BREAKING: Mere Anglicanism Conference "Cancels" Calvin Robinson

Remarks on Women’s Ordination are the apparent reason.

NOTE: Please see the update at the end.
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I do not recall this substack ever doing breaking news, but this is significant to a number of my readers.  So I think I owe them an alert to this development.

Fr. Calvin Robinson has been disinvited from speaking at the remainder of the Mere Anglicanism conference:

I have been cancelled a few time[s] now.

This is the first time I have been cancelled from an event during the event.

I apologise to people who were looking forward to the panel discussion and Q&A today.

I have been disinvited from Mere Anglicanism.

Yesterday, he gave a stirring and frank talk exposing severe problems with feminism and women’s ordination (WO) within the church.  Although there are women priests present, one would think that at a generally conservative Anglican conference, his talk would be well received.  And I am aware of friends there who loved it.

But overnight he has been disinvited from speaking at the remainder of the conference.  And his outspoken opposition to WO in his remarks is the apparent presenting reason.  I asked him, “Father Calvin, were you given an explanation? Was it because of the warnings against women’s ordination?”  He answered, “Yes.”

On Facebook, he gave a fuller answer:

[The] director, the Rev’d Jeff Miller disagreed with me that feminism and WO are inherently linked to the problems facing the Western Church.

In my talk on Critical Theories I suggested that feminism is the entry by which Critical Race Theory, Gender Theory and Queer Theory gain ground. My talk was titled “Critical Theory: Antithetical to the Gospel?”

Rev’d Jeff made it clear to me this morning that he had expected me to speak exclusively on Critical Race Theory.

I’m a bit floored and do not want to jump to conclusions or overreact, which would be very un-Anglican, but this is not good.  The Mere Anglicanism conference is supported mainly by Anglicans who are conservative on WO and other issues.  If this is not remedied and fast, that conference might as well forget about convening in future years.  Frankly, if I were there, I would walk out noisily and demand my money back.

Second, this at the very least harms the “two integrities” model of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA).  We in effect agree to disagree agreeably on WO.  Well, the Mere Anglicanism conference just exploded over all that.  And this in a year when the ACNA Provincial Assembly will meet and choose a new Archbishop.  I do not want to exaggerate or presume the effect on ACNA when this just happened overnight.  But this is not good.

I am remaining alert for statements from the conference leaders (I see none yet.) or other developments.  Again, this is not a breaking news substack, but I think I should perhaps become one for this development.  It is that significant for those of us in or friendly to ACNA.

I ask friends of ACNA to pray.

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UPDATE:

Fr Calvin Robinson

has posted a fuller account of the events, including a transcript of his address.  This is a must read on this matter, and I appreciate Fr. Calvin for posting it.

Also, I should add that I’ve had a private email exchange with a director of the Mere Anglican conference, and I see no significant conflict between his account and Robinson’s account even though they are obviously on opposing sides. I told him that I would be glad to post his comments within reason. He apparently does not desire that at this time.

Cancelled from Mere Anglicanism