Thus Speaks the Still Tolerated Fr. Robert Hart, and the Orthodox Anglican Church's Reply

You know, Fr. Hart is known to whine whenever anyone publicly criticizes his outrageous behavior in writing that such a person has committed "slander" against him.  (He means "libel", not "slander", as I've instructed him several times about the legal distinction.)  He has threatened me, though I just laughed him off, the only appropriate response.  However,  *here our good priest almost actually rises*  to the level of libel.  We in the Orthodox Anglican Church (OAC) pay him no mind, however, because he is such a sad case.   Even if he's committed libel, which he legally hasn't,  I Cor. 6 would be our guide.

I came near to being incardinated into the Anglican Province of America as a deacon.  In a discussion about the OAC mission where I now serve as Vicar, the priest of that APA parish mentioned the whole Dees thing as a reason no Anglican clergyman should want to become canonically resident in the OAC.  I ended up leaving that parish for the OAC mission anyway, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that any objective person researching the OAC will see straightaway that our jurisdiction separated not only from the racist mind of Dees, but even from his original jurisdiction, now known as the Anglican Orthodox Church.

See this Facebook video.  Unfortunately, for now you will have to copy and paste the link or highlight it and click open link:

https://www.facebook.com/1389595446/videos/636790948287733/

The Orthodox Anglican Communion

Poor Fr. Hart. 

Comments

[Stephen]

Surely his assertions about your communion are unreasonable and un-Christian; and, frankly, "You are not part of Continuing Anglicanism" is such a laughably petty insult even to attempt that it casts the light of the schoolyard over the whole proceeding. Are you part of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church? Then who cares how other boundaries get drawn?

All that said, I do wish he wasn't so deep under your skin. Your blog amply shows that you have reflections and thoughts worth sharing on a multitude of issues theological and historical. There are hundreds of jurisdictions in the world, most of them with a few out-of-control priests of one kind or another. God knows their bishops have plenty to handle. Why keep spending time, angst, and ink on this one? Sure, he's insulted you, but nobody can read his insults and not laugh. I fear further engagement may only lead to own goals, not least in keeping you away from more productive and fruitful work.

Blessings.

[Warwickensis]

Father,

Stephen and I are so much in agreement here and you know that I have often urged for you not to engage in such battles.

As an ACC priest myself, I find Fr Hart very difficult to support on account of his grandiose assumption that he is irrefutably right. Don't fall into the same trap as sometimes, just sometimes, I see the very same "righteous indignation" in yourself and I know you can rise above it.

I accept the OAC as part of the Continuing movement as I have publicly stated on my own blog. Your blog can support that very well but I would humbly and seriously counsel that you battle heresy not heretics.

God bless

[Embryo Parson]

Thank you, my brothers. Your counsel is duly noted.

Just so it's clear, I truly bear no partisan animus towards G3. I came into Continuing Anglicanism through the ACC at St. Mary's Anglican Catholic Church in Denver in 2011. I have many fond memories of my time there as an altar server and a member of its men's group. I have had many great discussions with Fr. Kevin Bell and retired Bishop Denver Presley Hutchens, who was at the time our Episcopal Visitor of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity before Stephen Scarlett was consecrated Ordinary.

The OAC has in recent times enjoyed amicable relations with the APA. Things seem to have changed somewhat with +Jones now at the helm, but I could be misreading that. I can tell you that the late Fr. Richard Bakely was of invaluable service to men in the OAC's discernment process. He was our friend and ally, and an all-around good priest.

But I am just plain heartsick over what's happening here wrt Fr. Hart's promulgation of his brother's heresy and the role Fr. Wesley Walker's The Sacramentalist Podcast is playing in platforming it. I am heartsick, and heartsickness naturally translates into anger, especially when I observe the cavalier attitude of the bishops who could put the kibosh on it all, if only they would.