May 2009: Charlie Masters

Charlie Masters. Photo: Sue CarelessCharlie Masters is the National Director of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), an organization of 28 Anglican parishes in Canada, several of which have left the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). Karen Stiller interviewed Masters.

KS: Will what the mainline Church in Canada is dealing with now hit the Evangelical Church a few years down the road?

CM: Evangelicalism, like any movement, is vulnerable. But if our mistakes, like a failure to be vigilant, and some of our successes can be helpful I would be very happy. Sometimes in Evangelicalism you hear rhetoric that was happening within our church 30 years ago that appeared to be enlightened but, in fact, represented a drift from biblical truth. It’s extremely difficult to be both alive and hold to something historic. Inevitably it feels like something has to give. We feel we have to help God out a bit! I think it’s a church history fact that you can tend to let go of things that you think might be problematic to the public. So, within the discussion about same-sex unions, the church has allowed the culture to be the filter through which they determine what is true and right — instead of Scripture. It is well-meaning but disastrous.

KS: What is the big deal about same-sex unions?

CM: Maybe I could start by saying that if you were going to choose an issue that could divide compassionate, gracious people, this would be the best one you could imagine. Because the fact is that the Scriptures, Old Testament and New Testament, are absolutely consistent about what they have to say about homosexual sex, that it is always presented negatively and as contrary to God’s will. To get to the point where you say ‘we should bless this’ and thus affirm it as a kind of holiness, then you have to choose to ignore the Scriptures. It suggests that the compassionate thing is to affirm people in the situation in which they find themselves if it is sufficiently compelling, instead of believing in the transformative power of the gospel to take what we all are, which is sinners, who have all kinds of needs and desires that are contrary to God’s will, and believe that he can change us and make us new people.

KS: What have you learned through this struggle?

CM: I think that the Scriptures talk about two things; preach the gospel in season and out of season, and guard the good deposit. The fun part is preaching the gospel, the un-fun part is being perceived as being narrow for trying to protect something. Sometimes in our quest to be winsome and open and approachable we can let go or not give adequate strength to things that are absolutely essential. Our people need to learn to be truly biblical, where they can discern between Christian words that have been given different meanings and the word that is the Word. There is an assumption in the Bible that there is a cost, some kind of suffering if you walk for Christ....In the ACC, we found ourselves in a position where all our instincts said ‘don’t go there’ on this issue, because it’s going to cost you. But, to date, I would say that I am not aware of any who have taken the stand to secede from their previous church and join the ANiC who have regretted it. They felt it was something they had to do, that they had no choice. That having been costly, it was a good thing.

KS: What do you think will happen in the next five years, for ANiC and for the ACC?

CM: We should never give up praying for the renewal of the ACC. As time goes by what is important to ANiC and what is important to the ACC will become clear. As for us, I hope we will continue to grow. I hope we will be planting churches. We are trusting that we will be part of this North American province. It will be an encouragement to us to be part of a very credible body of believers, and we will have something to contribute to that as well. For me personally, my motivation has not been just standing for truth, but the belief that there was a harvest on the other side. That there would be an opportunity to be unencumbered in the preaching of the gospel, that you can actually be strengthened by your fellow clergy, by your bishop, by the organization, in your fulfilling of the Great Commission. I pray that Anglicanism will take its place in the Body of Christ in Canada. Because I believe that there will be a segment of the population that cannot be reached by anyone else. And that is what motivates me.

KS: Charlie, even as an Anglican myself, I am confused by the sheer number of groups and acronyms within the Anglican renewal movement in Canada.

CM: Well, there is a question as to whether we’ve made what was simple complicated or whether our structures have just reflected the complexity. I think it’s the latter. Unity is not based on strategy, we are one in Christ. But when things are going badly, people come to very strong conclusions [about] how to respond to the need.

Early on, Essentials [the movement from which ANiC grew] concluded there were two necessary strategies: to call the ACC from within back to its biblical orthodoxy, and to live with the distinct possibility that the ACC would not repent and respond. There needed to be a way for people to remain connected to the Anglican Communion, but outside the ACC—generally these are Anglicans who have concluded renewal from within will not happen and that we are losing too much ground from a mission perspective if we don’t take some action.

But I agree, when you put all the groups together, with all their acronyms, it’s bizarre. It’s precisely that problem that makes the province so important. We’ll be part of a church as opposed to a group sponsored by a group overseas.

KS: Can you explain this new ecclesiastical province?

CM: As it became clear things were going badly in Anglicanism in North America, various churches that had disassociated themselves from the ACC were being given care by various primates and bishops internationally, so the fragmentation of orthodox Anglicans was becoming more and more of an issue. In 2004/5 the Global South leaders who were offering that care made it clear that they were not prepared to be used as a means for groups to get their own turf within the North American scene, but only doing what they were doing as an emergency measure. They called on orthodox Anglicans to come together in common cause and make sure they were pulling together and not pulling apart. There was an acknowledgement that now was the time for a North American province to form and the Common Cause Partnership was called to be the means through which a plan, canons and a constitution could be drafted.

KS: Clearly not every orthodox Anglican congregation has taken the path your group has--not officially joined up with your movement. Has that been a disappointment?

CM: I think that when I’m thinking well, I don’t feel let down, that I recognize this is an issue of call. I come from a diocese where it wasn’t such a difficult decision to make. It was clear to me that I needed to be in ANiC. But because we are sinners, we are all prone to thinking that others are dropping the ball and that if they only joined us things would be perfect. Most people, when they think soberly, would acknowledge this is a very tough call for people and it is a decision that literally every Anglican needs to make. Grace needs to be offered in abundance to allow people who you know are in the Lord to come to their conclusions. If you don’t support one another you just become bitter. And who wants a denomination founded on bitterness?

KS: Speaking of bitterness, this is a debate built upon, it seems, the issue of blessing same-sex unions which is a very emotional issue for some. How negative does it become?

CM: I think that it hasn’t remained entirely civil because there are court cases going on. There have been regular calls for calmer heads to prevail. I think that in ANiC we are trying very hard to move on from the struggles of the last few years and how we feel about the ACC. We believe that if this movement has validity, it will be in the preaching of the gospel and people coming to Christ and becoming disciples of Jesus. We’ve tried to deal with the reality of legal battles, but not to emotionally or spiritually overwhelm the real call which is to build the Church. There are still churches deciding if they want to leave the ACC and join ANiC. But we’re not hiding in the bushes looking for unhappy people to try to persuade them. We’re turning our attention to church planting.

This interview first appeared in Faith Today and is reprinted with permission of the interviewer.