{"id":203549,"date":"2019-07-23T00:00:45","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T18:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=203549"},"modified":"2019-07-27T23:55:19","modified_gmt":"2019-07-27T18:25:19","slug":"the-church-of-ceylon-unethically-chasing-a-dream-to-be-a-province","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/the-church-of-ceylon-unethically-chasing-a-dream-to-be-a-province\/","title":{"rendered":"The Church Of Ceylon \u2013 Unethically Chasing A Dream To Be A Province"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>By <a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=S.+Ratnajeevan+H.+Hoole\">S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole<\/a> &#8211;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_151208\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Hoole.SRH439.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-151208\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-151208\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Hoole.SRH439-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Hoole.SRH439-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Hoole.SRH439-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-151208\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole<\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Anglican Structure<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The Anglican Communion consists of several national sister Provinces, each made of 4 or more dioceses. We were a single diocese \u2013 under the Church of India, Burma, Pakistan, and Ceylon. With independence, we broke into Provinces (Church of Burma, Church of Pakistan and India into South- and North-Indian Churches). Unfortunately, the Church of Ceylon, CoC, had only one diocese &#8211; the Diocese of Colombo \u2013 and remained under Canterbury. After Kurunegala broke off from Colombo, we had two but still short. Over time, circumstances allowed places like Hong Kong to be an Anglican Province without 4 dioceses. That opened up opportunities for CoC to apply. It seems that with one more diocese, we can be a province.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Arguments For:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The arguments for being a province are:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>1. Administrative efficiency &#8211; with more bishops, more parishes can have episcopal visits and the Church\u2019s mission advanced (a good reason);<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>2. Not being under a foreign Archbishop at Canterbury (as if it matters to our imported Church);<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>3. We will have our own Primate representing us at the Anglican Consultative Council (but we still are there on invitation).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Colombo Diocese has pushed hard for another Diocese but the resistance has grown within a skeptic laity, as well as clergy.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-203553\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops-768x282.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Arguments Against:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Opposition is rooted in the often cited numbers that the Church, which at independence had over 100,000 members, has dropped below 25,000. Far more serious are the objections over diminished faith within the church, besides the extra cost of a Bishop. What is the mission of the Church when priests deny the faith, as when they:<\/p>\n<p>1. Follow the practice of Bishop Kenneth Fernando (BKF) to wish \u201cMay he attain <i>Nibbana&#8221;<\/i> when Buddhists die, calling into question the Church\u2019s teachings on resurrection;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>2. Commit sacrilege \u2013 as Christ Church Dehiwela priests praying to the Buddha and singing Hari Krishna songs;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>3. Commit adultery \u2013we reward adulterers with promotions to canonship, archdeaconship, or scholarships (abroad to take the heat off).<\/p>\n<p>4. Deny episcopal governance as shown by Christ\u2019s and the early Church\u2019s example \u2013 one priest left the church to work as a Congregationalist in Canada, returned amidst accusations of being ousted for adultery and breaking up the host Parish under Fr. Isaak Selvaratnam by taking away the English-speaking part of his congregation, and is now returned a faithful practitioner of episcopal governance and even made a canon of the cathedral. The same priest\u2019s reputation is infamous after his posting to Lockgate, where the wardens \u201clocked the church gates\u201d and disappeared. A university chaplain\u2019s congregation dropped to two and the carpenter complained that he was asked for a bill for Rs. 600, although his work only cost Rs. 300.<\/p>\n<p>5. Conceal allegations of child-abuse and sexual-harassment \u2013 when a CMS Priest-Principal was accused by a teacher of making homosexual advances and child-abuse, the allegations were dismissed by most in authority who said \u201cI have known him for years.\u201d After Bishop Dhilo, to his credit, ordered an inquiry, the priest retired as principal but is still a priest. With the inquiry report suppressed, people ask if their children are safe.