Pushing “Social Justice” in ACNA Disregards Too Many Faithful

Alexander Wilgus has well responded to an article advocating more unity between The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and The Episcopal Church (TEC). One problem he has with such increased unity and relationships is that it does not give enough weight to the difficult experiences of those perhaps slightly older who fled TEC.  

Ask any of them: it was not a concern for “being right” that caused the men, women, youth, and children to separate themselves from their ancestral congregations which–they assure me–had ceased to partake in Christ’s body, and instead given themselves over to become literal bodies of death. These acts were discerned through years of deep and careful prayer. Besides this, their decision to flee from false teaching, which in so many cases cost them property, friendships and reputations, ought to be honored by those of us in the next generation… 

I think a similar argument can be made against pushing “social justice” political agendas in ACNA and other predominantly orthodox churches. Part of the bad memories of many who fled “mainline” denominations, including TEC, is they saw their churches pushing political agendas they find repugnant. 

I remember being especially offended by my Presbyterian Church in the U. S. (PCUS), into which I was baptized, pushing legal abortion on demand and constantly siding with the Soviet Union against President Ronald Reagan. (Trust that I am notexaggerating.) Such was done in the name of being “prophetic” among other inane rationalizations. 

When I decided to leave PCUS and “mainline” denominations in general behind for that and other reasons, I thought with relief that I was leaving such churchly Leftism long behind as well.

So imagine my chagrin when I began to see ACNA, the formation of which I enthusiastically supported, being used as a venue for “social justice” agendas.  No, the leadership of ACNA is not as whole hog behind lib/left politics as PCUS was and TEC is. But ACNA initiatives behind “social justice” have proliferated and those who are pushing “justice” (a buzzword in ACNA now) keep getting promoted to leadership. 

When I first noticed this tendency, it was the first time I realized something might be seriously wrong with ACNA.  Yes, I had been warned that ACNA had “the Episcopalian virus,” but I disregarded those warnings . . . until I saw ACNA sponsoring “justice” through the Matthew 25 Project, the Anglican Multiethnic Network, The Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO), etc.  

Anyway, seeing all this has me considering exit scenarios just ten years after attending and cheering the formation of ACNA.  I never thought I would ever be at this point.  I once would have laughed at anyone who suggested I would be.  Again, I thought I had left such toxic church politics behind.  Of course, I knew that ACNA contains people of differing political views.  But it never occurred to me that those of a more Leftist political bent would so disrespect conservatives and gain so much influence as to push their political agendas under ACNA auspices.

I am not alone. Many now in ACNA and other orthodox churches fled “mainline” churches and their toxic Leftist politics.  They have no desire to see their own churches once again being used to push Leftist agendas they find repugnant.  Using the church to push “social justice” offends these faithful and stresses their loyalty and support.  Disregarding their experiences and consciences by returning to the vomit of LibChurch politics* puts the unity of ACNA at further risk.

*Proverbs 26:11