A Puzzling Statement: A Few Thoughts About the Recent Statement of the Court on the Trial of a Bishop
Prayer is essential. So are honest questions.
A Puzzling Statement
I wasn’t expecting to hear anything further from the Court for the Trial of a Bishop until the proceedings began in September. So I was surprised to see a public statement released on July 9. I first came across it on X.
To be honest, I found myself puzzled.
The Court calls upon the Church to pray “for those who have brought allegations, for the Respondent and his family, for the witnesses, and for the members of the Court,” asking that all involved would be granted “a pure intention, a patient faith, divine discernment, and a love for justice tempered by God’s grace.”
On that point, there should be full agreement.
Of course we should pray. We should pray for everyone involved. We should pray for Archbishop Steve Wood, for those who have brought allegations, for the witnesses, for the members of the Court, and for the peace and witness of the Anglican Church in North America.
Most Anglicans love their Church. Social media may amplify frustration and rumor, but that is not where most faithful church members live. Most simply want the trial to begin, the matter to be resolved justly, and the Province to move forward.
Where I struggled with the statement was elsewhere.
