A Comment on a Comment

A comment posted at Stand Firm in response to "The DCNY Way" (The DCNY Way is a DCNY blog editorial that was posted here on 5/8):

The measure of a ‘better’ strategy is inextricably linked to the ultimate goal. Perhaps a ‘better’ strategy could be found if the ultimate goal was to maximize financial return. But I suspect the ultimate goal is not to maximize financial return, but instead to raze Anglican othodoxy, and salt the ground where it stood. In this case, the measure of a successful strategy is the amount of destruction visited upon the orthodox enemy. Liberals are willing to spend vast amounts of money to see that goal achieved. Every action they take gives evidence to the truth of this assertion.

It’s not about the money. It’s about driving the orthodox into the wilderness, and scattering them to the winds.

Response: Churches are not in the business of maximizing financial return; they are in the business of bringing others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. When funds are directed to other purposes (like lawsuits and paying for empty buildings) the church is failing in its mission.

If the objective of the DCNY is to destroy the orthodox, then the DCNY is not only failing but is also in violation of a number of explicit statements from our Lord Jesus Christ. For example, if we are the enemy, then the DCNY way is in direct conflict with our Lord's exhortation to love your enemy. If we are Christian brethren, then the DCNY way is in direct conflict with our Lord's exhortation to love one another. Again we find that the party that proclaims inclusive love transparently lives in contradiction to their rhetoric.

The strategy of destroying the orthodox in the DCNY has thus far resulted in not one, but two congregations of the orthodox in Syracuse (an AMIA parish and a CANA church plant), another in Vestal and a fourth in Binghamton. While the DCNY pays for two empty buildings in Vestal it will be receiving two more empty buildings in Syracuse and is suing for two more buildings in Binghamton. All the monies spent on legal fees and building expenses are lost to the mission of the church.

Instead of driving the orthodox into the wilderness the DCNY way has resulted in a half dozen or so front page stories in the local newspaper about the orthodox churches of St. Andrew's, Vestal and Good Shepherd in Binghamton. The DCNY has provided for our best publicity while giving themselves several black eyes in the process.

The DCNY talks about being the passionate presence of God, but all I've seen them passionate about is closing the diocesan camp and conference center, persecuting Fr. David Bollinger and suing orthodox parishes. The vast amounts of monies spent are not achieving even the despicable goals of pecusa, let alone godly ones.