ACNA Bishop From Pulpit Says Calvin Robinson had “Unclean Spirit”
UPDATE: Bishop Farmer apologizes.
UPDATE: Bishop Farmer has apologized both to Fr. Calvin Robinson and to the concerned public. I for one appreciate it. I consider this part of the matter forgiven and over.
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Late last week it seemed the Mere Anglicanism upset was finally beginning to calm down somewhat in spite of unhelpful letters from Bishops Chip Edgar and Todd Hunter, which you may find in the notes of my latest podcast.
What's the Big Deal About Women's Ordination?
I, too, used to wonder why some are so adamant against women’s ordination. So I think an explanation might be helpful. Here’s my first post on the Mere Anglicanism situation. Here’s that letter from Chip Edgar, the Bishop of South Carolina. Here’s a more balanced statement from Forward in Faith
After hearing of discussions behind the scenes and listening to advice, Calvin Robinson decided not to release his tape of the meeting at which Jeff Miller, accompanied by Bishop Chip Edgar, dismissed Robinson from a conference panel. And there were two or three days of relative quiet.
But then, during a service of confirmation and ordination yesterday, Bishop Alex Farmer of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) Diocese of the Gulf Atlantic said Robinson had an unclean spirit at the Mere Anglicanism conference. Yes, he actually said that although he did not use Robinson’s name:
Recently I was at a conference up in Charleston — maybe some of you have heard about it — and a brother got up and began to speak, and it sounded as if he might be speaking a word of truth to the congregation. But the more I listened, there was no love in his message, there was no compassion, no grace. And increasingly since that time I’ve recognized that in fact this person wasn’t led of the Spirit but in fact was giving himself over to an unclean spirit in the midst of our congregation. And ultimately he was invited off of a panel and chastised for his willingness to give himself over.
I, of all people, am at a loss for words — polite words at least. But the Old Jamestown Church blog has some words along with a video clip of that part of the sermon.
Robinson has responded this morning:
To have feminists and white knights walking out whilst I read from the scriptures was bad enough. To have a bishop decide that I gave myself over to unclean spirits in order to subtly deceive the congregation is too much.
If this was the secular world I would call it libellous. This is worse than that. For a shepherd to hear the truth and to call it demonic, and to hear orthodoxy and call it deception, this is apostasy.
These wolves in sheep’s clothing are leading their flocks astray.
What began with Bishop Chip Edgar and Bishop Todd Hunter releasing uncharitable statements seeped in Critical Theories has ended in Bishop Alex Farmer outright calling me a deceiver with an unclean spirit.
“Dual integrities” in practice means to affirm women’s orders or be silent. To question the modern innovation and to favour Church tradition and Biblical teaching is a heresy to the new orthodoxy of Critical Theories. Feminism has won the day.
So it seems.
Those aforementioned behind the scenes discussions had better come up with something good. I’ve already heard from one priest that if nothing happens, he will consider taking his parish out of ACNA. Others see the overt hostility towards those who oppose women’s ordination and question whether ACNA can and should stay together. At the least, it is not easy to see how the status quo can hold.
But I’m still praying and urge you to pray. ACNA needs it.
To me the bishop’s inappropriate virtue signaling comment shows spiritual immaturity. Does the bishop really think that by applying woke cultural standards within the church, he has the spiritual gift of discernment?
This is the worst of Charismatic-speak; someone (in this case, to make matters worse, an office holder who possesses influence) can merely claim to "discern spirits" and not be required to give any more of an explanation than an appeal to his subjective "feelz." Sad to watch the ACNA succumb to such inanities.