13.vii.2005.

To:–

The Canadian House of Bishops

Dear Member of the Canadian House of Bishops,

“… and teach men so… ”: An Open Letter.

It is well over two-and-a-half years since I wrote to the House of Bishops with extensive supporting materials, both personal and academic, about the situation of my parish in the Diocese of New Westminster. If any of that mailing reached you, I received merely a formal acknowledgement from the then-Primate. It may, however, still be read on my Website, under http://nwnet.org/~prisca/PDMTtoHoB.htm

In the light of more recent developments in the Communion, I think it right to send you more personally some material which is being read and taken seriously all over the world. It is not long, and will not take you long to read; but if you wish to comment on it, to me privately or in a more public way, I urge you to refrain from doing so until you have followed up at least some of my supporting references. They will enable those of you who are not familiar with it to come to terms with weightier modern scholarship in several spheres.

What is my authority for writing to you again? My academic training has been in the Greek and Roman Classics, their language, history and sociology, ancient philosophy and ethics, the literary and textual criticism of ancient books, the Old Testament, the Apocrypha and other inter-testamental literature (in the original languages), the New Testament, Church History, Christian doctrine, and biblical text and language. I am a Septuagint scholar, and am quoted all over the world as a lexicographer. I am a contributor to the modern Hexapla project. I think it possible that some of you at least have somewhat different gifts; and all of us are commanded to exercise what we have been given for the common good.

What do I hope for in writing to you again? My distinguished spouse and I continue to counsel patience with you our official leaders. We still encourage others to expect you to rise to the demands of these difficult, indeed unprecedented, ecclesiastical times. The St. Michael Report represents some mature theological reflection originating in our church. Chaucer said of his exemplary priest, “And gladly woulde he learne, and gladly teche”. You are stated to have recovered a degree of collegiality among yourselves. It is our earnest hope and prayer, and that of very many faithful educated laypeople, that this may be rooted in your central responsibility as students and teachers of the Faith, and your shared commitment to fulfilling that responsibility.

I should be only too glad to correspond with any of you about what I have sent you. If it would assist the House, I will travel at my own expense to meet with you as a House to discuss it.

Yours respectfully,

Priscilla Turner

Dr. P.D.M. Turner

Encl.: 2003 Brief from Drs. C.J.G. and P.D.M. Turner to the Lambeth Commission.

1998 Letter from Holy Trinity, Vancouver to Bp. Michael Ingham (cited in our 2003 Brief as MOTION9.htm).