<\/p>\n<p>6. Ignore that being under a European Primate means importing European sexuality. As same-sex marriage would force Canterbury, an Established English-government Church, to accept their government\u2019s decision to allow same-sex unions, our Primate would have little choice to disallow it, changing our theology of marriage from a covenant relationship ordained by God, to a contract between two same-sex adults.<\/p>\n<p>There is no mission for this church unless our faith is asserted and faithless priests dismissed. For the first time, Bishop Dhilo has dismissed some priests (who have held on to their quarters showing what rotters some priests are).<\/p>\n<p>Our Priests play their ritual part in CoC \u2013 forgiving sins (although their cynicism strips it of meaning), consecrating the Eucharist, baptizing, and blessing us \u2013 like actors. Their faith, sacrilege, thieving, and womanizing are irrelevant as in our misguided theology consecration indelibly marks clergy as Christ\u2019s own. They should be sacked and our Lord freed of their burden.<\/p>\n<p><b>Empowering the Faithless<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Priests are either faithful or faithless. The latter usually have good skills, like writing and English-fluency, and are needed for the Church. People of the world, who know how to manage and invest funds, have been moved in and paid high salaries like never before. So they fly high. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A good example is Sam Ponniah the Archdeacon of Jaffna. Ponniah has a sharp sense for justice and received promotion to his office ahead of senior men, despite past problems. Additionally, he is Manager of St. John\u2019s College and Acting Principal. He cannot be his own manager but is. Without a recognized degree, he cannot be principal but is. In turn, he pushes for a new diocese even denying its opposition in Jaffna, even saying \u201cJaffna people are only good at shooting others.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Others like Registrar Chanaka de Silva chime with him \u201cYou were not present at the meeting,\u201d although I was at one meeting where opposition was staunch, and we know the Nazis killed Jews despite not being there.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As Saint Thomas More asked when Richie Rich bore false witness against More to become Attorney General of Wales, &#8220;Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world&#8230; but for Wales? Should we ask \u201cTo be Bishop in a failing Church?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>Dishonest Democracy<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The heart of the problem seems lack of democracy within a church that is vociferous about national democracy. It is said that the priests pushing for another diocese want to be Bishops. Unfairly, they say Bishop Dhilo Canagasabey wants to be Archbishop as his 10-year term as diocesan bishop ends in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Starting bottom-up, an un-sanctimonious priest and leading Colombo women were sent to the rural deaneries to canvass support for another diocese. No group wanted another diocese.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>We are already short of priests, ordaining and retaining unsuitable men from the bottom of the barrel. How would we staff the new diocese? A woman sent to Jaffna to drum up support for a new diocese and who schooled in Tamil, spoke in English and asked for a translator claiming not to know Tamil. That is how out-of-touch Anglican leaders are.<\/p>\n<p>When the exercise failed, a resolution was moved in the 2018 Diocesan Council trying to drum-up support for a diocese. As the majority spoke negatively, the resolution was withdrawn to avoid defeat and uphold the mirage of a new diocese as popular. The seconder, Romesh Schafter, claims they withdrew because Kurunegala had passed something similar. If true, why propose it and waste our time?<\/p>\n<p><b>Bishop Kenneth Fernando<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Suspending Standing orders, BKF, who is not a member of the Council, was then brought in to convince us. In addition to \u201cArguments for\u201d above, he made the claim: \u201cA Bishop doesn\u2019t need a big cathedral and big house and luxuries. This comes from the colonial times.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I pointed out this out as untruthful because Bishop Rollo Campbell, a non-national Bishop of Colombo, led a simple life in a simple house near STC-Prep with cheap straw-shutters, unlike BKF, and walked to the General Hospital to visit patients. Before I could finish, Shafter and the Registrar (who cacophonously shut down any dissent through objections like vicious guard dogs) moved a motion that I be ejected from Chambers, untruthfully claiming I called BFK a liar; Bishop Dhilo gracefully ignored it saying BKF had expressed his personal views.