St Mary’s and St Michael’s

Brisbane's Catholic Archbishop John Bathersby and Victoria’s Uniting Church Moderator Jason Kioa are facing strikingly similar challenges. Their responses could hardly be more different.

As has been reported, St Mary's Catholic Church, South Brisbane, has broken from Catholic tradition with irregular liturgical practices and defiance of church authority.

Senior minister at St Michael’s Uniting Church in Melbourne’s CBD Francis Macnab last year launched a media campaign to promote an unorthodox “new faith”.

Among the dot points in Dr Macnab’s September 16 media release were:

• “If we reinterpret the Scriptures properly, the physical resurrection of Jesus is something that was concocted years after the event;” and
• “Most [churches] are still propagating a fiction [that] the Christmas and Easter stories are literally true, which they are not”.

Dr Macnab’s campaign included huge banners along Melbourne freeways declaring “The Ten Commandments. The most negative document ever written.”

He stated publicly that “Abraham is probably a concoction, Moses was a mass murderer and Jesus just a Jewish peasant who certainly was not God.”

Several Uniting Church members complained to the Moderator about the heresy. Others were upset that the $120,000 media campaign was launched without telling anyone in the synod.

These churches - St Mary’s in Brisbane and St Michael’s in Melbourne - have much in common. Both have Sunday gatherings well-attended by people of all faiths and none. Both engage in effective social action.

Both use innovative liturgies drawing on eastern mysticism, new age and other philosophies.

Both have critics who can point to official statements of faith and practice which are being ignored. Both attract spies who report back to the hierarchy.

Both are media and tech savvy and interact via websites with passionate supporters and detractors.

Both are doing only what many other congregations within their denomination are doing, but with greater flair.

Both ministers have large, devoted followings they have served for decades. Dr Macnab is 77, Father Kennedy is 71.

Both men can boast highly effective ministry to marginalised people, and don’t hesitate to do so.

Both are conspicuously unconventional in their dress - in opposite directions. Father Kennedy wears jeans. Dr Macnab preaches his “new faith” in full mediaeval regalia.

Both reject outside direction, maintaining they are within biblical if not ecclesiastical tradition.

Clearly Archbishop Bathersby and Moderator Kioa have problems.

They are both under pressure from within their flock to insist that orthodoxy is defended and heretics removed.

Powers are available to them in matters of doctrine, worship, government and discipline. But both also wish to allow as much diversity as possible within the bounds of good order.

Their actions so far have contrasted starkly.

The Sunday after St Michael’s launched its “new faith” Moderator Kioa issued an open pastoral letter affirming traditional orthodox Uniting Church beliefs.

Described by The Age’s religion writer Barney Zwartz as “swift, if limp” this reaction nevertheless provoked an allegation by Dr Macnab of defamation.

Mr Kioa then undertook what he describes as private “discipline conversations” with Dr Macnab. Another senior ordained minister joined this process.

The Moderator will announce the outcome next month. There will almost certainly be no public rebuke or other action against St Michael’s.

The response of the Archbishop has been direct, confrontational and under the open gaze of a bemused media.

He accused St Mary’s of having “established its own brand of religion” and therefore being “out of communion with” the Catholic Church.

He then sacked Father Kennedy, effective from February 21, and appointed a replacement.

Not surprisingly St Mary’s defied the decision and Father Kennedy continues to preside over mass.

St Mary’s and the Archbishop have now agreed to mediation chaired by former judge Ian Callinan, to begin in mid March when terms are decided.

Why such contrasting responses?

Pressure from the Vatican may be one factor. The Archbishop told ABC Radio that pressure has come from the Congregation of the Bishops, the Congregation of the Clergy and the Congregation for Divine Worship.

Jason Kioa is under no such pressure. He has, however, discussed his situation with the heads of the other Christian churches in Victoria.

Which response will be more effective? This depends on what outcomes are considered desirable.

In the next few weeks we shall see.