Since reading this thread, I keep coming back to one line in this email: "Protocol should be developed out of an understanding of these patterns and fundamental changes in thinking and culture." Why? Because @MidwestAnglican chose culture over victims.
Culture, for both @MidwestAnglican and @ChurchRez has become an idol. RezCulture, as I've heard it called, is something glorified and revered as an integral part of how church is done. It is joked about and used as a punchline, but it undergirds how the whole system operates.
At times, they identify themselves as much by this culture as they do by being Anglican - it's part of their religion. I remember many "jokes" when Provincial Assembly was hosted in Wheaton that being around "RezCulture would show ACNA how things should be done".
You're not allowed any kind of responsibility or leadership within Rez or UMW without proving your compatibility with RezCulture. It isn't a matter of discipling people into responsible leadership, it's a matter of weeding out anyone but those who adhere to this specific pattern.
In order for @MidwestAnglican to agree to an investigation that would give a thorough analysis of systems and culture, they would have to agree to the possibility (no, the probability) that their culture would be shown for the abuse-enabling structure that it is.
So instead they chose to move forward with an investigation that would prop up the structure and set aside the reasonable, well-informed, and thoroughly researched requests the victims repeatedly outlined.
Because in the end, safeguarding their culture was a higher priority to @MidwestAnglican than safeguarding their parishioners.
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This whole 🧵 that Brian put together is worth your time. But this & the tweets following really stood out to me as I'm remembering countless instances when we attended @ChurchRez and the Bp would extemporaneously burst into "a word from God" during the middle of many services.
Mostly these were unconnected almost stream of consciousness tangents mid-prayer & reminded me of the tools in trade of charlatan mediums in Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers novels - pick a vague claim that will almost certainly hit home with multiple people in the congregation.
As Brian says, the hearers (many of whom will resonate with the just vague enough "word" and believe it to be about them) feel this as confirmation of the Bp's already touted "divine hotline." How could you know better than someone who is so connected to God's voice?