programs lead to L.Th., McCausland accommodation for any student of the Studies, and Religious Studies pro- B.Th., Dip.Min. and M.Div. L.Th. may Church. Academic formation is pur- Limited university in 102 single rooms in 11 grammes lead to Laurentian University be combined with distance education. sued through the undergraduate civil furnished houses and for married stu- degrees. We also offer Theology at the Certificate in Theology available Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) and the Artists & Craftsmen of Bachelor’s and Diploma level. Master in Pastoral Theology (M.P.Th.) dents in 37 apartments. For informa- through home study. Advanced Stained Glass since 1856 Programmes on campus and by dis- Programs of the Faculty of Theology. tion contact: The Principal, Canterbury degrees (S.T.M., M.A., Ph.D.) offered TRADITIONAL OR tance education. Call for details and a through McGill. Located in downtown The Faculty also offers an eight-course CONTEMPORARY College, 2500 University Ave. West, course calendar. Information: The Montreal. Residence and apartments certificate in Anglican Studies. ORIGINAL DESIGNS Windsor, Ontario N9B 3Y1. Phone EXPERT RESTORATIONS Provost, Thorneloe University, Ramsey for students and visitors. For informa- Director: Prof. Kevin Flynn, 223 Main, AND REPAIRS 519-256-6442, fax 519-256-3382, Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6. tion, please contact : The Principal, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4 e-mail: [email protected] or visit our Email: [email protected] 1-866-846-7635 Fax: (705) 673- 4979. 3473 University St., Montreal, Quebec Phone: 613-236-1393, Ext. 2427 Website: www.eternalglass.com web site: http://www.uwindsor.ca/ E-mail: [email protected] Web H3A 2A8. (514) 849-3004. [email protected] general/canterbury/ site: http://thorneloe.laurentian.ca/ www.montreal.anglican.org/mdtc. www.ustpaul.ca 30 Chauncey Ave., Toronto, Ont. M8Z 2Z4 Telephone (416) 233-9530 Fax (416) 234-5450 Call Toll Free 1-800-563-1555

Use the ANNIVERSARIES HEADING in the classifieds to inform past parishioners & clergy of upcoming events. Contact: ADVERTISING ANGLICAN JOURNAL Larry Gee 416-924-9199, ext 310 Fax: 416-925-8811 Email: [email protected] 28 anglican journal • january 2020

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