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Bishop Campbell retired and went to England to live on his pension. Conversely, BKF and Bishop Duleep Chickera (BDC), our two liberal bishops in succession who installed faithless priests in powerful office, lived in palaces while in office, had palatial houses put up for their post-retirement, and had millions in church money allocated for personal cars in retirement, while BDC was given Rs.75,000 a month to lease a van. Both visited a car dealer\u2019s recently and picked 5,000,000+\/= cars that the diocese would buy for them. Each national Bishop coming with each new diocese, will now have a palace and car for life. What slander on our faithful English bishops!<\/p>\n<p>It is relevant that our first Vice-Chancellor, Sir Ivor Jennings, drove his own old jalopy and walked the 100-yards from his quarters to his office across the street. In contrast, our first national VC, Sir Nicholas Attygalle, succeeding Jennings, ordered a new Mercedes Benz, and recruited a chauffeur to drive him daily to his office 100-yards across.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Top-Down<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In a new twist, the CoC General Assembly at the top is trying again for a new diocese. Resolving, despite 2018-Council rejections, that the CoC \u201cis earnestly desirous of regulating its own affairs\u201d it directs the Diocese of Colombo to initiate an immediate process to examine the needs for the creation of a diocese.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The charade has to stop. Archbishop of Canterbury arrives in August.<\/p>\n<p><b>Where is Faith?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>There is no CoC mission in this milieu. Period. The indication is the Tamil Eucharist of the CoC. The Liturgical Commission of the Church approved the Liturgy in English and put Rev. Joshua Ratnam to translate into Tamil.<\/p>\n<p>The so-called mistakes are in the hundreds and sacrilegious and deliberate. Consistently in \u201cAlmighty God,\u201d the word Almighty is gone. So in the Nicene Creed.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>So also at the end of the <i>Gloria in Excelsis<\/i>, where the words<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>are removed. As taught, generations of our priests at Pilimatalawa Theological College by Dr. Jayasiri Peiris and Rev. Muthaiyah Selvarajah, to call God Almighty is insulting of Hindus and Buddhists and is unsuitable for Asia. Our Pilimatalawa priests are tainted. Almost like a trick on us, the Trisagion calls God\u00a0\u0baa\u0bc1\u0ba9\u0bbf\u0ba4\u0bae\u0bc1\u0bae\u0bcd \u0b85\u0bb2\u0bcd\u0bb2\u0bbe\u0ba4\u0bb5\u0bbe;, that is unholy God. We, in our illiteracy, have been repeating this parrot-like in our services for 9 years. Even the innocuous Fourth Commandment is missing and nobody noticed.<\/p>\n<p>A part of the problem is that some of our clergy suddenly get the call of the Holy Spirit to serve God after failing their GCE O-Levels. Thus, in the Liturgy, the titular word <i>Holy Eucharist<\/i>, \u0ba8\u0bb1\u0bcd\u0b95\u0bb0\u0bc1\u0ba3\u0bc8, is spelt incorrectly with the 2-ring letter na as \u0ba8\u0bb1\u0bcd\u0b95\u0bb0\u0bc1\u0ba9\u0bc8. Even the Bishop\u2019s motion is spelt wrongly as \u0baa\u0bbf\u0bb0\u0bc7\u0bb0\u0ba9\u0bc8 instead of as \u0baa\u0bbf\u0bb0\u0bc7\u0bb0\u0ba3\u0bc8<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Diocesan rulers resisted this resolution on the urgent need to revise the Tamil liturgy. It was finally passed after Shafter and De Silva made changes claiming the mistakes to be translation errors, prevaricating that something so systematic and pervasive was accidental. Surely all the priests at Council-2018 knew it is the teaching of the Church through Pilimatalawa to make God Not-Almighty. They misled the trusting laity. A Committee was appointed and now the Committee\u2019s report has gone back to the impious original translator who rewrote much of the liturgy while claiming to translate it. To Anglicans that he speaks good English and chants well is all that matters.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The church must not cover-up for dishonest priests who, with cocked guns, are ready to blow our faith out of the water. The Bishop must let a few heads roll if the Church is to survive these faithless careerists, starting with those who gave us a blasphemous liturgy on the pretext of translation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Bishop Dhilo should say he wants a diocese if that is his wish, and we may agree out of obedience. If we do not, he must let go. The author is an elected member of the Standing Committee of the CoC (Colombo).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":203553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-203549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Church Of Ceylon \u2013 Unethically Chasing A Dream To Be A Province - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/the-church-of-ceylon-unethically-chasing-a-dream-to-be-a-province\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Church Of Ceylon \u2013 Unethically Chasing A Dream To Be A Province - Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/the-church-of-ceylon-unethically-chasing-a-dream-to-be-a-province\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-07-22T18:30:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-07-27T18:25:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/The-Three-Bishops.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"330\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"S. 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